Using heat from the radiator?

I ride as often as I can, even in the winter. As long as it's dry I'm happy!
However, I did have a thought about channelling heat from the radiator to behind the leg shields.
Has anyone had the same idea and worked out if there's a way of redirecting the warm air from the radiator to where it could keep your feet nice and toasty?

Anything is possible, but I think before I did that I would invest in either thermal undergarments or electrically heated clothing. In the summer, what would you do about the excess heat blowing on you?

Fair points! I have all the gear, some of it from when I worked as a motorcycle courier. You soon learn what you need to keep warm doing that job all year round!
It's just a germ of an idea. Cars use engine heat to warm the cabin, so I thought the same principle may be applied to the Swing in some way. I've not really looked carefully at the structure of the bike in the radiator area, but I think I will the next chance I get. If it could be done relatively easily and be made to be opened and closed somehow when necessary it might be a nice little mod. I'm not a great one for fiddling too much, I prefer to spend any spare time riding if conditions allow.
Let's see if anyone has any thoughts.

Hmm... You might remove the tunnel cover and see whether it would be practical to cut in a couple of "vent" ports in the lower front area, which would be close to the radiator. The tunnel cover covers the engine and fuel tank, and the tank sits between the engine and radiator. Not much room there.

 Maserati hood vents?

Tim

From the experience using the GL 1500 Goldwing engineered heating system I can say it's a lesson in futility, anything but a cool day at low speeds the heat dissipates to rapidly. The development of heated gloves and wearing apparel overcame that to some degree. Snowmobile riding gear may be another option.

Kind of defeats in some ways the beauty of the SilverWing. I will ride the Silverwing at times during the summer when it's to hot to ride the GoldWing. I appreciate the fact I don't have warm air at my feet and legs making an already warm day, at least tolerable.

Good comments. Think I agree with the likely thermal physics of the situation. Probably far too much air movement for any warmth to be effective around your feet and lower legs.
Didn't know about snow mobile gear though - think I'll check that out - always looking for new ways of doing things.
Thanks Guys!

Non electric snowmobile gloves with the retractable thumb feature worked well for me, keeping all the digits together for warmth was nice, if you needed the thumb just curl it back and put it back in the thumb hole. I wore insulated Carhart bibs too, having the chest covered with an extra layer helps core temperature. This newer lighter better insulated gear is wayyyyyyyyyy better than we had back when. Wishing now I had my pair of flight deck boots with the felt inner sole and felt booties.

Have a look at a Maxsym 600 bud, they come with a heat vent in the floor (which can be closed in good weather) it might give you an idea of how/where to run ducts & maybe an easy way to get an appropriate vent

Interesting! It seems then that there may just be enough energy in the radar and air to offer some warmth to a rider.
I'll check that model out. Thanks!

My 2 Cents?
Using the radiator as a heat source to me seems almost like driving your car in the winter with the heater going and the windows down.
Warm winter clothes seems like a better idea.

As The Bern says (hi bud!) the Maxsym 600 has a central heating vent, and I've seen a couple of Gilera scooters with a vent either side of the riders legs.

But even with these vents any hot air is going to be lost and blown away by the same cold wind that freezes your hands unless they're behind a screen, suitably gloved, and/or electrically heated.

The remedy would be fitting a scooter apron, an accessory very popular over in mainland Europe. It keeps the riders legs warm and dry, and when not in use pulls over the seat to keep it dry.

In fact it's probably a lot more practical to just use an apron and forget about vents. Fitted correctly an apron offers both wind and rain procection for the riders feet, legs, and lower chest. With body heat loss reduced by the insulating apron, experimenting with heating vents and potentially ruining both expensive Tupperware and ultimately resale value might be completely unnecessary.

I never gave a thought to resale value due to modification as mentioned above by Meldrew (hi bud)  I do have to say that in 5 1/2 years of ownership I never felt that my feet or lower legs were uncomfortably cold, possibly because I had 'wind deflectors' fitted.

