Ugly Cool Modifications or Did My 6 into 6 Pipes Melt My Boots?

[Peteg]

In this video I look at 6 into 6 foot peg area heat shielding, a new set of wings, and evaporative cool gear in preparation to ride across Texas in record heat. I also look at the radiator fan air discharge diverter and how it might interface with wings. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38uTo089ZdY



This picture shows the thermal couple setup I used to try and back into the design concept for the radiator fan discharge diverter.



This is a pretty cool picture of me in full evaporative cooling gear. I use the vest frequently. I wet it and put it in a supermarket bag in my trunk and I put it on if it gets too hot before I get home. I may never use the chaps but I'd have them with me if I planned to cross Texas on a record heat forecast day. The picture reminds me of an old Lockhorns cartoon. The wife is standing there pointing a shoot gun at the old man, who's where sandals with high socks, plaid shorts, a stiped shirt and a fishing hat; she says "remember the time you pointed to the man at the mall and said if I ever leave the house dressed like that, just shoot me".

[Peteg]

Oh yeah, there's an error in the video. At one point I say when the bike settles in at 40 mph the aft thermal couples is 20 degrees cooler than radiator discharge temperature. That should have been 20 degrees hotter. Radiator discharge is always cooler.

[Jess from VA]

Not to be too personal Pete, but just how tall are you?   

I had a couple cooling vests. 

The polymer one got rottenly hot in no time (hot and wet).  I gave it away.

The one with the water holding crystals was much better.  I soaked it full, put it in a big plastic bag, and refrigerated it until I left.  When I put it on later it was so cold I had to take it off again.   

The water holding crystals also are used in neck wraps and sweat bands/doo rags, and those really work well (without the full body wet soak;  the cooling vest fully charged with water leaks down into your crotch and ass over time, and I didn't care for that).   Dude, did you piss yourself?    

[Valker]

I fill a bandanna diagonally with ice cubes (a 32 ounce drink holds the perfect amount), roll it up, and tie around my neck. That's good for two hours in 100°+ temps. I also wear a winter weight mock turtleneck that has been wet. I rewet it every few hours. These don't work in the east or coastal humidity, but I nearly freeze in the high desert and mountains.

[Willow]

I didn't watch the whole half hour video.

My wife melts her boots on her Cobras.  I will tell you the same thing I tell her.  Keep your feet off the pipes.  The pipes get hot enough to melt rubber on contact.  ON CONTACT.  The pipes will not reach out and grab boots that are not touching.

[Peteg]

Jess, I'm 5'-4". Yes Ice would be nice. I'll have a good sized cooler on the luggage rack over the tour pack (it's the larger little playmate). I guess I could put some frozen neck rolls in there and stick the ends down under my white shirt in front of my chest. The thing that sold me on evaporative was the ride home, especially camping, but using ice and neck rolls might be pretty cool.

I've got summer boots and winter boots. The winter boots are flannel lined, normally have wool socks underneath. I was thinking I could wear those and trash the shields. A few times I had a foot slide at a light, pretty sure it was the boot sole although it didn't look like there was an issue when I got home. The roads get so hot, could have been the road surface. I've run into issues with black snakes, no big deal they're pretty narrow. Some of the asphalt back roads seem to get so hot the surface is good and rough with plenty of aggregate showing but seems like they're polished where the car tires run. I think the cars push the aggregate down and bring up the tar. I'm actually not sure but it seems like I slid in the car tire areas a couple of times. Not as slippery as a bad black snake, but a lot wider?

[f-Stop]

The best way I've found to beat the heat is to actually beat the heat.  Being on the road before sunup and riding until it's hot -- maybe 1:00 or 2:00 pm -- works great.  Of course, pre-hydrating and hydrating throughout the day is essential.  I'm an ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time) rider, but with properly ventilated gear it's like riding in the shade.

OEM headers have heat shields near the foot pegs and they work great.  Nevertheless, I've ridden on hotter days where you could feel the heat off the road through the soles of your boots.  I've ridden on hotter days where keeping the visor down on the helmet felt cooler than opening it up.  I've ridden on hotter days with a "cool" vest...ended up hotter and wetter...yep...tossed that sucker!  (Wearing clothing made of wick away textile under my protective gear works best for me.)

Have fun on your ride Peteg → Ride safe stay cool! 

[Peteg]

Thanks Fstop. Hey did OEM pipes have any shielding where the 5 & 6 pipes leave the headers? Were the shields insulative like high temperature plastic of just a second layer of metal? I'm finding that not even a metal shield works for me, if there's no insulation behind it. The good news is I don't think the real ugly crap behind the foot pegs will be required. I plan to publish results once I get done testing.