Hawk Heat/Cooling Anything to Worry About?

[Stealthy]

I'm loving my new Hawk, but am a bit worried about over heating her. I do plan to do a good amount of road crusing, at speeds of 45-60 mph. I'll likely ride at those speeds for 30-90 mins or more.

Right now the only thing that is not factory is the chain. I am planning on swapping out the sprockets, and doing the Motocheez airbox mod.

Is it good to go as is, or do I HAVE to do the mods before a longer ride? Would other things like exhaust, or carb swap help keep it cooler? Would it be worth while to get a handheld laser thermometer to check the temp occasionally, and if so what parts should be what temps?

I've never noticed the exhaust feeling hot coming out of the pipe so maybe there's nothing to even worry about?

How long would you guys ride without stopping at these speeds?

Thanks for all the info! Can't wait to keep learning more so I can contribute helpful info too. I plan to make a lot of videos and will like my chanel soon!

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Stealthy

I'm loving my new Hawk, but am a bit worried about over heating her. I do plan to do a good amount of road crusing, at speeds of 45-60 mph. I'll likely ride at those speeds for 30-90 mins or more.

Right now the only thing that is not factory is the chain. I am planning on swapping out the sprockets, and doing the Motocheez airbox mod.

Is it good to go as is, or do I HAVE to do the mods before a longer ride? Would other things like exhaust, or carb swap help keep it cooler? Would it be worth while to get a handheld laser thermometer to check the temp occasionally, and if so what parts should be what temps?

I've never noticed the exhaust feeling hot coming out of the pipe so maybe there's nothing to even worry about?

How long would you guys ride without stopping at these speeds?

Thanks for all the info! Can't wait to keep learning more so I can contribute helpful info too. I plan to make a lot of videos and will like my chanel soon!

The engine was made to run for hours on end. As long as it has oil in it. Air flow will cool it. I wouldn't go overboard on the gearing yet. A 16 tooth front sprocket should be enough to run at 60 for hours on end. ...ARH

[Sullybiker]

Temp will be fine. Revs at low speed (off road) and stop-go on hot days put a lot more heat through the motor. It will take it.

The only thing to watch with sustained long running at high rpm is your oil. There's just over a quart in the case, not much at all. It will use some at sustained high revs, like any air-cooled single. I'm not talking about it being a problem on a single trip, but just check your oil level every time you use the bike and you'll be fine.

[Rangerscott]

You can always add an oil cooler kit.

[Megadan]

Tuning the carburetor for sustained high speed would be a good idea. If you live at lower elevation the factory carb jetting is pretty lean on the main jet, and if you run sustained higher speeds where you will be utilizing more throttle and thus getting into the needle and main jet circuits more, then that lean condition will cause the motor to get hotter.

I have what equates to a completely stock Hawk, with fairly tall gearing (17/43), but I also have a Mikuni clone jetted to the bike. I literally rode it around for a couple of hours yesterday pretty much non stop and for a good portion of that I was maintaining 50-60mph speeds with zero issues.

In fact, the only real issue I have in regards to heat on my bike is the catalytic converter can get so hot it will cause the fuel to start boiling in the carb bowl. Some sort of wrap or heat shielding can solve that sort of issue though.

As Rangerscott said, a simple oil cooler kit can go a long way, and that is one of my planned future upgrades. Gutting the cat or going with the aftermarket exhaust (no cat) will free up the motor as well and eliminate that radiant heat from the cat.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Megadan

Tuning the carburetor for sustained high speed would be a good idea. If you live at lower elevation the factory carb jetting is pretty lean on the main jet, and if you run sustained higher speeds where you will be utilizing more throttle and thus getting into the needle and main jet circuits more, then that lean condition will cause the motor to get hotter.

I have what equates to a completely stock Hawk, with fairly tall gearing (17/43), but I also have a Mikuni clone jetted to the bike. I literally rode it around for a couple of hours yesterday pretty much non stop and for a good portion of that I was maintaining 50-60mph speeds with zero issues.

In fact, the only real issue I have in regards to heat on my bike is the catalytic converter can get so hot it will cause the fuel to start boiling in the carb bowl. Some sort of wrap or heat shielding can solve that sort of issue though.

As Rangerscott said, a simple oil cooler kit can go a long way, and that is one of my planned future upgrades. Gutting the cat or going with the aftermarket exhaust (no cat) will free up the motor as well and eliminate that radiant heat from the cat.

Megadan, you're right, of course. I got the impression he wasn't going to change anything yet, except gearing. I was trying to warn him off of pulling to much gear with the stock carb/jets. If he's new to all of this, I didn't want to confuse him with too much information right off the bat...ARH

[pete]

not tryed this stuff myself..
they say its designed for 4T air cooled bike motors that run at high temps..
Is it any better than any other oil.....no idea...

http://www.castrol.com/en_us/united-...-x-tra-4t.html





..

