DRZ owners Is the radiator fan essential
 

Whilst preparing our CCM SR 40s for our overland adventure we have decided to add a kickstart in the case that the battery is dead in the morning.

However whilst fitting the Decompressor for the kickstart we have noticed that the position of the radiators on the CCM means that the decompressor and the Raditaor fan cannot both be installed.

My question is for those people who have traveled overland on a DRZ how often did the fan kick in and would you say it was essential. We're considering adding a warning light on the end of the wire for the fan so we know when it would be in operation. in this case we can just stop for 10 mins.

Well the 'E' model bikes get by without a fan at all, so 'essential', probably not. I don't know if people who've toured on them have fitted aftermarket ones or not.

In your shoes I would probably keep the fan and not bother with the kicker though - IIRC you're travelling with Mrs FMF on a pair of bikes? Pretty unlikely that both batteries would die simultaneously, so woulda set of jump leads be a simpler solution? Plus it can't be that hard to bump a light bike like the CCM.

The 'E' model is generally considered to be used in non-stop&go (urban traffic) environments. Therefore, like many KTM EXC/XC models . . . it has no fan.

Unlike the higher strung KTMs the DRZs (and the 'E' is slightly higher strung with a different cam, FCR carb and slightly higher compression ratio from a thinner base gasket) other than the 'E' all come with a fan.

It's use is of value in stop&go and higher ambient air temps. My DRZ fan kicks on in Thailand rarely, even in urban riding.

There's a company which makes larger capacity radiators for heavily modified DRZ engines (big bore kits, hotter cams, higher compression, etc). These are considered completely unnecessary except for highly modified DRZs or unless you make a point of riding in desert sand dunes.

A well-respected DRZ tuner maintains that the DRZ cooling system is capable of twice the heat exchange load that the OEM engine can deliver.

So . . . if it were me, I wouldn't worry about the fan unless you're in alot of stop and go in high ambient air temps. You could always switch the engine off in those cases.

However, I also find the kicker option on the DRZ unnecessary. So I'd keep the fan and save the worry. At least try a kicker before you go through the expense and work. It's a commonly debated "add-on" in many forums and largely foregone.

The drz motor has auto decompressor on exhaust cam,I fitted a kickstart kit to a drz 400 sm recently,you can kick it fine without the manual decompressor fitted.
There's a small weight and pin arrangement that when the engines cranking at low speeds opens one exhaust valve slightly,as soon as engine fires and is rotating faster the centrifugal force retracts the peg that operates on one exhaust valve...
You maybe able to make some sort of bracket for something else out of it that's useful?

Is the CCM using and "E" spec engine or and "S" ?

I've had my "E" up to it's neck in sh1t, revving it's nuts off and it's never boiled up so I will assume it didn't get too hot.

I recall my fan on the "S" coming on for a couple of seconds sitting in traffic in Spain last year.

I like the piece of mind of having a kickstart; I have fitted them to both my bikes. If you do a lot of stop-start stuff your battery will run down pretty quick. I tend to kick mine into life in the mornings and sometimes throughout the day when trail-riding.

I'd try to move some bracketry so that I can have the fan and the decomp. I think you could live without either though.

We're considering adding a warning light on the end of the wire for the fan so we know when it would be in operation. in this case we can just stop for 10 mins.

If the bike is hot do you really want to shut it off or should you get moving so you get some air through the rads and some coolant pumping ?

It's amazing how when you ask the same question on 3 different forums the only place that actually provides you with reasonable answers is HU.

Thanks to all who have answered.

We have found some slim line fans designed for KTMs that may fit with the decompressor so we'll look at those.

The engine I believe is an E but the cooler is definately that from the S (as the E doesn't have a Fan)

Unfortunately due to some muscle weakness that I have the CCM is not as easy for me to bump start as it should be - very frustrating! Adding kickstarts therefore made total sense to us :mchappy:

Re: DRZ owners Is the radiator fan essential
 

You ain't bump starting anything unless you have a nice smooth road or a hill. Soft suspension and dual sport tyres just has the back wheel skidding anyway.

www.touringted.com

Surely that's what Mr Fox is for? ;)

I've bumped a few, including DR-Zs.

Also, two bikes, towrope. Just saying.

Re: DRZ owners Is the radiator fan essential
 

Covered in luggage?

On a pot holed track in Ethiopia ?

Well of course anything is possible with enough effort. On a rtw aint really where you want to be doing it though.

www.touringted.com

Where did you get your kits from ?

I got mine from the USofA about $250 dollars if I remember right.

Very happy with mine; went for a blat on the E today, it's been sat in the garden since October and the battery had naff-all left in it. Five kicks and we were good to go; quick 40 mile trail-ride in the sunshine.

Bump-starting a single sure isn't a lot of fun.

I have a decompressor on my 500 cc Enfield, but never use it.
The trick is to turn fuel on for a minute before trying to start then turn the engine over through two compression strokes gently. then on the third compression stroke, just ease it past compression and let the kick start ratchet rewind. Then swing it fully with the kickststart bar in your instep, not under your toes. That way you will build enough momentum in the flywheels to start the bike successfully.

Re: DRZ owners Is the radiator fan essential
 

Ours were also imported from the usa. Off top of my head I can't remember how much but i know was less than £200

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riding trou sahara desert in 2005 . batery whent flat no chanc in heal to bump start a the bike in the sand dunes i put the batery in the sun to geat hot four a few aouers then i whas abeal to start it when batery go flat i have fund that xtrem heat whill give a littel bit off new life in the batery

The DRZ OEM battery is notoriously poor. Thin plates mean it likes to degrade rather gracelessly and at all the wrong times.

An option to put a more appropriate battery is offered by a VERY respected DRZ engine tuner (Eddie Sisneros) whose built not a few 50+ HP engines.

It helps ALOT to re-wire the the VRR output directly to the battery adding about .5 volts at the terminals. Japanese bikes are notorious for skimpy wiring (the headlight connections on the DRZ are 20g !

I run an HID on my DRZ that allows others to see me in daylight reduces anxiety considerably at night - you can actually SEE ! But it did require a relay and heavier wiring that using the skimpy OEM harness.