I own a 2000 VFR800, I live in Mesquite, NV, and the summers here get pretty damn hot. I have noticed that when I have been riding for a good 30 minutes or so, my engine temp reaches 220 F, and slowly climbs higher, and higher. I have checked and re-checked coolant level, and yes, the fan is working. It seems to be the worst when I'm cruising on the highway (80 mph), oddly enough, as I have seen the temp reach 238 for a record high on any bike I have owned. The only thing that seems to help, which may sound foolish, is to speed up to around 110 or 115 mph, bringing the temp down to about 220 again. So, first of all, at what engine temp is it at risk for damage? And second, is there anything I can do to keep her cooler?
Sounds like a stuck shut thermostat to me. Once on the highway getting along at a decent clip for a few minutes she should come down off of 220 and keep herself cool without a fan (unless you're running down the highway tached out in 3rd or something). I don't remember off hand which radiator is hot and which is cold with the thermostat closed, but it will be a pretty obvious difference if the t-stat is stuck closed.
