You forgot to mention how silly the exhaust wrap would look on a bike like the GS. On hot days I get so hot while riding in traffic that I have to just grit my teeth and bear it, logic leads me to conclude that a hot day and a hot internal combustion engine (that I'm straddling) is going to make for some uncomfortable situations, I don't see this as being a problem with the bike or that there is much of anything that can be done to alleviate it.
I dont get this heat issue? I rode 300 miles last Sunday on my 14 GSW with the temperature in the low 90's (F) and had no issue. This was a combination of freeways and two lane roads at various speeds so I think it would give a good cross section of various conditions. I felt slightly more heat on my right leg than my left (from the exhaust I would guess) but it was nothing unusual or something I would complain about.
I ride at 6000-7000 feet in elevation. The bikes run hotter here than at low elevation. Thin air is not as good at removing heat from a radiator as thicker air at lower elevations. I don't know if that has anything to do with why some bikes have the problem and others don't. There has to be some reason causing the heat problem for some and not for others.
Last few days have been 90+ in California and my right hand calf/thigh have been scorched on my GSAW.
Rode my 2014 GS today with very thin pants (and feeling bad out that) and didn't notice any excess heat from the bike other than what is to be expected when riding in 90+.
Wish I hadnt seen this thread. Ive been riding for the last 7 months unaware that I was being cooked alive with my GSW (ATGATT). But summer is now here in SoCal and its been damn hot. Now Im feeling both knees and lower legs getting blasted by hot air. When the temps are over 90, the blast of hot air coming off both rads right onto my lower legs while riding is pretty bad. Im not noticing any difference right or left side (hot on both), but some rad air duct extenders may be in my future.
I didn't actually tally up the numbers, but it sounds like to me that GSW riders were complaining about radiator heat and GSAW riders were reporting heat from the cat and exhaust. Would that be accurate? I have the GSAW and the heat I am feeling through my Aerostich Darien pants is the underside of my right thigh. I can put my gloved hand down there while riding and feel that the heat is coming from the cat/exhaust. The ambient temp needs to be about 85+ to notice, but once it gets above that, it is very uncomfortable. This is running with the aluminum panniers and I'm wondering if the pannier is not allowing enough heat to be radiated from the muffler on hot days and that heat begins to build up in the cat? The front end of the GSW and GSAW are quite different in shape with the GSAW's larger tank. I get no heat on the front of my knee and none on the front of my shin. This heat is coming up from down low.
just for you guys , i am gonna go out in shorts , singlet and flipflops after this and report back. .
Crosswind could be a factor, blowing the hot air coming out of the radiator onto the leg rather than allowing the air to the outside of the leg. This would cause one leg or the other to be hot, but not both legs at the same time.
Perfect solution. Please send this to BMW along with a case of old oil jugs and a bill for a big design fee for yourself. I would think they could have figured this out on their own. My right knee thanks you very much
Shield is still in place and working fine. I leave next week on an 8 day ride through some HOT states, so it will get a work out.
I'm curious to know how this works out. I have no heat problems at the moment and in 6 months I'll be enjoying any warming I get.
My bet is that the original rider on this thread rode a long time with the sun baking down on one side which is why "every thing" on one side was considerably hotter. Just a thought!!
On the off chance that it's my bike and not me, I've put a deposit on a new '15 GSW and will trade/consign my '13. The factory has accepted my order so I'm guessing this will occur by the middle of October if not sooner. Hopefully the new one will be cooler on my right, well-done leg. Of course the revised crank weight, steering dampener and especially the all-black frame and swing arm tipped my upgrade decision over the top!
That original poster was me. The sun was not the cause of the recurring heat problem on my right leg. It has happened several times heading all different directions. There has to be several variables at work here: real heat coming from different parts of the bike, ambient temperature, altitude, speed, wind direction, rider clothing, riding style (legs out or tight against the bike), rider heat tolerance, etc. You may not notice this problem unless the ambient temperature is 90 degrees F or higher.
I wonder how long it will take the aftermarket to develop a deflector. Something in clear plastic wouldn't look too bad.
I'm pretty convinced that the heat on my 14 GSA is coming from the exhaust being on the right side and the cat so near your right foot and lower leg. I installed an AltRider aluminum rear MCyl reservoir protector and it gets pretty dang hot after a ride in warm weather. The radiator heat wouldn't be causing that. Also, during a ride last weekend, the outside temp was about 85 F. and I didn't notice any heat on my leg. during the ride, the outside temp got up to about 92 or so and I definitely started noticing my right calf getting pretty warm. I was wearing jeans BTW. I wonder if using some heat wrap on just the cat might help.
I don't recall anyone complaining about heat all last year, and that's thousands of riders and miles. It makes you wonder if the 2014s have a different engine map or something. Sent from my nokia 1020.
I think it's mostly the GSAs. maybe the big tank is changing the airflow around the bike (vs the standard GS) enough so that the heat doesn't get blown past the rider's leg.
I bought my GSA in Pomona and rode it back to Reno, NV a few weeks ago up 395. I noticed the heat on the ride side by my knee and down by my foot was the worst when I was in the 110 degree areas around death valley. Once the temps dropped to around 80 it didn't seem like a problem at all.