Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Sport Touring: ST4 / ST3 / ST2 > toasty thighs

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

toasty, not tasty. Went to the coast the other day and did some sorely needed sun and ocean bathing. Took a young lady friend on my ST4 and got away from Tokyo for two days. Now the summers in Japan are tropical to say the least, running about 38 C and 70 to 80% humidity. Not so bad when moving, but getting into a traffic jam in the city is not welcome. The nasty thing about an ST (compared to my finally sold SS) is the exhaust comes out of the cylinder right under the thighs and it tends to get a little warm at times. Has anyone found a way to ameliorate this in any way. It would seem some kind of heat guard could be rigged up over the pipe to divert some of the unwanted thermal fun, but I wonder if anyone has tried to do so successfully.....I know, never gets that warm in the UK....But many of you go to Spain....Ole!

[rockhopper]

I've never noticed the exhaust being a problem, i just get gently boiled around the left leg area when the radiator fan comes on!!

[Rushjob]

Ah yes the hot leg syndrome.....
I've suffered that in a few places, the worst being in Portugal in 35C heat after a 90 mile thrash through the mountains just to get the engine really warmed up, then having to crawl through city traffic
That was bad enough but then the fan came on!!!!!!!
The only answer to it is movement - I doubt that a shield would do much good but if you succeed let me know how you do it!
Cheers
Andy

[conor]

Have noticed the same in France, not nice when stopped, when moving flairing your legs can relieve the discomfort.

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

yep, flaring the legs helps, but the rider complained of toasty left thigh....can't keep her too unhappy for long. Will try to work on something and see if we can reduce the burned flesh to a nice even bake.

[conor]

Stick some light foam in her trousers maybe?

I wouldn't want to do anything that might redirect the heat back into the bike, IIRC ST's are prone to overheating themselves as well as their riders

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

yeah, I thought of that as well. Must be some cheap asbestos suits out there! Kind of hard to wear in the humidity here though...LOL
Kind of a nice combination though. I flare my legs to let the heat out and she pulls up on my jacket to let some cooler air in. Must be some more interesting combinations along those lines..

[conor]

Anything is cool as long as you don't get yourself arrested

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

Roger that!!

[Mad Dog Bianchi]

looking at this problem again (it is still hot and humid here with plenty of traffic jams to keep one meditating on the subject at hand....er thigh), it seems there may be a way to mount some kind of a shield to the frame right next to the suspension and strut, without interfering with travel or movement. A shield could possible direct the heat back or to the right side (the left thigh is usually toast) for a little more heat distribution. I am just wondering what kind of material to make a test piece out of. CF would be trick, but I don't think I can work with it in making a trial piece, Any ideas out there?