The biggest problem I've always had with my CR was constant overheating. I ride in stuff that, to give you an idea, makes Last Man Standing terrain look like 2 track.
I first fitted a KDX catch tank, then an extra Gas Gas head tube mounted catch tank, tried all sorts of coolant (other than Earls - never wanted to "Hide" too high temperatures ). Tried 1.4, 1.6 & 1.8 caps.
Then alloy in line coolers. I took the alloy coolers to the level of 780mm of finned alloy tubing & tanks on LH side ( going rearwards, down to the cases & back up to the rad) & 730mm of alloy finned tubing & tanks on RH side (going rearwards & down above pipe then up to rad) This added about 300ml to system plus a heck of a lot more radiating capacity. The lines were one of the most intricate fabs I've ever done ( and I make bicycle frames to tolerances that make Any motorcycle frame tolerances laughable ).
I've also modified the water pump impeller and the water pump housing & hose spigots.
All this helped, but still could boil in my terrain. I finally fitted fans - my preferred Spal units just would not fit, so I obtained 105cfm Delta fans (part# AFB0912SH) from US & made full cage guards for the rads that the fans mount to - I don't want anything on the radiators. My CRE has regulator/rectifier already - wired it it, with 3 position switch - Off/On/Thermo. I welded a small plate on top of the LH rad that a thermo switch bolts onto.
Here's some pics - note :pics before I fitted Thermo Switch mount plate:
I felt the computer fans had about as much chance of surviving long as a snowflake in a heatwave. So far, with 2 years of use, in mega dust ( it's Australia, dust capital of the Universe), several bike submersion's in muddy creeks, with no problems at all. I've really been surprised by that.
The Fans work - no boil overs ,ever, now. And no need for high pressure caps ( with a 1.8. I blew a new Honda hose that required me to ride 23 miles without fluid - the poor bike just nipped up as I got to the van - how many bikes could survive that? I replaced the hose, looked up the EX. port & did another 40 hrs on that piston ) , fancy coolants ( I wanted to be able to use plain old coolant or just water for emergencies ) or other add ons. They are also great hand warmers in the winter, put it in neutral, drop hands down behind fans, perfection!
The strange 'Flying Saucer' on the head is my Auto De-compressor which I started a thread on the other site about. Others shortly after that started to make & sell head mounted, manual decomps. No cables/levers or thinking about it , you just kick. This allows me to use the short KS levers ( pictures in the AF section ) so my non bending knees can get onto the lever. Any one wanting a decomp in OZ , I can do it for you - approx $250 all up. I can also do rad cages - Have to work out the price. I make pretty much every mod on my bikes - mufflers, alloy side stand, bash plates, double resi shock, shock & fork re-valves - 12mm spanner only, one side front axle release , rear disc & chain guide shark fins, LH rear brake & mini clutch lever, etc etc. I'll be fucked if I'll buy something when I can make something a shitload better - and most things out there that people , who aren't in my position, have to buy are shit. Sorry if I read like an asshole, but it is, I believe, the truth.
Besides a full frame that I will eventually do, I'm looking at doing an alloy drop tank much like the 81/82 works 500s that I might sell. Just a question of getting enthusiastic & fitting it between work, Uni studies & a few operations I've been putting off.
