Putting the heat to good use.

[edonthenet]

Riding home last night in 28 degree temperature got me thinking of my old K100LT. There was a vent cut into the fairing that allowed me to blow warm engine air across my legs, not enough to keep you warm but helped to ward off the chills.
The K1200LT fairing allows much better wind protection on the legs but has no vent. But yet 2 inches forward of my knees is the air discharge for the radiators. There must be some way to get that air redirected stylishly to use for rider warming. Anyone ever tinker with this idea before?
Ed

[RonKMiller]

That's an idea BMW should have come up with! .... and all it would probably take is some additional cad time, a couple of servos and some wind tunnel testing.

I can see it now for 2007:

"The all new supercharged 165 horsepower K1600 LT "S" incorporates an optional ducting system with dampers and louvers on the interior of the fairing. With the push of a button a large volume of hot air exiting the radiator is directed toward the rider, enclosing him in a cocoon of warmth."

[zaphod]

Yesterday my boss (a Goldwing rider) was giddy showing me the new 06 sales brochure, heated seat, grips and warm engine air blown over your feet at the flick of a switch. All this and an air bag to boot. I responded as always that I still wasn't geriatric enough to own a Goldwing.

[DaveDragon]

I have been mulling over the idea of a small heat box around the header with ram air into the box and two 2 inch flex hoses to route the warm air to the lower tupperware at the feet locations.

A simple flapper to control air flow should do the trick.

[Reid]

Silk longjohns under the riding suit (or jeans for that matter) seem to do it for me.

[Dochatley]

[QUOTE=zaphod]Yesterday my boss (a Goldwing rider) was giddy showing me the new 06 sales brochure, heated seat, grips and warm engine air blown over your feet at the flick of a switch. All this and an air bag to boot.

And still no power windshield.....

[ATLDB]

And still no power windshield.........

And Honda reps as well as sales guys need to change the story on the. "Its because there is no room in there for a motor to raise the windshield", that is BS, my dad and I had his front apart one time and I KNOW that the Japanese guys over there can figure out a motor to install right below the locking mechanism that is currently in place.

At the same time one thing I have heard from many Goldwing riders including my old man is that they adjust it once and never touch again, therefore not needing it to be electric. Well you don't ever change it again because you DONT have it electric.

I like Wings, they are awsome, but as zaphod said is a geriatric thing....

[Bayliner2052]

And still no power windshield........

But they do have thepower available... new-for-2006 standard-equipment 1,300-watt alternator.

Another quaote from thier web page ...
A simple yet ingenious ratcheting windshield-adjustment system provides six settings over nearly 4 inches of travel. Operated manually, the mechanism eliminates the weight and complexity of electric motors.

[BecketMa]

I like that, manual adjust eliminates the weight and complexity of an electric motor. Guess they could eliminate the turn signals. Hand signals eliminate the weight and complexity of turn signals. Get better gas mileage to boot.

I also like the web site citing FREE in store pick up. Imagine that! If I drive there and buy what I want, they won’t charge me picking it up.

bob

[bone1]

A year or so ago I saw the web site of this company that makes a after market elec. windsheild for the 1800 wing. Now I don't remember where I found it. Anybody know? Bone1.

[DPPeter]

A couple months ago when I did my 12000 mile service, I was looking at that and wondering the same thing. I wonder if you could affix something on the outside to redirect the air back to the rider. It would have to be something that wouldn't mar the paint though. Hmmm, something to think about.

[meese]

I think you mean the Windbender (http://www.firecreekacc.com/windbender.htm). It seems a bit crude, but effective.

[riderup1]

Hey Meese.....wake up!!! Grab a cup of mojo and shake the cobwebs out... we're looking for a windbender type of duct work to take the heat coming out of our radiators on the BMWs and redirect it onto our bodies .....now get back to work looking for a solution....its getting cold out there!!!!!!

[meese]

I know what y'all are looking for, but bone1 specifically asked about a power windshield on a 'Wing, so he got his answer.

