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Literally burned my shins

motomadness

motomadness

Training Wheels
Recently bought my first Kawa, a 2009 Connie 14 at that! Sold the BMW and moved over to Japanese. Yesterday while riding my shins, more so the right leg, was burning so bad it was downright painful. I got home after the short 1 hr ride and actually have 1st degree burns (red tender skin) on both legs .. about 3" long area on each leg. So what is up with this heat? I was wearing Olympia riding pants, the mesh version, which is more thin, but what the hell... I should not have experienced this. Any comments from the group? Add-on ---- Took the bike out today (Sunday) with heavier BMW (Fall/Winter) pants and did not feel the heat. Still, does this mean I have to '86' my mesh Summer pants? Any solutions to reduce this hot air problem? By the way, was a terrific day in Malibu along PCH today. 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14; Black, ABS 2008 BMW F800ST Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary
 
welcome. i've been told if the heat is bad it could be a paticular piece of foam may be out of place. a search of this and the other forum will yield the answer. personally i've had no issues with heat so i can't be more help.
 
You might find the C14 riders on http://forum.concours.org/index.php?board=13.0 helpful. My demo ride last summer was very much spoiled by what you're experiencing. The boys on the other site are quite vehement that C14 heat is a non-issue, so I'd read up a bit before posting. ;p
 
I wear boots that cover my shins so the heat has never really bothered my lower legs, but I have shot my boot with an infrared temp gun, and they do get pretty hot after a ride. I suspect if I rode with tennis shoes and jeans, it might get pretty warm down there. The Concours 1400 does have a heat issue, and I think it could be resolved pretty easily by Kawasaki. A simple scoop like was used on the C10 might be all that is needed on the lower panel to fix the issue of heat on the ankles. The other issue is that the whole frame acts like a huge heat sink and absorbs engine heat. I think an insulating/reflective layer needs to be put on the underside of the frame over the valve cover, and more cool air flow needs to be brought in at a couple key locations. Kawasaki needs to take a hard look at what Yamaha did in 06 on the FJR to fix it's heat issue.
 
I ride to work a lot with low shoes and socks. Usually my legs are bare between my pants and my socks. I feel the heat but have never experienced burns. I'd check the foam pad insertd between the fairing and engine. It should be sealed off in that area. I do agree it needs work to get the heat away from the rider. That being said, I stay nice and warm when I ride in the cold weather. My legs NEVER feel cold even in temps below 40
 
I know it seems counter-intuitive but try bumping the screen up a little bit. There is a point that affects the hot airflow below. Difference is notable but check your foam bits as well. Mine never seem to get back in the right place when anybody but me works on it. Also, some say Baker Air wings can help (some say an ugly solution)
 
I've bought an '09 Connie, and YES, there's a lot of heat. I was hoping someone on the site had a solution. I've tried inserting more insulation, but with limited success. I'll try adding even more. I also hear the fuel release valve squealing whenever I stop the bike. I wonder what temp the fuel is reaching? I plan to buy a manual; I suspect some heat insulation between the tank and the head may not be such a bad idea. I read someone say that Kawi oughta' fix this problem, which a problem it is, especially in hot weather. You dang betcha' they oughta' do something. Too late for me, however. I'll have to figure it out on my own, unless someone has found a solution???
 
Thanks for all the feedback. Being in So Cal, I find as long as the ambient temp is 80 deg F or less, it's ok. However middle of Summer and 105 degs, the heat on the legs is painful unless heavy riding pants are used. My original post was when I wore my summer mesh pants... which allows lots of air in, as there intended to. As some suggested, perhaps the problem diminishes as more miles are put on the engine. Hope so. On the bright side, Winter is coming so the heat will be welcomed! ~Moto Madness 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14; Black, ABS 2008 BMW F800ST Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary
 
