MSTSM in full stealth mode.

So,

I got tired of it and painted the engine with VHT Engine Metallic and the Mufflers. I put flame proof header paint on the headers along with primer. I'll see how it holds up - it might be temporary on the header at least.

This is pretty much how I envisaged the bike when I first got it so I'm pretty happy with it right now. She ain't perfect but that's part of the charm and just working on it in spare 30 min blocks between taking care of 3 year old twins and a disabled wife I don't think it's too shabby.

I'm going to see how it holds up but in the mean time should I be concerned about over-heating?

I've seen some folks shave the fins on the block - is this just for appearances or does it serve any practical application?

 

All I see is a green tank floating in the air. Where's the bike?

It's looking pretty good there, Ribo. Nicely done. By shaving the fins, do you mean sanding the edge so you see shiny edges contrasting against the black? I think it's just for looks, but I imagine it would help the engine cool off a little bit, but not enough to change much. If you were racing the bike competitively, where wins and losses are recorded in hundredths of seconds, I could see it making a difference, but not for recreational use.

Naked metal would probably cool off best, but it would also eventually form a nice insulating blanket of corrosion sooner, too. I think the paint is a good trade off between cooling and preventing corrosion. Mind you, this is just my anecdotal commentary. I haven't researched it at all, so take it for what it is: pure conjecture.

 

Shaved is cool ask the Baldwonder!!
Lots of things shaved is better

 

Oh, if only it were a choice... I've merely finished what nature started. But thanks!

 

You shouldn't have any overheating troubles due to the paint, VHT ngine paint is meant for aircooled engines. As for cooling fins; what you are seeing is not shaving, but simply sanding the paint off for appearance purposes (though it will also increase cooling a teeny-tiny bit). Aluminum Oxide is wonderful stuff. It can be used as an abrasive, and it protects the underlying aluminum (the oxide stops forming past 3 molecules of depth and acts as a protective "crust" that prevents further oxidation) while maintaining all the other properties of the base metal, but it is also ugly.

 

So, should I be worried about overheating regardless of the paint. In the summer here it get's in the 90's which I know isn't anywhere close to hot for a lot of places but it's also very humid so air cooling isn't as effective. Is there anything built into the bike to stop it and what bad thing would happen first?

I guess I'm looking for signs to look out for before something really bad happens.

 

You shouldn't be concerned unless you are stuck sitting in traffic for several minutes on a windless day. Humidity plays almost no role in the cooling of metals. High humidity sucks for you becasue your sweat dosen't evaporate as quickly.

 

Here in Virginia traffic light timing and rotation was designed and operated by a group of highly trained drunk chimps. Red lights stay red for 5+ minutes at a time and you can bet your ass when they turn green the one down the road - which is only 50 feet away will be turning red just as you get to it, so yes, it's quite possible to be stuck in a succession of red lights for more than 20 minutes. Now don't get me started on the ridiculous speed limits!

 

High humidity is something that's bad for us humans, because we aren't air-cooled. We employ evaporative cooling. High humidity prevents our sweat from leaving the skin and carrying heat away with it, making us susceptible to heat exhaustion.

An air-cooled engine only cares that the temperature of the air is cooler than itself, which it is by at least a couple hundred degrees once fully warmed up. I could be wrong, but I think moist air would actually indirectly cool the engine, since hot, moisture laden air would have less oxygen density, killing HP and producing less heat. You'd be running rich, though.

 

I like being rich on the bike cos I ain't off it

 

You are spot on. It's good to know that you paid attention in both Physics and Biology classes (I used to teach both).

 

Still not much to worry about, except perhaps the reason why you live in such a horrible place.

 

lol - yeah that part does suck, but it's a nice place overall - moved here from Texas and it's nice to have all 4 seasons again. Often I turn right on red and then do a U-turn and right on red again way before the light has turned green, keeps me up on my slow speed turning practice

 

Do you guys have those timers on the cross walk signs? I work late and drive home when streets are empty, which makes waiting at red lights even more excruciating... Anyhoo, there's this one intersection, and I have to stop there every night, as it's 2 blocks from home. I pulled up one night, and the cross walk timer says I've got 20 seconds or something. Cool, I ain't in no hurry, I can spare 20 seconds. And then it gets to zero, AND STARTS OVER AGAIN AT 100! If i was going right, or straight I'd use Ribo's u-turn plan, but I gotta go left. Now I run reds...

