The new laws of Physics are upon us

[WD Forte]

Idly looking through the for sale column This caught my eye

Honda CX, GL650 Wing Interstate .... Unique - air cooled!
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=337300

What? why? how? is this a wind up?

Apparently not, quote:
"I have converted it from water to air cooled. Done properly, it now has cold air flowing through the engine
and not hot water being pumped around"

The guy seem to think allowing fresh air into the passages is
enough to efficiently keep the engine cool.
He reckons there's no need for ethylene/glycol fluid, pumps, thermostats, pipes, radiators, sensors etc fins and all that malarkey
and taken a "Nah, it'll be fine" approach.

I'd be fascinated to see how this was Done properly
as to me. the pic shows a gl650 with the radiator removed
https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/thumbs/t_screenshot_2025-09-27_at_16.38.38.png
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bikers smell of wee

[MarJay]

That is not a thing. Could this be some sort of scam?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[WD Forte]

The list mentions he's selling it for a friend so I dont think its a scam

I've run CX/GL's without coolant for short periods for test purposes and know folk who have rode them like this ( gently) to get home but
anyone who thinks this is acceptable long term is a feckin eejit.
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bikers smell of wee

[stinkwheel]

I've seen it done (converting a liquid cooled bike to air cooled) but it involved stripping the water jacket off a 2-stroke enduro bike and brazing huge aluminium fins to the outside of the cylinder barrel. It was also done without any great expectation of it actually working.

The guy was going to enter it in an air cooled only enduro event. In his own words "I'll either win or seize the engine on the first lap.". I should make enquiries about what actually happened in the end.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[MarJay]

You could do it but you’d need to slacken the tolerances of the piston, rings and barrels, and you’d need to completely remove the water jackets and replace them wth carefully designed and manufactured finning.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[virus]

turning the whole water jacket into an area to hold warm air, what could possibly go wrong.


This idea is so stupid I worry I've worked on it before and forgotten about it.
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.