The results are in...

[The Atomic Ass]

I filled up the Ninja today for the second time since getting it back in service, so I have actual data now!

A few notes from this tank: I had POD filters and 108 mains with 1 shim each needle for approximately 50 miles, same without shims for another 50 miles, and the remainder of the tank was with the airbox back in, and the stock 105 mains with no shims. I also drained the carbs into a gas can to change the mains, and didn't pour that gas back into the tank, since that was the mower can, and had stale gas in it already. The engine flooded right before I took off the POD's, (icing), and it has needed quite a bit of choke to start up due to my not being able to find my idle adjuster screw driver. I've also been driving at 9:30PM, and 6:00AM. I've also been using my heated gear to keep warm, which eats on the alternator.

All in all, I'd say 68 under those conditions is great. The Burgman is most definitely NOT getting that on the few occasions I've used it while the Ninja was down. I'm very familiar with it's gas gauge, and it's going down too fast, despite it always running lean at the speed I now drive to work, and it getting to normal operating temperatures before I reach either home or work, something the Ninja is not doing.

My next project is to find an old towel or something to wrap around the Ninja's engine block, to heat up faster, and to figure out a way to shoe-horn a mega battery in, like I did with the Burgman. The Ninja's battery is old, more than I'm willing to pay for, and the alternator does not put out enough to run my vest.

[beatr911]

The Ninja is water cooled so a radiator block will allow a faster warm up.

Thanks for the comparison tween the ninja and burgman. Didn't know the burgman did so well.

What is the distance and speed of your commute?

[The Atomic Ass]

Originally Posted by beatr911

The Ninja is water cooled so a radiator block will allow a faster warm up.

Thanks for the comparison tween the ninja and burgman. Didn't know the burgman did so well.

What is the distance and speed of your commute?

Distance is approximately 3 miles one way, (and, based on the math, I should be able to make this tank in the Ninja now, last until after new years ), and speed is 25mph the whole way, although it is dark both ways, and the coldest part of the night on the return leg.

The Burgman does so well heating up, because I am under the impression it's tuned lean at 3K RPM. Doesn't seem to help the FE much though, which is surprising. I doubt I'll be getting another tank out of it to find out though.

The Ninja already has a full radiator block, it's not heating fully even with that in place. The blanket idea would be in addition to the full radiator block. I'm getting actual condensation on the colder days, my oil sight glass is clouding up and won't clear unless I do a longer ride, which I typically only do on Sundays.

[beatr911]

A 3 mile commute is pretty hard on engines, especially in winter. The water in the oil you mention is the reason.

With that short of a daily ride, a bicycle is a much better alternative. I know, I know, motorcycles are more fun, but bikes are much better for this short of a daily ride. You get infinity mpg and your health increases as well.

[The Atomic Ass]

Originally Posted by beatr911

A 3 mile commute is pretty hard on engines, especially in winter. The water in the oil you mention is the reason.

With that short of a daily ride, a bicycle is a much better alternative. I know, I know, motorcycles are more fun, but bikes are much better for this short of a daily ride. You get infinity mpg and your health increases as well.

My job leaves me physically drained to the point where I don't think I'd be able to make it home consistently on a bike. Purchasing an electric bike is out of the question due to the low pay of the job, and paying for things I do not want nor need. (taxes, health insurance).

I will, of course, accept donations of working or cheaply repaired electric bicycles.

[tinkerbill]

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

Distance is approximately 3 miles one way, (and, based on the math, I should be able to make this tank in the Ninja now, last until after new years ), and speed is 25mph the whole way, although it is dark both ways, and the coldest part of the night on the return leg.

The Burgman does so well heating up, because I am under the impression it's tuned lean at 3K RPM. Doesn't seem to help the FE much though, which is surprising. I doubt I'll be getting another tank out of it to find out though.

The Ninja already has a full radiator block, it's not heating fully even with that in place. The blanket idea would be in addition to the full radiator block. I'm getting actual condensation on the colder days, my oil sight glass is clouding up and won't clear unless I do a longer ride, which I typically only do on Sundays.

