| Author | Message | ||
     Aeholton |
I still haven't taken the time to ride with the laptop and take temperature readings, but I would like to relay something I experienced this Saturday. As most of you know, I am running with wrapped headers and a right side air scoop. Anyway, I was headed over to Lakeland to participate in the monthly BRAG ride (BTW, it was good meeting you Ftd). I met up with my business partner in Zephyrhills before heading over to Lakeland. He needed to go hit the Bank ATM and while we were there, my fan kicked on while I was just sitting there idling. Anyway, we headed down the road and about 10 miles later when we came to a stop sign, I noticed the fan was no longer running. This is the first time the fan ever shut off once coming on without shutting down and letting it cool. When we arrived in Lakeland the fan came on when I turned it off to fill up at the gas station. This indicates to me that the right side scoop did it's job of keeping the engine cool, somewhere in the 302 F to 338 F range (as the fan kicked on when I shut it down). | ||
| Xbimmer |
My scoop from Rob Crins should be arriving any day now. With 6k miles in 3 months I believe I've experienced enough fan cycles to be able to tell immediately whether it's an improvement or not. Although my bike has loosened up finally and I'm crazy about it that fan has been on a suicide mission from day one and is on the way out. I've pointed it out a couple times to my service reps but they react the same way they did when I pointed out the timing and sidestand issues... until after I was proven right that is. | ||
| Retired_cop |
Aeholton, the fan in my ULY will cycle off and on while riding without having to shut the bike off. When shut off after riding, it is very dependent on the temp as to how long the fan runs and whether it runs in slow/loud or fast/scream mode. The longest it has run after shut down was 2 minutes but that was after traveling uphill for 2 miles on dirt/gravel roads with a photographer as a passenger doing 5 to 10 MPH during a bicycle stage race in Altoona this past week. After a rest stop at the top for a few minutes everything was back to normal. Yeah, its noisy at times but it works as designed. | ||
| Aeholton |
Retired_cop - You are missing the point. I'm not new to the ULY, I've ridden it 15,000+ miles now. In all those miles, this is the first time the fan turned off (other than the first fan that quit on me) without shutting the bike down and allowing it to go through the cool down cycle. That was my only point. | ||
| Smpl5 |
I have been following the Uly threads here and on advrider and have yet to hear about an aftermarket fan that might be quieter. Has anyone taken that approach? | ||
| Teeps |
Smpl5 Posted on Monday, August 07, 2006 I have been following the Uly threads here and on advrider and have yet to hear about an aftermarket fan that might be quieter. Has anyone taken that approach? A quieter fan is a moot request/argument, as it's all about moving air. The fan in the XB model is limited to the diameter it is, fan speed is the only way to change the air flow. Someone discovered that switching off the engine stop switch for a few seconds, whilst on the fly, will turn the fan off. Some times for many minutes. I have done this myself when descending on tight canyon roads (speed <40 mph 7% or greater grade.) The fan will stay off all the while the bike is going down hill, only to return to full shriek mode on the flat road where speed is 45mph (P.C.H. South of Malibu,Ca.) | ||
| Mb182 |
I have noticed in the last couple hundred miles that mine has begun cycling on and off. Up to this point once on, always on! MB "Loud Fans Save Lives" | ||
| Retired_cop |
Aeholton, I understand and offer apologies if you took my post the wrong way. I was just trying to explain the way mine works. There were times at first that it came on and never shut off but that seems to be changing with mileage. Again, sorry for the misunderstanding. Tim | ||
| Retired_cop |
Aeholton, I apologize if you took my post the wrong way. I was just trying to point out how my fan was working. Mine also ran almost constantly when new but has changed to an only on when needed (I hope) cycle since it has gotten some miles (7500) on it. Again, sorry for the misunderstanding and the double post if this is a repeat. Tim | ||
| Aeholton |
No apologies necessary. Sorry I jumped on your post. It's just I get tired of hearing the same old line that it will run less when it gets broken in. At my mileage, I don't think the way my fan works is going to change without an outside influence(such as the right side scoop that I installed). | ||
| Brad1445 |
Smpl5 I have been following the Uly threads here and on advrider and have yet to hear about an aftermarket fan that might be quieter. Has anyone taken that approach? ___________ I would be first in line to buy an aftermarket fan. No one cares that it runs. Its the quality of the sound. I do not believe its air. I believe its a crappie metal sound as evident by the failure rate. I would kill for the sound of air vs. the metallic dying cries of what is apparently a poor Chinese product. If you do not hear it you are tone deaf. Its not anti Buell to call things as they are. I love my Buell have had 4 and will have more, but pray at every stop for a end to that noise. | ||
| Madduck |
