Monday, May 13, 2013
Husaberg Runs a Little Warm
Now that temperatures and humidity levels are approaching near summer levels in the area, heat management is fast becoming a legit concern. After two episodes of overheating and boiling coolant all over the place while idling in traffic the first time, and idling on a trail waiting for a friend the second time, I have decided to take action.
It doesnt take much investigation to find that heat management is a bit of a challenge on these bikes. I suspect the combination of the big 570 motor being crammed into the frame with limited air flow, the exhaust being routed in a tortuous path in close proximity to the radiator hoses, and maybe the restrictive stock exhaust silencer all contribute to easy and rapid overheating. As such, I thought it best to employ a quadruple-pronged Shock and Awe approach to the problem.
1. Exhaust wrap on the exhaust. DEI 2" wide fiberglass wrap (http://www.designengineering.com/category/catalog/dei-cycle/motorcycle-exhaust-pipe-wrap-kits/exhaust-wrap-black) does the job just fine and is holding up reasonably well. Be sure to soak the wrap completely in water before wrapping. You will get a tighter fit and it will steam up and shrink down nicely (and smell terrible) when you run the motor after installation. Start from the back, and work your way towards the motor so that the edges lay facing rearward. The most challenging part of this installation is removing the exhaust header. It took me about 45 minutes of wrangling before it popped out Im not even sure how, and only after removing the gas tank, radiator shrouds, the entire rear subframe, and rear shock.
2. Engine Ice coolant. Apparently it runs cooler. I dont know yet if thats true. (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/72/7374/ITEM/Cycle-Logic-Engine-Ice-Coolant.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch)
3. Moose Racing Heat Shield. Two sheets of this adhesive-backed reflective heat shield and an hour or two of your time cutting a bunch of little shapes to conform to the underside of the crazy shaped gas tank seems to help dramatically with keeping the fuel from getting too hot. There are many people who have had problems with the fuel reaching its boiling point which then leads to vapor lock issues i.e. stalling, difficulty starting, loss of power, etc. (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/9/187/4166/ITEM/Moose-Racing-Heat-Shield.aspx).
3. Moose Racing Heat Shield. Two sheets of this adhesive-backed reflective heat shield and an hour or two of your time cutting a bunch of little shapes to conform to the underside of the crazy shaped gas tank seems to help dramatically with keeping the fuel from getting too hot. There are many people who have had problems with the fuel reaching its boiling point which then leads to vapor lock issues i.e. stalling, difficulty starting, loss of power, etc. (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/9/187/4166/ITEM/Moose-Racing-Heat-Shield.aspx).
4. Husaberg fan kit. This OEM fan kit bolts up easily after draining the coolant, removing the right radiator, riveting the fan to the radiator, cramming the gas tank back on, and finally refilling the coolant (http://www.cyclebuy.com/husaberg/accessories/fan_kit.htm). Somehow the fan fits in there, but it only makes taking the gas tank off more of a pain in the ass, if you can even believe thats possible.
The fan fits in there - barely.