I'd say "bunny boots" would fit the bill for warm feet. I do not own a pair, yet. But I've researched the topic of warm feet extensively because of my left leg nerve damage. By all accounts these bunnies will keep your feet toasty down to -50C. Add a good pair of insulated pants and your bottom half is covered.

Jay.

Heated gear is the way to go. Jacket liner keeps the core warm thus keeping the blood flowing to feet- fingers. Heated socks are great but wires can be a pain going down through the pants.

Liner, socks and a dual temperature controller a few $$$$. Temp. controller adjusted one for jacket one for feet. Not that hard to connect to battery and makes a huge difference on a cold day. SW charging system can handle another 5-6 amps without stressing it when cruising. Voltage will be lower at idle.

Dress in layers. You can always take something off if to hot.

The Selk'bag was created to keep its wearers warm, whether on the go or at rest.”, I haven't but you could google these, walk rest ride repeat.

Don't forget the OP is here in the UK where we all wear normal motorcycle riding gear, there is heated clothing available, but no one is riding about dressed in snowmobile clothing.

We don't get winters long enough and severe enough for snowmobile use, any clothing would have to be imported from the US, it'd be expensive, you'd be taking a guess on getting the correct sizing, and when the gear arrived you'd be shafted for import duty by the Post Office before you take delivery.

Yesterday I had to pay almost £20 to the Post Office before they handed over a pair of Clothing Arts pick pocket proof pants I ordered from the US late last year. That was on top of the $136 I paid for the pants and postage to the UK.

... and this is nothing to do with the topic but I'd like to say I'm heartened by the news about Canadian air traffic controllers having collections amongst themselves and ordering pizza deliveries for their US counterparts in Alaska and further afield.

Due to US air traffic controllers having to work with no pay for the last three weeks due to the Donald's government shutdown.

Nice one gents!

As veteran of over 65 winters of everyday riding----dress for ride, proper riding pants (Waterproof!), Boots (rubber overboots also help feet stay warm.

I do not like electric stuff----all you need is one failure to freeze! Top, I find feather jacket under riding jacket works.

Hot air from engine is blown away before it does any good.

Agree with Mildrew---US riders do not (often) wear proper bike clothes. Guess most don't know any better.

Agree with Mildrew---US riders do not (often) wear proper bike clothes. Guess most don't know any better. <<>>
We have rider education programs, adds on TV, ride covered, this n that BUT MANY do not because they don't have to and that varies state to state. o-HI-o has an age specific helmet law the younger being made to wear them but unfortunately nothing that requires full body coverage for everyone. Some that I see make me cringe and I have a description for them, rolling hamburger.

just received my termoscud today from Italy. I'm really hoping the combination of that with gerbings and opening the panel for (checking the points) will make these long rides in 30 degrees even more bearable. I regularly do a 500 mile ride from Arkansas to Mississippi and these January/February rides can be brutal

My "Go to" winter gear is a set of thermals by my skin, long sleeved, base layer if you like, then a tee shirt, biking shorts, the ones with the padded backside, then a Polo shirt and then an army surplus woolly pully, then my KEIS heated waistcoat, my Dainese two piece textile suit and a set of rubberised water proofs over that. I wear Daytona boots, best boots I've ever had, with thermal socks and this is enough for a jaunt to Yorkshire in late January with the onboard air temp gauge at -5 and lower. I think I did a 6 hour ride and all I suffered with was a bit of cramp at the base of my neck. This was on my Vtec Honda VFR.

Heated grips to go along with the gloves, which I've gone through lots of pairs, and finally finished up with "Racer" winter gloves, because I can barely move my fingers in some of the others. To keep my few remaining working brain cells warm, a balaclave under my Shoei seems to be adequate, with the air vents shut there's still just enough air flow to keep the visor clear.

My mate swears by his handle bar muffs, I can't get on with them.

As long as my feet are warm, I'm ok, as soon as they get cold I have to stop and warm up.

I did once try wearing Ski gear, but it being a bit "downy" the wind pressure used to flatten the front and seemed to remove all the air space that they use to insulate you.

