I just got a 2016 Vaquero. I noticed that it blows a ton of heat on me. I was out this weekend and at red lights it was hot as hell. Does anyone make heat shields or diffusers for this or do I just have to live with it?
You can get a set of deflectors from index.html They make the only air deflector for the vaquero. They work great I have a set for mine. Also the best thing you can do is get the ECU reflashed at Ivans Performance in Congers NY. That shouldn't be to long of a ride for you. I would get that done first. Both items will reduce the heat you feel. Nothing will stop it completely as it is a big hot motor between your legs...lol The flash will work best at heat and performance, it totally change the way the bike rides.
You're welcome. :good: While the other posts will work to a point the flash just gives you so much more, especially if you have not invested in any kind of fuel processor yet.
I have a similar situation, although we don't get too many really hot days in a year. I used header-wrap on the rear header, and it, along with the manual fan switch made a noticeable difference. If it hadn't, I was prepared to wrap the front header, too.
I've had a heat issue too, here in Georgia. IT"S BEEN IN THE 90's ALL DAMN SUMMER!!!!!!.:surprise: Oh, the bike, it hasn't been bad at all. Had the flash, changed to engine ice (although I saw no difference with it), and wrapped the pipes. Looking forward to a few weeks of cooler riding weather before I break out the electric gear. Oh yeah, I put a set of Oxford headed grips on last fall. As Tony the Tiger would say "Their GRREEAAT" Or something like that.:grin2:
I got a set of deflectors & put them on last month after 3 years of thinking about it. Best 134 bucks spent. They look great and really eliminate the heat in motion completely, a little at idle. Even better is the distinct reduction in noise. Unbelievable after riding 43 years. Get u some!
Yes, Voyager or my 2012 Nomad. Google rjs originals or kawasaki saddle heat shields, or go to www. rjsoriginals.bizland.com
They are perfect and WORTH it.
I got a 2016 Voyager a few months ago and I am on the Gulf Coast (Upper 90's all summer this year). I had Ivan flash the ECU at 400 miles. The temp runs a full mark lower on the gauge. Not to mention the 5 mpg I picked up! And the smoother acceleration, the no decel popping,......oh the list goes on and on. *S*
5mpg? That's outstanding! What are you getting now, and what were you getting before? I'm currently getting 32-38mpg, depending on how much city or highway riding I'm doing.
I find the Vaquero puts out some heat, but I like to ride when it's colder out, so I haven't done anything about it yet.
I had the rear pipe wrapped last year while the bike was being rebuilt and it makes a HUGE difference although, in the cooler weather I miss the added heat, lol
I had the flash done too and I see the bike runs a bit cooler however I didn't notice any difference in the amount of heat I feel.
I've debated on switching to engine ice but was also recommended to look into Evan's waterless coolant, anybody tried it?
Evan's Waterless Coolant is snake oil. It is mostly ethylene glycol with some propylene glycol and additives. They say it is non-toxic. WTF! Ethylene glycol is definitely toxic. Enough so that it has been used more than once to commit murder. The heat transfer rate using these glycols only is not nearly as good as when mixed with water. Besides, most of the world is moving away from ethylene glycol because of environmental concerns (i.e. the toxicity).
They have a racing version NPG, which they say is acceptable at racetracks where no glycols are allowed, but it is 69% ethylene glycol according to the MSDS!
No coolant is going to take away the heat when sitting at a light. Now the reflash addresses this by having the fan come on at a lower temp. At the end of the day you will always feel the heat from the motor when at a light or driving slow in the hotter months depending on where you live. The motor will always run at 180* and you will feel the rush of heat at a light. Trust me I know I live in florida. Wrapping the rear exhaust pipe and getting the ecu flashed are all you can do. Just imagine if the motor was air cooled only how hot it would get.
No coolant is going to take away the heat when sitting at a light. Now the reflash addresses this by having the fan come on at a lower temp. At the end of the day you will always feel the heat from the motor when at a light or driving slow in the hotter months depending on where you live. The motor will always run at 180* and you will feel the rush of heat at a light. Trust me I know I live in florida. Wrapping the rear exhaust pipe and getting the ecu flashed are all you can do. Just imagine if the motor was air cooled only how hot it would get.
And this, my friends, is why my buddy with a 2011 HD Road Glide Ultra, won't ride with me on 85F+ degree days! I'm good up to about 95F or so, but I know I'm gonna sweat - I sit in too much traffic during my commute.
My twin cooled Road Glide Ultra is cooler at a light than my Voyager was. The radiators expelled the hot air to the sides instead of back on the engine and my legs. Plus, the rear cylinder shuts off if it is a long light.
