Curious...

[Alien]

Has anyone ever had any overheating issues on an XB?

Other than roasting my thighs, I have no symptoms but sitting in Florida traffic has me wondering if my bike is suffering. ...and no, I don't have the comfort kit on my Uly.

 

[user_deleted]

having owned 3 buells and ridden in some stifling heat i've never had over-heating issues where the ecm actually made the bike go soft and on limp mode. but i'm very cautious and try to keep out of high heat/stop and go type conditions. i think a top quality oil really helps with heat issues along with fully functioning cooling fan. and the single best thing i ever did to cool the motor and my roasting thighs was the addition of the right side scoop set-up. helps a ton.

 

[user_deleted]

 

[SlyFox]

Other than roasting my thighs,

As far as the heat on your thighs: Instead of a $100 comfort kit, what I do is cut a piece of truck inner tube (free), lift the seat and place the tube at the seam where the seat meets the frame and air box. Hot air comes off the back header where it's connected to the engine, flows under the seat and then exits at that seam. After blocking that seam, the hot air then dissipates under the seat and no longer burns the thigh. Occassionally I get a hot draft from breezes lifting the heat off the headers while stopped.

 

[Dave A]

I went with the Special Ops heat barriers under the air box and seat, right side scoop and a heat shield on my header. Then I switched from Mobile one 20/50 to Amsoil 20/50. The bike definitely feels cooler to me but that fan drives me crazy sometimes. I have an 09 xb12Ss and my friend has an 09 xb12R with just a right side scoop. His bike is a lot more uncomfortable from the heat but his fan rarely runs... Hope that helps.

 

[Alien]

Thanks. I can deal with the discomfort, I'm more worried about the bike. I didn't know it will go into "limp mode"; that's good to know.

 

[user_deleted]

I didn't know it will go into "limp mode"; that's good to know.

alien: my understanding is that the ecm has factory programmed "limp home mode" built into it in the event of over-heating. the heat sensor switch is screwed into the rear cylinder head and sends resistance signal to the ecm. it also assists in signaling when to activate cooling fan. i have never experienced it myself but in event of serious over-heating the ecm will trigger "soft run" mapping configuration and cut the ignition in and out until motor sufficiently cools to allow full run operation.

 

[SilveradoTX]

I've never encountered the "limp home mode", but I've sat in rush hour work traffic in 100 plus degree weather in Texas for 1-2 hours multiple times per week without any issues. Defeinitely can agree with the heat being a pain and the fan getting annoying, though.

 

[baybueller]

The fan is a good thing. I have the EBR race module and due to previous complaints it shuts off when needed most, below 5 mph and after shut down. There is a ton of heat trapped in the frame area when not moving and I wish my fan would flush it.

 

[baybueller]

And as to the question, I have had 3 Buells and many Harleys and with temps over 100f I have never had one go into limp mode. Not sure with the Buell but the Harleys shut down 1 cylinder when stressed.

 

[snrusnak]

FlaX and I rode with a guy one time that when we stopped at a gas station to fill up he parked in a parking spot and left his bike idling and ran inside, after ~5 minutes when he came back out his bike was overheating and shut itself down. We had to wait like 30 minutes until it would start again and it ran like crap, but after he got some air moving through it and it cooled down it was fine. His bike had some issues though it seemed..

 

[Alien]

Thanks for the info. I guess I have nothing to worry about. My RC51 used to spit coolant in traffic. Part of why I sold it.

 

[FlaXB9R]

I have no symptoms but sitting in Florida traffic has me wondering if my bike is suffering

Being from FL I've been stuck in traffic in HOT weather and have had no issues. Bike Week going down Main St. is damn near stand still and I've done that a few times in March and October (which are still hot months in Fl.) with no issues. Once my friends gsxr over heated on Main St. and spewed radiator fluid all over the place because he blew his fan fuse and didn't realize it wasn't running while my old air cooled Buell purred like nothing was wrong.

One day riding with 3 other buellers we stopped at the gas station and one of the guys we were with left his bike running while he went in the store. He was parked in front of the store while the rest of us were at the gas pumps. When he came out he pulled over next to us and his bike died. After it died it wouldn't start again for 10-15 minutes. One of the guys that was with us was going to MTI taking the Buell course and said it was over heated and the ECM shut it down.

Once it started up it ran fine (using that term loosely made it back might be a better statment) while moving. He came by my house and we hooked it up to ECM Spy and he had multiple trouble codes. Bad ECM, Something with the injectors, and I can't remember what else. So my assumption is that the over heating had more to do with other issues than just running without moving. As long as your bike is mechanically sound (including FAN running) you shouldn't have any issues.

Enjoy our weather and Ride Safe [up]