to hot to ride

[E.L. Buff]

I got an 85 K100 RT this past fall all my riding so far has been in the cold love the bike but two days riding in 65 to 70 dig temps is to hot for my legs and seat.
I will never be able to last in the summer temps , is it my bike or are all k bikes this hot .
Ernest

[mckayprod]

They seem to be known for that. I guess the RTs are supposed to be the worst with the fairing lowers. I can't see an easy way to remove just that section, though. Maybe when the Sac Valley temps hit 100 or so, I'll figure out a way.

[Paul_F]

I've never experienced that with my RT. There are bits of insulation between the fairing and the engine at about shin level. Have you checked to see if you have those insulation guards? I also have lowers (not all are the same) with an opening to catch forward moving air which allows it to pass out the other two openings and I assume, draw engine heat away from the bike. I've ridden in 100F days with no engine heat problems. :ca

[SugarHillCTD]

Ernest,

Welcome to the inferno.:scratch

Two ways to approach the heat-

-use it as a cool/cold weather bike only

OR (a more practical choice)

-do a couple of the mods that some of us brick owners have used to "turn down the heat"

-first wire in a switch that allows you to manually turn on the cooling fan. When you have to ride slower or stop (in town, at traffic lights, etc..) it keeps the heat from building.

-place some foil insulation under the gas tank. It drapes over the frame from the steering back to the front of the rear fender and directs much of the engine heat away from your legs and out the back.

These two mods have made my RS much more liveable during hot summer days. Further details if you need them.

Good luck,
John

[DarkCloud]

Insure the insulating gasket between the fairing and the bike is intact.
The 87 and later years had louvers in the fairing to vent the heat off the engine. You can buy the louvers and install them on the 85 and 86 K100Rt's. The next step is to get some Baker air wings.

[thompsonr]

I used Baker air wings big help. http://www.bakerbuilt.com/ check it out.:dance

[Ted]

When was the last time the coolant was serviced? The service sheet calls for every other year. If it hasn't been done in some time or you don't have a specific record of it being done, it's time. By the way, if you don't have a service receipt for the work you must assume it wasn't done, prior owners often advertise a bike as "regularly serviced" when all that has been done is oil changes - leaving out critical regular services like coolant, fork and brake fluid, even transmission and final drive fluid.

I'd recommend the BMW brand coolant (aka the "purple stuff") - that along with a gallon of distilled water and the needed BMW-specific drain washer for the drain plug. You might also pick up a 6-liter+ sealing drain pan to make it easy to take the stuff to be recycled, it is incredibly toxic and being sweet critters can't help but to lap it up.

You might also replace the coolant overflow tube (it gets brittle, discolored and chalky over time), check all the coolant hoses, and take a very close look at the radiator (I've seen them completely munged up with dead bugs, birds, etc.) Lastly, if the system has not been well-maintained, give a thought to flushing it though make SURE that whatever flush you use is made specifically for aluminum.

[chuck_donahue]

I have a RS that gets the legs toasty warm ... I wear flanel/flease lined jeans (I like carharts) I wear them no matter what the trmp is, warm in the winter, keep legs cool in the summer well maybe not cool... but my legs don't roast.

[bikerfish1100]

all good suggestioons.
Chuck is on the right path, but i'd recommend some variety of riding pants instead of fleece-lined work pants. Leather or cordura is what you want (Fieldsheer are my current faves, Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants are nice as well). They add the layer of insulation that your body wants, as well as the protection that your body needs in the event of an unplanned get-off.

i switched to a Ducati SS to resolve the heat issue of my K11RS, and then upgraded to my current R1100S from that. No heat complaints at all.

[deilenberger]

If it's bothering you at temps below 70F, it will be simply unbearable above 85F. On a ride to the infamous RA rally in Fontana NC, I was riding the Blue-Ridge with a friend. Balmy high 70's temps. After about 2 hours of this I was ready to leave the bike there and walk home. The '85 K was the worst as far as heat. BMW detuned them a bit starting in '86, and that made them run slightly cooler.

There are lots of things you can try. I tried all of them. Some help to a degree (Baker Wind Wings installed where they suggest didn't help me - they created a vacuum behind the windshield that made it worse.) There is insulation under the tank (or should be) make sure it's intact. The front fuel system hose should have insulation around it (if it doesn't - some small pipe insulation will work), the fuel rail should have rubber insulation around it. There are foam pads that go in each side of the fairing to help direct all the hot air out over the top of the engine rather than on to your legs. And there were K-heat-Guards, that helped channel the hot air back over the battery (these may or may not be back in production now.. dunno, haven't needed any.) As people mentioned - layers on your legs are a GOOD thing. Seems counter-intuitive to add insulation on your legs in hot weather, but in this case, you're trying to keep the heat on the outside and away from your legs.

What finally worked for me was buying another bike. I next bought a K75S, and never really had a heat problem with it. Finally went to an oilhead and eventually a hexhead and heat is a total non-issue now.

If the K is the bike you have to have (for whatever reason), you might consider looking for an inexpensive "other" bike to keep for days where the temps get too high to ride the K-RT.

[deilenberger]

BTW - Ernest, see you're in Elmer NJ..

What color is your K-RT? My old one is still floating around the Garden State somewhere. It's a bit distinctive since it's the only '85 K with ABS..

Just curious.

[58058D]

Have to admit that on both my 85 and 93 RSs, I got to where I never wore jeans by themselves, always wore some form of cordura over them or my leathers (got me to go ATGATT finally?) otherwise my calves would break out in heat rash in the Sac Valley in summer. I was always lead to believe the RTs were hotter. So, as noted above, mods plus gear to keep the hot air off your legs. My '85 had the heat reflective tape on the underside of the tank, but on the one day I rode it with shorts on (I was new, never again) I burned my inner thighs on the tank due to the temps of the recirculating fuel. The 1200RS manages heat way better, can't wait to see how the S does in summer.

[Beemer01]

and I still look down occasionally to see its hot or if my pants are on fire.

I wear the BMW summer pants for hot weather - better than flannel jeans for hot humid weather.:laugh

[E.L. Buff]

Thanks for the replies
Don no ABS on my bike I think po was from around Franklinville N.J.
Coolant system is fine did complete service over the winter fan comes on and off
and no over heating or temp light coming on .
I dont remember seeing any gaskets on fairing sides when I worked on it I do remember the insulation under the tank.
I have to come up with something or a new bike but I like my old RT.
thanks Ernest

[MonteC]

Mine gets a "bit warm" on the hotter days of the summer.

I do have a set of air wings that help move some air around the knee area. I also realized recently that the rubber boots that should be in the fairing openings around the forks have always been missing. Maybe that helps move more air too. I believe that there are "air scoops" that can be installed around the forks that are supposed to help move air also.