So, in colder climates, how long would you have to run the bike to be sure all condensation was burned out?
I have no problem riding in a little colder weather than 50 as long as I don't change the oil. There is a crankcase vent that goes to the air box. I imagine that retains some heat from the engine right below and the hot inside air meeting the cold outside air is probably less dramatic than when you drain all the oil on a cold day and suck cold air into the hot, empty oil pan. 40 F doesn't seem bad either. When you start getting closer to freezing temps, that's when you see the whitish water scum on the sight glass. It might be difficult to get the bike to operating temp when the air is that cold. The water temp (which indicates on the multimeter) might show 3 bars (halfway up the scale) on the Gen1 but that does not mean the whole motor, exhaust and the entire bike is at operating temp. If it's 30 F, you might need to ride the bike 30 minutes or more to get it hot enough so that condensation won't visibly form. If it's in the 20s, the water temp won't go above 2 bars when you're moving. It might hit 3 if you let it idle a few minutes after a ride but I don't think the whole bike ever gets warmed up when the air is that cold. You'd need to let it idle longer than it should. If it's in the teens, the condensation might never boil off unless you go for an hour long ride or more and who's going to do that when it's that cold out? I ran mine in single digit temps and let it idle 20 minutes in the closed garage. The water temp never went above two bars. Steam came out of the exhaust even after I shut it down. So my conclusion is, if you're not willing to take it for a good ride, leae it shut down. Probably if you see a lot of steam when you start it, that's too cold to run it...unless you don't mind water in the oil. I think it's not just a matter of how warm you can get the bike but how gradually it will cool off after shutdown.
'08 MIDNIGHT SAPPHIRE BLUE Now Deceased