Managing engine temperature

[GKR]

Pretty quiet on here lately, figured I could get an old topic back up, managing engine temperature. I see a thread regarding heat changers and rad elimination and I expect it would work great but I wanted to stick with the conventional layout and make it work.

I have a vested interested in this, not only because I ride and have spent many years getting things dialed in on my bikes, but I also now produce a product that is working very well after a few seasons of development and thorough testing.
Having very consistent proper operating temps has resulted in much better performance, no moisture in oil, no fuel in oil. Clearly beneficial for the longevity of the motor. A good engine cover also keeps a ton of moisture out of electrical plugs and harnesses which can also start to cause reliability issues in the back country.

In developing something that addressed these issues and seeing the other products on the market it became obvious that the design, installation, and removal for maintenance really separated the different products that were available. Don't get me wrong, there are a hundred solutions that will work and trust me, I have tried a number of them. There are many DIY versions that work just fine, that's exactly where I started too!
I ended up wanting a solution that was effective, easy to use, gave great access for maintenance, and looked good. Eventually after multiple versions I ended up with something that worked, and worked very well. I started to refine the product, to add things like quick release fasteners that didn't fall out. To make side panel removal quick and without tools. To make removeable rad blockers that would give complete frontal closure but be easy to remove quickly on hill and store easily.

This season we put 22 covers in the snow in Western Canada on various bikes and so far we are thrilled with the results. Customers have voiced little to zero issues and very consistent, easy to manage temperatures.

Typical day involves adding or removing a rad blocker (or both), which takes literally seconds, as needed to keep the engine temps right in the sweet spot, generally between 170-200F.
I would typically change blockers once or twice in a day, that's it. Usually have one out on the trail and both in for the powder. That's what my bike likes anyway.

This is a hard plastic cover, custom made to fit your exact model, and has completely removeable sides plus an oil change door on the bottom to allow the oil to drain without a big mess in the belly pan.

Here are a few pics of the some of the latest covers and some of the features. Currently building a number of KTM, Husky, and Yamaha models, Honda are in development now.

Check out my website or Facebook pages for more info.

https://www.facebook.com/GKRSnowbikes/
https://www.gkrsnowbikes.ca/

 

[Oleshep]

those look really nice. I am new to snowbiking but I will be shopping for a cover for next season. I was thinking of going PST because the Selkirk is pricey and looks hard to swap out. I will check out yours and add them to the list..

 

[56pdlx]

Looks like an overheating problem waiting to happen! Don’t they run hot all closed in?

 

[GKR]

No, definitely not! Rads have more than enough capacity to cool the engine. We typically ride in warm temps too, and do not have issues. Full side panels stay on at all times. I have not heard of one instance where a rider had to remove a side panel for additional cooling.

 

[GKR]

This is a pic with the rad blocker removed, you will see the rad is completely open for airflow and cooling.

 

[Domini]

Looks good. Most importantly it is keeping the engine and radiators from turning into blocks of snow. I believe there's still plenty of airflow on the radiators, and room for engine heat to escape.

 

[GKR]

Thanks Domini!
We had a great season with the covers, bikes all ran very consistent and in the perfect temp range. Our last ride was last week in +10C temps and heavy snow and no issues, full side panels stayed on and no real changes to the normal procedures of cycling rad blockers as needed. Its been nice seeing more and more of them out on the snow.
Now its time to get some other models templated and of course to get into summer ride mode!
Here's a couple pics of what we were up to last Wednesday, still good riding here.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

Its spring riding in t shirts and 70 degree air temp that finally put all our riding group to using heat exchangers, deep cold fluff also an issue with our bikes as absolutley no aluminum radiators parts could be exposed or you bleed off your engine heat going down hills etc. Good luck with your product, good covering is essential no matter radiators or heat exhangers. Race bike radiators were just not designed for snow bike use.

 

[eric82930]

All my bikes are tunnel cooler only. No radiators at all. I never have to worry about temps ever.

 

[00Tundra]

Went tunnel coolers on our bikes also. Only way to go.

 

[mrsnow]

What tunnel cooler r u guys using

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

we use small coolers made from stock that Wahl bros racing sells, but you have to tig weld it up. Someone on here is advertising they are going to make snow bike coolers, check posts about a month ago. It doesn't take much cooler. I have not done it, but running the numbers for aluminum exposed, I believe you could easily run thin wall aluminum tubing connecting the ends with some silicone u bend pipe , three or four sticks 1/2 the length of the tunnel would do the job.

 

[eric82930]

04-07 skidoo summit rear cooler. cut the big 90 fittings off and thread in some brass pex adapters with jb weld on the threads. Remove the stock rads and find some kind of fill bottle with a pressure cap. Moves the weight from high and forward to low and back. Might have to get creative to hold the shrouds on.