Coolant and radiator care (liquid-cooled bikes)

What you need

• The coolant type named in your owner's manual
• A torch and a clean rag

Steps

1. Check with the engine cold and the bike upright on level ground.
2. Find the small plastic reservoir tank. The manual shows where it is.
3. The level should sit between the low and full marks. Use the torch if the plastic is cloudy.
4. If it is low, top up the reservoir with the right coolant up to the full mark.
5. Look at the radiator fins. Rinse off mud and dead insects with a gentle stream of water from behind.
6. Watch the temperature gauge or warning light on your next ride in traffic.

Common mistakes

• Opening the radiator cap on a hot engine. Boiling coolant can spray out and burn you.
• Topping up with tap water as a habit. Use it only in an emergency, then get the system refilled properly.
• Spraying a pressure washer at the radiator. It bends the fins.

When to go to a mechanic

• The level drops again within days, or you see drips or a sweet smell under the bike.
• The temperature light comes on or the fan never seems to run. Stop and let the engine cool first.

More guides

• Clutch and throttle cables: free play and lube
• Changing a headlight bulb or a blown fuse
• Washing your bike without damaging it
• Parking the bike for weeks or months
• Starting the bike on cold winter mornings