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14K views 46 replies 22 participants last post by  Piet 
#1 ·
RD07a Running temp , mine has to have one rad covered and the other 1/2 covered to read halfway on the temp guage when riding
also takes ages to warm up as well ????

How long and what temps are you guys seeing ????
 
#4 ·
covering rads!!! Normal op temp shows as ALMOST ZERO!!!, if you cover the rads to get it to your "normal temp" then you'll be running it hot, unless you're in slow traffic for a while it doesn't register anything. then it can shoot up in a matter of minutes. quick blast open road & it drops just as quick. Uncover your rads.
 
#7 ·
Forget the gauge - the clue is in the name of the bike - Africa! Mine gets warm climbing alps in Italy but in the UK barely reads unless ticking over in traffic. Uncover those rads.
 
#8 ·
Yep, my @'s temp gauge has always been at nearly zero too, excepting in heavy traffic when it ventures up to mid and occasionally high levels. If standing still for a while the fan will eventually cut in. I recall that in Spain, at an air temp of 30+, it was around half way when doing a constant 75/80mph on the autopista.
 
#10 ·
Ive been in the engine world for 20 odd years now. Day to day now is testing and building V18 12 turbo 4 intercooler 11 ton engines , if i posted up pics of engines that have either run to hot or to cool you would change your minds this also plays a big part in piston ring and bore wear plus the all important MPG.

Time to have a play and a fiddle first thing is to find out normal running temp on the way to work this is 15 miles each way with a mix of country roads and ring road at a average of id say 50 mph :thumbup:
 
#11 ·
RD7a Running Temp = cool ;-)

So what your saying is that Honda got it wrong all those years ago, even though the number of twins still out there, running up big miles, proves that they DID NOT get it wrong!

You asked the question but have decided to ignore the answers, cos they don't fit into your version of what's right!???

Each to their own I guess - Enjoy your tinkering
 
#12 ·
Re: RD7a Running Temp = cool ;-)

Now as you quite rightly pointed out there are many AT out there with mega miles on them so no Honda did not get it wrong. Does the AT run a thermostat if so what's the opening temp.

Im not ignoring the answers far from it im heading them till i know different. All the other bikes out there inc fuel injection and carbs of different years and capacities are designed to run at a optimum running temp full stop.

Just want it to run as Honda intended :thumbup:
 
#13 ·
My temp gauge moves about 4mm off the bottom at most under normal riding, including slow filtering. You can just see the movement when switching off as it drops back. As the ride is new to me I was also concerned and left it running in the garage for ages. Got it to register just under halfway but fan didn't kick in

Not really fussed, it smells right, pulls right and delivers pretty good economy :)
 
#14 ·
I think all you will find out is that the temp gauges all need recalibrating. Good luck with that one but an interesting hypothesis.
 
#16 ·
Yep my temp gauge is always on the low end of the scale never seen it above mid way unless i leave it ticking over for ages which i have done on a few ocasions just to see the fan come in which it does at about 3/4 on the gauge
 
#17 ·
maybe the word "Africa" could be a major clue. compared to fecking freeezing "England Twin" or Scottish highland Twin". you dont see many fireblades in the Nirobi Desert. just a thought... several times paris dakar winnner.....
 
#18 · (Edited)
This thread is an interesting variation on the oft repeated querey re the temprature gauge reading on the @. I have two @s, they both behave the same re temprature gauges.Transalps have a temprature gauge, they read in a similar way to an @ guage, however, some bikes do not so the question is never posed about them. An earlier post in this thread stated "it smells right, is fine on fuel consumption etc so I am happy" a statement by someone with mechanical understanding an sympathy. This is the true test.
I think the @ gauge may be a true analogue guage/sender ie as the temprature varies the needle moves like a thermometer. This is different to the way most car guages work. These guages move only when the coolant reaches a pre determined point, the needle rises slowly as if to mimick the coolant gradualy warming up but in reality it is just the way the gauge reacts to being switched on. If the coolant reaches a higher temprature the gauge moves further up the scale to indicate to the driver that there is a problem.
By displaying the information in this way the driver is impressed withe the efficiency of the cooling system as the needle is rock solid on the hottest of summer days and coldest of winter days. In truth they are only seeing an overheating light with this system but displayed in a way that seems to be more informative. From a manufactures point of view, precision calibrating of the sender/ meeter is not necessary so costs will be lower.
I am interested to hear the results of the temprature testing strips.
 
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#21 ·
Basically; 'They all do that Sir'..


I'm just on my way back from a summer in Turkey...Even at 40deg in the shade, the guage only registered halfway on a normal run. Went into hot and fan cut in if offroading or stuck in traffic.

As the other experts on here have said 'uncover the rad'!!

Almost every new Twin owner posts with the same 'problem', but most listen to the sage advice posted...:rolleyes:
 
#22 ·
I am actually looking forward to the results of Pacman's measuring. It would be good to know that the "they all do that" experience is actually backed up by measurement.

But.... does anyone actually know what the coolant temp should be in degrees C or F rather than a relative measurement on the bike's gauge?

BTW my Transalp's gauge is like everyone else's here - just about gets off the cold mark and stays there. Long periods idling or very slow in traffic will get it to the middle. The fan though has never (knowingly to me) cut in while riding.


Sent from my iPhone with a smile :)
 
#23 ·
I've only had mine two weeks, but am riding it this weekend. My temp gauge only just rises above Cold to. I left it running for about 15 minutes the other day at work and the fan cuts in at bang on half way between cold and hot. I'm not worried about it. Don't forget you have an oil cooler to, so that keeps the temp down.
 
#24 ·
Mine does not move after 15 miles of 70/80 mph , that's rads not covered , with one covered and half on the other just 1/4 up the guage with no smell of overheating water hoses not overly hot . 1st job Monday go to the lab and get some strips from 50 to 110c
That should do it. Will put one one each rad at the top and one on each cylinder and report the findings , gessing 45/60 c I'd like to see 70/80c running temp.
 
#25 ·
My original gauge generally didn't move until stuck in traffic, but the Koso reads from about 69 to 75c during normal riding. It was mostly at 72 today over about 100 miles, went up to 85 in town but the fans weren't on then. They seem to come on at about 100 or so if I remember right.
 
#26 ·
Strange mine runs at about 1/3 up on the gauge, moving to 2/3rds in traffic.I had the fan cut in for the first time yesterday when standing talking to someone for 5 minutes with it ticking over. It was also about 80 degrees so very hot.
 
#27 ·
Had a chat with a mate last night who is a Honda bike mechanic and x Cosworth engine builder , he said the Africa Twin should run around the 80 degree mark.....

Just waiting for my temp strips and RR degi temp guage and kevlar covers to turn up :thumbup:
 
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