Heat guards

[mkgarvin]

I met someone at Keller's recently that told me they have seen heat guards on a 3rd gen Magna.  He said they are simple "covers" that mount between the seat and gas tank and redirect the heat downward toward the ground.  Have any of you heard of a product like this?  Could it be true and if so, does it work? 

[magnagregcan]

Magnas make that much heat that it has to be re-directed? lolol!
1) I go fast enough that the heat never reaches me - we never get real hot up here
2) when its sooo cold my finger go numb, I stop and lay my fingers and hands on the cylinders - and they take a while to warm up!!
Where you at Mary?

[Charles S Otwell]

Mary is in Texas, where if the view don't take your breath away the heat will ..
Mary I was hoping to hear you had figured this problem out, I know it has been plaging you for a while.

[MarylandMagnav45]

yes....

COME UP NORTH TO ROCHESTER, NY...and you'll LOVE that heat.

Even my home state of maryland, heat welcomed 9 months of the year

[mkgarvin]

It's like a heater blowing right towards my body and face.  When it's 100+ degrees in the summer there is serious heat coming up from the pavement and then you add the bike's heat blowing on you, it's miserable.  I compare it to the mother of all hot flashes, but then you guys wouldn't know anything about that, eh?  (ha ha)  It's a bitch.  The bike basically stays in the garage from late June until October.

[Slydynbye]

Heat guards are mainly used on air cooled motors (Hardley) because there is so much heat coming off the cyclinders, not much on water cooled Bikes.

[Magniac]

What year is your bike? My '94 never puts out enough heat to notice, even on day-long rides at 100+ degrees. 'Course I rarely get under 65. ;^)

[Chad in Michigan]

I'm wondering if she is low on coolant, and the fan is blowing hot air backwards at her more than it should.. when i got my bike, the reserve tank barely had anything in it and the fan cycled on/off a lot. now that i topped off the reserve tank/changed out the coolant, the fan barely comes on. i never noticed too much heat from mine either, even on 85 or 90 degree days.. maybe she has aftermarket pipes without rejetting and it's running hotter and she is feeling the heat from the exaust more?

[lragan]

My '96 doesn't seem to put much heat on me, except occasionally if I am parked at a long light, and there is absolutely no wind. 

Mary, if you could make it to one of our wrench sessions, we can at least advise if yours is exceptional in some way.  Seems a shame to park the bike all summer.

[TLRam1]

Mary you're not crazy!    I'm with ya. This 100 degree air that blast over the side of the motor making it hotter and right up in your face, it is unpleasant.

[hootmon]

Here is some thoughts

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32864201@N08/3086197812/

http://www.pekingenterprises.com/

http://www.rjsoriginals.bizland.com/roadstarsale.htm

[mkgarvin]

When I first got the bike I didn't notice the heat.  Then I joined MOOT and discovered the pipes could be "modified" for louder sound.  Well, I couldn't wait for that!!!  Then I got Vance & Hines pipes the next Christmas and my husband put them on for me.  Greg Cothern re-jetted for me (still didn't notice the heat yet).  After about a year with V&H pipes, I started noticing the heat a lot, and started thinking I was just "going through the change!!!"  I even took it to Rockwall Honda and spent $80 to have them look at it (they found nothing wrong).  Somewhere along the way I noticed the reserve coolant tank was low and filled it.  I think I've added a small amount one or two more times but haven't had to in a long time.  I eventually became convinced that the V&H pipes were the problem so I found someone and traded back for stock pipes (what a dumb a__ I was).  The V&H pipes were $650 plus the re-jetting costs.  I did not re-jet after changing back to stock.  Wrote to Greg and he said I would probably be OK. 

I feel like a complete idiot.  I love to ride that bike, but I can't stand the heat when the outside temp barely exceeds 80.  I truly believe something is wrong (probably something simple) but I have absolutely no mechanical knowledge and I don't want to spend the money to find out.  I can't tell you how many times I've decided to sell, then the weather would turn cool and I'd change my mind again. 

That's the whole story.  Any ideas fellas?

[TLRam1]

That does a bit unusual Mary, I don't know the bike could put out that much heat and it last anytime. Where in the area do you live?

[Curtis_Valk]

While I'm not overly sensitive to heat and ride all summer long, part of the reason I bought my '99 Magna was I was hoping that a smaller bike with no fairing would be cooler than my Valk to ride to work in the hottest summer weeks.  After three summers I decided I couldn't tell any real difference.  When it's hot out there, it's HOT.  I don't believe it would be much better on any two wheeled steed.

Curtis

[mkgarvin]

I live close to Casa Linda, just east of the Arboretum and White Rock Lake spillway - Buckner & Garland Road.  I've love to let one of you experienced guys ride the bike for a while to see for yourself.  Or tell me once and for all that I'm just expecting too much.  I realize we're in Texas and it's going to be hot.  But my husband's Valkyrie does not run "this" hot.  OK, I'll shut up now.  Thanks fellas.