Who keeps track of motorcycle oil temps?

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My 14 Road King and I think all Rushmore bikes come with an oil cooler. (except the water cooled models, I think)
Being its not unusual in my area to have daytime temps of 100 degrees, as it has been for weeks until yesterday, I was thinking of adding a fan in front of the oil cooler that I can switch on if I ever get caught in heavy traffic.

However before I did, I thought it would be smart to know what the oil temp runs on the bike so I bought what seems like a nicely made analog oil temperature dipstick from JES Custom.
I prefer analog for an application like this because it is always "on" no buttons to press, just glance down and you know the oil temperature. I bought the oil filled version for the purpose of having a steady needle. Hopefully time will prove it to last a long time.

Anyway, of course, I installed it yesterday which turned out to be one of the coolest days in the entire month, outside temperature was 85 to 92 degrees. Went on a 100 mile ride two up in our area, mix of interstate and much local.

I was surprised by how steady the oil temperature stayed. I guess the thermostat controlled stock oil cooler does a good job when moving. Its not a big cooler but the temperature stayed pretty much around 220 degrees +/- 10 degrees in all kinds of riding.

Local riding, stop lights etc it would climb to about 230 (at one point and only one point during the day it looked like it was almost 240 briefly) Interstate and faster local road riding it would drop right back down to around 210/220 max.
This was only one day of riding, in time I will have a better idea of how hot it can get when not moving/traffic situations.

If I ever see it go alarming high I may simply bolt on a small high quality fan to the front of the cooler and hook it up to the accessory switch for stuck in traffic problems however rare they are around here.

Does anyone else track their oil temperature?
What would one consider an alarming high oil temperature?

And last, even if the oil could stand much higher temps, if I observe it going really high during traffic I might install the fan just for the purpose of the oil helping to cool the engine.
 
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I used to when I had 2 Harleys. pretty much a waste of time. All you need to do if you're really worried is run Redline 20w50 or 20w60. problem solved.
 
I would suggest a computer "muffin fan", so called, but keep in mind such fans don't work well into back pressure. Might be better as a "puller" on the back of the cooler.
 
I should also note that I gutted the CAT and run XIEDs and it stopped my lower right leg from turning red. Not a huge difference but the indicator for me was no more red back of my leg. *L*
Then again, maybe it would be a huge difference if I put the CAT back and removed the XIEDs.
I did notice Low speed crawls and 2up are much more manageable with the slightly richer fuel mixture at low speeds.
As much as I can tell barely no loss in MPG, if I had to guess MAYBE 1 or 2 MPG less.
 
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Yes, they sell some high quality made for automotive purposes, water proof etc fans for coolers, can find them on ebay and other places, both in puller and push.
Cost around $50 or so. Name brand fans
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
I used to when I had 2 Harleys. pretty much a waste of time. All you need to do if you're really worried is run Redline 20w50 or 20w60. problem solved.


Yes, based on my ride yesterday and seeing how steady the oil temp stayed I tend to agree. But depending on what I see in the coming weeks, if I did a fan it would be for the purpose of leaving the ETIMS off. (not sure if I have the letters correct)
I dont like running the bike with the ETIMS on, dont like all the funny noise when the rear cylinder cuts out and the way it idles. So if the fan would prevent me from having to turn on the ETIMS for the rare times I am stuck in traffic it would be a bonus.
 
I checked the fins and hopefully the sump of my virago with an IR gun (through the open hole, hopefully the IR "aperture" is accurate). Found it linearly followed outside air temp. 75'F was 190'F and 80 was 200, etc. I could have run 10w30 but who does that, went with 15w40.
 
My '83 Airhead rides close to 250F during hwy fall/winter riding. Worst is summer riding in heavy traffic, with a wind going along at my speed. Have to pull over and let it cool if it goes above 280F, and I have seen 300F before.
 
Gennerally my 2013 XL1200C Sportster (stock) runs about 120 F over the ambient temp from my observation of the HD analog oil temp dip stick.

Any temp under 80F, oil temp stays 200F or a little lower.

Might run a little higher, maybe 10F, on long highway rides at 70 mph +- 70 MPH is about 3200 rpms, your bike is probably a little lower rpms at 70 mph.
 
I've check my oil temp after I park it in the driveway. About a minute after I turn it off. It is usually between 210-203 on a 85 degree day after doing slow around town riding. Never checked it on the highway. If it can't stay the low 200's range on a highway doin at least 50 mph, you got problems. I keep my temp records with my haircut records.,,,
 
Do the HD police-spec bikes use a fan? If not, I wouldn't worry about adding one. (As an aside, BMW R1200RT-P bikes have an oil cooler fan, the civilian versions don't).
 
I have a good handle on my bike's oil temps, and I can ask my brother how much data he has on his. He rides an H-D, whereas I ride a smaller displacement Honda.

Do NOT go a grade _thicker_ with Red Line. Go a grade _thinner_ than H-D recommends.
 
