[Guest]

I'm in Vancouver Canada and ride all year round. The weather here stays rideable a lot (as long as you have good rain gear), but I've found that on cold days with medium-to-heavy rain it's hard to keep my SV's engine running. It wants to stall badly if the revs aren't kept up around 4,000. I've considered fabricating some kind of sheetmetal thing to cover half of the radiator so that it doesn't get too cold, but was wondering if other riders had dealt with this problem. Idears?

 

[Guest]

I don't think it's the cold as much as the wet. I ride all the way down into the teens (as cold as it gets around here!) without a problem.

I haven't experienced this phenomemon first hand, but many people use dielectric grease on their spark plug boots (particularly the front) to keep the liquid sunshine out. Also, there's apparently a drain hole for the front spark plug well that can become plugged, drowning the front plug.

 

[Northwind]

Definately do that first, your symptoms sound a lot like you're losing the front cylinder...

 

[Nexus242]

Fab a metal or rubber flap that hangs from your radiator down past your front cylinder head to prevent water from coming off your front tires and wetting the spark plug boot and getting in the plug hole. You should also clean out the plug drain hole that exits on the engines right side with a wire and compressed air.

If your not sure what flap I'm talking about go look at the newer SV and you'll see the flap they now come with to prevent water bogging.

 

[andyauger]

Hole Shot sells a device called the Fenda Extenda. It does what it says, extends the rear of the front fender lower. It keeps the front plug dry and it keeps the front of the engine and the radiator cleaner.

 

[Guest]

Cool, thanks for all the great suggestions!