Help - the heat from the engine is awful!

[trikermary]

Hi All,

Looking for the reason for the very hot engine on my new tri-glide. I have finally gotten a chance to get it out and ride it and for the first hundred miles all was well but after I stopped to visit someone and left it turned off for about half hour and then got back on it and started to ride, the heat on my right leg was almost unbearable, I am short, don't know if that makes any difference, so my leg is stretched to reach my brake and it felt like my skin was burning, I mentioned this to a few other Harley riders and they just said, you get used to it, I am leaving on a trip to New Orleans in a week or so but am having second thoughts if I am going to be suffering with a burning leg, any suggestions.........the tri glide runs perfect, I never expected such a wonderful, smooth, effortless ride and have no complaints except the burning leg....:>)

 

[Gorilla]

Mary, There are some posting on another thread our Trike Talk that deals with this issue. It quite extensive. There are solutions but they have a price. Look under our Harley Trike forum.

Ted

 

[ben721364]

Hi All,

Looking for the reason for the very hot engine on my new tri-glide. I have finally gotten a chance to get it out and ride it and for the first hundred miles all was well but after I stopped to visit someone and left it turned off for about half hour and then got back on it and started to ride, the heat on my right leg was almost unbearable, I am short, don't know if that makes any difference, so my leg is stretched to reach my brake and it felt like my skin was burning, I mentioned this to a few other Harley riders and they just said, you get used to it, I am leaving on a trip to New Orleans in a week or so but am having second thoughts if I am going to be suffering with a burning leg, any suggestions.........the tri glide runs perfect, I never expected such a wonderful, smooth, effortless ride and have no complaints except the burning leg....:>)

Boots can help quite a bit, especially those with thinsulate type linings.

 

[Ironhorsepilot]

Hi All,

Looking for the reason for the very hot engine on my new tri-glide. I have finally gotten a chance to get it out and ride it and for the first hundred miles all was well but after I stopped to visit someone and left it turned off for about half hour and then got back on it and started to ride, the heat on my right leg was almost unbearable, I am short, don't know if that makes any difference, so my leg is stretched to reach my brake and it felt like my skin was burning, I mentioned this to a few other Harley riders and they just said, you get used to it, I am leaving on a trip to New Orleans in a week or so but am having second thoughts if I am going to be suffering with a burning leg, any suggestions.........the tri glide runs perfect, I never expected such a wonderful, smooth, effortless ride and have no complaints except the burning leg....:>)[/QUOTE

I have the same problem.....hurt like he**. I got these #1 they were on sale, #2 The leather is soft . They work well. And they are comfy. They are not real hot, either, but they do have a lining. I just take extra pair of shoes on the trike to change into if I need to.
Victoria's Secret - Slanted-zip slouchy boot

 

[BinIdaho]

Mary,

I installed highway pegs and wear HD high-top boots (Ebay). Heat not bad when highway riding, but stop and go traffic, I put my right leg on highway pegs....

In 90* plus degree weather we're having and wearing black jeans doesn't help much

Barbara

 

[roadkill]

have you tryed opening your lower fairing to see if that would help
i'm not that tall either and thats what i did.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Dave's article has it all and will most definitely help with the generation of engine heat but....

It is suggest the lowers be removed while riding at 85* ambient temps.

Yes, yes, I know that some of you don't like the look or want to take them off for one reason or another or have never taken them off when owning another Ultra but, your old Ultra didn't generate this kind of heat and a trike has different air flow characteristics.

They are held on with two bolts on the top and one on the bottom and should be removed to increase air flow around the air cooled motor.

So, if you have a stock TG, try it you may find it helps a lot.

 

[Gorilla]

Hey Dave (ultraboy) have you seen the new oil coolers with the fans in them? What you think in these cases replacing the oil cooler with one and along with the Power Commander, for those that want to stay near stock? Ted

 

[bdn56]

Dave's article has it all and will most definitely help with the generation of engine heat but....

It is suggest the lowers be removed while riding at 85* ambient temps.

Yes, yes, I know that some of you don't like the look or want to take them off for one reason or another or have never taken them off when owning another Ultra but, your old Ultra didn't generate this kind of heat and a trike has different air flow characteristics.

They are held on with two bolts on the top and one on the bottom and should be removed to increase air flow around the air cooled motor.

So, if you have a stock TG, try it you may find it helps a lot.

OK you talked me in to it. I removed the lowers. Airflow was greatly improved. It only took a couple days to get used to the look.
I do miss the storage space. (32Auto, GPS, Hog Trough cup holder)

 

[BinIdaho]

I'm not taking my lowers off....first would have to take off hiway pegs (took me forever to get them set perfect), have no place for XM radio and cords, storage space lost.

