CRF's Only Forums

Yea , that is pretty much it , either Engine Ice (what I use) or Evan's Waterless ,is fine , the 1.8 cap , and/or larger radiators , you can run ( this is what I did for my 02) , a 250X Overflow Tank (I got mine used on EBay for like $25 with all the hoses) ,and mount it on the rear of the bike like this





I just made my own mounts for it , just make sure it is far enough to the side to allow the rear wheel to travel ....

Also , gearing lower will help , the less you use the clutch the less heat the engine will generate , as the clutch overuse in slow conditions contributes to most of the heat , and a Rekluse will generate as much heat as just slipping the clutch with a manual lever .... so it won't help for heat , just ease of riding in tough areas .

Yea , that temp is normal and fine , remember that the higher pressure cap raises the boiling point where it will spill out the overflow , so with the 2.0 , you will probably get closer to 220 or higher before boil over begins , you do not have to worry about engine damage till you get closer to the 300 range , so like 250 -280 , is getting a bit HOT to where you want to think about getting to a more open area , or stopping for a while taking a drink break and giving the bike a heat break and letting it cool down before continuing ...

You did not mention if the fan kicked on while riding , if not , then you were not in any danger , and even if it did , I would expect it to shut off once you got to more open areas ......... my 02 with just the 1.6 cap , Engine Ice and the 250X overflow bottle , went on the same tight single track as my 450X , and neither bike got HOT , my X has the fan , and it rarely came on , only when I sat in 1 place for too long , just remember that airflow thru the radiators is what keeps everything cool , so as long as you are moving , even if walking pace , it is better than sitting in 1 place for any length of time ......

I think you should be fine , and should not have to worry about the bike overheating .... just pay attention to when the fan kicks on/off , and what you are doing when it does , that will give you a guide on how to ride efficiently without overheating the engine ......

As far as the hoses go , what the difference is , is Silicone , it is more resistant to heat cycles than just rubber , as rubber over time gets stiff then is prone to cracking/splitting/leaking , the Y is just a less restrictive junction , so the water is not restricted going thru the slightly smaller metal fittings , so it helps cooling efficiency .... so yes the Silicone hoses are better , you do not have to buy the real expensive ones , the ones I got for my 02 were from EBay and decently priced (well under $100) , but they just add to making the cooling system more efficient , so it is worth the cost ........ Same goes for the oversize radiators , the more cooling capacity you add , the longer the bike will stay cooler even in the tougher slower riding areas .......... it all adds up and works together , each thing will help , and using all the options help even more ... cooler is better ... period ....

Cool , sounds like you are heading in the right direction ...... Just keep watch on the chain slider and swingarm ..... with a 12t it will be tighter around the swingarm , so it can actually wear thru the slider faster , and , it can actually wear a hole in the swingarm (I have had that happen) , the 18" tire will give you more sidewall , so a slightly plusher ride , and better grip around rocks/roots etc. and less chance (does not eliminate it) of a pinch flat .... For off road , I personally run Tubliss in my bikes (I use them on the MX track as well) , that way for off road you can run real low air pressure for better grip and it is about impossible to get a flat (unless you slice the sidewall) , I run around 6 psi in my 450X rear with a Kenda Equilibrium , and about 10.5 psi on the MX track on my 02 R (I did , I removed them as I am selling the bike , and will be putting the Tubliss on my 20 450R as soon as I swap out my wore out tires (I already wore the tires out in a little over 20 hours on my 2020)

The biggest issue with a Tubliss , or a copy of such , is making sure the tire is sealed and no air leaks ......

If you use Slime on the bead of the tire , and have the rim taped around the spokes you will be pretty good (with the Tubliss) the main thing about the Tubliss is the small tube/bladder that pushes against the bead with 100+ psi and that keeps the tire sealed to the bead , so when running low pressure you wont lose the seal , I love them , and a few of my friends that moto and off road ride use them , as pinch flats are common with a tube , but not with a Tubliss , you have to tear the sidewall to get a flat ......

On a side note , the tire can still slowly leak thru permeation , as a "Tube" motorcycle tire is not the same as a tubeless like what is on your car , the rubber is different and it will bleed air thru the tire itself , so if left sitting for more than a week , it will have a noticeable difference in air pressure , I can usually go 2 weeks with a new tire , as the tire ages/wears/softens , you will see a pressure drop in that time , if it wears to the point that the knobs start tearing , you will lose pressure faster as the carcass is now exposed ...... and a old/used tire will usually leak no matter what you do , so mount a new tire if at all possible ............I have run the Tubliss for about 5 years now , the advantage they have over a tube , or even over a Moose insert , is major , the Moose will soften as you ride and especially if you ride faster open terrain , it will heat up and start breaking down quickly like if you get a month out of a Moose you are lucky .... so longevity of the Moose is about 1/32nd of what a Tubliss is or even a regular tube , I have had the same set of Tubliss for those 5 years with no issues .....