I have yet to get stopped by a train, think I would shut it down (unless the outside temp was low) just to keep it cool. I don't like watching my temp gauge go over 230 (think it did once ever). I was looking into this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...Q5fAccessories
Got reviewed by SSB, and they even did a write up on the install - NO cut for installation, it plugs right into your factory harness And the fan will continue to come on @ it's regular temp unless you Manually override.

 

Nice idea. But is not cutting the harness worth $89 vs $5 at Radio Hack for a toggle switch? Somewhere in here is a howto on swapping the fan switch so it comes on automatically at a lower temp too

 

Where did you come up with that theory? A vehicle uses the most gas when you drive it. A car typically burns about a half a gallon an hour. You'll burn a lot more than that driving around for an hour.

 

Who knows? These bikes burn next to nothing at idle.......

Do some quick and dirty math - if you get 60 miles/gallon at roughly 60 miles an hour at roughly 5k rpms that means that you burn 1 60th of a gallon a minute at 5k rpm's, meaning at idle (1300rpms) you are burning approximately 1/4th of that so about 1/240th of a gallon per minute..... Yes the fuel mapping is probably not linear, but the fact remains - these things are sipping fuel at idle....

 

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...9/article.html

#3.

There was another article I read on edmunds about gas saving tips but it was probably 5 years ago when I read that.

 

Look at Emergency vehicles. They idle all day long when they aren't parked. When cops pull you over, they leave the car on. Fire trucks/ambulances are also the same when on scene.

 

And why do you think that retired emergency vehicles are usually being driven by people in the ghetto? Because they are auctioned off really cheap because of the abuse they receive... I'm not saying they are cheap because of them idling but thats a pretty bad argument for idling.

 

Well duh. They still run but hopping over curbs, ramming cars, puke infested back seats, high miles, and other things factor in too for why they go so cheap. Those Ford Crown Vics are tough vehicles.

 

+1
Happened to me twice. Long idles do kill (drains) the battery. And idling while the fan is already on doubles the opportunity...

 

That article dosen't say you burn more gas at idle, it just says the fuel used at idle dosen't contribute to your MPG rating since your not going anywhere. The engine itself uses much less gas then at higher RPM with a load on it like driving down the road.

Emergency vehicles are left running so they don't have to worry about it not starting when theres an emergency, no other reason. Engines in japan are replaced at much lower milage then america because they spend so much time at idle and very low speed. The hours on the engine matter more in an enviroment like that.