I've never experienced the reported heat issues. Living in So Cal and a lot of desert driving I have never gotten burned. To be sure there is heat felt on a warm day, stopped in heavy traffic, and yes, more heat than the C10; but my take is that there must be some blocking missing for those who are getting burned. I ride in tennies and shorts oce in a while.
 
weird, had mine for over a year and never had any burns or excessive heat. might at times feel a little heat from the lower tank area but not a big deal, especially when you are used to riding in 90 and 100 degree weather. Ted Proud to be American! (since 2005) Lost and found in 1991 2008 C14 "Freebird"
 
When I first bought my 08 (August of 07), I took it out for an 1800 mile trip. Got caught in a few traffic jams and did a lot of in town riding. It was very toasty to say the least and it did take some riding at speed to dissipate the heat stored in the frame and engine. With that being said, however, the next summer and on forward heat was a non-issue. This bike is much hotter when new and after break in cools down a bit. I have found that when riding in stop and go, rather than having the windscreen all the way down, it's better on your right leg having it up a few inches to allow air to travel over the fairing and down the right side. Counter intuitive I know, but it does help in cooling off that area faster. I also run synthetic oil which is supposed to make the engine run a little cooler. 08 Concours 14 King George, VA
 
As a general rule, engineers like me hate situations like this where one machine behaves differently than another machine. And, as Virginia Jim has pointed out, individual machines change behavior over time. We hate this, as machines are designed to return the same performance given all things are equal. So, obviously, something is not equal. But what? Manufacturing? The bikes seem to be put together pretty much the same. Is there a part missing, or is there a part that SHOULD be missing, such as a baffle or duct? Does rider size and/or shape make a difference? (Virginia Jim, did you lose (or gain) weight between last year and now?) Do some bikes have a big air bubble in the cooling system? Anyone have any ideas or theories?
 
My guess is that the differences have less to do with variations from bike to bike, and more to do with variations in different riders tolerance of the problem, gear they wear, and the particular conditions and climate they ride in. I watched the same thing happen on the FJR board a few years back. Some riders complained the bike would absolutely roast them in hot weather, while others said "heat? what heat?". The problem is that it is all too subjective, and no real measurements are being done. I've also noticed more reports of problems with heat from both the C14 and the FJR coming from folks who live in hotter places in the south than I do from folks who live up north, which is to be expected. I did some testing using a digital temp gauge with a remote sensor attached to my ankle a couple years back on a 95 degree day. Here is a photo of one of the readings at my ankle. Normally I really didn't feel like it is all that hot, because I wear riding boots, jeans, and then riding pants over that, so I have three layers the heat had to go through before I feel it. However, if I reach down and feel how hot my boots and the outer garments are of my gear after a ride, I can feel quite a bit of heat in them. Just for fun, I tried riding in tennis shoes without riding pants one afternoon, and yea, it was hot enough that I had to return home in short order before it roasted me. And it was only about 95 on this day, which I really don't even consider to be a hot day here in Texas. And just for the record, yes my bike does put off more heat than I like in the summer, and puts considerably more heat on me than my 06 FJR did. While I don't find it unbearable, I will say it is uncomfortable, and I feel there is room for improvement and Kawasaki needs to do more work to try to reduce the amount of heat this bike puts on your lower legs.
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I have less that three hundred mile on my new 09 14 hundred. We had two days of warm weather in NY in the last week and each day I went for a ride. My right shim about 8 or 9 inches above my sole was uncomfortable enough that I would ride with my leg stuck up into the air as if I had highway pegs. To me this is unacceptable.I am going to look into trying to modify the out ward air deflectors. Either to bring more air through the opening or bring some fresh air from the outer flow onto my ankle.Looking forward to Fontana and meeting a few members
 
I have not noticed any excess heat on my 08 1400 . The C-1400 is the best Bike I have owned . I live in Maryland , and we have Hundred degree days in the summer and I ride anytime and in any weather except snow and ice . I wear 10 inch work boots and jeans . :)
 
Temperature was in the mid eighties today. Went for a ride wearing jeans and regular rockport below the ankle shoes (I really do need to get a decent pair of MC boots). Absolutely NO heat issue on the shins with my 08 C14. I did feel a bit of heat in the inner thigh area where I grip the tank. Not unbearable but from time to time I moved my thighs away from the tank for a moment (a second or 2) and this proved to be very effective. Shin area however was never hot.
 
