Wasserhead achilles heel

[Fordy]

I thought 'what are the chances' on my sportsbike until it happened to me. A nice little hole that squirted coolant onto the front tyre. Luckily I spotted it and stopped before anything worse happened. New radiator £500, rad guard £50. No brainer really.

If no one does a WC guard in the UK I suggest you get talking to Beowulf in Halifax. If they haven't one in the pipeline already I'm sure they will be persuaded to produce one.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Someone should give Mike a nudge

http://mikesgrilles.com/

I had his grilles on my Triumphs, he will do bespoke, but with the sales of the wasserboxer could go for full production?

Edit, just mailed and will keep you informed

 

[GC6269]

email sent to Radguards just to check they'll send to Blighty ...

Aaah, make that two!!!

Oh we'll, at least they will realise we are keen!

 

[Mickwalker]

Cymarc are the ones.

 

[2 wheel humvee]

I'm of the same mind. But no doubt someone will check. I await BMW's response with bated breath lol.

However, I've no qualms about fitting them on mine. They will be just fine for Northern European climes, if I have the bike shipped to Death Valley for a summer ride I might take them off...

I reckon the louvred design will also make sure airflow isn't excessively restricted. Initially I will keep an eye on engine temp to be sure.

Maybe it's just me but the vents on those radiator grills look wrong, wouldn't you have the open side of the vents in such a way as to promote air flow through the radiator?
Swapping parts from left to right and vice versa would achieve this assuming both parts are identical

 

[Giles]

Aaah, make that two!!!

Oh we'll, at least they will realise we are keen!

I'll see what they say and if they will post to Blighty (can't see why they wouldn't).

If they do I'll start a post and take orders ....

Re the cymarc ones ...

We are all Gods children and we all have different tastes. I have no doubt they are a top bit of kit, but I want completely plain, preferably black, no writing and complete protection with no fancy gaps.

 

[Fluffmeister]

There goes your weight advantage over the hexhead

 

[Jumblemo]

Maybe it's just me but the vents on those radiator grills look wrong, wouldn't you have the open side of the vents in such a way as to promote air flow through the radiator?
Swapping parts from left to right and vice versa would achieve this assuming both parts are identical

Seems ok 'as is' to me. And as per Cymarc's instructions

 

[Jumblemo]

There goes your weight advantage over the hexhead

Isn't the WC heavier anyway? I forget.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Isn't the WC heavier anyway? I forget.

Ok, Power to weight advantage

 

[2 wheel humvee]

Seems ok 'as is' to me. And as per Cymarc's instructions

As you wish but with the vents pointing outward s into the airflow the guards would offer the same level of protection whilst promoting airflow rather than hindering it.

 

[y2blade]

Maybe it's just me but the vents on those radiator grills look wrong, wouldn't you have the open side of the vents in such a way as to promote air flow through the radiator?
Swapping parts from left to right and vice versa would achieve this assuming both parts are identical

+1..they are on the wrong sides.

 

[baja]

Promoting/Restricting the airflow ?
WTF are you guys talking about ?!
Do you have an idea how much airflow is restricted by that ?

NONE

Its not a frikking supersonic wing design.

Some of you exagerating the issue of the airflow and radiators efficiency to the point of being laughable.

The whole point is made up by people who don't or like guards.

There is nobody here who can have any scientific proof or even propose calculations (other than square area) on the matter.
All you talk about is a hunch, your gutt feeling that you are right and you can immagine how the air flows around the radiators.

Do you seriously think that "wings" of that radiator guards being bent in other direction has any meaning in the engine performance ?

Just put them on any way you like and stop telling people they are going to kill their bike because of the fekking radiator guards.

what a lot of bulshit

 

[neno17]

Promoting/Restricting the airflow ?
WTF are you guys talking about ?!
Do you have an idea how much airflow is restricted by that ?

NONE

Its not a frikking supersonic wing design.

Some of you exagerating the issue of the airflow and radiators efficiency to the point of being laughable.

The whole point is made up by people who don't or like guards.

There is nobody here who can have any scientific proof or even propose calculations (other than square area) on the matter.
All you talk about is a hunch, your gutt feeling that you are right and you can immagine how the air flows around the radiators.

Do you seriously think that "wings" of that radiator guards being bent in other direction has any meaning in the engine performance ?

