How hot is too hot?

[dandwyer]

I was riding into DC today and spent the usual 20 minutes or so in stop and go traffic. I watched the engine temperature gauge creep up until it was one notch below the top. At which point I was at work and shut it off. My questions:

Is that too hot?
How do I know what "too hot" is? Is there a specific warning?
What should I do when it gets too hot? Pull over and shut down?
Why does the bike heat up so quickly -- it's not very convenient for city driving.

I did get a warning triangle on the screen -- and the computer read "Lamp," which made me think that a lamp was out -- but there was no lamp out! Eerie. Maybe that was its way of saying "too hot."

Any insight is welcome. Thanks

[Ves]

I use to commute on my old R850R from just outside of Chicago to near down town on the lake shore... It was all city driving... I hated getting caught in traffic. The bike just got too hot... my toes would toast... I could feel the engine run differently... like it didn't have as much power... and it got louder... like my oil was thinning... The bigger engines produce even more heat...

My thinking is, If you're going to be doing traffic on a regular basis, then at least use a good synthetic oil that can stand up to the heat better... don't rev the engine (short shift it)... and turn your idle down as much as you can...

[deilenberger]

Is that too hot?

I believe so..

How do I know what "too hot" is? Is there a specific warning?

There is a hot bar I think (the wider one at the top) and a cold bar (the wider one at the bottom). Ideally it should stay between the two.

What should I do when it gets too hot? Pull over and shut down?

It's that or start lane splitting..

Why does the bike heat up so quickly -- it's not very convenient for city driving.

Good question since I've been stuck in traffic (probably not 20 minutes - but 10 easy..) and haven't seen the temps creep up that high. Actually - I've never seen it higher than 2-3 bars above the cold bar.

I did get a warning triangle on the screen -- and the computer read "Lamp," which made me think that a lamp was out -- but there was no lamp out! Eerie. Maybe that was its way of saying "too hot."

Any insight is welcome. Thanks

Synthetic oil for sure.. it's much better for heat. You may want to check with your dealer. The oil cooler does have a thermostat of sorts that controls the oil flow to help it warm up faster. I wonder if yours is working correctly.

[NeilS]

I did get a warning triangle on the screen -- and the computer read "Lamp," which made me think that a lamp was out -- but there was no lamp out! Eerie.

If the "Lamp" warning persists, check your taillight bulb. If the computer determines the taillight is bad, it sets the warning and then uses the brake light filament at reduced voltage to simulate the taillight function. This happened to me with less than 1000 miles on the bike. Caused a bit of head-scratching: "There's a lamp warning, but all the lamps seem OK." Then I found the explanation hidden in the manual

[lucagoa]

Hello,

this is something interesting. I always use the bike for commuting and now that we get close to summer......
Overheating is something that I worry very much. In Italy on summer time is quite usual to be stucked in the traffic with an average outside temperature of about 32-34°C.
Last weekend I was riding in traffic (not stucked) low gears, for about 25 min and the temp rose one bar above the medium (where it usually stay). Outside temp was only 21 °C
What will happen in hot summer time? Why BMW engineer did not put a fan to cool down oil
I'll keep reading this kind of threads as I'm very interested in this matter.

[deilenberger]

Hello,

this is something interesting. I always use the bike for commuting and now that we get close to summer......
Overheating is something that I worry very much. In Italy on summer time is quite usual to be stucked in the traffic with an average outside temperature of about 32-34°C.
Last weekend I was riding in traffic (not stucked) low gears, for about 25 min and the temp rose one bar above the medium (where it usually stay). Outside temp was only 21 °C

Doesn't sound like anything to worry over..

What will happen in hot summer time? Why BMW engineer did not put a fan to cool down oil
I'll keep reading this kind of threads as I'm very interested in this matter.

I suspect they didn't feel it needs a fan. My experience has been it doesn't. And I've ridden (and sat in traffic) in some rather warm weather. If you're going to be sitting still in traffic for 10-20 minutes, then shut down the engine. If you're creeping along - you'll likely be OK.

[r12r-don]

I experienced this with my previous bike, a 2000 1100RT. While the fairing encasing the engine significantly contributed to the heat when not moving, there are a few other things. I also work in NYC so I too have experience driving in traffic.

I ditto the experience of the engine sounding different and less power while on the RT. I can't imagine any different on the R in this respect.

After I hit 25k miles on my RT the engine smoothed out (for those reading the R -vs- RT, the low RPM touchiness goes away) and the engine ran a lot cooler in traffic. I'm hoping the RT will run cooler as well as it ages in miles.

Also, keeping a bit of distance from the car in front of you and leaning over into the shoulder while waiting makes a huge difference. By taking the position you would driving (looking down the side of the car in front of you) you are not only NOT getting the hot air from underneath the car in front of you, you're getting "fresh" air from the side of the road.

These little tips had helped me a great deal when I was with the RT. I use them today with the R and haven't had any trouble yet. Also haven't had hot temps yet either.

[Bill Stevenson]

Discussions like this one are very helpful. Excessive heat is the enemy of any machine. Our horizontally opposed twin engines have some advantages in terms of heat distribution and dissipation, but too much heat is not good for them. Here in South Florida in traffic it is not uncommon to see cyclists pull off to the side of the road and let things cool down in situations where overheating occurs. The type of oil used can make a difference, but there are some things to be aware of.

BMW engines manufactured from 1981 model year to present have a ceramic lining on the cylinders instead of a gray iron liner. This feature allows the engines to wear forever, dissipate heat better, and are lighter weight, but the ceramic does require more time for the rings to seat. BMW recommends that for break-in a mineral based oil be used such as their BMW brand oil. After break-in synthetic oil is more resistant to thermal breakdown and would be better for anyone using their bike in hot climates or in stop and go riding or both. Break-in will vary with the rider, the terrain, and the load on the bike.

Compared to other boxers in my experience, the new 1200 series seem to have better heat management which means they are less prone to overheating and once traffic starts to flow they recover faster than either the 259 or airhead engines.

Regards,

Bill

[DrD]

One thing that helps is positioning yourself -- and the bike -- in a way that permits some airflow. Don't stop with the front tire on the bumper of the car ahead of you. Leave some room and be over to one side of the lane or the other. Some way to permit a bit of wind to pass over the bike. I often commute in the DC Metro area and this seems to keep the bike happy. No comment with respect to my state of mind (though better than when in the cage).