Air cooled engines and rain

[billyb]

So I was caught today in a very serious downpour. I must have looked like a nut to all of the cars I was passing, but the raiding in the rain wasn't really that bad, after a few minutes. Good gear is certainly a must have. Anyway, my bike had been up to proper operating temperature(as covered in a thread recently) and I had the opposite problem. After a few minutes of riding in this squall, my engine temperature went all the way down to barely registering on the gauge. Is it bad for the engine to go from pretty hot to cold in a few minutes? I know you're not supposed to put water on a hot engine, as it may crack the block, so how bad is this? It was at the real low temperature for abot 40 miles, before I got where I was going.

Also, on ebay and in the paper I see all the time Ducs for sale that have never been ridden in the rain. Did I loose 1000$ in the price just like that? Am I a bad person for knowing that it was going to rain, but doing it anyway? Please don't kick me out of the club!j/k!

[supersparky750]

my bike probably has over 5k "wet" miles on it with no problems at all. I've found that if it's raining and below about 50 degrees your oil will not heat up very much (I cover my oil cooler with tin foil in the winter just so I can get some heat in the oil and make the fuel injection stop "choking" the bike). As for cooling fast, I really don't think it's a big deal.

[despotp]

I've been caught out in downpours a bunch of times and had my engine temp go from 220 F down to 150 F in a couple minutes, and she still seems to run fine.

And, no. Not a bad person at all. It's just water!

[ofblong]

exactly its just water. Your engine will not crack from the rain. It doesnt get that hot to cause an issue.

[billyb]

Thanks guys. I figured that it wasn't a problem, or else bikes would be designed differently. It was just a little disconserting to drive that far witha bike that was saying it wasn't warm.

[ducati1982]

<--- Another guy who has no problems riding in rain.

I rode my bike in SD during the worst rain we'de seen in decades all winter two years ago and I didn't see/ feel any problems then or now.

[ward]

As for the re-sale value, billyb, just make sure that you put in the ad that it's never been ridden in the rain - like everyone else does...

[billyb]

Originally Posted by ward

As for the re-sale value, billyb, just make sure that you put in the ad that it's never been ridden in the rain - like everyone else does...

Thanks! That one made me chuckle. I don't have any intentions of selling it, just figured I would add that to my post to get a laugh!

[ofblong]

lol normal people could give a hoots less if it was ridden in the rain .

[dresda]

I just rode home from a track day at Mont Tremblant in a downpour. And I rode to one at Mosport in the rain too. Oh well, I've got the gear! And my scottoiler keeps my chain nice and lubed too.

Stephanie