Aftermarket Radiator

First topic message reminder :

Has anyone tried this aftermarket radiator?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminum-Replacement-Radiator-Cooler-FOR-SUZUKI-BANDIT-GSF1250S-GSF1250-07-13-/200968285408?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2ecaa4ace0

I've emailed them asking for the dimensions and if the type and quality of the materials used are identical to those used in the Suzuki OEM radiator.

Only just saw your message mate. I've just been working on the bike and I was able to loosen every bolt but the one I need to.  

Is it visible in this photo? If not I'll upload another.

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As mentioned previously on the day I put the coolant in a small amount came out over the sleeve. That's no longer the case though if I peel back the sleeve slightly I can see there is coolant between the sleeve and the pipe. Is that normal?

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I have a service manual in PDF form but there are no chapters or page numbers. It's numbers and letters like A1 - 1.

Ordering a Haynes Manual on Monday, $37.93 delivered.

Thanks! You're an absolute star mate! Would never have found that without the diagram.

SolomonKane wrote:As mentioned previously on the day I put the coolant in a small amount came out over the sleeve. That's no longer the case though if I peel back the sleeve slightly I can see there is coolant between the sleeve and the pipe. Is that normal?

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Either some coolant has made its way between the hose and sleeve, somehow, or the hose has a hole under the sleeve.
Dry it out the best you can and see if it comes back. If it does, you will need to investigate further by removing the sleeve and seeing where it's coming from.

SolomonKane wrote:Has anyone tried this aftermarket radiator?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminum-Replacement-Radiator-Cooler-FOR-SUZUKI-BANDIT-GSF1250S-GSF1250-07-13-/200968285408?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item2ecaa4ace0

I've emailed them asking for the dimensions and if the type and quality of the materials used are identical to those used in the Suzuki OEM radiator.

i purchased one of these radiators when i was having overheating problems awhile back, took it to a mate who owns a radiator shop and he pressured tested it and flow tested it and said it was fine, he said theres alot of radiators coming out of china and he has not had any problems with them, cooling capacity is same as original, end result he could not fault it in any way, as for life expectancy he didnt know, better than paying $420 from suzuki

Bosco15 wrote:

Reardo wrote:

Bosco15 wrote:I wouldn't call myself a cooling system expert, either.  But I did learn a thing or two over thirteen years at Natrad.   

Mate, My radiator has a slight bend and small leak. Would Natrad be able to straighten & fix it?

Any reputable radiator shop should be able to fix your leak as long as it's not leaking because of corrosion.  
Straightening is not recommended as it will stress the radiator more.
To repair an alloy rad, firstly a gentle sand blast of the leak and then either an epoxy or plastic weld product will be applied and vacuumed into the leak. Alloy repairs are not always feasible,  dependant on the reason for the leak.
Old school radiators made from copper are repaired with solder whereas the more modern alloy rads cannot be soldered.

Nice one, Kewwig. I knew that someone would know where to bleed the system.  

Ok, Thanks mate!

Just finished bleeding the system.

No gurgle or sound of escaping air when I loosened the bolt, started dripping pretty quickly. However, when I first took the cap off I saw that the coolant level had dropped a little over the past few days. Topped it up and also added coolant to the expansion tank.

With the expansion tank I found a small bump of raised plastic. Added coolant to about 3" above that but later discovered a second bump further down close to the bottom end. So I'm guessing that the level should be midway between these two markings.

Left the bike running with garage door open while I worked on something else. Fan kicked in after about 15 minutes. Turned off bike and later found a small pool of Engine Ice under the bike almost in line with the centre stand. Wiped up it and nothing since. Guessing that would be from the overflow pipe. Should I drain some out of the expansion tank or leave it seeing as the level is nowhere near the top?

Thanks for the feedback regarding the aftermarket radiator Talon. If it lasted half as long as the OEM I'd still be miles ahead cost wise. Looks like I'll be ordering one after all.

After fitting new adjustable rider's pegs ran the bike again. After about 10 minutes the fan kicked in, but she was still warm from last time so no surprise the time was shorter. Zero coolant leak this time but have left paper under the bike to see if anything drips down over the next hour or so.

Regarding the coolant in the sleeve, that's completely gone. No idea why but seems to be no problem now.

Tightened all the screws as suggested just to be sure.

Make sure to seat the burp tank cap fully as it can feel ok when only 75% in and will leak a bit of fluid when hot

Which is the burp tank cap?

Kiwi talk for expansion tank

Ahhh...okay, thanks. I'll double check just to be sure.

Ordered one of those aftermarket radiators tonight: $175 delivered.

Will be quite a few weeks before it arrives but when it does I'll put up some photos.

Hey SK, Has your new radiator come yet?
Talon has had good results. So if your feedback is good, I'll get one as well.

Yes, I got it a few weeks ago. Apologies, haven't had time to post anything about it.


Basically mine looks okay but the black coating is nowhere near the quality of the OEM. Had some minor scratches on it when it arrived.

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The camera is never kind so it looks worse than it actually is. Just looking at it you wouldn't notice most of what you see in the photo. But the coating is so delicate that even being ultra careful I've put some more scratches on it myself. Not a major issue though as there's a high temperature specialized spray paint you can buy to redo it. The top bolt holes are slightly smaller than the OEM but you can still get the bolts through.

The biggest issue is that mine is not as wide as the OEM, so my radiator guard won't fit it. So I decided not to put it on the bike and contact the supplier about the size difference. Therefore, I can't comment on how well it works.

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It's likely I won't bother returning it. I'll look into making a radiator guard for it and if I do I won't bother spraying it because the scratches will be hidden by the fan cover and the guard. Or, I might spray it and sell it. I'm currently negotiating with the Chinese supplier regarding a partial refund as they confirmed before I ordered that the radiator was the same dimensions as the OEM. If they cover the costs of the paint and radiator guard material that will be good enough for me.

I have more photos such as close-ups of the fins, but don't have the time right now to upload them. Will do that soon as I can.

There's more than one supplier so would be interesting to see if Talon's is the same as mine or not.

It does look quite a bit smaller

Tonight or tomorrow I'll measure it and post the specs.

The OEM rad has 24 tubes. The aftermarket has 27 tubes. The Fins per inch count looks comparable.
The slight difference in width should be of no consequence, cooling capacity wise, due to the extra few tubes.
The non fit of rad guard is a right royal pain.
Be sure to check that the mount lugs have rubber grommets. Can't tell from the pics. If solid mounted, the alloy may crack.
I'd say not bad value for money, apart from the rad guard issue.
Flush cooling system well. Use quality antifreeze concentrate. Not premix lolly water.

The width of the OEM is 47cm the AM is 43cm.

Not precise measurements as the OEM is on the bike behind the guard but pretty accurate. 

Thanks for the additional specs Bosco. Did you count them yourself or did you get that information from somewhere? Yes, it did come with rubber grommets. Landed cost was $164.71AUD.

Range of photos below from various angles.

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For some reason the bend is reversed compared to the OEM.

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Welds are not as tidy as the OEM.

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The gold coloured inserts are easily removed.

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Looks like a good quality aftermarket part.
Leave the metal inserts in place. They allow tightening of the bolts without crushing the rubber.
I counted the tubes from your pictures.
Factory paint is usually done with a single pass under a spray gun on a conveyer belt. Quick and cheap.
When hand spraying rads, I used to spray from the four sides at an angle to get better coverage of the fins. A good coat of paint protects the delicate fins from corrosion.