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Message started by Blinky on 08/01/12 at 08:08:00

Title: BRC-2 and Overheating?
Post by Blinky on 08/01/12 at 08:08:00

I have just signed up for the Basic Riders Course 2. This course is described as 5 hours on the range with your own motorcycle. The temperature should be in the mid to high 80's. I have read a few threads that warn about overheating due to excessive idling and slow speeds. Obviously there will be some breaks during the course but the majority of the 5 hours will be in slow speed exercises. (This is the same range where I took the BRC-1 and it is not big enough to get it out of the rather tall 1st gear). Any thoughts or am I just being overly cautious?

Title: Re: BRC-2 and Overheating?
Post by Oldfeller on 08/01/12 at 08:18:11

Make sure your idle speed is up a bit to keep good oil pressure during the idling periods.

Next, a sump full of Rotella T-6 wouldn't be stressed by the mild overheating your engine may well have to endure (look for your pipe to go gold then blue as a sign this is happening).

You can cut your bike off and on, but running it just a little and starting it a lot can drain your battery down.

If your course is well equipped, they will have a big fan out in the yard to keep the aircooled bikes nice and cool.

If not, ask if you can go last in the line up for each exercise and try to keep your bike "off" as much as you can to keep it from overheating.

Title: Re: BRC-2 and Overheating?
Post by Blinky on 08/01/12 at 08:25:38

OF, Thanks. Good idea about the idle speed and oil pump. I would not have thought about that. I use Rotella 15-40 now. I am the second owner and the bike has 5300 miles on the clock. I doubt it has ever had a full synthetic in it. See any issues continuing with non-synthetic oil?

Title: Re: BRC-2 and Overheating?
Post by Charon on 08/01/12 at 09:04:56

Last summer I rode my '07 in a parade on a very hot (95 or more) summer day. The bike essentially idled the whole time, at least 45 minutes or more. As far as I could tell, the idle speed did not change, nor were there any other signs of overheating. The pipe did not discolor. There was no particularly noticeable breeze, either. Fuel was E-10; oil Shell Rotella "triple protection" 15W-40 conventional. Remember that while at those very low speeds there is little air cooling, but the engine is operating at idle power and isn't making an awful lot of heat. There will be some convective cooling by the simple fact that the hot air in contact with the engine will naturally rise and make way for cooler ambient air.

Title: Re: BRC-2 and Overheating?
Post by Oldfeller on 08/01/12 at 09:26:33

Go for it with the dino 15w40 Rotella T if you want to, it WAS the old high temp champion until the T-6 came along, so it is no slouch by any means --- anyway, you know the danger signs so you can stop any overheating progression before it gets too far.