I'd agree that you should check oil temp first... don't know how accurate the surface temp is. Before I put the stage 1 on mine I checked it on a 100+ degree day and it was at 220. Since the stage 1 it's noticably cooler. As mentioned earlier, you can get oil coolers as well. If you're really running near 290 that seems pretty hot.

 

Stock fuel injected bikes come from the factory lean to meet emission standards and improve fuel economy ratings.

Lean running conditions cause hotter combustion, and therefore hotter engine temperatures.

A lean condition typically makes an engine feel more powerful or responsive as a more complete burn of the available fuel load is occurring. This is why changing pipes or intake to a freer flowing system makes the bike feel like it has more go-power.

The by products of this leaning can lead to some bad problems: pre-ignition (some people call it blow back or back firing; it's when a lean fuel mixture comes in contact with an ultra hot exhaust valve), premature plug failure (due to burning the electrodes), exhaust leaks (the pipes, especially around the manifold go through more drastic heat cycles), warping of the cylinder head, bearing failure, and exhaust valve failure.

Of course, cylinder head distortion and bearing failure are not a huge concern under the temperatures seen by a factory lean condition, nor does it become an issue when pipes and intakes are installed. However, over time and will continued use, exhaust valve failure is a real possibility and I've seen it a number of times.

The super hot exhaust load produced in a lean condition must rush past the exhaust valve on each exhaust stroke, heating the valve and valve seat drastically. Severe heat cycles, or an inability of the engine to cool the valve and seat enough, cause the valve and valve seat to deteriorate.

If the valve and/or seat deteriorates enough, it will no longer hold a seal and the bike will experience a loss in compression, and therefore power.

Enriching the fuel load to a properly balanced levels will produce cooler combustion, smoother power delivery, and longer engine life. Additionally, a balanced fuel load allows the engine to provide better cooling for the exhaust valve and seat during the valve overlap period.

Although acquiring tuners and tuning can be expensive, it will pay off not only in ride-ability, but also in long term value as your bike will last longer and work better in most circumstances.

 

Lots of great information there, Chisel. Thanks for sharing that. So with all of that said, what would you recommend to help alleviate some of those issues?

 

Normal "motor" operating temps can be 350+ degrees.....Your fine.

Do a stage 1 anyways just for the enjoyment of it. You don't need an oil cooler, Synthetic Oils will lower your operating temp as much as 20 degrees.