[Kawabunga]

Hi guys, I need your input. I have a new 2017 VX300 just under 400 miles. At least 12 different times I’ve noticed my temperature gauge reach one bar beneath the maximum limit, in other words, if the digital reading max’s out at 6 bars, then I’ve hit 5 bars repeatedly. I can’t remember how many bars there are at the top of my head but I’m 100% that it’s one below the max.

That said, it seems to happen really fast while waiting a fast food drive thru’s. The outside temperature is often very cool, 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night so the outside temperature has never been the issue, nor is hard riding. It simply reaches this near max level from waiting in line while 3 cars are often ahead of me. It even climbs up to 5/6 bars while waiting at traffic lights. The minute I start moving I see the temperature drop to three bars within 30 seconds of speed (usually around 37mph and above.)

I’ve checked and topped off the coolant and at least visually, the bike is very clean. It’s never touched dirt (yet).

As for checking if the fan works, quite honestly, I haven’t had a chance to youtube. “how-to” videos on that, also with my helmet and being a new rider, I don’t trust myself to distinguish the sound of the fan clicking on when needed, so, again.. I dunno.

Has anywhere here experienced this? And if so, was your fan functioning? If so, I’d say this a major strike because it’s happening while it’s cold outside and the bike isn’t even working that hard or staying at idle at time increments that aren’t reasonable.

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[SteveJ]

A point and shoot thermometer would come in real handy about now, you have one? Harbor Freight has 'em cheap enough.

Plus, the bike is under warranty, right?

 

[Kawabunga]

A point and shoot thermometer would come in real handy about now, you have one? Harbor Freight has 'em cheap enough.

Plus, the bike is under warranty, right?

Yes, it’s under warranty. But I don’t know if my complaint is legit. In other words, do I have to wait until it lights up 6/6 bars?

I brought it up to the dealer a couple weeks ago and he simply said “You can’t just let it idle.”

In my mind, I wasn’t really letting idle. I was trying to buy a hamburger.. I was waiting at an ordinary stoplight. Nothing I did was unusually long. Plus it wasn’t hot, it was cold. Technically the bike idled, but man, if that’s the side effect of the bike design, that would terrible.

I don’t have a thermometer and if I did, I wouldn’t know the appropriate temperature scale and what to look for. I just know it gets hot way too fast for a modern bike with a fan and water cooled.

Thanks for your help, I’ll see what’s up with the thermometer.

 

[whisperquiet]

I haven't ridden mine much in any heat yet, but did notice that the heat bars on the dash do rise rapidly when stopped for a minute or two. I live in the St Louis, MO area----we had some upper 70's weather last month and I could feel the heat off of the radiator when riding at times----much more than my Super Tenere puts off in similar conditions.

 

[Kawabunga]

I haven't ridden mine much in any heat yet, but did notice that the heat bars on the dash do rise rapidly when stopped for a minute or two. I live in the St Louis, MO area----we had some upper 70's weather last month and I could feel the heat off of the radiator when riding at times----much more than my Super Tenere puts off in similar conditions.

Thanks, at least I know I’m not crazy!

 

[Kawabunga]

A point and shoot thermometer would come in real handy about now, you have one? Harbor Freight has 'em cheap enough.

Plus, the bike is under warranty, right?

Just got the thermometer, the engine read 216°f, at 5 out of 6 bars on the temperature gauge.

I had the laser pointed at the heat sink/cooling fins.

I don't know what this information means, but I'm throwing it out there. I only had to let the motorcycle idle for a very short while after taking the bike for a two mile ride to the local Lowe's store.

 

[motorboy]

outside temp has little effect on water cooled bikes that are not moving-air must pass through the radiator either moving or the fan kicking in

 

[silviefox]

these bike run a bit lean at idle and that make the motor even hotter, and you add in the lack of air moving over it the heat will go up quick

 

[Rebel13]

You need to check the temp at or around the cranckshaft center, there it should be at about 180. Once you go above the crank the temps will be higher naturally, that is where ignition is. As for being near the exhaust, it will be much higher for obvious reasons.

With a liquid cooled engine, at idle should make no difference. Once it gets hot enough, the fan will kick on. When it gets cool enough the fan will kick off. That is how the cooling system is suppose to work, it is fool proof vs. the old air cooled motors, you can be idle all day long if you want too and not hurt anything. Unless the high temp indicator is lit, the temp gauge is about useless.

Don't fret and ride on!

 

[silviefox]

you can be idle all day long if you want too and not hurt anything. Unless the high temp indicator is lit, the temp gauge is about useless.

not really true (at-least for the 650) in the manual it says not it idle for more then 5 min as i recall or it could cause damage..... really thats just lawyer talk for covering there own ass. ive left sylvester idling for almost 20 min in the garage when a rest room brake took longer then expected

 

[Rebel13]

not really true (at-least for the 650) in the manual it says not it idle for more then 5 min as i recall or it could cause damage..... really thats just lawyer talk for covering there own ass. ive left sylvester idling for almost 20 min in the garage when a rest room brake took longer then expected

It is true, you, yourself has debunked it!

If you are not carefull, you may melt wires, fairings or the like do to excessive heat buildup, but it isn't engine itself related, it has its own fail safe cooling system, it will still run fine.

It was the case for air cooled and air/oil cooled engines, but not for modern day liquid cooled.

 

[LuvNot]

If this bike can't stand idling, then any owner in a modern city is going to be royally screwed during summer rush hour traffic.

