Outside Air temp sensor

I need to check the outside air temp sensor, as mine is running a lot higher than ambient air. Is the attached image from the Service Manual correct? Is there supposed to be some heat shielding to keep the radiator heat off of it?

 

That is correct. There is no shielding. The wire is clipped onto the plastic inner fairings as shown.

 

The sensor has only ever been accurate when the bike is moving, as soon as you stop you get heat from the engine affecting it.

 

Mine is way off regardless. The P.O. put Chinese fairings on it, so I'll have to take it apart and see where it's mounted.

 

OK, maybe it's not off. I took a digital cooking thermometer and put it in the fairing gap. My bike said air temp was 106°, the thermometer said 105°. I haven't ridden today and this was with the bike in the shade. :sour:

 

Can this sensor be cut off the harness with no ill effects?

 

I have two Honda MC a ST1300 and the VFR, both 2008. I have found that the temps can very as much as 4 to 5 degrees between the two bikes under the same riding conditions. When ambient temps are high 80 plus the difference is less sometimes a 1 or 2 degree difference. when colder 40s and 50 or colder around a 3 to 4 degree difference. The VFR is always lower than the ST. The best part is we don't know which is correct.

So when my wife and I ride together and talk about the extreme temps we use her bike the VFR for lower temp bragging and the ST for higher temps. LOL

 

I noticed on my 99 VFR that the ambient air temp seems to read fairly accurate when first starting off. After riding for a while, it seems as though the ambient air temp sensor is about 10 degrees higher than actual. This has been confirmed by comparing it to the ambient air temp sensor in my car.

I ordered a used air temp sensor off of ebay to see if this rectifies the issue.