Belly Pan

[speedjunkie]

Anyone use the Calsci belly pan? Does it work? I've heard enough negatives about the hot wings, but never anything about the pan. I'm looking for a way to help scavenge some more of the hot air out of the engine bay and route it somewhere else. Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[Woodstock]

What is the point of the belly pan (on an FJR, that is)?

 

[speedjunkie]

Woodstock,

The FJR is the only full faired bike I've ridden that didn't have a lower belly pan of some sort. It's just open on the bottom. The belly pans are designed to help scavenge some of the hot air out of the engine bay and off the exhaust and dump it under the bike. This is my interest. It's obvious that the heat most feel is because not enough is getting out in the right, less noticeable areas. If you look at some of the guys that cut out small holes in the lower chin fairing, it helped tremendously with the heat. Why? Because it was directing more ambient air to the headers and exhaust and then just dumping under the bike. I really don't want to cut holes in the chin fairing and take a chance of loosing some of the air going to the radiator. So the solution is to try the belly pan. I'd use some aluminum tape and try to tape one on just to try it, but wouldn't want it coming off and going thru my tire or something stupid like that. I'm just looking for anyone that's tried it. If no one has, maybe I'll be the first.

Mike

 

[04FJR4ME]

Mike

If you do try your mod, please take some pictures and share your experience and results with your modifications.

Thanks

 

[meosborn]

I like how you say that the heat problem is "obvious". I've seen about 3 years worth of different ideas some working better than others.

 

[speedjunkie]

Yes, it's obvious to "me" that when your nuts are getting roasted, there's too much heat staying in the engine bay, transmitting to the gas tank. It's obvious to "me" that when your shins are getting hot, and you have to do the Crommeit heat fix on one side, then the other because the condition has moved, that the heat isn't being exhausted correctly. You say you've seen 3 years of heat fixes, some working better than others, but do you have any direct info insight to the belly pan? That was the original question here. I've seen the other fixes as well and am not interested. Thanks for sharing.

Mike

 

[speedjunkie]

Well, I got the pan mounted last week. Finally got to go for a real ride on Thursday. The pan works as advertised for the side drafts with the wind and behind semis, very stable now. As for cooling, helped a little out on the highway, but in stop and go traffic, it makes it worse. The pan reflects the heat up then. Takes a few minutes to start cooling back down once moving again. Installation is fairly easy, and straight forward, follow the directions. Just takes time to shape the pan, at least if you're as overly anal as I am. I also added some aircraft erosion tape to keep it from chafing on the fairing. It pained me enough to drill holes, let alone it scratching the snot out of the paint! I'll try to get some pics posted. I may try to bend a scoop in it as well, to help force somemore air in there.

Mike

 

[bluefjrdevil05]

I was wondering if there was a way to install a catz shield?

I've seen where someone pulled the pipes had them coated and removed the catz.

It sure did help the look, but I was advised it did very little for the heat.

Now, that I think about that question; if coating and removing catz did not help, putting a shield between it and the rider would probally not do a thing.

It almost seems converting this bike to a half naked lady would help out in the summer months then just put the lower fairing back on during fall/winter.

However this seems a little extreme to tame the beast.

Has any one used this method with success? I guess a person could find a running light set up to install, since the 05 is intergrated into the lower fairings.

Well let me know your thoughs please.

Pros, cons or has this worked for anyone?

 

[Windjammer]

FWIW, I've noticed that adding the Bill Riley highway pegs made a huge difference in heat. Using them places your legs out in the wind a bit and they act like air scoops on a hot day. Doesn't do much in slow city traffic, but it's nice on the highway. Rode in 100 degree heat with over 90% humidity the other day and I was just fine on the open road. And it's nice to have an alternative foot location - so nice that it makes me think forward controls would be a good thing.

 

[Mogan]

So, is the CalSci belly pan a worthwhile mod?