Concerning the Engine cooling, I think You are correct Skratch. If one looks carefully at the shape of the lowers, fresh air is driven into the engine. I keep the vents closed for this reason, except while riding in city traffic, which I go to great lenghts to avoid. Got My oil temp gauge 2 Yrs ago, and the temp stays around 220-230deg on the road, gets to 260 in city traffic. Avg temps around here is 90-100 during the summer. I keep the vents closed 98% of the time and see no increase in engine temps.

 

makes me wonder why mine are causing higher head temps per the head temp sensors? i have done 4 data runs and each time my head temps are higher with the lowers in place. I do know that I can reach down with an ungloved hand and i have little or no air flow around the motor with lowers on and air flow with lowers off. just seems wierd to me but maybe my bike is fukked up or something.

 

Too Me the air flow along the side of the engine does'nt do that much for engine cooling. It's the air going between the cylinder fins that does the cooling.

 

Use them year around, only time I take them off is th detail clean

 

Do you have an oil cooler? How about the optional Front Fork air baffle (#58520-79TC) that fits under the steering head? I have both, but I can't imagine the baffle making much of a difference. Maybe the oil cooler benefits from the change in wind direction caused by the lowers. It's odd that one bike would run hotter with lowers and others not.

What are your head temps? As I mentioned earlier, mine run 225-230° as long as I'm moving along >45 mph. Yesterday running a bit slower it was hanging around 240° in 94° air temps, a bit higher in normal traffic. It rarely gets up past 260-270° in traffic as long as there is no prolonged stopping. Again, this is front head, not oil temp I'm referring to. I'm monitoring it from the Power Vision display unit I have mounted on the handlebars.

 

After reading this thread I may ride one of my buddies bikes who has the lowers just to see what they feel like, if I like it I may get some, if nothing else I can put another pair of speakers there.

 

yes i have a 2011 rgu comes stock with oil cooler, no fork baffle. mine temps are also head temp via the sensor I do not have an oil temp guage but figure actual head temp is a good guage of which is cooler. anyway with lowers in place 230-240 witjout 210-215 give or take.

 

Where I live in Texas it is always above 92% from May 15th to Sept 15th, so I take the vents out.
It really helps especially since I did the Stage IV upgrade.

I like the lowers, it is way more comfy riding.
I did take the lowers off last summer, but usually I just take the vents out.

I do like that idea of cutting the vents. I need to buy a Dremal Tool I guess.
I'm always thinking, "I could do that if I had one of those Dremal Tools". lol

 

Thanks for the input guys. Today it is 92 degrees in northern Ill. No word yet from Kutters HD, I will have them by fall so that will work.

 

same here, when the temps start hitting 100+, I remove the vent doors.