My busa is TOO HOT?  Ideas to keep it cool?

[bsowers]

Yes I'm sure this has been asked, so I apologize but I spent the better part of yesterday searching through old topics and couldn't find anything.  So here goes:

I have a 2005 limited, stock but I've added the chrome (looking) screens to the ducts and a roaringtoyz 4-2-1 full exhaust.  Just sitting on the bike it is HOT, heat is emitting from behind the plastic (of course).  Here in Arkansas it's not that hot (yet), so I can't imagine it is supposed to be this hot.  The engine temp is not high, or hot, just there is so much heat coming off the thing it's tough to ride longer distances.

The question is: what are some options to make it cooler?  Exhaust wrap?  Remove the chrome (looking) screens opening up the ducts?  What else can I do?

Thanks!
Bill

 

[SAMBUSA]

Engine Ice. 2nd cooling fan

 

[JR'S BUSA]

Nothing really, the frame puts out alot of heat. Get some riding pants and go have a blast on the long rides.

 

[VaBusa]

First, welcome to the oRg

I know on the second generation Busas, they've added heat shields and foam on the inside fairings...I'd like to know if it's made any difference and if so, it should be easy enough to add the heat shields to the panels on the first generation Busa. Just an idea...

I think others have discussed putting a second fan on them too; the second gen Busas have two cooling fans...

 

[rubber2burn]

Engine Ice.  2nd cooling fan

+1 in these 2 recommendations also you could wrap the headers and that would keep things cooler as well. Also ment to add you can install a Muzzy fan and that will push more air as well and help cool things off

 

[mikeled86]

drive faster

 

[Mr Bogus]

if you are just talking about the radiant heat coming out of the cowling.. just wrap the head pipes... I did mine and it virtually stopped all the hot air coming out of the vents on the cowling.. (sort of sux during the winter)

there are a few threads on this but in short... just the head pipes require about 12' of 1" wrap each..
I did not wrap any of the mid pipes or collectors.. just the main head pipe.. 4 pipes/ 50' of 1" wrap.. costs $50

 

[bsowers]

WOW, all those replies in like 10 minutes. Thanks everyone! I had considered the wraps and will do that now. Not sure a 2nd fan since it's just radiant heat not engine overheating. So we'll start with the wraps and see how that works.

Thanks again everyone!

Bill

 

[suzuki4life]

never wrap a ti pipe.

 

[camaroguy72]

never wrap a ti pipe.

yeah, dont wrap a titanium pipe. too much of a risk for cracking.

second cooling fan may work. or wear pants when you ride. you can get a second cooling fan, keep it on a manual switch and just keep it on while riding ...it will help

 

[Over_Easy]

Your sitting on an engine, of course it's hot, but when you're moving it shouldn't be a problem at all. If the gauge is in mid-range and your still complaining about it being hot then you're just whining. If the guage is in the high range (close to red) then the engine has an issue and you may need to change/check your coolant.

 

[HillbillyTom]

I may wrap the header tubes on mine too. After the open bike, Busa does seem to radiate a lot of heat on my legs at stop lights. Not an issue while I'm moving.

 

[Double D]

I am having the same problem and so I need to look into taking one of these Ideas cause this baby gets hot.

 

[theemrrdkill]

what  Suz4life said ..

 or ...... carry bags of  Ice ... or don't slow down!  

   seriously ..try  Eng Ice  and a 2nd fan..  or move to a cooler climate.

 

[suzuki4life]

he ain't talking about the bike overheating....

wrapping the pipes will direct the heat backward but the bike will still get warm/hot. Adding fans will make the air movement onto you even worse.
Water wetter/heat ice might help but I doubt it. The thermostat warms and hopefully maintains a certain temp, just a very necessary fact of life.

 

[bsowers]

The pipes are stainless steel, so i'll wrap them and add some heat shield inside the fairings. Other than that, it's either shave my legs for less friction or just stop whining. So i'll go with the stop whining.

Thanks!

 

[Mr Bogus]

yes my omission... wrapping titanium pipes is not suggested...

Even on SS, you do not want to overwrap the pipe.. follow their directions (Thermotec) on wrapping.. if you have any questions, they do have a live phone you can call and get an instant answer.. (Have distributed Thermotec products for about 15 years)

There are some other brands but this is the one that I have always used.. (they do make a sleeve that is a lot easier to install over the header pipes btw)

 

[Professor]

One of the best ways I know of reducing the temp off of the headers is having them coated, inside and out. Because it keeps the pipe from "absorbing"￾ as much exhaust heat, it has less to radiate. It can also increase the speed of the exhaust gas giving a bit more scavenging effect. On the busa, you would want to do the headers and mids. It will however make the mufflers a bit warmer. Although small, there are some performance gains as well. I have personally seen under hood temps reduced in street cars with HPC brand coatings. Several race cars I have worked with have had coated headers on which you could change the plugs within a few minutes of coming off the track.

It works, I almost had mine done while apart this winter. HPC and Jet-Hot were the leaders in the field. I was lucky enough to witness Jeff Holm's HPC evolution in the early to mid 80s in Oklahoma City through a mutual friend. I remember when he has his products on all but a few of the 33 car field of the Indy 500!

Cool technology!

 

[Mr Bogus]

make sure you mark out any pipes that fit inside each other to omit the coating... worked pretty nicely on our funnycar headers and the nitro never burned the coating

 

[bigoltool]

Water wetter is good stuff. My Busa got real(!) hot in a traffic jam last year and I flushed it and filled with 50/50 Havoline dexcool/water and water wetter. The other day I got stuck in a similar half hour traffic jam in the pouring rain and I was worried as heck about it overheating and it never did. So I can honestly say that is an excellent place to start. Now if I could just find some decent wet weather riding gloves???