Posted by David K on February 09, 2003 at 20:24:21:
In Reply to: Re: Oil Cooler? posted by Polar Pilot on February 08, 2003 at 17:17:35:
So, hot to the touch after being stopped one hour is not significant (body temperature is not very high). My exhaust pipe has never turned colors yet (still looks like shinny clean new chrome). My son burnt his leg on the muffler after the cycle had set for 30 minutes. He was wearing shorts. Also to explain something, one can burn their skin by picking up a pliers left on the sidewalk; here in the South West in summer. I challenge any one to hold their hand onto a parked automobile roof in Phoenix most of the year!
Air cooled motorcycle engines are designed to survive operating temperatures, much hotter than a liquid cooled 190 F temp. automobile engine.
Note: place your hand directly on your automobile exhaust manifold or engine block after 2 hours of cool down in summer. Does it burn your hand ?
I run at 78 mph for 100 miles before stopping for gas (on the interstate) in Arizona. This is at temperatures in the 90's F. I have no trouble with over heating.
The only time the savage would be likely to overheat is if it were left running for a long time while parked. Even then, an air cooler without a fan motor and also not having a cylinder head with oil cooled passages, (like the DR model) would not protect the engine.
Install an oil pressure gauge and see if there is any problem, with summer oil pressure. By the way I am sold on Synthetic Motorcycle oil, because it resists burning away at the rings and at the valve guides.