I used the HD Bluetooth tuner "gauges" capability this morning to track the engine temperature on my almost new (752 km = 466 miles) 2023 RG3 trike with M8 114 engine. It was an eye opener. The gauges showed that my M8 114 trike runs noticeably hotter than my Breakout 117 did AND the temperature VARIES a LOT more than the Breakout 117 did under steady state cruising conditions at a mopderate speed. Also, the timing advance is noticeably smaller than on the Breakout (29 to 31 degrees versus 30 to 33 degrees on the Breakout under similar conditions).

I rode 152 km = 94 miles this morning, almost entirely at a steady 90 kph on cruise control. I watched the engine temperature and timing advance during the entire ride, and used the iPhone "screenshot" feature to capture the data in 7 photos. Note that the entire ride was done on 2-lane highways, with minimal traffic, so I never had to adjust speed or stop except when changing highways. The terrain was gently rolling prairie for the entire ride.

This is what the 7 photos, all taken at absolutely steady state 90 kph = 55 mph cruising, look like:















For what it's worth:

- The wind was very modest (a few mph at most) and was a partial headwind during the ride out and a partial tailwind on the way back. You can see above that wind direction relative to the trike had no apparent impact.

- The terrain was very consistent rolling prairie the entire trip.

- The maximum timing advance occurred even when the engine temp was highest (309 degrees), so clearly there ws no timing retard going on despite the high engine temperature.

- The timing only varied by a maximum of 2 degrees throughout the ride, despite the varying engine temperature.

- The engine temperature varied from 275F to 309F ! That's a 34 degree F range during a steady state ride under light wind conditions. The Breakout 117 under identical conditions would range only from around 265 to 280 at most (15 degree range, and averaging about ).

- The ignition advance ranged from 29 to 31 degrees, versus the Breakout 117 varied from approximately 30 TO 33 degrees. The tune on the Breakout has its torque peak at a higher rpm, so this may explain the difference in timing advance range.

I'm THINKING the higher engine temperature on the trike is understandable given the much larger frontal area and weight of the trike versus the Breakout, which mean the trike engine is alwasy under a heavier cruising load than the Breakout. are not wonderful. But an average engine temperature that is about 20 degrees higher than on the Breakout is not wonderful, and engine temperature readings over 300 degrees are definitely not wonderful.

Fuel mileage on this test run was 41.9 mpg for the entire run. But after I refilled the tnak, the "Range" function updated immediately to 474 km = 294 miles (!). I don't know how many "last miles ridden" the Range function factors into its projection of fuel range, but 474 km = 294 miles of range from a full tank implies 49.1 miles / US gallon. So, maybe the very slight tailwind on the return part of the ride WAS more beneficial than I thought it might be??

Jim G

 

Jim,
What was your air temperature outside? Can’t be that hot in Canada eh?

Is it time for Tank Lift, Cat Removal, External Breather system?

Im interested in these things due to my 24 RG3 and it’s much hotter down here than in Canada

Just finished a 375 mile trip in 90 degree temps, average speed was 75 mph.

Ride safe,
MikeRG3

 

Participated in a PGR mission on Thursday.
Ambient 95ish. Full Sun.

I have the Dipstick Oil Tank Temp sensor.
Trip home: 20 miles
Speed: 65mph, then 45 mph for 3 miles to my driveway.

Oil Temp: 267*f when I backed into the garage.

HD stage 3
Vance & Hines Head-pipe(catless)
V&H monster ovals w/ TTIs
1” Front Tank Lift
1/2” rear Tank Lift

 

Those temps are normal for M8's, and no where near the danger zone.

 

Mike, the temperature was only 15C = 59F when I began the trip and 20C = 68F when I finished (our climate here is very dry, so our temperatures change as quyickly as in a desert). So, no, it was not even "hot" at ALL outdoors.

The extra 20 degrees or so higher than on the Breakout 117 doesn't surprise me entirely - after all, the much larger frontal area and MUCH heavier weight of the trike versus the Breakout have to create a higher average "load" for the engine to handle. But the goofy variability really surprises me. WHY would the engine temperature change back and forth - not just cool to hot as the miles accumulated on the trip, but also go from hot to cooler when nothing apparent changed? THAT bothers me.

Jim G

 

THOSE temperature results sound a lot better! Does a tank lift make THAT much difference?

Jim G

 

But my Breakout 117 HAD an M8, and was more highly tuned than the M8 in my trike, and that Breakout never got anywhere NEAR as hot as my M8 trike engine did! Why the difference?

Jim G

 

Curb Weight?
Wind Resistance?

 

Didn’t I see the Owners manual say that 230 deg F was the normal running engine temperature?

Also I think I saw if temps get over 300 deg F is a bad thing?
Going with memory here, what I have left lol
Mike

It gets a lot hotter at my place than at Jim’s.

 

Yes, I HAVE allowed for the extra weight and the extra frontal area. But, it is the VARIABILITY of the engine temperature on the trike that is bothering me. Sure, the Breakout got hotter and colder too, but there was always a reason for the change. The trike seems to be getting hotter or colder multiple times on the same ride for no apparent reason. Those 7 data points all occured within an hour and twenty minutes, in terrain that did not change (it was all one loop ridden through rolling prairie). Furthermore, the temperature did NOT go down on the return part of the loop (tailwind component) versus the outgoing part (headwind component).

I am puzzled by this unexplainable variability.

Jim G