GL1800 Trike, Belly Pan and Heat

[Yellow Trike]

I share this because many GL1800 bikes/trikes have experienced increased temperatures.

I bought my trike in 2005. Put a belly pan on it in 2006 before a cross country ride.

I have had to put up with increased temperatures ever since 2006. I NEVER thought it could be from the belly pan.

In 2008 my mechanic (hubby) flushed the system twice. Took everything possible apart and checked for what people have said to check for - nothing.
Before going into reversing the fans I had the louvered belly pan installed.

While the "high heat" problem has not been totally resolved it has been improved to the point that I can ride at high speeds, even going up hill, without the gauge heading to the red line.

So - for MY trike the original belly pan CAUSED the excessive heat problem. The louvered belly pan has resolved the excessive heat problem.

Will I have my hubby reverse the fans? Probably. This machine should not run any hotter than his 2-wheels.

[ben721364]

I share this because many GL1800 bikes/trikes have experienced increased temperatures.

I bought my trike in 2005. Put a belly pan on it in 2006 before a cross country ride.

I have had to put up with increased temperatures ever since 2006. I NEVER thought it could be from the belly pan.

In 2008 my mechanic (hubby) flushed the system twice. Took everything possible apart and checked for what people have said to check for - nothing.
Before going into reversing the fans I had the louvered belly pan installed.

While the "high heat" problem has not been totally resolved it has been improved to the point that I can ride at high speeds, even going up hill, without the gauge heading to the red line.

So - for MY trike the original belly pan CAUSED the excessive heat problem. The louvered belly pan has resolved the excessive heat problem.

Will I have my hubby reverse the fans? Probably. This machine should not run any hotter than his 2-wheels.

I can't speak specifically to belly pans, louvered or not. However, it is my experience that at least in most instances the manufacturer knows more about heat management than the aftermarket. As I have been told, the belly pans provide a measure of protection for hanging parts of the cooling system and perhaps the oil filter. It appears that some such pans at least, may offset such advantage by causing heat buildup. It's a trade off...

[john]

i hve a belly pan on my trike and do have a heat problem.

[ben721364]

i hve a belly pan on my trike and do have a heat problem.

From what I read and hear, this is common. I will not install one for that reason. I try to never take the trike off road and don't foresee situations in which the advantage of the belly pan would outweigh it's potential disadvantages, to me. YMMV

[chickie]

Have one on my 08 and don'y have any heat problem. gauge doesn't move above 1/2 way

[Yellow Trike]

After seeing the condition of the original belly pan I'd say it did the job it was supposed to do - protect the oil filter and over flow tank.

There are just some times when riding at highway speeds that debris is in the middle of the road and no SAFE way to avoid it...the belly pan provides the protection against those type of of situations.

Now that we are riding in temperatures UNDER 100 degrees the gauge rarely increases above normal.

[Boscoporp]

I installed a belly pan & it didn't affect the temperature at all!

[TRIKERBOB69]

i have the louvered belly pan on the wing and plan to keep it when they convert it on the 12th, I have never had any issues with high heat on the wing, could be the louvered model that wingstuff guys recommended:yes:

[CandyO]

I have had a belly pan on my 03 GL1800 since it was new. I haven't experienced overheating problems. I reside in the Las Vegas area, and it does get a few degrees past hot!!:yes: I am now configured with a MT/IRS and have yet to run it thru a summer's heat. So far, I have experienced no unusual overheating problems.

[Gorilla]

And a mighty fine looking machine CandyO

[Maverick]

I put a solid belly pan (Tulsa) on my '97, 85,000 miles, no heat problems.
I put a solid belly pan (Tulsa) on my '03, 186,000 miles, no heat problems. By the way, rode steady for 2 months, 21,000 miles, all 48 states, hot, cold, warm, wet, no heat problems.I put a solid belly pan on my '09 Hannigan trike, 8,200 miles, no heat problems.

IMHO I think that there has to be another problem with temp. that the folks who have a heat problem aren't looking far enough. I refuse to believe the belly pan is creating a heat problem when there are so many GW out there, including my 3, that do not have a problem. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Jenkinsrawhide]

I agree. I have the louvered one with no heat problems. Mine is stainless steel instead of aluminum.

[GhostRider]

Put one on my 2004 in 2005. No issue at all. The gage has never moved away from normal. However...

After converting to a CSC trike I did find a problem but not with the engine heat. The CSC exhaust system is mighty close to their fiber glass body. I was having a terrible time getting the heat under control on the right side. One of the things I observed was my solid shield did make things worst. I had to loose the shield to gain the margin I needed.

Looking at things underneath it's fairly clear why the shield could be an issue with the exhaust. However, I could never see any reason for a shield effecting the cooling system. Apparently it does on some bikes.

[carbco]

I've installed the louvered 2 pc stainless belly pan from wingstuff and the first ride I took after installing it a truck dropped a board on the road in front of me and I ran right over it. Dented the front of the new belly pan but I was able to take it off and hammer out the dent. Could have damaged something on the trike had I not installed the pan. I've not noticed any heat issues with this pan. Just some more insurance.

[Ozarkryder]

Belly pan opinions seem to garner as much debate on 'Wing boards as what oil to use or putting a car tire on the rear of a 2 wheeler.
A pan I put on when we had our 1500 didn't have any effect on heat, but it did help with a common 1500 problem, even with new grommets, side panels coming loose. The year I put on the solid belly pan we were on the way north to Minnesota on I-35. North of Kansas City the wind came up to a steady 35 mph gusting to 45 from the west. I had put on a new set of grommets as prepping the trike for the trip, but with the wind the cover on the right side over the battery would come loose. Glad I had a passenger, as Gloria's foot kept the cover from meeting the road. Stopped in Des Moines where I bought and installed a solid belly pan. Conditions were the same the rest of the way to the Twin Cities area, but the side panel didn't budge the rest of the trip.
I figure that wind blowing from the west put high pressure on the left side,and made a low pressure area on the right. When the wind gusted or the air blast from a semi passing added to the wind some got under the trike and pushed the panel off. Don't know if a louvered pan would have worked as well as the solid one.
A solid pan was on our '04 GL1800 when we got it. Even in the 100°+ heat we had this past summer the gauge never got more than one line above the 1/2 way point even when standing still in city traffic.

[robval87]

I have had a solid bell pan made of aluminum (removeable front section to access oil filter and drain plug) and have had no overheating issues and I live in Oklahoma (get's a little hot here). A friend of ours was commenting on the bell pan and I told him it was designed to protect the underneath of the bike, Coolant tank and oil filter etc. Latewr that week we were on a poker run and went into a check point that had a speed bump, needless to say he should of had a belly pan, because he cracked the coolant tank on the speed bump and now it will cost him twice as much then the $49.00 dollars that I paid. Money well spent...

[Burnerboy]

No heat increase on my 2010 Goldwing trike, with pan installed either

Ronnie