I doubt that taking lowers off would generate THAT much airflow. Why would the Ultras come with lowers if they were to be taken off...duh?

 

[Gorilla]

I have a temp gauge on my Road Glide Trike. It runs the same temp with my lowers on as with them off. Ted

 

[BlueTrinity]

Barbara,

I am not advocating taking the lowers off - I leave mine on all year round - but other than the storage issue, its not really a big problem. I did it each summer on my old bagger.

The air flow is definitely dramatically improved and its a more comfortable ride in hot weather. In fact Harley used to reccommend that they be removed for hot weather riding. That recommendation changed with the introduction of adjustable vents in the lowers.

It is not necessary to remove or move the highway pegs (assuming you have the foot rests outside the bars) in order for the lowers to be removed and aftermarket houses sell quick detach kits for easy attachment and reinstallation.

I would advise you to consider the stage 1 modifications along with a Power Commander, if the budget allows. All of those will allow the more efficient burning of fuel which genrates less heat while producing more power.

One last consideration is wet weather riding. I you are an avid rider and/or live in a rain prone area, riding in the rain is much more comfortable with the lowers in place.

Good luck

 

[BinIdaho]

My pegs are attached to the engine guards and butted up against the lowers. Unless the lowers are in two pieces, there's no way to get them off without taking off the pegs.

I'm running 93 octane (Shell) and the TG is running just fine....I'm happy with the performance.

Barbara,

I am not advocating taking the lowers off - I leave mine on all year round - but other than the storage issue, its not really a big problem. I did it each summer on my old bagger.

The air flow is definitely dramatically improved and its a more comfortable ride in hot weather. In fact Harley used to reccommend that they be removed for hot weather riding. That recommendation changed with the introduction of adjustable vents in the lowers.

It is not necessary to remove or move the highway pegs (assuming you have the foot rests outside the bars) in order for the lowers to be removed and aftermarket houses sell quick detach kits for easy attachment and reinstallation.

I would advise you to consider the stage 1 modifications along with a Power Commander, if the budget allows. All of those will allow the more efficient burning of fuel which genrates less heat while producing more power.

One last consideration is wet weather riding. I you are an avid rider and/or live in a rain prone area, riding in the rain is much more comfortable with the lowers in place.

Good luck

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I have a temp gauge on my Road Glide Trike. It runs the same temp with my lowers on as with them off. Ted

Ted

The air temp gauge is reading the ambient temperature inside your fairing. This is why people remove them for an oil temp gauge.

Unless you have made a modification to your stock air temp sensor for your gauge there would be no change in the temp shown with the lowers on or off. The modification can be easily done by opening your front fairing, locating the air temp sensor and relocating it to just under but outside the fairing. Makes a big difference in what the gauge will read.

Hey look guys.. didn't mean to ruffle feathers about the lowers but they were designed to be easily taken off (except in Barb's case) and does make a huge difference in the air moving over the motor. It will make the rider more comfortable as well. As I said above, try it, if you don't want to take them off then don't but I do so I can enjoy riding in the high heat index muggy days.

later

 

[robandlyn]

Lowers come off very easy and they even make a quick detach setup for them now.
It is just 2 small bolts inside the top storage area and only one at the bottom.
Rob ......

 

[bdn56]

A giant bee hit my shin on the way to work this morning. I guess thats what the lowers are for.

I took the lowers off for rider comfort. Its an additional benefit that it also cools the motor. When the temps are above 95, I open the fairing wing vents. With the lowers off and the wing vents open, I almost feel like I'm riding without a windshield.

 

[Nana]

Keep paring it down, Bryan, you'll soon be experiencing the joys of riding a Fat Boy trike like mine !!!! It's pretty cooooool.... LOL!

Actually, it has been interesting to me to see how much the change in air flow by adding the trike fenders has increased the heat on my legs. I can understand that the fairings would even add to that! Hope you all can find relief and still keep the useful accessories your fairings provide you.

 

[ben721364]

Mary,

I installed highway pegs and wear HD high-top boots (Ebay). Heat not bad when highway riding, but stop and go traffic, I put my right leg on highway pegs....

In 90* plus degree weather we're having and wearing black jeans doesn't help much

Barbara

Those are snazzy looking but real water resistant Thinsulate lined motorcycle boots would work much better to manage the heat, cold and water.

