Soaring Temperatures Cannot Ignite Bikes, Say Experts

Motorbikes
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On Wednesday, Pune recorded a day temperature of 37 Degrees, and reports suggested that several bikes caught fire thanks to this heat spike.

A few incidents were reported from various parts of the city and involved motorcycles that were parked out and suddenly went up in flames, causing significant damage. 

While these reports suggested the heat wave was responsible, experts Pune365 connected with, think otherwise and believe there is more to this…

Adil Jal Darukhanawala, Editor in Chief- Fast Bikes, Consulting Editor-Times Auto opines that it is only a case of foul play that can lead to such accidents.

A vehicle standing in the scorching heat cannot catch fire, unless, it has been tampered with. petrol tanks can bear a lot more heat.

In case of vehicles that catch fire while running, this is possible only if there is a leak and the petrol drips down to any hot part of the vehicle,” Darukhanwala adds.

Motorcycle repairing
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Mr Nitin Dossa, Chairman, Vintage and Classic Car Federation Of India and Western India Automobile Association says that such incidences are very unfortunate and unheard of.

These need deep investigation and proper scrutiny for the real reasons to be ascertained, it could be a manufacturing defect, leakages and poor-maintenance of vehicles. 

Mr Vimal Shah, Member of the Western India Automobile Association opines that there is more than just the rise in the mercury level.

“There are many parts of our country where the temperature reaches a 50 degree mark and yet, the vehicles can still be safely parked in open areas.

The hot weather cannot be the main cause of a two-wheeler catching fire. It can either be leakages in the fuel pipes that goes from the tank to the carburettor, or an electrical dysfunction like short circuits or sparks in the engine.

People also have this misconception that petrol tanks shouldn’t be filled to the brim, but this isn’t the truth. Half-filled or empty tanks can also ignite a blast in the vehicle.The ideal thing is to check for leaks and damages and fix them at the earliest.”

Sharing his experience, Hunny Singh, a graduate in hotel management says, “This happened to me a couple of years ago when my bike caught fire in the middle of the market, while my sister and I were driving back home.

It was when we smelt something burning and people started shouting that we got down in the nick of time. We stopped immediately and called for help. The local residents helped us by throwing buckets of water on the bike. Luckily, no one was injured.

When I went to the mechanic to get it rectified, he told me that it was due to over heating of the engine, either by heat or by driving for long. Singh adds.

Ride Safe – Safety Tips

Proper maintenance of the vehicle can prevent a fire.
Get the vehicle checked regularly, to ensure there are no loose wires that can cause a short circuit.
Insulation of the wires is important. Check periodically.
Check for leakages. Change pipes if need be.
Keep a small fire extinguishers in the bike/car.

Loveleen Kaur