| Author | Message | ||
     Jim_williams |
Installed the kit last week. Bike runs exactly the same and the frame is now cool to touch  One thing I've noticed is that the fan runs pretty much always now, which I find odd. I did not do the flash. Just bolted all parts onto 09XP. Fan runs more than it used to. I've read folks say that their fan barely ever kicks on now, so I'm a little puzzled. I really don't care about it. More I keep thinking it should run less if anything. | ||
| Fordrox |
I just installed the kit on my 09X last weekend, no flash either, and my fan runs a lot less. Rode to work the other morning 50° 25 mile ride, fan did'nt even come on at shut off. | ||
| Billyo |
The comfort kit was on mine when I bought it and I'm not sure if the flash was done or not.The frame gets screaming hot- I have to hang my right knee out every few minutes! I can't hear if it runs while I'm moving but it stays on at least twice as long as either of our other XB's after shutdown. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Billyo- does the frame rail actually get hot or just your leg? If your seat doesn't fit tightly to the top of the frame rail on the right side, the scoop forces a lot of hot air out along that gap which will cook your right leg, especially before the fan comes on to draw more of the air out of the back. You can cure this by adding a strip of automotive weather stripping along the top of the frame rail from the back of the airbox cover to master cylinder reservoir. After I installed my comfort kit my leg would actually get HOTTER until I did this mod. Now, it's better than ever. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Jim- I can't imagine why your fan would run more, especially if the frame feels cooler. If things were hotter, and the fan were running more, I'd guess something was installed incorrectly or you left a rag stuffed in the frame, but that can't be it.  | ||
| Ourdee |
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| Slowride |
I just picked up an 09 XT this weekend. My previous ride was an 06x. The way the fan runs on the 09 is very different than on the 06. The 09 pretty much runs constantly, whereas on the 06 it only came on in traffic or when I stopped the bike. I was reading up on the comfort kit as I was thinking about installing it on the 09. I read somewhere in the various forums post that there is a reflash of the ecm that modifies the fans run time. It said the reflash was only available for the 08-09 models. I did a 600+ mile ride in from the dealer I purchased my XT from. It was an all day ride/breakin. The way the fan ran never changed during that ride. It was on constantly, but only stayed on briefly (15-30 secs) after shutdown. My 06 would run upwards of 3-5 minutes after shutdown in comparison. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Slowride- based on the way your fan is operating, your bike already has the reflash. Basically, once the engine is warm, the fan always runs when the bike is above 15 MPH. It cuts off below that speed unless the engine gets too hot. | ||
| Motorbike |
The fan on my 08 XT with the comfort kit and no re-flash runs exactly the same as it did before I installed the kit. The only time I have ever heard the fan is when it runs for 3 to 5 minutes after the key is turned off. The right side of the frame still gets hot but has not been unbearable so far although I have not ridden in temps higher than 75 degrees yet. Fordrox, are you sure your fan is working at all? It seems like it should still run after shutdown unless the re-flash has been done. Are some of the dealers doing the re-flash on every Uly before it goes out the door? I know mine was not done. | ||
| Eulysses |
I was bothered with my reflash because it quit running at long stop signs but ran all the time down the highway. I was worried about hot idle until the other day when I had let the bike idle a long time and drove to a long light and noticed the fan running at length even though I was stopped. That was not a normal reflash mode so it will run when the motor is too hot. Ahhh...not worried now. Been bugging me. | ||
| Slowride |
Hughlysses, So this begs the question, should I purchase a spare fan. If this thing is running all the time? My 06 killed its fan at about 14k and was replaced under warranty. I picked up another one from the classifieds just after that for a spare. Come to think of it, I still have it... (Message edited by slowride on April 06, 2010) | ||
| Billyo |
Hughlysses- I'll try sealing off the seat to frame and see what happens. My Firebolt frame doesn't get nearly as hot as the Uly's but it also has a race ecm, etc. | ||
| Towpro |
Even after the comfort kit I had a heat blast on the RS that was causing 1st degree burns on the inside of my leg above my knee. I always ride with my legs in tight, years of dirt bike experience I guess. I used Foam tape on the frame to fill the gap at RS front of the seat and it fixed the problem. (Now I got to focus on fixing the looks of the cure). I even have the front 1/2 of the heat blanket that was the "trick" before the comfort kit still installed. | ||
| Yamafreak |
I have an 08xt with the comfort kit, but no re-flash. I rode today with shorts on ( it was 85 out)and had to take the bike home. The heat was so bad on my right calf it was no fun at all! Do you think the re-flash would help by pulling that heat out the back? Or do I have to wear long pants? My calf got cooked today, any one want any leg of man for dinner? | ||
