My bike has been running hot lately, hot to the point that I can't
spend more than 10-15 minutes in gridlock before it hits 250 and
starts flashing at me. I have long suspected a clogged radiator
from months of driving down a dusty/muddy road. I tried poking
out some crud with a small screwdriver, but it didn't help much.

I'm in gridlock again last night, and it starts raining. 'Great', I think,
'Not only am I going to have to pull over to cool off, but I'm going to
get soaked while I wait it out.'

But the rain had an almost immediate cooling effect; the temp dropped
from 230 to 200 within minutes. It also looked like I was a disco
smoke machine every time I stopped. So I trudged on.

Next day, dry out, ride to work, and the bike it still running about 15
degrees cooler than before. It's almost normal, like when it was new.
The rain seems to have had a permanent effect. Perhaps all I needed
all along was to hit the radiator with a high pressure garden hose?!

Ted

The way the front tire throws stones at my radiator and bends the fins I can see if you regularly run dirt roads how it can be clogged with dust/mud.

If you do hit it with a garden hose keep the press. down or you will bend all your fins closed.

My fins never seemed very bent, just clogged.
So I guess the water disolved the caked on mud.

I'll have to do more long term tests to see the exact effect,
but when the bike was new, it would sit at 176 on the open
highway, and typically 210 in the city.

After getting clogged it was typically 190-200 highway.
Today it was in the 180's.

I envy you guys with the 2001+ instruments.

My '99 gauge shows cool...warm....and warmer/fan.

Maybe ignorance is bliss.

Maybe ignorance is bliss.

Yes it is. My bike never goes past half on temp. with fan running. I never have run hot problems.

That's because your bike is the carb model. the FI XX runs hotter !
Very first complaint after I took the delivery of my '99. The '97 never run that hot, even in traffic. I went back to the dealer and they put new coolant in, made sure the level was all right.....
Later on HONDA issued a service buletin about it.

Cheers,

Service bulletin about what? The coolant or running hot