 

[trikermary]

Thank you all for the great suggestions, I do appreciate it and will give them a try, I am leaving for New Orleans next weekend and I know it will be very "hot" so I will definitely take the lowers off before heading down into that heat,this is a very helpful website, so many knowledgeable people...........I live in Maryland and we will be riding down and back taking about 12 days to do it in, no set schedule, just ride! Also looking into some different heat deflectors, the ones on the Tri Glide look great buy apparently I need something with a little more protection, and of course, I don't have 500 miles on it yet so it may be something that will improve on its own as the engine breaks in.........

 

[ThirdWheel]

Mary, the sure and quick fix for this would be to trade it for a Honda!

 

[BlueTrinity]

Third Wheel -

I've got people out looking for one !

 

[BlueTrinity]

Hang on! I think we've found one.

 

[WildBillH]

That a good one....

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Hang on! I think we've found one.

BT.. that's a piece of the fairing from my old Kawasaki dude, sorry about that.

Which reminds me... I wonder if that Italian lady ever found her mothers million dollar mattress.

 

[Gorilla]

reksul

My gauge is an oil temp gauge. When I built my trike I installed that. The sender comes off the engine oil pan. When I wrote that response I figured those that understood would realize I was talking about an oil temp gauge. Next time I will be more specific. My lowers make no difference in the oil temperature on or off. They are designed to force air to the inside and that flows over the heads. Because of the slight scoop effect of the lowers there is actually more air flow directed at the heads. What makes the difference in heat is the 10 tube oil cooler and the re-programmed ECM by the Power Commander along with a stage one air cleaner with true dual V & H exhaust. It still gets hot when riding real slow or idling, but that's why I added a blower where the horn used to be. If I know I'm going to be in slow mode I turn on the blower before it gets hot and that helps some.

Ted

 

[ben721364]

Mary, the sure and quick fix for this would be to trade it for a Honda!

If this is the case, that H-D must be awfully hot! My GL1800 trike, even with properly aimed Baker wings (complete set) is a much hotter ride than the K1200LT trike that I had before.

 

[Nana]

Mary, the sure and quick fix for this would be to trade it for a Honda!

George, the bantering with you is just soooo entertaining (especially when you are not out of Bud Light!). I just love you!!!!

I was about to offer you a fun Harley vs Honda challenge, but then I remembered......... You are the 200 lb man who recently took his 1000 lb GW trike airborne and had to weld that swing arm mount back together. Do I really want to take my pretty little Harley trike there? Let me think for a minute.........NOPE! :groan: LOL!!!

 

[Mr.Wizard]

reksul

My gauge is an oil temp gauge. When I built my trike I installed that. The sender comes off the engine oil pan. When I wrote that response I figured those that understood would realize I was talking about an oil temp gauge. Next time I will be more specific. My lowers make no difference in the oil temperature on or off. They are designed to force air to the inside and that flows over the heads. Because of the slight scoop effect of the lowers there is actually more air flow directed at the heads. What makes the difference in heat is the 10 tube oil cooler and the re-programmed ECM by the Power Commander along with a stage one air cleaner with true dual V & H exhaust. It still gets hot when riding real slow or idling, but that's why I added a blower where the horn used to be. If I know I'm going to be in slow mode I turn on the blower before it gets hot and that helps some.

Ted

Sorry Ted.. didn't pick that up from before.

I do notice that my oil temperature maintains a lower temp with my lowers removed but it takes a lower head temperature to allow that. Removing my lowers helps my bike to run cooler and me along with it. If you have an infrared temp gun you can point it around the spark plug area after riding and keep a measurement log of your temps and rides. A little overboard for most riders but it was fun for me to do.

Like you and several others here I too have changed my fuel mapping. Instead of fooling the factory ECM with an aftermarket I do my own dyno runs and reflash the ECM. Man-o-man, did that help a ton! Getting rid of the factory smog cams seemed to help as much as fuel management.

It won't be long before mother Harley will make all this conversation change as they will have to revert to all water cooled motors soon anyway...All in all... there are so many ways to make your ride your own these days its hard to keep up with them all. The main point is to enjoy your ride and if you are comfortable while having fun then the issue of heat is mute, ya know?

 

[Gorilla]

Boy would I love to find a DYNO that will work for a trike. And then being able to due you own re-flash. I have to settle with tinkering with the power command via the laptop. Almost all is seat of the pants because I have not found a dyno for trikes here in SE Florida yet.

I changed the cams to S & S 510G's just to get away from the chains. I do not notice any more noise coming from the cam area. I will do some temp readings the next ride. I have a infrared temp gun. What are you getting for head temp vs a given oil temp?

Thanks,

Ted