 

Yes - I have one of these on my route from work too. It's what's known as a sensor light - when there's zero traffic or after a specific time of day also it'll drop into that pedestrian only mode. The issue with these lights is that they are supposed to be triggered by the presence of any vehicle by using an induction loop in the ground. This basically just generates an electromagnetic field that is disturbed by any metal vehicle entering it.

All good in theory but in reality these loops are often: badly installed; badly designed; lose a significant amount of power due to getting exposed to the element (cracks in road), or simply just become a bit crappy at doing their job. What this means is they don't detect motorcycles although they're quite happy to detect cars due to their size and amount of metal in the coverage area. Also why I get pissed off when I see car driver stop six feet from the white line and wonder why the light isn't changing.

What can you do? Well next time you're there take some time to examine how the loop was deployed in the ground - you should be able to determine two sides - experiment with positioning your bike so that it breaks between these two side - you might need to be at a very weird angle.

In Virginia though it's funny because even though many lights stay red for more than 3 minutes and sometimes even 5 (I've timed this in a car so I know it's not the sensor issue), there is a law ( § 46.2-833. Traffic lights; penalty.), that basically says that if the light doesn't turn green after two complete cycles or after 2 mins a motorcycle, moped or bicycle (not a car) can legally proceed through the intersection with caution.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-833

Check you're local law because this is fairly common too. You might not actually be breaking any law by running your red lights and thus you're not as much of a bad-ass as you think. Now you probably need to start smoking or doing meth to get your rep back dude.

 

Also - check these out - not sure how well they works, never tried them but there basically the same thing.

https://ironedgemotorcycle.com/shop...ing_wp_cron=1435507714.2990810871124267578125

http://www.bikerhiway.com/red-light-changer-p-2.html

 

I have found that a friendly letter to the traffic department will usually result in an induction loop being recalibrated for motorcycles. Sometimes it takes a letter from more than one person though.

 

I always just pull up on top of one of the lines. I can usually see where they cut the pavement to place the lines, and an XJ has enough mass to trigger it that way. I've only had it not work once, and that was a pretty decrepit street.

 

Man, you're behind the times. My Seca is a mobile meth lab. Sweet like Walter's Winnabago! You know it's good 'cuz it's BLOOOOOOO, Bey-otch!

 

I've no idea what that means. However - I just installed the uber-midnight stealth cloaking device on the MSTSM... only active at night..

Blemish on the tank is a reflection from the camera lens

 

Sorry, it's a Breaking Bad reference. Walter White makes meth in a camper. High quality cuz he's a chemistry teacher. Never mind that, MSTSM is lookin sweet. "Stealth" bit makes more sense with the flat black. I like the sneaky "YAMAHA" and logo. Is that a sticker under paint, or slightly different paint?

 

It's actually a vinyl decal under the paint and the 2K clear on the original tank but I didn't give it enough of a coating so it's still raised which was a problem however - now I plastic dipped it with black give a pretty bad-ass effect.

 

Yeah, I'd remembered it in white on the green version, so I looked back at the old pics... what an improvement. I know when you mentioned that you were going black, I questioned your judgement. I was wrong. Please forgive me! I'll never doubt you again.

 

So Matti, you're saying now that he's gone black you're not going back?

The pictures are cool. Is that a night shot directly under a street light with one of those amber-colored sodium bulbs? It looks like one of those instagram filters, but without the pretentiousness that tends to follow. I approve.

 

I actually ran out to buy milk and cut through this parking lot and stopped to take some pics. Random street light - was just looking for a good background but I see what you mean - there's no pretentious filter here.

 

looks well done but my first impression was some of the dirt bikes that come back from the strip mines so completely covered with mud you can't tell what color it is.
fling some bling on it

 

I'm glad you said that - cos that's what I was going for - on first impression, but then with more interest as you start to look at it more. No bling sorry - I spent the last 18 months getting rid of all the factory bling.

 

Oh la la! Ribo the artiste!