Well, I spent the weekend in the garage at the lake doing most of the heat mods I've read about and here's what I've found:
Me: 6'-2", 250 lbs, squidly gear (jeans, reg. jacket, etc) new Fieldsheer stuff hasn't arrived yet.
The bike: '05 FJR ABS, stock seat (for now), Cee Bailey w/s, Heli bar risers.
Total time: about 4 hours (without beer/smoke breaks)
Total cost: Firewall Insul. $0 (shop gave me a cut-off piece of scrap)
Scotch Adhesive $10
Foil Tape $7.89 (Menards)
Aluminum $7.00 (bought a 2'x2' piece at welding shop)
Weather stripping: $4.00 (Menards)
First, I did the tank insulation. I got a piece of 3/8" foil-backed firewall insulation and I cut it to fit the underside of the tank with a hole for the hoses and sending unit. I dressed all cut edges with aluminum foil tape and used Scotch adhesive to attach the insulation to the tank. Then, between where the two frame spars meet at the steering head and that cross member, I cut and placed a piece of standard aluminum foil and taped it to the frame with foil tape. shiny side down. Last, I cut a separate "blanket" to lay between the cross member and the airbox, over the fuel injection unit. So, in essence, that area is double insulated. I dressed the entire exposed side of the blanket with foil tape and taped it to the frame and airbox creating a seal. The tank was a tight fit, but eventually settled-down.
Second, I did the Cromeit heat fix to both sides. Left Side: I used much thinner aluminum (I think .040") than 1/16", which you can cut with a normal tin snips. This was very easy to lay-out and fabricate and was more than adaquate. One tip is when making your breaks tend to favor the inside of the lines, especially if you use a Sharpie. My box was just a hair too wide and I had to remove a little material with the grinder before it would slide in. Right Side: I used a closed-cell, water resistant foam and Scotch adhesive. If you stay true to Cromeit's 2.25" thickness, you will have trouble reinstalling the fairing, so you might have to do some trimming with a good sharp knife right where the foam meets the large frame spar. Then get down on the floor and look for any gaps and simply stuff them with leftover foam.
Third, I sealed the gap between the frame spars and the fairing on each side with weather stripping and placed a piece of weather stripping between the seat and tank.
Results: I rode the bike back Sunday at a temp of 93 F with 70% humidity. All of the intense calf heat is gone. If you have a crosswind from the left side of the bike the convertor will circulate some heat up on your right foot, but otherwise, very comfortable. I could now hold my hand on the left frame spar without having to be taken to a burn unit and the tank never got hot enough to be uncomfortable. But that seat... For God's sake what was that company thinking. I sware they could put that seat on a snowmobile and it would still be hot and uncomfortable. BTW, the temp gauge was completely unchanged from prior to the mods, if anything, it hits four bars slower than before.
The only "but" here is in town. In town the bike is positively an oven on days 90+ F. I don't think I have ever produced so much "Swass" and thight sweat in my life. But if it makes anyone feel better, I have a buddy who just bought a '07 Harley Ultra with that new motor and the dealer had to re-chip the FI so the back cylinder automatically cuts out when the engine gets above a certain temp... Now that's hot!
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