No worse than any other engine, better than some since the cylinders are out in the air flow. Air or oil cooled models are OK as long as you keep air flowing , so avoid prolonged idling while stopped. Wetheads have a cooling fan and should be fine even in stopped traffic.

 

I am looking at some possible 108-110 spots; I think I 'll be driving at night even though I really don't like to. I rather ride in the day.

Last Summer I had a window from 4am to about 9:30am, after that, it was too daammn hot to ride--hypothermia lurking about.

It would be great if there was a gadget you could put in front of the pistons to blow some cool air/chemical onto the cylinders while you ride in excessively hot temp. I mean, that kind of heat has to be bad for a combustion engine, no?

All the bikes I ever owned run better in cool weather--even the water-cooled ones

 

There is no need to worry running the air cooled engine at temperatures that you can survive. The operating temps in the engine are well above even the hottest desert temperatures, what others said is good advice not to idle the for long periods because then engine cooling is compromised.

Gerhard

 

Have run my 09 RT in 100-113 degrees several times with no problems.

 

Should we break down which models to compare with?

 

The others have said it all.
Just no idling.
No sitting in line. Lane split. Or something.
dc

 

Just finished a wonderful day of riding through Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Amboy, etc. and not much of that time did I see anything under 100 degrees indicated. I didn't see the temp gauge get higher than a fuzz over half. When it did get over half, the fan would come on and it would quickly drop down again. All seemed A-OK.

 

So, a water-cooled RT has a 190 degree thermostat. 100-degree air provides cooling as it passes through the radiator.

Your aircooled RT runs at similar temperatures and 100-degree air cools it fine.

When an engine idles, it hardly burns any fuel at all and consequently creates little heat. Lots of folks remember the good old days when cars would overheat when idling ... because the water pump was turning really slowly and so was the engine fan. This is irrelevant to motorcycles.

PS: diesel engines which burn even less fuel when idling are subject to overcooling when left idling. Some have electronic controls to increase engine speed to maintain temperature. Many have canvas radiator covers.

What you don't want to do when sitting in traffic is to blip the throttle. Just burns more fuel creating more heat.

 

Just a note. The air/oil cooled boxer engines have a thermostat as well. I don't know the temperature parameters but its obviously effective.

 

Hey thanks a lot guys, appreciate the wisdom. I feel confident now that all I have to do is avoid getting my old-body too hot. My body-radiator may not work as good as the boxer's.

I got a cooling vest. I have not tried it yet cause my firsts runs this Summer were up and down the West, and all I got was cold and rain.

But I have tried soaking a wick-away shirt with water and that seems to air/condition pretty well in the heat. I have never tried doing that with my long legged undergarment, but try at some point depending on the heat.

Dreadful desert here I come!!

 

We crossed the Mojave desert last summer and the temperature was 44ºC most of that time. Best thing to do is take the opportunity to consume a $5 bottle of water every once in a while and let the air conditioning cool your body. My wife was just getting over altitude sickness she suffered from in Colorado so the hydration part was even more important for her.

Gerhard

 

Normal operating temperature is between 240 and 280 for most bike engines. Most t-stat controlled oil coolers are set to open at the higher end of those numbers.

 

For your body this works pretty well. I use the 9 qt. reservoir.

Cool Vest for Heat Stress Relief, Motorcycle Cooling Vest: Veskimo Personal Cooling Systems