Had an interesting experience Sunday. My older brother had a couple of co-workers that were interested in buying ULYs. I volunteered to meet them and show them the bike. Dealer is about 100 miles away. Loud fans may save lives but it alone killed two potential sales. Neither would consider buying such an obnoxious motorcycle. They thought I was nuts for putting up with that crap. Sort of agree with them but my ULY is special to me after FBRAT. I wonder how many sales have been lost to people that really just hate the noise?? Two minutes can seem like forever at times. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I guess I am weird, but I don't mind the fan. My VW Passat has an aux fan on the radiator that just screams. When it kicks on, I know that my car is working as it should. My fan kicks on. I hear it. I know it's working. My ass is on fire, so I know that hot air is coming from somewhere. I presume it's the rear cylinder. Could be the burrito platter. When it quits spinning is when I become worried. Between my right hand and the doppler effect of me blowing by, I don't think too many people can hear it. | ||
| Brad1445 |
At the tone, the time will be 2006. I'll take a fan that sounds like most other bike fans and a temp gauge vs. the noise indicator method. | ||
| Davo |
Aeholten, Thanks for the heads up on the fan! As you know, I have been recording garage arrival temps. Could you post some arrival temps. ie. 95 F outside, 397 F arrival temp after 30 minutes of ride time. Also, please send me your right side scoop link. | ||
| Brucelee |
To the ULY riders. I recommend two things. A right side air scoop. Red Line 20W-50 oil. I think your live will be more peaceful after that. IMHO | ||
| Teeps |
Been using Mobil 1 V-Twin oil since 1k service. No change in fan operation. Comes on at around the 8 mile mark in a ride. Shrieks until engine is shut off. Right side scoop, yes, but not for me at current prices... | ||
| Bmwdavid |
Wanted to add my 2 cents. My Uly fan has been showing the same operation as most here. Yesterday it finally cooled off from the 90's down to the low 80's. I went for one of my usual rides of about 10-15 miles and stopped at a friends house. As I came into the driveway I realized the fan was not on. First thought was that it died. However when I turned the bike off the fan started up. So fan did work but bike stayed cool enough to keep fan off during ride. Then after about 30 mins I took off for home via a direct route of about 3 miles. Got home and pulled into my garage and switched bike off. The silence was amazing! No fan on shut down! So I'm hoping as the weather turns cooler in the next few weeks I won't have to hear the fan much. David | ||
| Thunderbox |
Give it a rest fellas. Big deal the fan moves air and it makes noise. But the muffler many have put on isn't a concern at all. Go figure. 50db vs 110db for the muffler. Loud fans save engines. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
+1000000000000000000 If a loud fan is the worst thing to bitch about, you got a pretty damn good bike. You could have FJR valve problems, or R1150 carboning, or VStrom Clutch Basket noise, or Ducati clutch noise, or BMW Rear Assembly noise, or etc, etc, etc. | ||
| Aeholton |
If a loud fan is the worst thing to bitch about, you got a pretty damn good bike. Actually, I think it's a great bike. Even better now. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Actually, I think it's a great bike. Even better now.  In spades! | ||
| Chadhargis |
Just tell everyone that noise is your bike getting a blow job.  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I usually tell them it's the turbine winding down. | ||
| Xbimmer |
My scoop is in!  But I took off today from work and that's where I had it shipped... I agree with everybody about the high price of these things but I watch HD guys drop more than that on chrome useless cosmetics. Face it, Buells are function only, with a bit of style thrown in. That's what drew me to the brand. If this part will help out with cooling my bike's engine, then it's money well spent IMHO. And since my 6k fan is dying (I'm really encouraged to find out it's Chinese... is that true?), then I should be getting my fan warranty replaced at least 3-4 times per year for the next 2 years. Although the weather has cooled finally out here Sept usually picks up again, I'll be able to report whether my right-scooped Uly has improved in hot weather. | ||
| Whodom |
And since my 6k fan is dying (I'm really encouraged to find out it's Chinese... is that true?), then I should be getting my fan warranty replaced at least 3-4 times per year for the next 2 years. Hopefully not that often. I don't think I ever read a single post about a bad fan on a pre-Uly XB model. Buell must have switched suppliers in 06 or gotten a bad batch or something. Hopefully this problem will disappear for good one the bad fans get replaced. | ||
| Xbimmer |
Hopefully so on all counts, Whodom. Maybe the minimal seats on the other XB's allow more airflow, who knows. But if the fans are made in China I have as much faith in their longevity as a Chinese R/C monster truck from Toys R Us... | ||
| Brad1445 |
Thunderbox Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 04:18 pm: Give it a rest fellas. Big deal the fan moves air and it makes noise. But the muffler many have put on isn't a concern at all. Go figure. 50db vs 110db for the muffler. Loud fans save engines. __________ I love V-Twins for the sound, I just want to hear what I paid for. People may compliment your exhaust, but will never a fan that sounds like something is horribly wrong. | ||
| Opto |
My fans sound like fans, you might have a leaf or something stuck in yours? If it sounds horribly wrong then something is. | ||
| Brucelee |
The sound of the fan bites and we all know it. |
