The Weather

[chriscanning]

Been out testing some mods on the KTM this afternoon had to come home...too hot 

[Phmode]

Some peeps you just can't please

Back down to 15° by Thursday...

[commando 848]

Rode the new to me K1300r to work today. took the long way home and got caught in lots of slow moving traffic. Kept a wary eye on the temperature gauge. Did rise to 4 bars when crawling along and then back to 3 when moving faster. Great relief no signs of overheating YET . I think some BMWs have problems. I had an early K1600 and did a lot of riding in Europe. great bike but was plagued with overheating issues in hotter climates and crawling traffic. Cleaned the radiator- which was not that dirty, removed the grill etc etc all to no avail. I think that the rad was just to small though a one year later K1600 was with us and he had no problems. Maybe later models had a bigger fan?

[richtea]

Ah, it's worth reading this thread (and searching for radiator / radiator cleaning / overheating if you want more info):
https://eurokclub.bike/index.php?topic=3035.0

Everyone should do it annually, really, if they live in the UK - as you did with your 1600. Other countries don't seem to have the same issues - not even Costas in steaming hot Greece!
It's reasonably straightforward. I know that because I can do it. 

I tend to wait until after the rain & mud (April), but before the real heat (June). That would be May then.

[Swindon Andy]

I reckon riding on salted roads creates extra corrosion of the rad, reducing the air contact. That could explain why our friend Costas doesn't get the same thing. Of course the UK mud and stuff doesn't help, but clearing that out doesn't bring the rad back to as-new performance.

[richtea]

True - it will never be as fresh again, but my first ever clean reduced the temp by one bar. I reckon the previous owners never cleaned it.
I've never had such a big gain since, but then again neither of my two Ks have overheated.

4 is OK in slow traffic, by the way, as long as the fan comes on. That's normal on a hot day, IMHO.

[black-k1]

You know when the K is getting towards over heating because the big red triangle starts flashing at you. It's very hard to miss and comes on before there is any real danger to the engine. I know, I've seen it a couple of times!!!

With a good rad my K's were fine in crawling pace traffic for 20 plus minutes in temperatures in the high 30's (I can't say that I was fine though ...) The fan was on but the engine temperature remained in the "safe zone".

I'm missing the nice weather at the moment as my ECU is currently residing in a UK customs shed somewhere on it's return journey from Florida after the Kawasaki recall cleared the flash and I had to get the flash reinstated. I hope they're watering all those horses!!

[commando 848]

hi black k1- With a bike like that I dont now how you manage to keep your driving license.  You must have a great deal of self control     Wish I had- Since I started riding, I have lost my license 7 times and made the front page of the Mail on sunday- but thats another story....

[armstrongracer]

hi black k1- With a bike like that I dont now how you manage to keep your driving license.  You must have a great deal of self control     Wish I had- Since I started riding, I have lost my license 7 times and made the front page of the Mail on sunday- but thats another story....

Screenshot or it didn't happen,

[Matt]

Hey if anyone is bringing the forum into disrepute it's going to be me so no more of that!

[black-k1]

hi black k1- With a bike like that I dont now how you manage to keep your driving license.  You must have a great deal of self control     Wish I had- Since I started riding, I have lost my license 7 times and made the front page of the Mail on sunday- but thats another story....

Unless you're running your K1300R to it's limit then Id suggest you'd be at no more risk if you were on a H2 SX.  With bikes like ours the limiting factor is almost never the capabilities of the bike. It's the riders willingness to take risks, be they safety, financial or license. That said, while the K made it very easy to go very fast, the H2 SX makes it even easier.

My ECU has arrived back from the US of A. My weekend job will be refitting it and, of course, testing it! 

[commando 848]

I will post a screenshot of the Mail on Sunday article when I have worked out how to do it as I am a total technophobe Anyway it involved being chased for around 5 miles by an unmarked police car. I was flat out on my old Norton Commando Fastback being followed by a metallic green MG Maestro- Through red lights, over roundabouts with the car only about 10 feet behind me-the adrenaline was pumping-it felt like a scene from the sweeney Got to a roundabout and decided to take the last exit. Leant the bike so far over I lost a footrest!! Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the police car going sideways, loose control, crash through a fence and hit a wall. Disaster struck and I ran out of petrol Then Police everywhere-jumped on me, handcuffed and, because the car was smashed up the back door would not open, so i was taken to the police station in a van. I saw a solicitor and explained that I had no Idea it was the police chasing me even though it had blue lights and siren. Three magistrate court appearances followed and then committed to crown court. I will never forget the experience-my bum was twitching like a rabbits nose. The police maintained that they did not crash and I insisted they did. The Jury was asked to examine the car and it had two new doors and a re-spray. The new paint was so obvious as they failed to match the original colour and you could see where it was masked off. They lost their persuit licenses and the case was thrown out of court          

[Phmode]

Hmm! Not the sort of riding I would be admitting to. Or even doing.

[TomL]

Hmm!

[raesewell]

We are not amused (in a royal voice)