As a completely ignorant idiot (new guy), I have a question that I hope someone here can answer. I do not race (want to but there is not a sundial class - went to one of Ed's practice sessions at Talledega and went out in the first session and by the time I got around such a huge track, it was getting dark and everybody was gone) and have found most of the sportbike websites to be filled with people with even less knowledge than me so I am hoping that some people who actually know something can answer a question. The coolant resevoir on my R6 was completely bone dry.....rode it for several hundred miles after noticing it (do not know how long it had been that way to be honest) and the water temp never strayed out of the ordinary. I have a service manual for the bike and it does not address how critical this is or even what it is there for. I filled the thing today to almost the full line. What the heck is this thing for, how does it work, if it is empty, is it a disaster.......? I would be very grateful for your input on this.
It's just an overflow for the radiator. If your bike didn't overheat, you had water in the radiator which is all that really counts Under high temp, water will be forced out into the resevoir, then drawn back in as the bike cools. Just to be safe, you might want to open up the radiator cap and make sure your radiator is full. - Roach
Hey Tom! What took you so long to find us?? Get stuck on that other board? Roach summed it up. I fill the radiator, then go about halfway between 'low' and 'full'...Got the bike rollin' yet?
Brad.....still have not forgiven ya for defecting from the R6 Camp, ya rat! Thanks for the info.....BTW, the rad was completely full of the green stuff (my street R6 ya know). Got the track R6 back together cuz not just everybody has an almost complete R6 in parts like meeeeeee. Just grabbed a spare left clip-on, spare complete left rearset assembly and ordered from Brad a new fairing stay and I was all set. Big dent in the tank but that will have to stay. Hated for my almost new leathers to get such a rude break-in. Say "HI" to Beth for me.
Road K: Roach has it right! Basic laws of expansion and contraction. Check the tank when the bike is bone cold, and bring it up to the proper level. If the bike gets too hot, it will "boil it out" and then the tank will be low. Same as boiling water to make pasta!
