Mitigating Exhaust Heat In Traffic

[Cucruzn]

The exhaust heat hasn't been a major issue of mine. I do travel the DC Beltway daily and have 10K+ miles on my bike. The exhaust heat in stop and go or slow traffic is significant on the warmer days. I have noticed if I shift to maintain the RPM's in the 1250-1750 RPM area, the heat is reduced enough to become a non-issue.

[Freebird]

I've heard other reports that are the same as yours. Don't wind them out to redline and just ride them normally and the heat is a non-issue. I don't have that many miles on mine so have been taking it easy. I've had no issues at all. I took about a 150 mile ride on Sunday morning. It wasn't very hot outside but several times I reached down to feel the heat on the left side (where I have heard the complaints) and compared it to the right side and just couldn't feel any difference at all. I think you may be right. Longhaul Paul has over 50,000 miles on his '18 now and reports the same thing. He said that he has actually ridden about 10 or 12 of these bikes and only one time, at a demo day, he felt excessive heat. He talked to the Yamaha who told him he was riding it wrong and shouldn't wind it out like he was. He tried it that way and had no heat issues. It may be a learning curve for those of us coming off the V4 which loved the higher RPMS. After owning a Harley for a couple of years, it was an easy transition for me.

[sldunker]

6500 miles on mine and I just got back from a 1000 mile trip through northern Minnesota and southern Ontario. I normally shift somewhere around the 3000 to 3500 rpm range. We rode thru 89 degree heat with a lot of humidity and heat was not a issue. Even when we stopped for road construction the heat wasn't bad. I turned it off one time because it was going to be a 10 minute wait according to the flag person. Really like the bike, the seat is another story.

[djh3]

I dont remember from my test ride back when it came out. Is there some air management ducts, wings? On the XCT Victory I have some wings under the fairing and then the leg fairings have doors that you can open. You would think if its hot the more ope they are the more air flow, rite? Well unless your just dead stop or stop and go traffic jam, about 2/3 open is all you want, other wise it seems to duct more hot air back at ya.

[Jesset]

i think the heat on mine is being sucked from the mufflers forward to our legs when we slow down..

[djh3]

I also pulled the "removable" heatshields and wrapped the pipes with exhaust wrap. Did it help? Beats me but psychologically I suppose