I had been thinking that some of those simple plastic side wings like they make for various Goldwings might be useful to redirect hot engine air towards the legs. Sort of like the stock BMW under-mirror wings, but mounted down lower. I'm sure you could buy a set through a 'Wing accessory catalog or JC Whitney and play with them if you wanted.

I'll pass, as I don't plan on adding anything to my LT that makes it wider and harder to split lanes. Besides, I've already got a couple of other LT projects started that I just don't have time to complete. Too much great weather and excellent roads here in SoCal, so I'd rather be riding. :)

[NCoe]

Too much great weather and excellent roads here in SoCal, so I'd rather be riding. :)

Ken,
Thanks for rubbing it in. I am having to use my jacket liner to go to work these days. It is still above 20 degrees (my personal threshold) here so I will ride too.
Nate

[meese]

That's OK, Nate, I hear you have some mighty fine roads up that way as well. Can't do much for the weather, though.

[riderup1]

Meese....you guys are killin me with that great weather you're riding in! Sorry ...I did'nt look at where you were from.
I always figured there was some way to attach an air deflector of some sort to those exhaust ducts that would not leave a mark. Maybe a rubber band type of setup that attaches behind the grills? They do it with the snowmobiles...so why not with a bike? It does'nt have to be anything fancy...just don't duct the heat to nowhereville when you can redirect it at the rider when he chooses to do so.....its free heat dammit! It does'nt have to be sealed, nor does it have to be perfect. I guess that to stay with the true BMW tradition it just has to look good (or at least presentable). Heck...I could make something out of cardboard with a layer of epoxy over it if I had to I guess.....but do we have any takers to fab up something that can be made in quantity, look better, and resold in flat black?

[FlashToo]

Riding home last night in 28 degree temperature got me thinking of my old K100LT. There was a vent cut into the fairing that allowed me to blow warm engine air across my legs, not enough to keep you warm but helped to ward off the chills.
The K1200LT fairing allows much better wind protection on the legs but has no vent. But yet 2 inches forward of my knees is the air discharge for the radiators. There must be some way to get that air redirected stylishly to use for rider warming. Anyone ever tinker with this idea before?
Ed
While driving through the Mojave after dark it got quite chilly, especially since I was still wearing my Joe Rocket mesh pants. I quickly learned to put the wind wings all the way out, then stuck my knees away from the body of the motorcycle (spread 'em wide). The warm air was wonderful on my arthritic knees. Must have been quite a sight.

[Motomadman]

I wished I had a A/C unit mounted on the odments box today. 85 degrees and brush fires on the hills around us. Guess I brought out the heated vest a bit to early..............

[meese]

Yep, it sure smelled like a campfire around here today. Since we're in Wildfire season now, that means Flood season is next, followed closely by Mudslide season, and then Earthquake season. (It ain't all sunshine and perfect roads here, honest. ;))

[gunny]

Not a lot of heat coming out of those vents when it gets cold out. Guess any is better than none but I doubt theres enough of it to do much good.
Now if you can figure out a way to bottle the heat that comes out in the summer, save it up for this time of the year and come up with a way to dispense it where and when it would do some good. You figure it out and I'll market it, we'll both get rich and famous.

[mjordans2000]

Life is tough here in So. Cal. Had to use my mesh jacket this week for our mini heat wave (high 80's to low 90's).

[graydude]

Don't forget the horrific storms of last year you guys. Them easterners think we got it made but we got trouble in Rivercity just like them. I'm still repairing the damage to my home from those rains last year.

[riderup1]

Oh yea....I remember monsoon season, and fire season out there. I was there for 2 years and got tired of the fire smell real quick. When you guys had the bad ones last year I took a trip down I-75 to Florida from Michigan. When I got halfway thru Tennessee I started smelling your fires and it continued to halfway through Georgia. I watched the weather channel in the hotel that night and they showed the satellite view and confirmed that what I smelled was your smoke! It must have been really bad closer to the source......
What a shame.....its beautiful country out there.

[edonthenet]

Not a lot of heat coming out of those vents when it gets cold out. Guess any is better than none but I doubt theres enough of it to do much good.

At 20 degree ambient temp, a 70-80 degree blast of air would be heavenly, especially across the leg area. Might make you have to pee, though.
Ed