| Hughlysses |
Yamafreak- ATGATT!!! Re-flash should help. Also try sealing off the frame openings with tape as shown above or use weatherstripping on top of the frame like I did. | ||
| Eulysses |
Yamafreak...ride like a guy trying to keep his pant leg out of his bike chain ring! I have been riding w/shorts this spring in AZ with the re-flash but not the kit yet installed and had to "hold out" my R leg in town. I know...ATGATT! Studying the mesh outfits these days. | ||
| Towpro |
Yamafreak said his calf got cooked. That would be the radiated heat off the pipe, the seat joint hot air leak is above my knee. We at least it is on me with 32" inseam. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Eulysses, Studying mesh outfits? I'll give you a GREAT tip. Check out Motoport.com. It is THE BEST money I have ever spent in motorcycling, for anything! Give me a pm or call if you have any questions. Shorts! Come on, Man! lol Mike | ||
| Yamafreak |
IT may be time for the re-flash and some header rap! Also installed my new K&N air filter so it's running leaner and hotter! | ||
| Etennuly |
I have a pair of Alpinestar over pants that are double mesh. I wear shorts most of the time and just zip these over them. I tried just shorts on a 95F short jaunt to the post office a couple of years ago. It was much worse than wearing them with the mesh pants. | ||
| Jim_williams |
I second the motoport recommendation. My stretch kevlar are 4 years old and are holding up just fine. Quad armor in the knees/thighs. Best pants I've ever had | ||
| Ratbuell |
Just wear the damned gear. I (and my graft) cannot imagine riding in shorts. Sweat, or bleed...?(toss coin). Done the bleed (and not from lack of gear, ironically), I'll take sweat. Shorts under my Fieldsheer armored pants work just fine. Good venting, great protection, no worries. It's been around 90 here the last couple days - the Fieldsheers and a Buell mesh jacket, full face, boots and gloves - no worries. (no chickenstrips, either - nice warm clean roads with warm tires - wooHOO, finally - it's been a looong winter!!). Oh - and it's on my '06 Uly, comfort kit hardware (no software for the '06), and a heat-blocker on the right side of the seat gap. Stock ECM, stock exhaust, K&N, and AFV correctly re-learned. And I'm not nice to the throttle  | ||
| Trevd |
I have the comfort kit installed, but haven't gotten the re-flash. I'm using the front section of the heat blanket to keep the heat out of the frame/airbox gap. I've noticed that while the right side is definitely cooler than it used to be, the left side gets hot as well now. It used to be that the left was cool as a cucumber, and the right hot as hell. Now they are both hot. Seems to me that the air gets trapped behind the rear cylinder. My understanding is that the fan isn't a free-wheeling type, so if it's not on, it doesn't turn, which then probably restricts the amount of air flowing through. I wonder if the reflash would help me, but I'm not sure I really like the idea of the fan being on most of the time. If the re-flash was reversible, I think I'd try it just to see... | ||
| Jim_williams |
Update! changed the oil last night to Mobil 1 15/50 fully synthetic from dino. Did my normal 25 mile long way to work loop. Temps in high 60's. Fan never came on until shut off  Looks like the swap to synthetic is allowing the motor to run much cooler! | ||
| Verdad |
Hugh (and others who've done it), is there any special requirement for the stripping used near the motor? When I think of weather stripping, it's the foamy stuff with the one side adhesive from Wally World or Home Despot. Would this type work, or would the heat that (sometimes) cooks us melt the strip? Thanks. Russ | ||
| Towpro |
I had to make a trip to one of our data centers today, so I took the bike and back roads. Nothing but stop and go traffic for most of the trip, top speed maybe 35mph. The foam I sealed the seat/frame gap with did the trick. All I used was that foam weather strip (sticky on one side). Now that I know the heat blast really is that seat/frame joint, I will figure out something better looking, and more heat proof to use. | ||
| Billyo |
I also did the cheapo sticky one side weatherstrip thing last night and rode to work this morning. It didn't seem to get as hot but the real test will be the ride home now that it has really warmed up outside. I'll post the results. | ||
| Ratbuell |
If you pull your seat, and your outer airbox, you will see a section of frame that lets you see the rear rockerbox. I cut a piece of foil-backed heat insulation from Home Depot (used for ductwork) to fit that spot. Taped it in place with some black Gaffer's tape (cloth tape like duct tape, but doesn't melt and leave snot behind). Punched a hole in it for the airbox cover screw. The tape makes a nice clean edge that's not even noticable when the seat is on, and it all definitely keeps the heat where it belongs - going out the back of the bike. | ||
| Hughlysses |
The weatherstripping holds up fine (the adhesive strip doesn't seem to mind the heat) and is a big improvement, but covering the frame hole(s) may be a better solution. With the weatherstripping solution there's still a good bit of hot air exiting those frame holes and blowing against the bottom of the seat. I had covered mine with HVAC tape before I got the comfort kit. I may go back and re-do that. With temps approaching the 90 deg. F here already, I want to keep the frame and seat as cool as I can! | ||
| Billyo |
Anyone try Odie's heat blankets? |
