Coolant Shut Off Valve

[JDKRXW]

I rode 900 miles in 4 days in Quebec last year with the coolant shut off except in the morning to start the sled.
I don't understand why the shut offs aren't installe at the factory.

Actually, morning starts are when you don't need the shut-off open....... the electric heaters warm the carbs until cold engine light goes off.
I think RX1Frank is correct, Yamaha is very concerned about carb ice, so they don't install them.
.......having said this, I also installed one.

 

[RX1Frank]

RX1Frank
What was the temperature on the lake that day when this happened to you?
On a 1999 V-Max 700 which had the valve on it already, Greqoire Sport in Canada told me to only use it when the temperature got down to zero, and that's what I did, and I never had any issues
What is the difference in gas mileage?
I understand the engine will also start easier when hot if you have the coolant valve in the off position.

The temp was about +4 celcius. The mileage increase was approximatly 3 litres on a fill up. I have been judging this on the consumption of my '97 SX700. Week after week we are just a couple of litres per fill up apart. Generally my son and I ride about the same speed when we travel and that is how I am making the comparison. I do understand that riding conditions and style play a large role in fuel consumption. When I used the shutoff my milage was way better than the SX's . The main reason that I installed the valve was to ease the starting when hot. This definitly helps. TurboGeorge came up with a heat shield that seems to help as well.