 

[Kawabunga]

If this bike can't stand idling, then any owner in a modern city is going to be royally screwed during summer rush hour traffic.

This is my big concern! I hope it’s just a dab issue because I swear, I haven’t used a stopwatch but the temp rises pretty fast. One long stoplight will easily bring you 5 out of 6 bars lit up. Again, I’m not sure if it’s just my bike but it’s been happening.

Thanks everyone for your help

 

[JeffR!1234]

Kawabunga,

I have not noticed this at all on mine and I have about 650 miles now. It doesn't sound right that this would happen and since you are the Central Valley you should take it to a couple of other shops just to see what they have to say. I'm in the Bay area and it doesn't really get hot here but out there in the Central Valley, it seems it is always 100 degrees out there in the summer. For a bike that is water cooled it just doesn't sound right to me. I am going for a ride today and I will make sure I pay attention to my gauge but I know it has never been up that high. I am good about looking at my gauges for everything.

I did a search of overheating of a Verysys X-300 and this is a link that was number 1 "http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/170-technical-discussion-v-650/66066-engine-overheating.html". It happens to be from this forum from 2014. The person found that his fan was not turning freely but corrcted the problem. You might want to read all the threads. It just doesn't make sense that Kawasaki would know that they would put out a bike that can't idle for 5 mins.

 

[Kawabunga]

Kawabunga,

I have not noticed this at all on mine and I have about 650 miles now. It doesn't sound right that this would happen and since you are the Central Valley you should take it to a couple of other shops just to see what they have to say. I'm in the Bay area and it doesn't really get hot here but out there in the Central Valley, it seems it is always 100 degrees out there in the summer. For a bike that is water cooled it just doesn't sound right to me. I am going for a ride today and I will make sure I pay attention to my gauge but I know it has never been up that high. I am good about looking at my gauges for everything.

I did a search of overheating of a Verysys X-300 and this is a link that was number 1 "http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/170-technical-discussion-v-650/66066-engine-overheating.html". It happens to be from this forum from 2014. The person found that his fan was not turning freely but corrcted the problem. You might want to read all the threads. It just doesn't make sense that Kawasaki would know that they would put out a bike that can't idle for 5 mins.

Thanks man, that's what I'm going to do. I'm gonna raise the issue during my 600 mile service since I nearly there.

It's really annoying just having to worry about it, however, I read somewhere else that someone with the vx300 also had the same issue, unfortunately, the guy never followed up on his progress. His description is exactly like mine.

Thanks!

 

[JeffR!1234]

Good Luck and let us know. You might want to make sure the 'over-hearing' problem is on your service order as well so it is documented. Maybe use the verbage "check for over-heating as it idle's" . Something like this so it is documented in your record.

 

[Jesper Hedegaard]

Now - it's not sitting at a red light for half a minute that builds up crazy amounts of heat - it's the 12.000 + revs U used to get there.
And the U cut off the cooling air stream by stopping at the red light....that's normal heat build-up.
Ur car does exactly the same but U rarely notice it for 2 reasons: 1: cooler circuit has much larger capacity relative to engine size as car engine has larger load (thus more heat build-up) and 2: car fan is located furhter away for U, thus U don't allways hear the fan kick in.
It's all daily business for a watercooled engine - no worries in that.

If a dealer gives U the: "Ohhh - U let it idle !" - find a dealer that has arrived in this millenium !
Any watercooled engine is able to idle indefinately, whereas an aircooled may not stand it in all ambient temperatures.
Dealer is an idiot - find another ASAP !

And Googling for Vx cooling issues and then referring in here to a thread from 2014 on the V650 - what's the relevanse ?

 

[Kawabunga]

Now - it's not sitting at a red light for half a minute that builds up crazy amounts of heat - it's the 12.000 + revs U used to get there.
And the U cut off the cooling air stream by stopping at the red light....that's normal heat build-up.
Ur car does exactly the same but U rarely notice it for 2 reasons: 1: cooler circuit has much larger capacity relative to engine size as car engine has larger load (thus more heat build-up) and 2: car fan is located furhter away for U, thus U don't allways hear the fan kick in.
It's all daily business for a watercooled engine - no worries in that.

If a dealer gives U the: "Ohhh - U let it idle !" - find a dealer that has arrived in this millenium !
Any watercooled engine is able to idle indefinately, whereas an aircooled may not stand it in all ambient temperatures.
Dealer is an idiot - find another ASAP !

And Googling for Vx cooling issues and then referring in here to a thread from 2014 on the V650 - what's the relevanse ?

Thanks for the help.

I discovered it’s a fan issue! After reaching high temps again, I turned off the engine but kept the accessories on, so in theory, the fan should kick in for a bit, it DOES NOT. The fuse is fine so I’m taking her to the dealer ASAP.

Thanks everyone once more, but man, I still love the bike.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

...I turned off the engine but kept the accessories on, so in theory, the fan should kick in for a bit, it DOES NOT....

The KLR's fan stays ON till it cools down after your ignition is turned OFF, but on all my V650s the fan goes OFF w/ the ignition.

MIGHT be the same on your 300....

 

[JeffR!1234]

That is good you discovered this. I just got back from a ride with daughter on the back and my gauge only went as high as the 3rd bar. We even went up a step hill for about 1 1/2 miles and I was doing 70+ and the gauge never went past the 3rd bar. Like you, I love this bike too and my daughter thought it was very smooth and sat great while riding.

Hope the dealer will listen to you and get that fan to go on when needed.