Just wanted to say to everyone so far for the feedback and Im really impressed someone it riding an 83 airhead, amazing.

My second day of riding confirmed, temps will run from around 205 to 240. in 90 ish degree weather.
Highway/interstate will always be in the lower 210 area, mid speed 35 to 50 maybe 220 max, slow around town 230, long periods of idle and ending up on the wrong side of red light after red light 235 ish, 240 max. when 90 + degrees outside.

The above is only 2 days of observation, yet seems pretty much not much variable, except for the outdoor temperature.
 
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Originally Posted By: shanneba
Gennerally my 2013 XL1200C Sportster (stock) runs about 120 F over the ambient temp from my observation of the HD analog oil temp dip stick.

Any temp under 80F, oil temp stays 200F or a little lower.

Might run a little higher, maybe 10F, on long highway rides at 70 mph +- 70 MPH is about 3200 rpms, your bike is probably a little lower rpms at 70 mph.


Yes, at 75 I think I am at 2900 ish. Will check next time. The OEM oil cooler on the RK seems to do a solid job of lowering the oil temp, whenever in town at the oil temp around and up to 230, once I hit the interstate, in a matter of a minute it goes down 15 to 20 degrees. Pretty much 210 at 90 outside.
 
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Originally Posted By: hpb
Do the HD police-spec bikes use a fan? If not, I wouldn't worry about adding one. (As an aside, BMW R1200RT-P bikes have an oil cooler fan, the civilian versions don't).


Excellent question! Im not sure if HD police bikes have one, I bet they do.
FYI, Im not worried, Im just thinking of a small project for myself, for fun and thanks for the BMW feedback, just confirms that I think I want to add a fan as a project, I have the OEM accessory switch on the bike that does nothing, so its an easy hookup. Then, in the rare occasions I get stuck in a traffic jam etc, I can flip on the fan.

BTW, I want one of those BMWs (dont tell my wife, just got the RK! *L*) Cycle World had an AMAZING story on the BMW 1200, long term test, 10,000 miles so far. Calling it the best sport touring and touring bike in the world. Just came out. Of course with all bikes, some little hic-ups, rear brakes go in about 6,500 miles and you blow through tires.

What caught my attention is I do a lot of 2 up riding and its supposed to be great comfort for your passenger.
 
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Yes, looks like a wide margin of bikes operate at around the same temps. The only hic-cup can be, stuck in a traffic jam, a small oil cooler fan will go a long way to help, or of course, fan to blow air across the cylinders on air cooled bikes.

I prefer the oil cooler fan, for my own preference, less intrusive and only for emergency. Though fan for the cylinders would be more effective.
 
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Originally Posted By: bulwnkl
I have a good handle on my bike's oil temps, and I can ask my brother how much data he has on his. He rides an H-D, whereas I ride a smaller displacement Honda.

Do NOT go a grade _thicker_ with Red Line. Go a grade _thinner_ than H-D recommends.


I believe in sticking to the recommended viscosity. 20/50 is fine for my area.
I dont believe in lower or higher then recommended viscosity's in general.

But I can see how someone can go slightly lower in a cooler climate and I can also see how someone can go slightly higher in a hotter climate. For SC, we get super hot for just a couple months, so not something I need to think about.
 
That's fine. Red Line's fluids generally run higher HTHS viscosity than others, at a given kinematic viscosity grade. So, do you believe in running the kinematic viscosity the factory recommends, or the HTHS viscosity they recommend?
;-)
 
My '14 KTM Super Duke 1290 doesn't have a digital water temp readout like many bikes, but it does have an oil temp readout. I think I'd rather know the water temp, but it is interesting to watch the oil temp at times.

At highway speeds, no matter the ambient temp, the bike typically reads somewhere between 185-190 deg F. Slow city traffic will bump it up to 200-210 deg. A recent track day in 90+ ambient temps saw the oil temp climb as high as 215 or so, but no higher. And as soon as I backed off the throttle on the cool down ride into the pits, the oil temp started dropping right away. With good 10w50 Motorex synthetic, I'm not too worried at all.

The engine is a dry sump design with a very large external oil tank mounted in front of the engine, right in the airflow. It has no external oil cooler, but the radiator is quite sizable.

This is in contrast to my old Aprilia Tuono's 1000cc Rotax v-twin. Also, a dry sump design, that bike had a smaller oil tank, tucked alongside the engine and not very well exposed to airflow at all. The bike had a smaller radiator (smaller engine, makes sense), but 2 oil coolers.

Both approaches seem to work well, but I think I'd like an oil cooler on the KTM all the same.
 
Originally Posted By: bulwnkl
That's fine. Red Line's fluids generally run higher HTHS viscosity than others, at a given kinematic viscosity grade. So, do you believe in running the kinematic viscosity the factory recommends, or the HTHS viscosity they recommend?
;-)


:eek:) Well, you got me there, let me say it this way. Ill put a general blind faith in whatever numbers in the owners manual they choose to give me.
 
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