Coming Home, Let ambient temp rise to 100F +, change your jeans to Hot weather (mesh; air vented type)Riding Pants and ride stop & go streets for a while. Now report back to us with results. That's how I got 1st degree burns on both my legs. Jeans is a good barrier and although you will still feel some heat, you won't get burned. If you rode in the mid 80's today, your engine ran fairly cool. Also, I now have over 5k miles on her so she should run cooler this summer than last (from what I hear from other owners). ~Moto Madness 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14; Black, ABS 2008 BMW F800ST Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary
 
At 100+ on any metal or plastic service for any sustained period of time you can burn yourself even if the engine is off. I wouldn't want to walk barefoot on blacktop at that temperature. Sorry, I don't mean to be facetious; I'm just saying that heat to the shin area was not a factor on my bike so far. Now, I wasn't in stop and go traffic and I guess that could make a difference. I'll have to see how it goes as the temperature rises. Curious to see if the lower tank area becomes an issue. BUT, this is one awesome bike to ride. I really lvoe it!
 
You are right about that! The Connie is an awesome bike and one of the best (if not the best) Sport-Tourer on the market! ~Moto Madness 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14; Black, ABS 2008 BMW F800ST Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt @ 70 mph can double your vocabulary
 
Anybody figure out the heat problem on the 1400, I just put 10,000 miles on one in two months, and let me tell you when it is above 80-85 degrees and your running down the road 70 plus any period of time it puts out a lot of heat especially on the right side, so much that you can not keep your leg any where close to the machine. And all the heat insulation is where it belongs. I also have a 2000 cc vulcan that puts out a lot of heat, but bearable, but the 1400 is not after hours on it.
 
I've repeatedly said that the heat is tolerable on the C-14, so let me respond. I came home yesterday from the Dog Days Rally in WV. Over 500 miles with the ambient temperature in the 90's. I was wearing my normal riding gear -- Roadcrafter Pants, Darien Jacket, 10" Riding Boots, Nolan Helmet, bicycle shorts and tee-shirt underneath. Sitting on the bike at speed, I was "tolerably comfortable". Not as comfortable as being at home in the A/C with a beer in hand, but I could handle the conditions for several hours in a row. I also did not have any serious "hot spots" anywhere on my body. When I put my bare hand out into the airflow along the sides of the bike, there was serious hot air coming out of the side vents from the radiator. IMO, that's to be expected. The thermostat is completely open at 170 F. with full coolant flow to the radiator above that point so the side vents are exhausting 170+ F. temperature air. Since the airflow goes outboard of my lower legs, I could feel the heat on the outboard sides of my pants but not on my bare legs. Now, I got caught in a half-hour of 1st gear traffic at a construction site west of Lexington, KY. The fans kicked on repeatedly and ran a lot. The fans come on at 203 F. so the air coming out of the vents and around the bike was at least that temperature. (The 13-18 psi pressure cap on the cooling system will allow the coolant to run up to 235+ F. so the air coming out of the vents was someplace in that range.) Was it hot? No question! Things got real warm then! So warm, in fact, that the people in the cars were fanning themselves with their A/C on. However, I tolerated the condition for the half-hour and after the jam, things returned to "tolerably comfortable". Maybe Fred H. is right -- it's possibly a situation of our individual tolerance for the conditions. I see what happened to me yesterday as very normal and acceptable as a result of my decision to ride a motorcycle on public roads in the summer heat. By the way, I'm heading to Central IL this coming weekend for another rally and it could happen again. Ride safe out there.
 