AA,
With that short 3 mile commute producing condensation, what about setting up a small block heater? I know that probably most of the ones you can buy are probably too big but perhaps you could fabricate something using a cup heater or maybe a soldiering iron or other low-wattage source. It might be that just using one of those external magnet-type heaters could work underneath. This application could accomplish two things, cut down on condensation and get better mileage due to starting out with a warm engine.
tinkerbill

[The Atomic Ass]

Originally Posted by tinkerbill

AA,
With that short 3 mile commute producing condensation, what about setting up a small block heater? I know that probably most of the ones you can buy are probably too big but perhaps you could fabricate something using a cup heater or maybe a soldiering iron or other low-wattage source. It might be that just using one of those external magnet-type heaters could work underneath. This application could accomplish two things, cut down on condensation and get better mileage due to starting out with a warm engine.
tinkerbill

Interesting thought, only issues I see are plugging in at work, and that engine wrap to keep the wind off the engine... The latter I've been too lazy to do, the former I will check on tonight when I go to work, see if there is a plug outside.

Now the question is, will ~40W, (the output of a soldering iron I can recycle for the purpose), be too much, or too little, and what might be a good conductive paste for such a purpose? I'd think the gunk they use for mounting cooling blocks to processors, but I don't know if the stuff would be too expensive or not.

[The Atomic Ass]

And here comes 85! Hot ****!

[tinkerbill]

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

Interesting thought, only issues I see are plugging in at work, and that engine wrap to keep the wind off the engine... The latter I've been too lazy to do, the former I will check on tonight when I go to work, see if there is a plug outside.

Now the question is, will ~40W, (the output of a soldering iron I can recycle for the purpose), be too much, or too little, and what might be a good conductive paste for such a purpose? I'd think the gunk they use for mounting cooling blocks to processors, but I don't know if the stuff would be too expensive or not.

AA,
I don't think 40W would be near enough but I've got just the thing for your block heater! I remembered a heater element I had salvaged/saved from a coffee maker so I dug it out. It's a 110vac 400W heater with a 180-degree thermal cutout switch. This should work great if protected from the elements, perhaps wrapped in fiberglass and in a light aluminum box about 6"x7"x3"? (or maybe incorporated into the insulated shell I mention at bottom of this note) It's a "U"-shaped aluminum pressing with heater parallel to a 10mm OD tube and thermal cutout in center. Here is a picture of it:



You could make two Tees to insert into your existing radiator tubes with 10mm off-shoots you might be able to get the heater to thermo-siphon. I suspect this is how your bike circulates water already, is it not? The only way a thermo-siphon works is the cool tap must be lower than the hot tap, spaced wide enough to allow natural thermal flow. If this sounds like it might be worth exploring, I could mail it to you for just cost of shipping from 97080. Parcel post should be pretty cheap. Without packaging, it weighs just 5.4 ounces. Let me know.

The only thing I can say about a thermal wrap for your engine is: it should be something that can stay on the bike. Something that doesn't have to be fiddled with every time you use the bike. I'm thinking a thin aluminum shell with a can of that "insulfoam" expanding foam sprayed in between shell and engine. That should be permanent enough to withstand weather, wind, etc.
tinkerbill

[tinkerbill]

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

The Ninja's battery is old, more than I'm willing to pay for, and the alternator does not put out enough to run my vest.

AA,
Your statements about battery size and alternator output deficiencies sparked a memory for me. Quite a number of years ago I used to ride a Yamaha RD250 as my work transportation and had the same problem with not enough juice to run my heated garments. My solution was to mount a group 24 auxillary battery in a box strapped to the rear luggage carrier that I kept charged while at home. If you got a big enough battery, it might just last for the round trip commute. Mine was about 6 miles each way, in Wisconsin, mid-winter! It would oftern get to minus 20F with blowing snow. Even with the heated garments, I never was totally comfortable, despite having a windshield. You learn to take it easy when driving on ice.I never tipped over except once when I had a green light but noticed too late that a policeman had his hand out telling me to stop. I slid, fell over then slid right up to his feet! He just looked down at me and shook his head! I got up, cranked the bike back to life, and took off.
This next suggestion may or may not be for you. I removed my field windings from the alternator of the bike and rewound it with heavier gauge coated wire to same number of windings. It took up a little extra room and I made a wood insert for the alternator cover and used longer screws along with sealing it with silicone. It helped quite a bit and although I never measured the output, with the additional load of heated garments, my head light didn't seem to dim as much after the two mods I mentioned.
tinkerbill