My GSX1250FA tip for the day

Hey Team,

I had the need to top up the radiator today as was not happy with its cold or hot level.

Reading the manual it stated I needed to take off the left hand side of the fairing etc. Not sure whether I was lazy or just plain creative but sat and thought it through.

What I did was:

• Got one 'pump' water bottle (a brand of water in a bottle)
  Ripped the white stopper off the thing you put your lips around
  Cut about two feet of garden hose and pushed it onto the drinking spout thing
  Put distilled water and coolant into the pump bottle
  I got my large hand into the gap in the left fairing vent, took off the filler cap,
  Took the end of the hose and fed it into the radiator reservoir
  Gently squeezed the bottle as I watched the level
  pulled out the hose, recaped the reservoir

Might not be original but thought I would share.

On 07 "S" model 1250 it's cap under the the tank. But I just watch the over flow bottle is between Low-Full.

if it saves time & energy it`s a good idea

Geez my hand let along my hose would never fit up there..

Rustic wrote:Geez my hand let along my hose would never fit up there..

top up for the overflow is under the seat

The 1250S only needs the seat off and a small funnel. Only had to top mine up once with about 300km on the clock.

Mine needs another top up as well.
Coolant level needs to checked often

Baz wrote:Mine needs another top up as well.
Coolant level needs to checked often

That doesnt sound right.
Mine has done 26000km and I have added about 50ml

To be honest I believe my low level was a dealer issue...
It only took about 150/200mls to make me happy with the level
Its in for its first service next week.

well I also have only ever topped it up once, I don't know how much the dealer servicing it has put in.
I was just making an observation that I generally do not check the level all that often.
If I notice the fan coming on at stop lights then that is a good indication the coolant level could be low.
Without looking up the manual, I bet it says to check the coolant before every ride .. in fact we are to check the following before riding;

• steering
  throttle
  clutch
  brakes
  suspensions
  fuel
  drive chain
  tyres
  engine oil
  cooling system
  horn
  engine stop switch
  side stand/ignition interlock switch

who does all this before a ride, I don't

I do a walk round the bike before every ride when its warming up
Include in your list lights and indicators (keeps the rozzers of your tail, well limits the excuses they have if you get pulled)
and a quick check of your breaks before you take off

Baz wrote:well I also have only ever topped it up once, I don't know how much the dealer servicing it has put in.
I was just making an observation that I generally do not check the level all that often.
If I notice the fan coming on at stop lights then that is a good indication the coolant level could be low.
Without looking up the manual, I bet it says to check the coolant before every ride .. in fact we are to check the following before riding;

• steering
  throttle
  clutch
  brakes
  suspensions
  fuel
  drive chain
  tyres
  engine oil
  cooling system
  horn
  engine stop switch
  side stand/ignition interlock switch

who does all this before a ride, I don't

Well, ummmmmm. nope..... if it starts, i ride it

I check all that stuff and then some really closely once a week, but I also do the same with my cars
Thru the week I'll do a quick check of the important things before I ride off to work with the mantra of, If it hasn't leaked onto the ground in the shed or isn't sprayed anywhere on the bike in big patches, it must still be in there.

Most bike riders after a little while will know what looks good and what looks like it needs attention. IMHO if they don't then get off the bike and learn about your ride, in fact I'm more than happy to help out a fellow biker rider and teach them the basics of prelaunch checks

Regular washing of the bike also helps I reckon. You (well I do) tend to look closer at bits you might otherwise not.