Do 1500s run hot? Need help for 1500 I want to buy

[pcarrell]

Gotta agree....that's WAY toasty!

Wonder if the coolant is topped off properly on that bike.  That could account for a lot of it.  Cool the cylinders and the exhaust should be cooler as well, etc.

[45 Bravo]

Wow that is hot.
This summer it was over 100 deg F. For several  days in a row.
And I drive my bike daily. No matter the temp.
I have a large fork bag over my front fender so my cooling could be better.
But I never have had temps like that.

Something has got to be wrong. Even when my fan has kicked on (I can count it on 1 hand)
The engine never has been that hot.

As I am sure the others would agree.

[DC]

I was looking at a 99 1500 a while back and, while idling, it did get very hot.  It had V&H with the baffles out.  It was so hot you could cook hot dogs on a stick about a foot away from it.  Plus, while sitting there, the heat from the pipes was rising and pretty much frying me.  But how often are you just going to sit there standing still for a long time while idling.  Not too often.  For the most part, you won't feel it very much while riding.

[pcarrell]

Mine kicks on once in a while, but I run a good sized fork bag so my radiator probably doesn't get as much air forced into it.  Even at that, it only sometimes comes on in traffic.  Out on the open road.....never.

[49Reo]

I have had my fan kick in once in all the time I've owned mine, and I had to deliberately work it hard lugging it up an incline to get it to kick in. I was trying to get it to kick in because it had never run.

Regards and such,
49Reo

[pcarrell]

I've noticed some heat, but not excessive.  I have V&H pipes, and on hot days in stop & go it can get a bit toasty, but that's about it.

As for the shocks, solo I run a "3" setting at 23lbs.  Like riding on a cloud!  2up I go to "4" and up the pressure to 38.  When the wife and I were a bit heavier I bumped it up to 41lbs.

[jmbo]

Haven't ridden mine in hot weather yet but after riding a HD and sitting at a stop sign thinking my pants were on fire, how bad can it be.

[espiros]

Thank you Chief,
I have found that 30 is the "magic" number for me....regardless if I'm Riding alone (220 pounds) or with the girlfriend (120 pounds) a total of 340 those times...

[chief]

The working pressure range for the shocks, according to Kawasaki, is 0 to 43 psi.

They warn you not to exceed 71 psi as you will pop the seals if you do. Some people have assumed that meant you could go to 70. Remember, when you hit a bump/pothole etc the pressure inside the shock spikes. During these spikes you don't want to exceed 71 psi, so I assume the kaw engineers have determined 43psi provides the appropriate margin of safety.
When I had them I ran the at 45psi max.

[Troll]

Don't go over 50 psi...and with just you, 30 will be fine. I'm running 25 and happy .  Rebound set at 4 will help minimize shaft jacking and rear lift during heavy braking.

[espiros]

Hi there,
I had the same questions about the 1500 Drifter.
Hottter than others.....Yes, but...Lot nicer than all!
So, I'm happy and just remeber to move my leg little bit out the pipes (V&H)
Shocks.....
I had the same problem, last 2 owners never check the air pressure in those shocks...I'm 220 so...The first time I rode it, it tough there was something wrong with them.
After I move them to the 4th position and put air in them (30 PSI) now I feel like I'm in a Cadillac....
And, I read somewhere that you could go all up to 70 PSI in those shocks....Just try to inflate them and you will feel the difference

[Slave to the lens]

Los Angeles here, and my fan comes on sometimes during stop and go 1st through 3rd traffic light traffic, but it's often when it's already 90 out.

[waltervl]

I heard my fan switch on only once in the year that I have my Drifter now, and that after a long hot summer ride with passenger in the hills and it switched on in a traffic jam in a small village.

[45 Bravo]

I agree with chief, My 99's fan never came on in the first 8 months i owned it.

FINALLY, one day i was slowly cruising through a campground in first gear, when it came on.
My friends 800 classic's fan had been running for several minutes before mine came on.

In just normal daily operations (that doesn't involve extended traffic stops) it shouldn't come on.

Good Luck.

45 Bravo

[chief]

A couple of things... all engines have a temperature range at which they operate best. With liquid cooled, you get cooling regardless of wind/ambient temps. That's a good thing. However, at slow speeds the bike depends upon the electric fan. This fan operates within a certain temp range. Slow speed runs will cause the engine to get hotter and will activate the fan... this is going to be at the upper temperature range.

Our bikes' fan doesn't run much, almost never during routine riding situations.

[mbk]

Just got home from my work (20 min drive) and felt the airbox covers. Hand warm, definitely not hot. Left even warmer then right (warmed by engine air intake?) The left one is the air intake and filter, right is not real airbox intake,  has no filter and it gets its air from the left one.

But after 15 min sitting in the garage I felt again and then both got the heat of the engine and felt hot.
Temperature outside here is 25 degrees C now (nice drive weather )

So perhaps you felt it while running to engine without driving some time?

