I'm looking to build a naked firestorm and have one problem, i want the bike to be as clean and tidy as possible, because of this i want to get rid of the standard rads and have a single rad at the front.
I've heard that a cbr600 radiator will fit but i think that will be a bit big for the look i'm after. I was thinking more along the lines of a bandit 1200 radiator but as you can probably tell from my post i have no clue what direction to go whatsoever.
I'm able to fabricate my own brackets so it is just a matter of finding a radiator up to the job.
Has anyone from here got any experience of using different radiators on a firestorm, if someone could point me in the right direction i would really apreciate it.
Thanks
Andrew
New radiators
The best Rad mod I've seen so far was the guy who fitted a Honda VTX1800 radiator under the seat 
can't help you with the Bandit idea, but I know as yourself a cbr 600 rad has been used, by dropping the oil cooler down low allowing the rad to fit in it's place. I don't know how experienced your are, but the guy who did this was iirc an engineer
Chris.
can't help you with the Bandit idea, but I know as yourself a cbr 600 rad has been used, by dropping the oil cooler down low allowing the rad to fit in it's place. I don't know how experienced your are, but the guy who did this was iirc an engineer Chris.
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Stormin Ben
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andrewlondon
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If you could that would be great, what i'm really after is some pics for ideas.
I really like the idea of the under seat rad but cutting the cowling like that and getting it to look good is beyond me. Can i ask where you found that image?
I saw the pics of that viper rc51 and was wondering how hard it would be to fit a similar setup. It looks very good but i don't know if there will be clearence problems.
I really like the idea of the under seat rad but cutting the cowling like that and getting it to look good is beyond me. Can i ask where you found that image?
I saw the pics of that viper rc51 and was wondering how hard it would be to fit a similar setup. It looks very good but i don't know if there will be clearence problems.
That's what I thought BenStormin Ben wrote:Sirch,
That is flippin awesome, have you got any more pics or a website link?
I have just done some digging and have found the website, wasn't sure if I still had it
I did post it on here when I came across it but it looks like that link was lost when the site crashed.There's some interesting and informative info about the conversion in the link as well as more pic's
Chris.
http://www.superhawkforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1178
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andrewlondon
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I should have known that, it's air cooled isn't it. :-( Doh!yossa wrote:the bandit 1200 just has a oil cooler and the pipe work going to and from it is very thin
Thanks for that link Sirch, i'll check it out. I can't see it being too hard, the only problem i see is the water pump might need upgrading and cutting holes in the fairing evenly both sides. Without those i can't see it working. Hhhmmm..
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andrewlondon
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Right after looking at that and talking with my mate who is going to help me with the rebuild we've decided to give it a shot. I'm on a budget so it's going to take a few months to complete, the aim is to get the bike finished by mid june ready for the good weather. I should have the powder coated frame and swing arm back next week so i'll post pictures.
Thanks for the help and advice guys.
Thanks for the help and advice guys.
That is one smart mod, even if you're keeping a fairing. Let them all guess where the rads are 
On a more serious note. If I would have known/spotted this at the start of the winter months, I would certainly have considered doing it there and then, but now with the bike just coming out of winter hibernation, it will have to wait, the roads are calling.
If anyone does carry this mod out, I would be really interested in progress, tips, tricks, etc...
Not so sure on how to deal with the crud, dirst, etc chucked up from the roads here though. Maybe consider airflow ducting under the rad itself.
Now, off to ebay and search for a rad.
On a more serious note. If I would have known/spotted this at the start of the winter months, I would certainly have considered doing it there and then, but now with the bike just coming out of winter hibernation, it will have to wait, the roads are calling.
If anyone does carry this mod out, I would be really interested in progress, tips, tricks, etc...
Not so sure on how to deal with the crud, dirst, etc chucked up from the roads here though. Maybe consider airflow ducting under the rad itself.
Now, off to ebay and search for a rad.
The man with the cam (http://www.d70portfolio.com)
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andrewlondon
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- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:44 am
After talking to stormsmasher on here i've been thinking about using a modified firestorm radiator with the fan and fitting them both under the seat.
Like i've said before, i don't know how well the pump will handle this or how easy it is to get the cowlings looking right but apart from fabricating mounting brackets it shouldn't be /that/ hard.
The bloke who did it on the superhawk forum describes how he routes all the piping so the only thing to do is mount the rad, get some long tubing so it can be cut to length and route it all neatly.
With a standard storm rad there should be plenty of room under the seat.
As for stopping crud flying into the rad, a hugger should do the trick??
Like i've said before, i don't know how well the pump will handle this or how easy it is to get the cowlings looking right but apart from fabricating mounting brackets it shouldn't be /that/ hard.
The bloke who did it on the superhawk forum describes how he routes all the piping so the only thing to do is mount the rad, get some long tubing so it can be cut to length and route it all neatly.
