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Posted by pcarrell
- October 18, 2012, 16:20:11 PMGotta 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.
Posted by 45 Bravo
- October 18, 2012, 08:32:14 AMWow 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.
Posted by DC
- October 18, 2012, 07:29:43 AMI 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.
Posted by pcarrell
- October 17, 2012, 11:35:51 AMMine 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.
Posted by 49Reo
- October 17, 2012, 10:59:20 AMI 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
Posted by pcarrell
- October 17, 2012, 09:59:03 AMI'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.
Posted by jmbo
- October 17, 2012, 08:59:28 AMHaven'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.
Posted by espiros
- August 28, 2012, 14:58:27 PMThank 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...
Posted by chief
- August 28, 2012, 11:18:35 AMThe 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.
Posted by Troll
- August 28, 2012, 09:38:01 AMDon'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.
Posted by espiros
- August 28, 2012, 09:27:22 AMHi 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
Posted by Slave to the lens
- August 26, 2012, 21:41:12 PMLos 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.
Posted by waltervl
- August 23, 2012, 05:45:30 AMI 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.
Posted by 45 Bravo
- August 22, 2012, 19:08:17 PMI 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
Posted by chief
- August 22, 2012, 16:31:54 PMA 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.