How should the bike get up to temp on a 2 mile commute?

This is borne out of Mr Endo's "More Stupid Questions, I can't seem to get a answer", thread. He's still not getting an answer because I've given one bit of advice and Biker Biggles has given another. How is he going to be anything other than more confused? So we need a poll folks!

Please vote for whichever you think is the CORRECT advice. I have no interest in posting this Poll, which way the opinion swings. All that matters is that Mr Endo gets the right advice, or at least the advice that the majority believe to be right!

So Mr Endo's journey to work is only two miles. His bike is only getting up to 60 degrees.

Please vote for what you would advise

A: Tick over before setting off whilst gloves and lid go on, bike hits 85 degrees before you get to work.

B: Ride immediately from cold, if bike only gets to 60 degrees, so be it.

I don't know about Mr Endo, but I'm always running late, taking a longer route to work would usually leave me in trouble with the boss. Only Mr Endo can tell us if that's an option in his case.

The bike is a 56 plate pointy, so it will only run on the choke for the first 20 seconds or so after being started.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

... So long as the bike gets up to reading 85 degrees by the time you get to work, it has all warmed up properly... If you wheel your bike out and start the engine before putting on your earplugs, lid and gloves, the temp gauge should be rising before you set off. Just don't give it the berries on your rides to and from work, save that for a weekend blast when it is nicely warmed up.

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

As for warming up the engine before driving off---dont do it.The engine warms quicker and with less wear if you ride it gently as soon as it will go without cutting out on you.Just never thrash it until fully warmed.If it doesnt get hot because your journey isnt long enough so be it. You do less wear by riding it than letting it tick over on choke while you faff about.Perhaps go the long way round to work?

Noise could be a factor though...I'd be a bit peeved if I had a neighbour who needed to go to work quite early and he left his bike running for a while whilst I was sleeping.

Originally Posted by TazDaz

Noise could be a factor though...I'd be a bit peeved if I had a neighbour who needed to go to work quite early and he left his bike running for a while whilst I was sleeping.

Could be yes, depends what time and if he has a road legal exhaust.

Col, I think you need another level on the poll, I tick my bikes over while lid and gloves go on but they are no way up to temp, 30 seconds I guess.

Originally Posted by specialone

Col, I think you need another level on the poll, I tick my bikes over while lid and gloves go on but they are no way up to temp, 30 seconds I guess.

It's not supposed to be up to temp, it's just to help him get up to temp by the time he gets to work, rather than arriving at work when the bikes only at 60 degrees then switching it off. If it's at 25 degrees by the time you jump on it and ride away, you've achieved what you wanted.

The point of the poll is to see what people think about whether that's good for the engine. It's what I've always done and what I've always been told to do, and I've never had any problems, but I don't know if it's harmful to the engine or not.

If you let your bikes tick over, and you don't think it does any harm, vote for that.

Option C
Find a longer way to work and enjoy the ride, letting an engine warm up on idle is pretty bad for it for a number of reasons including the neighbour factor, I had to change my stubby exhaust for a bigger one because of this.
While it was being swapped over the engine had to be started and revved with no can or link pipe
It just has to be done... Sorry, I digress, back on topic...



I would say your commute should be about 5 miles to get the oil warmed through so you don't get a condensation build-up in the crankcase, that will show itself as 'Mayo' around the filler cap and possibly visible in the sight glass, remember that the oil takes longer to warm up than the coolant which the temperature gauge monitors.

[yorkie_chris]

Either will be fine, neither will likely get it hot enough to dry the oil.

Just add a 20+ mile blast once a week to get the water out of the oil.

Originally Posted by Stonesie

remember that the oil takes longer to warm up than the coolant which the temperature gauge monitors.

Is this still true on a thermostat controlled system? Water absorbs heat much quicker than oil, and it runs through a hotter part of the engine with the specific purpose of taking away heat (whereas oil is there to lubricate), so actually water in the cylinder head will heat up much quicker, but the thermostat won't open and allow the water to flow until the heat has reached the thermostat, and the temperature reading is taken at the thermostat. I thought this was why you never get an oil temperature gauge nowadays, the coolant temperature gauge is sufficient info.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Either will be fine, neither will likely get it hot enough to dry the oil.

Just add a 20+ mile blast once a week to get the water out of the oil.

Do we need another option? Can I edit a poll?

Chris, look at my Q above on coolant?

[yorkie_chris]

Oil is getting sprayed onto the bottom of the combustion chamber and into pockets on head near combustion chamber too.

I think oil warming up slowly is due to large thermal mass of engine which will act as a heat sink.