With a standard storm rad there should be plenty of room under the seat.
As for stopping crud flying into the rad, a hugger should do the trick??
Would a modified Storm rad give sifficient cooling surface. Fair enough, it's colder here than in the majority of the States, but raises the question, what would happen "in town", or on an especially hot day (plz give us more). How many times have you had your shins cooked on a hot day riding through town because of the rads.
I would have to investigate the heat dissipation of the xtr rad compared to a VTR rad.
Not sure about a hugger though. I've got one on mine, and although it does protect some of the underseat, there is still plenty of crud being picked up, whether it's being chucked up from the actual tyre, or just being directed by the airflow passing rider, exhaust, etc.
Maybe even a partial cover to redirect the airflow from behind the rider up and through the rad.
Also, what about the air after it has passed through the rad, physics dictate that it should exit backwards towards the reaR light and out there.
Looking at the original design, if he has a standard seat on the bike, where does the air go? It cannot exit from the front of the seat rear panel, as the air (usually) is forced into there from the forward motion,
Would you be working on the principle of the air entering from the rear/side panel (with the mesh grill), being directed through the radiator and exiting under the seat and into the space between the seat unit and hugger, or vis versa, the air being directed up from under the seat through the seat and out the back (somewhere).
Routing of pipes will be very interesting though. Looking at the picture, they certainly don't go over the rad, and if they were at the side, then they would block off the air entry point (unless both connectors are at the base of the rad, or air entry is from below), so the either have to be at the base of the rad, or under the rad (and open to the elements).
Pump - I know nothing of pumps, volumes etc, so I just speculate at this point. (excuse any misspellings etc.. I blame the bottle of red I've jsut consumed). If the pump can supply two rads at the moment and we're dropping it to 1 rad, then is there such a big difference. Fair enough, it's gonna pump the coolant higher but don't know enough about this side of things.
Just had a thought.. (dangerous.. I know). If you have the air entering top/sides and exiting bottom, then you could use a cover for the rad
that produces negative pressure (air passing through cover faster than going through rad), and that will draw the air through the rad at a higher rate (only works if you are actually moving)
The more I think about this the more I'm tempted to get pencil and A3 sheet out.
now.. where's that bottle.
I would have to investigate the heat dissipation of the xtr rad compared to a VTR rad.
Not sure about a hugger though. I've got one on mine, and although it does protect some of the underseat, there is still plenty of crud being picked up, whether it's being chucked up from the actual tyre, or just being directed by the airflow passing rider, exhaust, etc.
Maybe even a partial cover to redirect the airflow from behind the rider up and through the rad.
Also, what about the air after it has passed through the rad, physics dictate that it should exit backwards towards the reaR light and out there.
Looking at the original design, if he has a standard seat on the bike, where does the air go? It cannot exit from the front of the seat rear panel, as the air (usually) is forced into there from the forward motion,
Would you be working on the principle of the air entering from the rear/side panel (with the mesh grill), being directed through the radiator and exiting under the seat and into the space between the seat unit and hugger, or vis versa, the air being directed up from under the seat through the seat and out the back (somewhere).
Routing of pipes will be very interesting though. Looking at the picture, they certainly don't go over the rad, and if they were at the side, then they would block off the air entry point (unless both connectors are at the base of the rad, or air entry is from below), so the either have to be at the base of the rad, or under the rad (and open to the elements).
Pump - I know nothing of pumps, volumes etc, so I just speculate at this point. (excuse any misspellings etc.. I blame the bottle of red I've jsut consumed). If the pump can supply two rads at the moment and we're dropping it to 1 rad, then is there such a big difference. Fair enough, it's gonna pump the coolant higher but don't know enough about this side of things.
Just had a thought.. (dangerous.. I know). If you have the air entering top/sides and exiting bottom, then you could use a cover for the rad
that produces negative pressure (air passing through cover faster than going through rad), and that will draw the air through the rad at a higher rate (only works if you are actually moving)
The more I think about this the more I'm tempted to get pencil and A3 sheet out.
now.. where's that bottle.
The man with the cam (http://www.d70portfolio.com)
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Stormin Ben
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- Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 12:23 am
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Bob,
That location of the radiator is genius
The air under the tail of the bike is low pressure (vacuum) caused by the bike punching though the air
So long as there is a source of air for it to suck it will be pulled through tthe rad by the forward motion. The Britten V-1000 worked on the exact same principle (mind you that had substantial ducting to the underseat area)
Ben
That location of the radiator is genius
The air under the tail of the bike is low pressure (vacuum) caused by the bike punching though the air
So long as there is a source of air for it to suck it will be pulled through tthe rad by the forward motion. The Britten V-1000 worked on the exact same principle (mind you that had substantial ducting to the underseat area)
Ben
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Fireman on a Storm
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- Location: Romford
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Fireman on a Storm
- Posts: 1223
- Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2003 5:59 pm
- Location: Romford
