My turn for a stupid question

Why does bike temperature fluctuate with riding conditions?

It doesn't do this with cars. It doesn't matter how fast you go, or what the temp is, the temp gauge always remains steady.

:crazy:

 

It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Nothing more, nothing less.


Oh, wait a minute. I think that's Russia.

 

I think maybe there's a lot more metal in a car engine block so it warms up more slowly and takes longer to dissipate heat?

Just a guess - I don't drive cars so don't know much about em - never been that interested in them..

 

so true, so true. i have ...no clue

 

They do fluctuate, but not as obviously. Part of it is the cooling fan, part of it is probably due to coolant surface area and cooling system volume, part of it is horsepower produced per square inch of cooling area, and there is also a lot more airflow through the radiator due to location. The typical automotive pump moves a large volume of coolant, as well. It might also be that the sensors and instruments in an automobile are less sensitive, i.e. slower to respond, although that is entirely a guess on my part.

 

^^^^^^^^......... +1

Big ass car radiator mounted directly in the air stream matched with large coolant volume and most likely either analog styled temp gauges or larger dead bands on the automotive digital gauges.

My car fans often come on with barely any deflection in the gauge, but it got warm enough to bring them just the same

 

The only stupid question is the one not asked. Some old fart told me that.

 

I deal with this question alot, it has more to do with how the gauge is made and what the manufacturer wants more than anything else and what it costs to make. With cars and alot of other products the window that the gauge reads normal operation temperature is a bit vague . Over the years as product lines have passed by and I have owners that have had genertion after generation the normal operation temp is the first thing that comes up. Most of the time the sender has not changed, just the gauge. Some if they trust you will take your word for it and some I have to hook a meter up and prove it to them. With bikes I think it is just a special application and low number that keep them more accurate. If Honda spit out 4 million VFR's in one production run I think the bike in general would be much different.

 

Part of the difference may be the percentage power vs cooling capabilities used in the VFR compared to the percentage used in a street car. In a race car the temperature is much more affected by load and conditions. Ever watch a nascar race and see how they always scrub the grill when they pit. It's because they work so close to the limit of the cooling system. Detroit is very conservative in their cooling system design.

I think (and this is just me ) the VFR's oil cooling system is too small and is a lot of the problem. Can't prove it yet, but once I put mine back together, I may experiment some with increased oil cooling.

All that being said, insufficient cooling is usually death to an internal combustion engine, but VFR's are very long lived, thus indicating that there isn't really a problem with the cooling. But they do run hot.

Dave

 

The reason I am wondering is because I thought that a car is designed to run most efficiently at this given temp, so it was designed to maintain it at all times.

Bikes on the other hand, don't even try to maintain any temp. They seem to happy, as long as they are not overheating. I guess I should be too, but I hate when things don't add up. No I'm not a CA.