I wear regular jeans on all day rides and haven't had a problem. Must be something out of place on individual bikes......09 concours
 
'09 black non-abs 11,000 miles. I also have never had a problem with heat. Yeah, it gets hot sitting at a stoplight and that fan kicks on and blows that heat right at your legs. I ride most often in khaki pants and loafers, or wool/polyester blend dress pants and dress shoes to go to work. I ride back roads and stoplights in Atlanta for 40+ miles one way. To me, the hottest part is at speed at my thighs around the tank. I plan on some heat reflective material between the engine and tank to see if it is radiant heat, or possibly just bad airflow, not letting the heat escape. I changed exhaust at 8000 miles to AreaP full 4-2-1. I still have heat around my thighs, but the heat from those cats (obviously) are gone.
 
Rawman, I'm thinking about the Area P exhaust for the heat issue. Has it made a noticeable difference? Anyone else have experience with the Area P system, relative to the heat? '74 TX650A, Being restored-'80 GS750E, '70 Triumph Tiger
 
Purchase an aftermarket exhaust for reasons of improved performance and reduced weight, not for heat. The major heat is not due to the stock exhaust, IMO. By the way, Two Brothers is another exhaust Mfr you should also consider and made specifically for the C14. Look at all options.
 
Sorry to hear you are having heat issues with your Connie. I rode a Voyager 1700 before the Connie and that bike definately has a problem with heat on the right side. Enough so to burn pants and flesh together. I am somewhat short of inseam and have not noticed any undo heat and I have been riding with jeans. Get your connie checked out by a local technition. Good luck, Reed
 
I've had the bike a week and just shy of 1,000 miles in a couple days of riding, haven't really thought twice about the heat. During regular riding I feel some heat but not anything I could be concerned with, stop and go traffic it gets warm with riding pants on but I don't have terrible heat on my 09 as of yet anyway.
 
To those who have no problems with the heat generated... groovy. Your lack of a problem cannot convince those of us that do that nothings amiss with our particular bikes; ain't gonna' happen. Before the mods, I might have changed my member handle to "crispy critter." For those of us who DO have a problem, here are the mods I performed: heat wrapped exhaust, muzzy high-flow fans, inline switch to fans to switch on as needed (fans will turn on auto if reach operating temp and overrides switch, or I can turn them on manually to reduce heat. BIG help), additional high-heat resistant foil in panels. These mods help bring the heat down to tolerable levels. I often wonder if the mapping is too lean. I suppose it is possible, either a variance in bikes and/or riding at over a mile high (Colorado).
 
Sounds as if you have some good recomedations for those riders that suffer from the heat dillema. I have not noticed a problem, but I realize that the opportunity is there in certain situations. My question, would a small extension or .5" to .75" mounted to the vents direct the exhaust out at a different angle from the cowlings possibly work? Just my .02 cents worth. Reed
 
I have expirenced my left lower leg getting pretty warm to to the point of being painful. In Aug. I went on a 3317 mile ride from WA to CO and KS. (Avg 42.7 MPG at speeds we won't talk about) Knowing there could be a heat issue, I bought Danner boots with insulation and some long mesh riding pants. I ended up coming through UT and ID in what seemed to be the hottest day of the year. The fans would come on the second I pulled from the freeway for gas. I was running with the Kaw tall front shield all the way down. I was freaking hot all over, temps in the 100's....but my legs and ankles remained OK and was not an issue.
 
I had a problem with the heat as well. This seems to be the result of all incoming air being forced through the radiator with no cool air mixing with it. Try this: remove the foam and brackets on both sides of the radiator and remove the small top piece of plastic (mounts the foam in place). Allowing cool air to mix with the heated air forcing a larger volume of cooler air from the vents. Engine cooling temperature is the same as it was prior to removing the foam. This does help, but this bike does radiate a lot of heat.
 
All I can say is that my 08 HD Ultra Classic puked heat and compared to that bike the C-14 is a cold cucumber.... UP
 
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