I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?
TIA

checkers wrote:
> I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
> after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?

The rear wheel and tire will always have some temperature rise because
you are transmitting power to the ground through the rubber and the
wheel and tire will also get warm because of the heat of the engine and
the fact that the engine blocks airflow.

The tire also gets hot because it flexes as you go over bumps. If the
air pressure is low, the tire will flex more and get hotter.

I have also noticed that if you have a rear disk brake, it will usually
be hotter than the front disk brake. I speculate that a rear disk tends
to drag more because of the more rigid mounting of the caliper, plus
dirt and worn out material from the brake pads seems to accumulate next
to the caliper pistons.

I suspect that the front brakes don't get as hot because the forks flex
a little as they try to correct for the motorcycle alternately falling
to the right and to the left as it travels down the road. The forks
stabilize the motorcycle by providing alternate thrusts
on the side the motorcycle is falling toward.

This thrusting action may be just enough to keep the front brake pads
knocked back a few thousandths of an inch.

Now, if you're talking about the rear brake disk getting so hot that
water sizzles on it like on a hot frying pan, you can figure that the
brake pads are really dragging. This can be caused by air in the fluid
system expanding and pushing the pads against the disk.

If you have a drum brake, it might be out of adjustment.

checkers wrote:
> I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
> after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?
> TIA
>

wheel or tire or both? Where on the wheel (if wheel it is) is getting
hottest?

skimmer <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Now, if you're talking about the rear brake disk getting so hot that
> water sizzles on it like on a hot frying pan, you can figure that the
> brake pads are really dragging. This can be caused by air in the fluid
> system expanding and pushing the pads against the disk.

Or the rear caliper and/or brake pedal is sticking.

Steel pedals going through alloy plates do this with monotonous
regularity.


--
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The wheel and tire are both hot. But the entire wheel is very hot...hotter than
the tire.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Paul Cassel says...
>
>checkers wrote:
>>I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
>> after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?
>> TIA
>>
>
>wheel or tire or both? Where on the wheel (if wheel it is) is getting
>hottest?

The rear brake is the brake drum style.

In article <1h5lms8.1s5a7qq1e19xpsN%chateauSPAMKILL.murray@ds l.pipex.com>, The
Older Gentleman says...
>
>skimmer <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Now, if you're talking about the rear brake disk getting so hot that
>> water sizzles on it like on a hot frying pan, you can figure that the
>> brake pads are really dragging. This can be caused by air in the fluid
>> system expanding and pushing the pads against the disk.
>
>Or the rear caliper and/or brake pedal is sticking.
>
>Steel pedals going through alloy plates do this with monotonous
>regularity.
>
>

Thanks...I'll check those out.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Mark Olson says...
>
>checkers wrote:
>>I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
>> after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?
>
>Bad wheel bearings
>Someone left the spacer between the bearings out
>Rear brake caliper is dragging
>

WOW...thanks for the great info.

In article <(E-Mail Removed) .com>, skimmer
says...
>
>
>checkers wrote:
>>I have an 85 Shadow. Is it normal for the rear wheel to be very hot to the touch
>> after riding about an hour? What would cause this to happen?
>
>The rear wheel and tire will always have some temperature rise because
>you are transmitting power to the ground through the rubber and the
>wheel and tire will also get warm because of the heat of the engine and
>the fact that the engine blocks airflow.
>
>The tire also gets hot because it flexes as you go over bumps. If the
>air pressure is low, the tire will flex more and get hotter.
>
>I have also noticed that if you have a rear disk brake, it will usually
>be hotter than the front disk brake. I speculate that a rear disk tends
>to drag more because of the more rigid mounting of the caliper, plus
>dirt and worn out material from the brake pads seems to accumulate next
>to the caliper pistons.
>
>I suspect that the front brakes don't get as hot because the forks flex
>a little as they try to correct for the motorcycle alternately falling
>to the right and to the left as it travels down the road. The forks
>stabilize the motorcycle by providing alternate thrusts
>on the side the motorcycle is falling toward.
>
>This thrusting action may be just enough to keep the front brake pads
>knocked back a few thousandths of an inch.
>
>Now, if you're talking about the rear brake disk getting so hot that
>water sizzles on it like on a hot frying pan, you can figure that the
>brake pads are really dragging. This can be caused by air in the fluid
>system expanding and pushing the pads against the disk.
>
>If you have a drum brake, it might be out of adjustment.
>

checkers wrote:
> The wheel and tire are both hot. But the entire wheel is very hot...hotter than
> the tire.

Can you hear the brake shoes dragging when you turn the wheel by hand?

If so, adjust the nut on the lever arm that applies the rear brake and
be sure that the brake cable or brake rod moves freely and that the
brake pedal returns to the normal position when you take your foot off
of it.

Brake cables can be lubricated with thin oil, brake pedal shafts can be
greased. In fact, your owner's manual probably tells to to grease the
controls on a regular schedule.

checkers <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The rear brake is the brake drum style.
>

As someone else said, then it's probably badly adjusted or (still) a
sticking pedal.


--
Trophy 1200 750SS XS650x2 CB400F CB125S DT50MX
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....