First Summer With The VMax

[thundermax]

Yes this is my first summer with the Vmax. Here in central Oklahoma it gets hot, hot, hot. Right now it is 90 degrees outside. So when I ride to town from 12 miles away the temp gauge reads in the middle of the black area. When in town in the stop and go traffic the temp gauge increases at stop lights to just under the red line. When I am moving it goes down to the 3:00 pm position. On the way home on the highway it goes down to the 4:00 pm area.

So just want to know what to expect this summer. Can I expect the gauge to stop just under the red line area every time?

Riding 2005. Thanks guys.

 

[Ridin Dirty]

Yes this is my first summer with the Vmax. Here in central Oklahoma it gets hot, hot, hot. Right now it is 90 degrees outside. So when I ride to town from 12 miles away the temp gauge reads in the middle of the black area. When in town in the stop and go traffic the temp gauge increases at stop lights to just under the red line. When I am moving it goes down to the 3:00 pm position. On the way home on the highway it goes down to the 4:00 pm area.

So just want to know what to expect this summer. Can I expect the gauge to stop just under the red line area every time?

Riding 2005. Thanks guys.

That sounds about normal to me, especially in 90 degree stop and go.

 

[The Beekeeper]

That sounds right to me too, your fan should come on in that upper limit area also...................Tom.

 

[dman1961]

Yes this is my first summer with the Vmax. Here in central Oklahoma it gets hot, hot, hot. Right now it is 90 degrees outside. So when I ride to town from 12 miles away the temp gauge reads in the middle of the black area. When in town in the stop and go traffic the temp gauge increases at stop lights to just under the red line. When I am moving it goes down to the 3:00 pm position. On the way home on the highway it goes down to the 4:00 pm area.

So just want to know what to expect this summer. Can I expect the gauge to stop just under the red line area every time?

Riding 2005. Thanks guys.

thats exactly how mine runs bud unk:

 

[Dr.n2o]

Same here. Seems they all run the same temp wise. I put a manual fan switch on mine for that reason. I turn it on around 2:30 P.M. :biglaugh:

 

[thundermax]

Guessing that is about 15 minutes to redline, on the gauge. Does the fan stop the temp rise or does the temp start going down, once you flip the switch? Wonder if anyone has ever just put a lower degree thermostat in one?

 

[95spfldmax]

Mine reacts the same as everyone's here....I too have the fan override switch. It only slows down the march to a "c-hair" prior to The Red Line.....It's never gone further

 

[PDWeyand]

a lower thermostat will open sooner and the coolant going into the radiator few degrees cooler but will be warmer over all because the thermostat would end up staying open longer and will cycle back into the motor less cooler than the one set higher. The longer the coolant is in the radiator the cooler it will be going back into the motor. But 5 or 10 degree change would not really do much. And if you look at the Temp gauge you will see a small back dot at the 3:00 o'clock spot, I would say that is the idea running temp while riding.

 

[RaWarrior]

The fan switch from an '88 Nissan Sentra will kick the fan on around 30* earlier...the stock switch turns the fan on at 220, that one is like 190 or something and is a direct replacement.

Or just wire a switch that shorts together the two wires going to the temp sensor. Switch the fan on when you get in traffic. Behind the right scoop there are two sensors, the 1-wire sensor is for the gauge and the 2-wire bigger sensor is the fan switch.


Normal highway running in hot weather is around 180-185*, fan on in traffic holds it at 195-200.

Personally I think the manual fan switch is the best bet, it's cheap and easy.

 

[TurcoLoco]

Looking at the gauge, I was getting a bit paranoid too thinking it was running too hot.
From my research last year, I found out that Vmax likes it a bit hot and what you are describing is quite common and considered normal.
First I installed a manual override switch but later found out a lot of reputable people saying that was not a good thing based on the fact that you could turned it out too late causing damage or turning it on too soon and/or leaving the fan on too long which would not provide the ideal operational temperature, so a sensor based switch is ultimately a better solution, at least so I felt.
I got this one from Vmax Outlaw.

 

[85vmax]

We get pretty hot and humid here in Florida also, I don't really care that the bike likes to run hot, I keep the needle at 3 as much as I can.....I too used a lower temp radiator fan switch.....turns the fan on sooner at a lower temp than stock.
Same a the one from Vmax outlaw for $65...only thing is I got mine from NAPA for $29.......still moves upwards in traffic, but not nearly as high.

 

[Rhoy Carter]

I put a switch on mine mainly to keep the hot air from the fan to be a little cooler than it is when it turns on automaticly ( just easier on me heat wise in hot weather )

 

[njwhit]

Same here. Seems they all run the same temp wise. I put a manual fan switch on mine for that reason. I turn it on around 2:30 P.M. :biglaugh:

Did the same.

 

[Fire-medic]

Well on my FZR1000 I did a bypass switch & I think it cost me all of $6 from one of the local parts stores. You could get one from a boat chandlery which would be highly water-resistant.