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Megadan, you're right, of course. I got the impression he wasn't going to change anything yet, except gearing. I was trying to warn him off of pulling to much gear with the stock carb/jets. If he's new to all of this, I didn't want to confuse him with too much information right off the bat...ARH

I think even with the stock gearing that jetting the carburetor would be a smart move. Trying to push one of these bikes hard at high rpm for highway speeds, regardless of gearing, would create the same issue in terms of lean mixture heat generation.

[Stealthy]

I'm willing to do anything to the bike I need to, and I look forward to projects with it. Of course I am wanting to ride it though, and just don't want to push it harder than I should before it's ready.

It's sounds like I'm good to ride as is, but should soon do the following mods in this order:

1. Carb work
- swap with a Mikuni
- re-jet as needed

2. Install an oil cooler

3. Exhaust work
- remove cat possible aftermarket system

4. Change gearing

5. Probably re-work the carb again to adjust for all changes made


Honestly, carb work is the part I look forward to the least. Are there any good options for pre-setup carbs that are a plug and play? I mostly just don't want to have to take carbs apart and change needles around. But, if that's what it takes I'm in.

[ronswanson]

I'm fairly new to the Hawks but I found the mikuni carb to be pretty plug and play. Sounds like in all stock configuration a mikuni rip off with a 30 pilot and 110 main with the needle on middle clip can be adjusted to tolerable performance at most any altitude with the fuel mixture screw. I'm about 2/3 a mile up there and mine was almost nuts on with 2 turns out with the idle mixture screw. It's a bit rich now on warm days but I'll take that over cursing for a few minutes while molesting the throttle on cooler days I don't want to wait on the choke to warm it up.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Stealthy

I'm willing to do anything to the bike I need to, and I look forward to projects with it. Of course I am wanting to ride it though, and just don't want to push it harder than I should before it's ready.

It's sounds like I'm good to ride as is, but should soon do the following mods in this order:

1. Carb work
- swap with a Mikuni
- re-jet as needed

2. Install an oil cooler

3. Exhaust work
- remove cat possible aftermarket system

4. Change gearing

5. Probably re-work the carb again to adjust for all changes made


Honestly, carb work is the part I look forward to the least. Are there any good options for pre-setup carbs that are a plug and play? I mostly just don't want to have to take carbs apart and change needles around. But, if that's what it takes I'm in.

Eh, in terms of carburetors, these PZ30/VM26 clones are about as simple as it gets. I did the Fakuni (VM26 clone), and used other peoples setups as a guideline for my own. Just take your own elevation into account when looking at other peoples setups and adjust accordingly. Most completely stock bikes on here running the Mikuni carb at lower elevations are using anywhere from a 27.5 to 35 pilot jet, middle to the lowest needle clip position, and a 105 or 110 main jet. I have a 32.5 pilot, needle set in the middle slot, and a 110 main on my bike. I had the 30 pilot, but was getting ever so slight stumbles at light throttle so I bumped up half a size and that cured it. still at 1.5 turns out on the mixture screw as well. The 110 main is now a hair rich at WOT on my bike with the new pilot, but I found the 105 to be on the opposite end of the spectrum and just a tad on the lean side. I am considering a 107.5 main jet, but on hot days I like knowing I have that little bit of extra fuel, and on cool nights, it's just about right, so I am going to leave well enough alone. I live at 1000ft elevation, no mods done to the bike, just for reference.

As far as adjusting for modifications, many people end up going up a full jet size for the exhaust, and another for intake mods. Example. I have a 110 main and I install my exhaust, so now I would bump up to a 115. Then I do an airbox mod or pod filter of some sort, then I would be looking at a 120.

This isn't an exact rule, so it is always advised to err on the side of caution and go a bit richer than you think you need, test it, and adjust accordingly. So if I did a Uni pod filter and full exhaust upgrade, and it seems that would call for a 120 main jet, I would initially use a 125 and do a WOT plug chop to see where it sits.

[Torgo]

Since it seems everyone has reported no gap from the factory on these bikes, make sure to set your valve lash as part of your initial maintenance.

Puling the heat out of the valves into the cylinder head is part of the thermal and reliability equation too.

Easy job with long term benefits.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Stealthy

I'm willing to do anything to the bike I need to, and I look forward to projects with it. Of course I am wanting to ride it though, and just don't want to push it harder than I should before it's ready.

It's sounds like I'm good to ride as is, but should soon do the following mods in this order:

1. Carb work
- swap with a Mikuni
- re-jet as needed

2. Install an oil cooler

3. Exhaust work
- remove cat possible aftermarket system

4. Change gearing

5. Probably re-work the carb again to adjust for all changes made


Honestly, carb work is the part I look forward to the least. Are there any good options for pre-setup carbs that are a plug and play? I mostly just don't want to have to take carbs apart and change needles around. But, if that's what it takes I'm in.

You don't have to change needles. The stock one works fine. A pilot jet and a main jet change is all you will need...ARH

[Rangerscott]

Check the spark plug gap too.

[ricardoguitars]

Heat wrapping the exhaust will cool down things a lot! I have done it on my Shineray and it runs a lot cooler after wrapping the exhaust, more heat is going out of the exhaust as it should, that's what heat wrapping the exhaust does.