What's this thing on the Kawasakis?

MaxPower
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MaxPower
Edited Date/Time 10/9/2020 11:04pm

What is the shroud behind the radiator?
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nm143
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nm143 10/6/2020 8:43pm
10/6/2020 8:43pm
I believe that's where the factory Kawasaki team runs their oil cooler.
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bigk218
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bigk218 10/6/2020 9:12pm
10/6/2020 9:12pm
All that time, money, and work to shave weight from these bikes just to add it all back.
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The Shop

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mxracer666
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mxracer666 10/6/2020 9:46pm
10/6/2020 9:46pm
MaxPower -- Troll much?? It's 2021. There is no way you have been a member since 2006, with over 2000 replies, and don't know what this is...LOL!
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sumdood
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sumdood 10/6/2020 10:45pm
10/6/2020 10:45pm
Gills for mud races.

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#434
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#434 10/6/2020 10:51pm
10/6/2020 10:51pm
Finally, the time has come... again

In two words: lousy engineering
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motokiwi
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motokiwi 10/6/2020 11:26pm
10/6/2020 11:26pm
Its where Tomac stores his desire to win, and AC stores his extra pointy shoulder sockets. No one else can win if they reach down and grab supplies
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JM485
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JM485 10/6/2020 11:28pm
10/6/2020 11:28pm
#434 wrote:
Finally, the time has come... again

In two words: lousy engineering
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area that's generally just dead space anyways.
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#434
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#434 10/7/2020 12:18am
10/7/2020 12:18am
#434 wrote:
Finally, the time has come... again

In two words: lousy engineering
JM485 wrote:
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area...
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area that's generally just dead space anyways.
Sure, it's well made, but the engineering behind it is flawed. The way the cooler is mounted and fed with air means that it runs very inefficient. I bet if they measured the actual airflow that goes through the cooler, it would be very little. The cooler could work better and/or be much smaller if mounted properly. Just my two cents..

And it's fun to bash it every year! Maybe Eli's bike would have survived the mud with a better cooler Tongue
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KMC440
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KMC440 10/7/2020 1:14am
10/7/2020 1:14am
bvm111 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/10/06/453157/s1200_C6E96BF2_D8BB_4002_B92F_92B4774F92C9.jpg[/img]

It's not the second page yet !!

Primi bear.
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Pit Row

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CPR
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CPR 10/7/2020 2:15am
10/7/2020 2:15am
#434 wrote:
Finally, the time has come... again

In two words: lousy engineering
JM485 wrote:
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area...
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area that's generally just dead space anyways.
#434 wrote:
Sure, it's well made, but the engineering behind it is flawed. The way the cooler is mounted and fed with air means that it runs very...
Sure, it's well made, but the engineering behind it is flawed. The way the cooler is mounted and fed with air means that it runs very inefficient. I bet if they measured the actual airflow that goes through the cooler, it would be very little. The cooler could work better and/or be much smaller if mounted properly. Just my two cents..

And it's fun to bash it every year! Maybe Eli's bike would have survived the mud with a better cooler Tongue
I get where you’re coming from, but there’s no way factory Kawi hasn’t monitored oil temps and they must be happy with the job it’s doing in its current configuration, even if it is a compromise.
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#434
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#434 10/7/2020 3:13am
10/7/2020 3:13am
JM485 wrote:
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area...
I really don't understand the hate for his piece that we see every year, it looks well done to me and it's located in an area that's generally just dead space anyways.
#434 wrote:
Sure, it's well made, but the engineering behind it is flawed. The way the cooler is mounted and fed with air means that it runs very...
Sure, it's well made, but the engineering behind it is flawed. The way the cooler is mounted and fed with air means that it runs very inefficient. I bet if they measured the actual airflow that goes through the cooler, it would be very little. The cooler could work better and/or be much smaller if mounted properly. Just my two cents..

And it's fun to bash it every year! Maybe Eli's bike would have survived the mud with a better cooler Tongue
CPR wrote:
I get where you’re coming from, but there’s no way factory Kawi hasn’t monitored oil temps and they must be happy with the job it’s doing...
I get where you’re coming from, but there’s no way factory Kawi hasn’t monitored oil temps and they must be happy with the job it’s doing in its current configuration, even if it is a compromise.
For sure they get the result they want. Like I said: It's well made, it works, but it's still inefficient. The guy that designed it has no clue of heat exchangers.
I'd like to know where the advantages of this setup are compared to just mounting it behind the radiator.
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teamddr
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teamddr 10/7/2020 3:25am
10/7/2020 3:25am
At the speeds they are running at the cooling effects are negligible. I’d say if you run that in a wind tunnel at the top speeds round thunder valley it wouldn’t drop oil temps much as your shrouding warm air exiting the coolant rad.
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xrmark
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xrmark 10/7/2020 4:18am
10/7/2020 4:18am
#434 wrote:
For sure they get the result they want. Like I said: It's well made, it works, but it's still inefficient. The guy that designed it has...
For sure they get the result they want. Like I said: It's well made, it works, but it's still inefficient. The guy that designed it has no clue of heat exchangers.
I'd like to know where the advantages of this setup are compared to just mounting it behind the radiator.
Well shit make them an efficient one guy
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kb228
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kb228 10/7/2020 6:52am
10/7/2020 6:52am
Its a supercharger. You know kawi is putting that on all their bikes now
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HondaFan33
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HondaFan33 10/7/2020 6:59am
10/7/2020 6:59am
So let’s see some pictures of properly executed oil coolers since people seem to think this style isn’t. I remember seeing them on FC Honda’s at one point.
Honda820
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Honda820 10/7/2020 7:07am
10/7/2020 7:07am
It’s an oil cooler. They’ve used them for years.
Dirty Points 10/7/2020 7:20am
10/7/2020 7:20am Edited Date/Time 10/7/2020 7:23am
HondaFan33 wrote:
So let’s see some pictures of properly executed oil coolers since people seem to think this style isn’t. I remember seeing them on FC Honda’s at...
So let’s see some pictures of properly executed oil coolers since people seem to think this style isn’t. I remember seeing them on FC Honda’s at one point.
A more typical arrangement would be like Desalle's here:
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RonJon
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RonJon 10/7/2020 7:30am
10/7/2020 7:30am Edited Date/Time 10/7/2020 7:30am
I love all the experts on here critiquing something engineered by a multimillion dollar race program. Perhaps, just maybe, the engineers and technical advisors that have been building these race bikes know what they are doing a little bit more than Bill on here that figured out he could save space on his 2014 YZ450 by routing his colostomy bag through the air box.
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