Does Broken Vent Panel Effect Engine or Rider Temperature?

[Gene Weygandt]

Hi, guys! after I rescued my bike from the dealer's shop, they told me they'd broken one of the moveable "vent" panels and had already ordered a replacement. I finally got it back. Yesterday. BUT my real Q is this: IK opinions come in at about 50-50 as to whether having them in or out has much of any effect on either engine or rider temperature, but what was the design team's REAL intention??? I wonder what they ]thought / hoped it would accomplish. Did they ever wind-tunnel it?

Pouring another cuppa coffee in anticipation of your answers. happy holidays and ride safe! 50 degrees tmrw in No IL !!!

 

[Ignacio]

You're talking the wings on the fairing that are movable? And you mean when they say broke meaning a receiving fastner on the fairing or the fastener on the vent and they only have to replace the vent?

If you're talking about riding without the vent in place....then very little actually happens. It was intended to have more impact after Gen 1 riders complained about heat, but isn't very noticable....unless you're riding around in shorts or jeans.

The other vent is the one through the dash area and don't think that's the one your' talking about.

I don't remember engine heat as being anything it was advertised as...but one would need to look through the bowels of the compatibility matrix to see web captures of promotional material each year.

 

[RossKean]

Never noticed much difference on my Gen II. (Tried it both ways on my 2007 when I first got it.) I will admit that I never did a comparison in temperature extremes (either high or low).
I would expect that it is more for the rider than to manage the engine overheating.
I leave mine in the closed position all the time.

 

[Gene Weygandt]

You're talking the wings on the fairing that are movable? And you mean when they say broke meaning a receiving fastner on the fairing or the fastener on the vent and they only have to replace the vent?

If you're talking about riding without the vent in place....then very little actually happens. It was intended to have more impact after Gen 1 riders complained about heat, but isn't very noticable....unless you're riding around in shorts or jeans.

The other vent is the one through the dash area and don't think that's the one your' talking about.

I don't remember engine heat as being anything it was advertised as...but one would need to look through the bowels of the compatibility matrix to see web captures of promotional material each year.

I believe this is alwa]ys gonna be the answer..."then very little actually happens." hahaha

 

[Ignacio]

I believe this is alwa]ys gonna be the answer..."then very little actually happens." hahaha

And to augment, I think Yamaha's change from a recirculating frame rail to an on-demand type meant the tank fuel didn't get nearly as warm on riders fiddly bit in Gen 2+ bikes. Secondarily the Jiffy Pop heat shield helped two. These two changes, in my opinion, was FAR more effective than the side vents.

 

[Gene Weygandt]

And to augment, I think Yamaha's change from a recirculating frame rail to an on-demand type meant the tank fuel didn't get nearly as warm on riders fiddly bit in Gen 2+ bikes. Secondarily the Jiffy Pop heat shield helped two. These two changes, in my opinion, was FAR more effective than the side vents.

"These two changes, in my opinion, was FAR more effective than the side vents."

 

[escapefjrtist]

I've never noticed much difference with either GEN II or my current '15. To me it seems Yamaha's design intention is to channel air away from the rider...in the "out" position, more suited for colder weather riding. My '15s stay "in" all the time and I ride down into the low 30s.

YMMV

~G

 

[Gene Weygandt]

My nxt door neighbor who has a Gen I told me about the fairly intense heat and I wonder if besides the "Jiffy Pop" cover they were just doing every #@$%$#&! thing they could think of to try and alleviate.

 

[infrared]

Gene,

All IMHO, of course . . .
I believe the "vents" are there to deform the fairing only for the rider's comfort. Set them IN for hot weather, and OUT for cold. I believe they just deflect cold air away from the rider when OUT.

The air around a water-cooled engine won't do much about engine heat. Air through the radiator cools the engine. If the temperature gauge is happy, then the radiator is getting enough air, and the thermostat regulates the engine heat as it should. I have never seen any differences on the temperature gauge, related to the "vent" setting (IN or OUT).

I believe that the "vents" would have louvers on top, if they were actually intended to make any difference in engine operating temperatures. Louvers would probably keep the rider warmer in cold weather, though. Bottom line, I believe the "vents" are cold air deflectors for the rider, not engine temperature aids.

 

[torch]

I found the side panels do make a difference to rider comfort during a long ride in cold weather (which I would define as just above freezing and below). A bit less cold air and a bit more warm air hit the rider's legs.

But no difference at all with engine temps.

 

[MiSTer TwiSTer]

I rode in cold weather with one “in” and one “out”. The knee on the “out” side got a lot of cold air. The knee in the “in” side only felt about 1/2 as much of the cold air.