Just put them on any way you like and stop telling people they are going to kill their bike because of the fekking radiator guards.

what a lot of bulshit

Amen brotha!!

 

[2 wheel humvee]

Promoting/Restricting the airflow ?
WTF are you guys talking about ?!
Do you have an idea how much airflow is restricted by that ?

NONE

Its not a frikking supersonic wing design.

Some of you exagerating the issue of the airflow and radiators efficiency to the point of being laughable.

The whole point is made up by people who don't or like guards.

There is nobody here who can have any scientific proof or even propose calculations (other than square area) on the matter.
All you talk about is a hunch, your gutt feeling that you are right and you can immagine how the air flows around the radiators.

Do you seriously think that "wings" of that radiator guards being bent in other direction has any meaning in the engine performance ?

Just put them on any way you like and stop telling people they are going to kill their bike because of the fekking radiator guards.

what a lot of bulshit

In your not so humble opinion

 

[OZGSer]

So here is a bit of a twist.

BMW Australia advised me that there are no replacement radiators in the country and BMW Germany came back with no ETA on spare radiators. My dealer tried to order one and they said none available until further notice.

So my only option at the moment is to have it repaired by the radiator place and have it pressure tested. Sent them pictures and they said no problems they will be able to repair it and have it back to me by Friday which is good news

On a separate note: I had radiator guards on all my bikes for years. My last one is on a Yamaha VMAX I own that has 2 front radiators in the line of fire. The bike is 100% water cooled and it makes over 200HP at the rear wheel with 180nm of torque around 4500 rpm. Bike never overheated and temperature was never an issue in over 31,000 kms travelled and most over 36c days

Yamaha in fact has a standard plastic radiator protectors on both top and bottom radiators from factory. In addition I still fitted the ozzimoto guards and never had a heating issue in the 5 years of ownership.

So I am not worried about the air flow. I am more pissed at myself for not fitting any before I went onto this trip. I was going to , but the time just got away from me and I though what would be the odds, I'll do it when I get back. Serves me right. I will be doing it when I get back I guess now

First photos show the Radiator Guard in Red, but it was too bling for me and then I had it re-anodised in black in subsequent current image

 

[stevie Allen]

lovely looking bike

 

[GC6269]

Epic motorcycle. Love those things.

 

[y2blade]

So here is a bit of a twist.

BMW Australia advised me that there are no replacement radiators in the country and BMW Germany came back with no ETA on spare radiators. My dealer tried to order one and they said none available until further notice.

So my only option at the moment is to have it repaired by the radiator place and have it pressure tested. Sent them pictures and they said no problems they will be able to repair it and have it back to me by Friday which is good news

On a separate note: I had radiator guards on all my bikes for years. My last one is on a Yamaha VMAX I own that has 2 front radiators in the line of fire. The bike is 100% water cooled and it makes over 200HP at the rear wheel with 180nm of torque around 4500 rpm. Bike never overheated and temperature was never an issue in over 31,000 kms travelled and most over 36c days

Yamaha in fact has a standard plastic radiator protectors on both top and bottom radiators from factory. In addition I still fitted the ozzimoto guards and never had a heating issue in the 5 years of ownership.

So I am not worried about the air flow. I am more pissed at myself for not fitting any before I went onto this trip. I was going to , but the time just got away from me and I though what would be the odds, I'll do it when I get back. Serves me right. I will be doing it when I get back I guess now

First photos show the Radiator Guard in Red, but it was too bling for me and then I had it re-anodised in black in subsequent current image

I'd just ride that V-Max all day.



Absolutely stunning...who says GSers have no taste in motorbikes!?

 

[Engineer]

Doesn't it have fans

Sorry guys but this is bollocks. I'd happily run the bike with rad guards in 50 degrees and not worry about overheating. What a load of cack. The water cooling is 35% of the overall cooling on the bike, so I don't think a rad cover would make any difference. Running ice coolant would more than make amends imho.

Holeing a rad on the otherhand would be a worry, so rad guards are a must imho.

It has one fan on one of the radiators - the water cooling only goes around the exhaust valve area which is the hottest part of the engine.

If you block off 20% of the radiator area then the fan won't be able to 'pull' (it is behind the radiator) the same mass of air through the radiator so it is bound to have an effect - how much though however is hard to determine.