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Engine heat?

12K views 28 replies 27 participants last post by  Dave the Rave 
#1 ·
Hello,

I just got rid of my '09 800 GS due to the fact that I could not stand the hear "pouring" on my right leg when I rode it in 75 degree temperatures. I am back to my '08 KLR and '08 Tiger. Both bikes are great...no heat on my aging body!
Anyway...my question is the....when riding a Versys do you experience any enging heat on your legs, etc? I realize that when one stops at a light every bike will warm you up. I just don't want to go through all the hassle of buying another bike and finding out that it is VERY warm to ride.
Thanks for your insight(s).

Mr. Pete----->
aging hippie

p.s. my '09 Bonneville also does not "heat" me up!!
 
#3 ·
I'm with Rick on this. You're sitting on a heat producing engine and that heat's got to go somewhere. I also have an ST1300 which some people say is a hot bike and others (me included) say not so much. I think a lot of it has to do with what you wear riding. I wear tall riding boots and overpants always, so I'm insulated from heat pouring off the motor or through the radiator.

The Versys is not a hot ride if you ask me.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Bear is right! I notice some heat at times, but only when I have my knee against the gas tank. Several people have mentioned heat on their right leg, but I have only noticed it on my left leg. If I move my knee out about an inch I don't feel it.
 
#7 ·
I agree, you can feel some heat on the right side, but it's not a "cooking your leg" kind of heat. Also, it's important to note what people are wearing when they report this - people who wear jeans in summer usually feel more heat than those in riding pants.

Gustavo
 
#8 ·
Of all the bikes I have had, this one produces the least heat of any. Even when running in the desert around the Palm Springs area at temps over 100 its tolerable.

As others have mentioned, you get a bit of heat on your right leg when stuck in traffic, but nothing too bad.

I too had a Honda 1300ST and in my view heat on that was more noticeable. My Harley and my Valkyrie kicked out mucho heat.

Machog
 
#9 ·
If you are wearing jeans you will get a nice blast of hot air on the inside of your right leg when its above 90f. The faster you go the more powerful the blast. If you are wearing mesh with nothing underneath it might be unbearable for some. In my textile gear or leather I don’t even notice it but in jeans it get annoying (I have a California version, not sure it matters).

At speed in hot weather the Versys has more hot air hitting my leg than my ST1300 does which some consider a real hot bike. To me the ST puts out no more heat than any other bike.
 
#10 ·
mrpete, just a question, are you looking at the V for commuting purposes or other? I ask because you say you already have the Tigger? To answer your question, I agree with many here that it does get your right leg a little hot but not intolerable and also depends on the pants you wear, desirable in the cold weather though.

:cheers:
 
#11 ·
I ride with knee pads under my Tecnik motorcycle jeans along with full boots and barely notice the heat, even in stop and go traffic. Riding my old Concours 1000 in the heat was like being trapped in a convection oven. It was the most uncomfortable bike I've ever owned heat wise. I don't notice much difference between the amount of heat put out on the Versys and the KLR, which I've also owned.
 
#12 ·
Versys vs. KLR?

I have an '08 KLR and the heat from the engine, compared to my "x" 800 GS is...nill.
I am thinking about buying a Versys and putting my trax bags on it...some semi-off road tires...and heading for S.A.
I think that the extra HP of the Versys and fuel injection would be a nice thing to have. My 685 KLR is a nice bike...but not much in terms of zipping along as you know.
Besides...it would give me something to do "over-the-winter" here in upstate new york.
I like the looks of the '10.
 
#15 ·
Before I got my Versys I had a 2006 Kawasaki EX650R (basically same motor). The heat was very excessive on it, at temperatures above 75 degrees I had to spread my legs and it was still uncomfortable. I got the Versys because after test riding one I found that my two biggest complaints had been addressed; heat dissipation and seating position. After I got the Versys I also wrapped the exhaust header with exhaust wrap. Now the only time I even feel anything is when stopped at over 90 degrees. It seems manufactures are as lack about designing motorcycles for correct heat ventilation as they are about designing comfortable seats. They really are trying to have it both ways. They normally won’t let you test ride a bike so most bikes are sold primarily on looks. Stylists design the seats and you can’t see how a bike will dissipate heat. I have found that bikes with the least body work the better. Better heat dissipation and mush easier to work on. Just changing the oil filter on the EX650R was a pain in the butt. Versys: piece of cake. Now my biggest complaint is power. I really could use another 10 hp for passing situations on nice curvy roads where the rubber necks in front of me are doing the speed limit. I wish they had not tried so hard to conform to a specific size to compete with another brand rather than engineering more for a specific task. Given all of the above I still think this ties with my favorite bike of all time. The other was a Yamaha TDM850. It had the power but unfortunately it fell down and went boom.
 
#16 ·
Mostly wear jeans, no heat issue until 90+ degrees out, then still not a big deal, just ride with knees slightly off the tank. Interesting about the 800GS.
I looked at one before I got the V and didn't like the smaller 4 Gal. tank or the
skinny seat. This info makes the V purchase seem even better yet.
 
#18 ·
My experience is the heat seems to be linked to wind. I live in a coastal area which is very windy. (Average wind speed - 14 mph with gusts around 35-50mph.) In my neck of the woods, the heat is always pouring on my right (or left leg, depending upon which direction I'm headed). When I get into areas where there is less wind, like the hill country, I don't feel the heat anymore.

I always wear full gear, which includes either mesh overpants or textile overpants, and full-length riding boots. To me, the heat seems to come from the radiator via the fan, not the exhaust. In the summer it will regularly break 100F. I don't think the heat is an issue. You can feel it, but it's not overwhelming.
 
#19 ·
I live about 1/2 hour east from you and the only time the heat bothered me was the few times the temp was about 90 this past summer and that was on the side streets. Once your moving it is noticeable, but not anything too bad.

Talk to me next spring/summer. We can swap bikes and go for a ride.
 
#23 ·
Heat? What Heat?

Prior to acquiring my V1K last week, I rode a Vulcan 900 Classic LT for three years. I live in San Antonio. The heat coming off those big chrome downcomers and slash-pipes on the right side of the bike could literally broil my right leg during the summer months. I can't believe the difference between the Vulcan and the Versys - I actually wonder if the Versys is really running on cool days (of which we have very few down here!)
 
#26 ·
I never noticed engine heat until after I put on T-Rex crash bars. I think the aerodynamics changed the air flow, deflecting more heat to my right side.
 
#27 ·
I had an '07 800 ST, which has the same issue as your 800 GS. They're notorious for it. For the ST, the heat was on the inner thighs, and it could be absolutely unbearable on some days when I was commuting. I've had a '17 Versys 650 for a little over a year. Yes, in the summer, I feel some engine heat, but I don't feel it at speed, and it's not too bad at lights. Finally. It's *nowhere* near as bad as my ST. That all said, your tolerance for heat/engine heat may be different from mine. Take a test ride on a summer afternoon and see how it feels.

(Facepalm) Just saw this is an old thread.
 
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