When I was on the Life boat (RNLI) we used to wear bunny suits. They are fine until you need to go for a bladder service...

I've been known to use news paper and plastic bags over my boots in the past, but I've always gone the multi layer route. As long as you can still twist, move your arms and feel the controls, pretty much anything goes. Oh. And drink plenty. Just having to get off and visit a loo can do wonders for your cold body, a bit of circulation around the warm core will help the parts other clothing cannot reach.

There used to be some things called "Derri Boots" that I used to wear in winter, they were ok and I might go that route as I don't need to be able to change gear or use a foot brake any more on the 'Wing.

I'm anticipating the 'Wing being a top coat warmer overall, the wind break design should do wonders for any wind chill effects?

The reason I've written on this thread is because my 2015 VFR has a little plastic deflector under the riders seat. In winter you take it out, and the flow of heated air from the radiator warms the seat up. It's ok but before I got used to it the feeling was as if I had wet myself... It doesn't get hot, just warm enough to feel the difference.

I've used Gerbings heated gear on all the bikes I've owned. About five years ago on my previous SW I was riding comfortably in 28F weather with my Gerbings jacket liner and gloves. I just looked at their website and was shocked how much more they cost than when I bought mine fourteen years ago. https://www.gerbing.com/

A simpler and cheaper remedy would be a good pair of long undies. You can wear boots with warm socks on the scooter since you don't have to work a brake or shifter with your feet.

Grambazz's idea of ducted heating has occurred to me occasionally, especially during our trip to Belgium last winter in -20 wind chill temperatures. Our feet were the biggest issue despite our best efforts of thermal socks, liners etc. I didn't have the wind deflectors fitted at that time.

Any winter riding always leaves our feet cold and I'm told by other riders that electric socks or boots don't really cut it. Our heated gloves work to a point.

I did have an extreme idea of piping the radiator heat directly inside our boots, with a regulating valve, so that no heat is lost in the slipstream. I'm still thinking about it now although I have yet to see if the wind deflectors help this winter. The pillion doesn't have any wind deflection at all and I'm sure it's worse for her (my better half).

Cold feet===rubber over shoes. work down to about 0 F.

Both the SYM Maxsym 400 and 600 have adjustable heater vents on the tunnel, although in cold winters conditions the vast majority of that heat is going to dissipate unless a scooter apron is fitted.

It'll be the same on the Silver Wing, a scooter apron will hold in any heat and insulate the rider from wet and cold. Aprons seem to be a lot more popular with European riders than over here. I bought one for my Honda CN 250 Helix back in the Nineties, it kept my lower half warm enough, although it could be scary riding with it on in crosswinds.

john grinsel wrote:

Cold feet===rubber over shoes.   work down to about 0 F.

I would start with the above. Total wind blockage is a good start. That's why windbreakers work so well on bikes and boats.

I was quite shocked to discover the Swing is far "colder" to ride than my VFR... But then there isn't a V4 800cc radiator between your legs and in front of your naughty bits so that's probably why, "normal" bikes warm you by airflow warming the frame to some extent, although the old Vtec is slightly better in this respect as it has side mounted radiators.

So, even this weather, especially with my broken foot, I've had to start wearing the leggings even earlier. But only in the morning.

You may have a point there Lost it. The SW is my first bike after a 15 year break from riding and I can't honestly remember how cold I used to get on my previous bikes. I find myself wearing liners in anything but mild weather, I hadn't really thought about it till now.

I don't mind wearing layers until I find myself walking from the parked up bike to the town centre shops for example, maybe only a few hundred yards into a heated store...phew!

It's worth bearing in mind that you can get your jacket, trousers, gloves and snood etc. under the seat and your helmet in the top box if you want to go wandering on a cold day. You might even get your boots under the seat too depending on what type of boots you have, but that means carrying suitable footware with you on the bike.

There was once a bike what combined design and function like non other:
It had 2 radiators knee high what directed the warm air around the lower regions of rider and pillion.
Was never warm in summer but you felt the difference in winter.
Her name?
Spidermax