KAMS KIT Install - well, not so final

[hank43]

OK, the kit is installed, went for a 15 mile drive in traffic in 95 degree heat. Here is what I found. Although the kit does not kill ALL the heat, it does make the bike more rideable. At long stop lights, both the fans do come on, but soon stop once we are underway. A bigger concern right now is the smoke from the pipe wrap. Not as bad as at first, it is getting better though. Next item, adjustable Hi-Way foot pegs for the rider and passenger.

Was it all worth it? At this point in time, I think it is. Next week end will tell, going on a 330 mile plus ride, and I also plan to ride the bike to work in traffic all next week.
Anyone else planning on this install, please do not hesitate to ask questions, I learned some things, and I feel better about deciphering Kawasaki's install notes. Armed with decent tools, and a shop manual, I think anyone can install this, and should if you are getting unbearable heat. It makes the bike so much more enjoyable to ride, and, I Sure get a lot of positive comments on this bike now that it is seen! ........

Come on 2013 Rally!

Like to thank Don Medina for his ongoing support, and all the other forum/AVA Club members for info on the pipe wrap and Engine Ice, and Duane for a heads up at the rally when he mentioned that the kit was coming.

hank

[hank43]

OK, so today, I rode in to work. 30 miles round trip, average speed 30-40 MPH. Still hot, fans ran the entire trip. Hot air blasting in my face while riding, over my right leg while sitting in traffic. Noticed that the temp gauge sits at one major mark above 1/2 way, which is where the fans come on. I thought with the pipe wrap, the Engine Ice, and the KAMS system installed, it would be better.
It isn't. When fans run, I feel heat from UNDER the bike, still hot. Next project is install of recording GT meter, so I can prove to Kawasaki that these bikes just run too hot. (BTW, GT =Groin Temperature.) Maybe riding down the highway, it may be cooler, but just cruising around town in traffic, it's just too hot!!

OK, so anyone in the warmer climates, (Arizona, Texas, Florida, etc) how hot does your VV1700 Voyager run?

hank

[David (N. Alabama)]

Well Hank, I rarely ride between 30 and 40 MPH, and it would only be if I was passing through a one stoplight town. I don't recall owning a bike where you wouldn't feel heat at those speeds except maybe the KLR650.

I do wonder if your trike kit is blocking some of the air flow around the bike. I know that when I had the trunk off on my Voyager the air flow was smoother and I wasn't getting a trapped pocket of air around me.

I do feel heat in the seat on several of my bikes. My solution for that is a sheepskin pelt or leather riding pants.

Heat felt by the rider seems to be the biggest complaint among most riders on fully faired bikes. I read complaints from sport bike riders to Goldwing riders. Even Voyager XII riders have complained about the heat.

Maybe you need some Baker Air Wings to direct more ambiant air toward you to push out the hot air?

[hank43]

Me thinks you may be right. These bikes are just too heavy, and too big in the engine dept. to be driving around town in traffic. I am still looking forward to longer over the highway trips, I think it all may be cooler then. Although I may sound disappointed, I still love the bike, and look forward to many happy miles in the future. I don't like driving our Dodge beast in traffic either, but really appreciate it when we pull our travel trailer on a trip. Different vehicles for different jobs I guess.

BTW, just how hot (on the temperature gauge) does your bike run? I have noticed that even on the freeway at 70 MPH, that gauge is still one tick mark past 1/2 way.............
hank

[HMB Don]

Hank
That is what my 2012 temp gauge needle points if the temp is 80 and when the temp gets to 90 it will get too the second line past 12 oclock.

It's a bear in stop and go traffic, I wear Sidi On Road boots that are 12 or 14 inchs high. Light wool/silk shocks that are knee high, Draggin' Jeans. Draggin' Jeans, which are made of a heavy denim with Kevlar linning at the seat and knees. This really helps with the heat on hot days. Yes they cost a whole bunch more then the knockoffs, but they work and everything about these jeans is made in the USA. The reason they cost so much. They have some nice fleece lined jeans that are great in the winter

Last week I rode the 1700 with regular geans, I felt much more heat.

Don Medina
2012 Voyager 1700

[hank43]

So, I wonder -

Do ALL Voyager 1700 have smog equipment, and two (2) Catalytic converters? or just the California models? Could this be part of the issue?

hank

[David (N. Alabama)]

So, I wonder -

Do ALL Voyager 1700 have smog equipment, and two (2) Catalytic converters? or just the California models? Could this be part of the issue?

hank

That could be part of your issue. The aftermarket pipes are way too loud for my tastes. Not worth it to get rid of the catalytic converters.

On the interstate in the summer my bike hovers around the 12:00 mark on the temp guage. Just past the next tick mark the fan kicks on and it doesn move past that point even if I am waiting at a long light.

If it is raining or cooler out it will stay around the tick mark before 12:00.

[hank43]

The reason I mentioned the Cats is because they DO generate heat, (that is how they work) and there is no place for all that heat to go when you are sitting at a stop light. It just continues to saturate the underside of the bike until you start moving. SO, Do all Voyagers have the Cat Converters, or just California models? Does yours have the Cats David?

Would it be worth the effort to place a shield around the Cats to keep the heat off the underside of the bike, and the rider? perhaps a honeycomb made of aluminum sheets separated with baffles, like aircraft skin - fan blowing thru the baffles (maybe from the KAMS rear fan?) would prevent the heat from "soaking" the underside of the bike. Does this heat migrate forward, and make it harder for the radiator to work effienciently? (I need a spell checker). And BTW, I owned two Honda 750 fours, Both with Vetters Fairings, a Honda 1100CC Shadow Spirit, and a host of other English Bikes including Triumph, BSA, Norton a 74 CI Harley, etc and not one of them generated heat like the Voyager. I understand the difference in engine size makes up at least part of the heat, but I am beginning to think a lot more is made up with lean running engines, and Catalytic Converters. What do you all think?

Is the 2013 Voyager still going to have this issue?

hank

[David (N. Alabama)]

The reason I mentioned the Cats is because they DO generate heat, (that is how they work) and there is no place for all that heat to go when you are sitting at a stop light. It just continues to saturate the underside of the bike until you start moving. SO, Do all Voyagers have the Cat Converters, or just California models? Does yours have the Cats David?

Would it be worth the effort to place a shield around the Cats to keep the heat off the underside of the bike, and the rider? perhaps a honeycomb made of aluminum sheets separated with baffles, like aircraft skin - fan blowing thru the baffles (maybe from the KAMS rear fan?) would prevent the heat from "soaking" the underside of the bike. Does this heat migrate forward, and make it harder for the radiator to work effienciently? (I need a spell checker). And BTW, I owned two Honda 750 fours, Both with Vetters Fairings, a Honda 1100CC Shadow Spirit, and a host of other English Bikes including Triumph, BSA, Norton a 74 CI Harley, etc and not one of them generated heat like the Voyager. I understand the difference in engine size makes up at least part of the heat, but I am beginning to think a lot more is made up with lean running engines, and Catalytic Converters. What do you all think?

Is the 2013 Voyager still going to have this issue?

hank

I believe all modern bikes come with Cats. They are in the slip on part of the exhaust. That is one reason people go with aftermarket exhaust and many report the bike feeling cooler. I'm sure Don Medina could share his knowledge of california bikes, but I think a lot of the extra california stuff has to do with fuel evaperation control, but there may be extra stuff in the exhaust to keep down emmissions. Bikes definitely have more emmissions than cars.