This is helpful because I was just taking it for short jaunts in first and second, maybe third, int he subdivision -- lots of low speed driving, no chance for rushing air to cool it off.  I thought a liquid cooled engine was to run cooler, but then this is a lot of engine and even my car engine, liquid cooled and all, is hot when I am driving it.  Now it's just a matter of going for an extended ride and seeing ift hat is better.  Thanks to everyone for answering this, it's really helpful.  Mike

[ChilliDrift]

Took a road thrip over 4th of July on my 99. We went through mts and traffic before my radiator fan came on. I was beginning to think it didnt work. But I have V&H Longshots on mine and man they do get hot Me and Sweetie have matching burn scars.. But I think its all normal. No major heat from the air covers. But there is a decent ammt of heat comming up between your legs.  I love my 99. Enjoy.

[waltervl]

Just got home from my work (20 min drive) and felt the airbox covers. Hand warm, definitely not hot. Left even warmer then right (warmed by engine air intake?) The left one is the air intake and filter, right is not real airbox intake,  has no filter and it gets its air from the left one.

But after 15 min sitting in the garage I felt again and then both got the heat of the engine and felt hot.
Temperature outside here is 25 degrees C now (nice drive weather )

So perhaps you felt it while running to engine without driving some time?

[Troll]

I guess I never really noticed excessive heat. After riding H-Ds for more than 45 years, the toasted right leg must be numb. I road a Victory Vision a few years ago, and that sucker makes some serious HEAT....

[mbk]

I agree the heat is relative, but I was a bit surprised that I could feel it through the air cleaner covers, especially the right side, which had enough heat to be mildly painful. 

[Troll]

I'm about your size, and I'm running 25 psi in the rear shocks. It's not as good a ride over bumps as my TourGlide, but it's pretty much ok. I would like it to be more compliant, but then it weighs over 200 ls. less. The heat thing is relative, I guess. All exposed engines generate heat you can feel right away. The big heat source is likely the exhaust system. If all the heat shields are in place, it should be manageable, but if they are not, or it's an aftermarket exhaust, the heat coming off the head pipes can be an issue. To check the coolant level, there is a window on the right side, at the front edge of the side cover with a plastic tank sticking out just behind the cylinder...or you could take out the one phillips screw and remove the right side cover.
The stock exhaust has a very large collector mounted in the rear, on the right side, and a black "goat bladder" premuffler behind the engine, between the back of the trans and the rear wheel.

[waltervl]

The cable on the right side is indeed the idle adjustment, the choke is under the ignition key on the left side.

Running hot? I don't feel mine is running hot.

Suspension, I have the european version so no air. Did the drifter went down a little bit when you sat down on it or a lot?

If you are not sure try to get along someone with knowledge for a second look.  And if it does not feel right dont do it, even when it is such a nice motor (and Drifters are). I have myself lead  by wanting to have it and it came back to me every time the wrong way

[mbk]

ONE MORE THING - Guy showed me on right side there was cable with thumbscrew or similar on end of it to adjust what he said was the choke, but what I thought was idle - on a cable ablout four or five inches long just hanging down - is that correct? 

[mbk]

A FEW MORE DETAILS - it does not smell like coolant and it does not smell hot - it's just a presence of heat off the engine area - cleaner covers moreso than I felt with the time I rode an 800.  It has stock pipes as well, no changes there that I know of.

[mbk]

Good news is I found a very wonderful looking 1999 1500 Drifter with 24K on it and I love it, however I have two questions.  One, are they supposed to run hot?  By hot I mean as soon as it started I could feel the heat and as I rode it, I could feel a lot of heat from the air cleaner covers and engine on my legs.  He said oil was changed this season and he runs premium gas in it.  I was not riding much and what I did was at slow speeds in a subdivision, but it was hot when I first got on it and the guy had not run it much.  Oil level looked good - a bit high, infact, but that may have been due to angle of the bike.  Don't know how to check radiator so I did not do that.  Shifted well although I think I stalled it out once (and it made a horrid noise) but started right back up.  I may have been trying to move from third, not sure.  Also, ride over bumps was horrible.  Guy said he never adjusted shock, never put a air compressor hose to it, but he is second owner.  I am about 240 so it may just need an adjustment of air or preload (I have seen a lot of threads here on that), did not notice what setting it was on.  I love this bike, but is the hot engine and bad ride from rear shocks a deal breaker?  I'm not worried about the shocks, because I think you can find cheaper non-air ones for it or get a set of Progressives for around $600 (although I don't want to have to put that into it) but it's the hot engine that bothers me.  But it looks so good, is so cool and I did not know this but the thing comes with a certificate made to the original owner with the serial number on it - also comes with a personalized handlebar riser cover made out in original owner's name (not mounted on bike, as a little extra in a pack with the certificate, video, and brochure) - did all the first ones come with this presentation?  It's side covers also have a black inset and the guy told me those are hard to find (like a black Circle with a stylized V on it).  It's so nice, it may be worth it if it needs some fixing - or maybe these are all normal things.  Thanks in advance for your help, I really want to get this.  Mike