The problem with the Voyager is two-fold. First the fans do not activate soon enough, and second, the radiator is under-sized, and doesn't provide sufficient cooling capacity. The manual fan switch - which I use if driving in town - is a partial solution, since it extends the cooling capacity by delaying its heat-soak. I rode up into the mountains today in 7*C air temperature, and the bike sat at 170*F on the gauge (if it's accurate) until the day warmed up. I wonder if Kawasaki makes a larger radiator for one of their other bikes that holds more coolant, and will bolt up to the V. Anybody know?
I have a 2011 Voyager that I bought about a month ago. And talk about roasted nuts in slow moving traffic. Went to my local shop guy and he recommended Engine Ice and heat reflectors. I ordered RJ Originals heat reflectors and got them in about a week later. Took the bike to the shop. He flushed the regular coolant and dropped some Engine Ice. He added the heat reflectors and wow, what a difference! RJ Originals website says no more fried thighs. 100% satisfied!!!
Not sure if the Engine Ice makes the bike run cooler but I do know the deflectors do move the hot air from my crouch down to the ground. I still feel the heat around the lower leg area but nothing compare to the way it was. I recommend the heat deflectors from RJ Originals.
I use engine ice. Helps... some.. but not a miracle product. Nether is water wetter or some other things. But the best thing to do is wrap your pipes. Even if you have a air management system. I bought my Voyager in July of 2011 in Las Vegas Nevada on a 120 degree day. It was un-ridable from the heat. Glad I had the trailer and hauled it the 250 miles back to the house. A couple days later wrapped the pipes never had a hot leg since.... I had already been reading about cooking legs on these things....
I just wrapped my pipes on Friday afternoon. Rode for a few hours Saturday and about an hour this morning. Still have a hint of odor, but not bad. The wife said her right ankle is no longer cooking when we hit a little traffic. I know several people have recommended wrapping the pipes, I am now a believer!
I've been thinking about wrapping my pipes. Guess I'll do it when winter arrives. Glad your wrap was successful. Which material did you use for wrapping?
You can get pipe wrap at any auto parts store. To do the pipes and crossover I used about 40 feet I think. A 25 foot roll will not be enough for a good wrap.
Best way to wrap the pipes. Soak the wrap in water good first. Wear some GOOD nitrile gloves. I wrap them from the rear to the front.so the lower edge is on the air flow leading side. I really doubt if it makes any difference. But that's the way we wrapped things in the Air Force... :wink2:
Get it all back together, head right out to a highway, ride it as fast as you can legally go for about 20 miles out and come back. You will look and smell like you're on fire for most of it.
The heavy smell takes a couple hundred miles or so to go away. Until it gets wet again. But eventually even wet it wont smell anymore.
When you wash your scoot as soon as your done fire it up and let it idle till the temp comes up to normal. It will steam up and you will have to wipe the tank and engine off again to get the steam condensate off it. But your leg and your passengers legs will never get roasted again. Sure you get warm waiting at lights sometimes, but nothing compared to what it was before you wrapped the pipes. Also wrap the crossover pipe. The heat from that gets circulated back up and around from the rear tire which also heats up more because of the pipe being right in front of it. I put a cheap generic 12 inch muffler shield over the wrap for rock protection for the wrap. I just used hose clamps to mount it. It has been on there since July 2011 and it has a lot of rock dings in it from stuff coming off the tire.
I was in Civil Engineering. Started out in Refrigeration, cryogenics, LOX.... finished as a 7/9 level in over 20 career fields. I built a ton of radar sites all over the world.
I have a Friday appointment. Elmira, Ny is maybe 2.5 hours closer. I'll have a 3.5 hour ride to get there and another 3.5 hour ride back. I should notice some improvement same day. Others may take longer.
I am really looking forward to having the day off Friday.
I have a Friday appointment. Elmira, Ny is maybe 2.5 hours closer. I'll have a 3.5 hour ride to get there and another 3.5 hour ride back. I should notice some improvement same day. Others may take longer.
I am really looking forward to having the day off Friday.
Go there get the flash pay attention to how the bike acts. Then come here and the same great report that everyone else does about the flash. Make sure you run premium fuel only on your way home after and have fun.
Well the ride back was a little long. 460 miles one day, old bones said I should have stopped around 300 miles or so. I did notice the temp gauge was running cooler. I guess it will take a few more tanks of fuel to see any improvement in the gas mileage. Right now it is at 37.3 mpg.
The exhaust and air cleaner are still stock, but the exhaust sounds a little less passive. All I know is when you twist the throttle the fun starts.
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