Summer Running, Hot or What?

[Fazerboy66]

I've been out on some very hot days here in the UK and noticed my FZ8 Fazer get really hot, the frame after an hour of riding is roasting my legs, is this normal and should I be concerned?
In winter when i first got my bike the hot fram was a blessing in disguise and it warmed my little legs, however when I'm out in the Summer my legs are getting very hot from my alloy frame.
Do you guys find this and anyone come up with a solution?
In particular how do our friends in the USA get on with hot bikes?
Wearing shorts would be impossible! Although I'd never wear shorts on the road as its just too risky if your to come off.

 

[rail]

I think it's normal... it doesn't really get too hot on my FZ8. Quite warm yes, but not painful. My thighs used to burn painfully on my SV lol

 

[alexk]

I've learned to keep a tiny amount of space between me and the frame except when I need to lock on.

And of course... keep it moving. The difference between a hot bike in motion and a hot bike stopped is immense. Pick your routes to try to avoid traffic lights, traffic, etc.

 

[Gem rod]

I've been out on some very hot days here in the UK and noticed my FZ8 Fazer get really hot, the frame after an hour of riding is roasting my legs, is this normal and should I be concerned?
In winter when i first got my bike the hot fram was a blessing in disguise and it warmed my little legs, however when I'm out in the Summer my legs are getting very hot from my alloy frame.
Do you guys find this and anyone come up with a solution?
In particular how do our friends in the USA get on with hot bikes?
Wearing shorts would be impossible! Although I'd never wear shorts on the road as its just too risky if your to come off.

The tendancy for the engine to quickly reach it's max temp (before the fan cuts in) is common on most modern bikes as far as I can tell.

Apologies for using deg C as I know a lot of users on the forum are from across the pool, but I would regard cool running as 73, and getting hot when it approaches 90. The fan has cut in only once so far and this was at 100.

As you say it's when the bike is forced to potter along at say 30mph or less, the temp quickly rises.

My Deauville was exactly the same and so is my CBF600.

I have heard it said that the reason in part is due to emissions regulations and the need to run bikes on the lean side to comply. That sounds technically reasonable; the more air the hotter the burn.

 

[fz8kansas]

Kansas fried wings

Here in the middle of the US, we have some pretty hot days in summer. This year has been mostly mild (global warming?). We did have a week were the temps touched the upper 90's. My ride home from work starts with 15 miles of highway and then 6 miles of city streets. Some of the lights can be very long. I would see temps in the mid 190s will moving and then it would climb to 210 while sitting at the lights. The fans would kick on and it would feel like an oven between my legs. The frame would get so hot that you did not want to come in contact with it even with my heavy work pants. On the worst day I noted that even the tank felt too warm which made me feel uncomfortable. Since then the temps have been back to below normal for this time of year. We are having upper 70s when normally it would be in the upper 80s. I have had a Honda 500 twin and an Interceptor and never remember this kind of heat coming from the motor.