Y Piece and Left Side pannier

[Hew]

After a recent post about a tent fitting into the left system case I thought I should post this picture.
I have a Laser Y Piece fitted for about 2 years but had not used the panniers until a week ago. A couple of times during a long Motorway run I thought I could smell burning but I did not expect it to be from my bike.
I'm not sure if it is the increased heat coming through the exhaust with the CAT removed or the backfiring that has caused it.
I have reduced the backfiring by using better clamps on the exhaust joints along with sealing paste.
The wife’s coat was in the pannier and was burnt beyond use.
I have done a search on the site and there are a couple of references to the same kind of thing happening. So if you have a Y piece fitted and have not done a long run with the panniers it might be worth testing to see if the LH side is getting hot.

 

[sproggy]

I did a 3,500 mile trip with panniers, Y-piece and Remus can - no apparent heat problems and certainly nothing like you experienced I didn't use any additional heat shelds or exhaust extensions. This in temperatures up to about 40 degrees so the engine got as hot as it probably ever would, and sat in traffic a lot too.

I find it hard to believe that the Y-piece caused this, but.....

 

[Hew]

I forgot to mention that I have the standard silencer and it might be that the exhaust blast is against this area on the pannier. The Remus might direct the blast away from the pannier. The area burnt is at least 3-4 inches away from the end of the silencer.
The other cause might have been the flame from the backfiring. It also distorted the joint faces between the 2 halves.

 

[sproggy]

Flaming? I don't get that, never did with the standard chip and don't with the BB - regardless of which exhaust (standard, Remus Titanium or Revolution with/without ballfle) I use.

Popping and banging, yes, flames, never.

 

[Hew]

I have followed many bikes and cars that have a flash of flame come out of the exhaust when they backfire. That is the unburnt fuel in the exhaust igniting. People following my bike when it backfires have said the same that there is a short flash of flame visible at night. Whether this is enough to burn the pannier is unlikely.
I have ridden with panniers before when I had the CAT fitted and had no problems. With the Y piece fitted the blast from the exhaust is stronger and with the standard can on mine it does seam to be directed towards the area that has been burnt on the pannier. From what you are saying Sproggy there is no such problem with a Remus silencer fitted.
Like I said I was lucky there was only the wife’s coat in the pannier it could have been much worse and it could have been mine.

 

[sproggy]

From what you are saying Sproggy there is no such problem with a Remus silencer fitted.

I rode to Madrid and back with a Y-piece and standard can with panniers fitted - no problems. And I know for a fact that when my bike backfires there's no flame visible - I've asked various friends I've ridden with.

Maybe something unique to your bike?

 

[Pukmeister]

Looking at your pic, I guess thats why the BWM panniers for the R1200GS have a metal heatshield fitted to them with an airgap behind them to prevent this sort of thing occurring. My Scorpion end can is much smaller than the huge stock end can so I get a good airgap between can and panniers anyway which keeps things cool, but I have melted the heel of my boot on the link pipe as scorpion didn't provide any heel guard, unlike the BWM item.

I suspect that if you didn't have much clearance, the radiant heat from the end can and link pipe could soften and eventually melt your pannier. At least it didn't set your bike on fire.

Maybe you could get the pannier plastic welded then make a stainless plate and some standoffs and fit them to prevent it happening again.

 

[John Armstrong]

Have a look here:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10750&highlight=pannier+heat

 

[Les Wassall]

Had the same problem, on a trip to Garmish, the pannier got melted around the edge of the metal heat shield, as the can moved a little and was just touching the pannier, so I've had it repaired with carbon fibre.

 

[Hew]

I though I remembered a similar thread some time ago.
As the pic in John's link shows (attached below) it is not the silencer getting hot that is causing the problem but the exhaust gases.
I will either have to make a deflector or refit the CAT before I fit another pannier.

 

[Les Wassall]

I can get your pannier fixed if you are interested.

 

[Hew]

Thanks Les but I think I am already sorted thanks to Sproggy.
The sealing face between the two halves has also been melted and distorted.

 

[Paul Wakefield]

I ran the standard can with a replacement Y piece for many '000 miles. I always had the panniers fitted and never had any problem. But looking at your picture, it looks as if the angle of the exit from the exhaust is aimed straight at the pannier. I'm sure mine used to point straight down. I wonder if it can be adjusted?

Paul

 

[Hew]

I will certainly need to make some adjustments before refitting a pannier, which will not be a problem. One thing for certain I will test it out ion the old pannier first. My main point in posting was to remind people that there might be a problem. Once I found I had burnt the pannier I remembered the thread that John has linked to. At that time I was not using the pannier so did not make any mods.