Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

Bike overheated yesterday on the way home from the lake 83 miles away. Thankfully it did so right before I was about to jump on the freeway and ascend a rather large hill. Had to limp it the last 20 miles home about 3 miles at a go. Nothing like being sunburnt, dehydrated, in the 100* sun then having to deal with a hot bike. #overit

Went to check the coolant today, and I think I found the problem. Realized I didnt check it when I bought it back in March, when it was 41* outside so unfortunately dont have a baseline to know if it lost it all or never had any. Has run flawlessly until yesterday afternoon. Ran it for a quick minute today to check for error lights, etc and its clear, so hoping I just need to add coolant and be g2g.

Reading up on it, apparently 390s are notorious for overheating, and also slowly losing coolant, so Im hoping its not a larger issue.

 

My 1290 needed a tad of coolant added after it was new but none since then.

 

got a few things done this weekend to the klx! got the 3x3 mod done and it has a good amount of power now and is loads more fun! got new rear wheel bearings installed i forgot to get a front set will need to get that here soon. swapped the crappy led headlight for a ugly one but its waaay brighter so that works now and i got my light bar working as well so lots of light now. i did find a yoshi exhaust for my bike and ordered that so ill need to rejet the bike again when that comes in but thats easy so a bit more power soon lol

 

I think yours is newer but the older ones also had a bad habit of blowing head gaskets. When I bought my old 2016 the previous owner told me it just had an overheating issue but he thought he had it figured out. Didn't take long after I got it to realize it was more than just a minor overheat problem. The telltale sign is to look in the overflow tank with the engine running and there will be bubbles.

This is likely the worst case but even if it comes to that luckily it isn't a horrible job to drop the engine and replace it if you are mechanically inclined.

 

It didnt have ANY coolant in it so no bubbles

 

How much Antifreeze did you have to fill it with? How much does it hold? Any white smoke out the tailpipe? It had to of gone somewhere.

 

Havent filled it yet, but itll be a full fill by all indications. 1.2L is the capacity. Just went and peeped the oil level and thats correct from when I changed it late April-mid May-ish, so it didnt cross-contaminate that which is a good sign.

No visible smoke or smell that Ive seen at idle while I'm getting my gloves on letting it warm up in the mornings. Hums along no issue between home and work up until yesterday.

Like I said, I don't have a starting data point for coolant fluid level so idk if my relatively easy and few stoplights commute each way (8mi) just wasnt enough to heat soak it, getting by on just air cooling and not showing the issue before now being my first extended highway ride and in the 95* heat, or if I lost it somewhere since early March when I bought it. My first oil change seemed about right volume wise into the pan so idk.

If my local shop down the street doesnt have any motorex 3 in stock tomorrow, Ill have to order it, so bike is prob parked for the better part of a week before until I can make some time to dig in deeper.

 

After I rebuilt the top end on mine I did a few things to try to mitigate the heating issues as well. I used Engine Ice coolant, put on a slightly higher pressure radiator cap and did the SPAL fan mod. I'm sure the head gasket was the main fix but the others seemed to help as I rode it on my 15 mile commute on the one 110* day we had last summer and it didn't have an issue. I think the SPAL fan was a big improvement after seeing the cheesy little OEM fan that is inside a shroud with one little outlet and doesn't move much air at all. The only downside is you do end up feeling the warm air on the inside of your legs at stop lights when it's warm enough for the fan to come on.

https://a.co/4HsYIvz

Outlaw Racing High-Pressure Motorcycle Dirtbike ATV UTV Radiator Cap 1.6 – Raise Boiling Point By 25 Degrees - Reduce Coolant Boiling - Fits 2 Stroke And 4 Stroke Bikes - Exceeds OEM Cap - Stylish

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T84GZDA

$61 Spal 30103011 5.2" Paddle Blade Puller Fan

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009OBP0Z6

 

Thanks for the info. I'd heard about the SPAL mod but hadn't looked into it beyond superficially.

Engine Ice is something I'd considered, but seems to be mixed opinions online if its better than the motorex 3 coolont spec'd in the manual.

Honestly, I'm just trying to make this thing good to ride for the rest of the season before I flip it for a bigger, likely ADV, bike this fall or winter.

I will say that I was heavily looking into the KTM 890/Husky 901, but seeing all these chronic KTM issues being reported across a vast swath of their models, it does make me want to look elsewhere.

The Africa twin is really starting to be more appealing, as well as the T700 is coming back onto my list (despite not having cruise control).

 

I put Engine Ice/Water Wetter into my FZ09 after I crashed it. Didnt have any ill effects

50mpg/250 miles in a tank and cruise control is awesome! Im finding the touch screen a little finnicky, but I havent had any blank screens like Ive been reading about on the forums. Plus warranty should take care of it.

Just hit 2200 miles on mine yesterday. Only 47k left until my goal!

 

Only just saw this now lol but I picked it up in the Commerce/Downey area. Was actually thinking of reaching out to meet up but decided I should take it home and get a full service done on it since it was just about due. Rides like a dream. Dropped it off at the shop Saturday afternoon to get all the fluids done, brakes replaced, valves checked/adjusted if needed. Hoping to have it back by Thursday or so.

 

Yes! Another member of the crotch rocket contingent!

 

I didnt know J&P Cycles, Cycle Gear, Revzilla, and REVER

 

Comoto holdings. They aquired all of them within the last three or four years, IIRC?

I keep meaning to cancel my rever pro subscritpion and just pay for Revzilla's thing since it includes REVER and you get better cashback

 

@Gunshot-6A if you get a 2020+

Prepare for some fun from Honda..

https://youtu.be/b4guijXcEyI?t=59

 

Are the super duke 1290r’s more comfortable than a crotch rocket?

 

You'll put your eye out!

 

Be careful man. My friend just died on one of those..

https://amp.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article262715382.html

 

That’s terrible sorry to hear

 

the like doesn't mean like, of course. I'm sorry for your loss. Sucks.