I think I have the dreaded leaky clamp problem. I pulled the tupperware yesterday to deal with my fork seals (and new Gold Valves) and noticed a couple of drops of a-freeze on the inside of the lower cowls. Coolant is dripping down the front of the engine along the right side of the clutch cover and also out the small square hole on the right front side of the engine. (See photos). Radiator and attached hoses are dry as a bone w/ no signs of leakage.
I assume I have the same problem nikonhonda wrote about - the other end of the fat hoses coming off the radiator are leaking in the 'V' between cylinder banks.
I initially planned to let this slide until the winter layup - there have been no leaks on the garage floor, I ride a couple of hundred miles a week with a MC club, and there is plenty of juice in the radiator overflow bottle. The leak seems very minor. Q 1. Should I wait or since the forks are coming off, this provides unfettered access to the radiator and just bite the bullet and do it now?
Q 2. Am I correct in my diagnosis that pulling the radiator is necessary and then I follow the hoses to the end and change/tighten the clamps? Mark wrote about Gates powerclamps solving the problem. McMaster Carr is a 20 minute drive away, so I would just pick up a pair of these clamps and swap them out.
Sorry about the pics loading sideways. Left pic is of the square hole on the right side of the engine; right pic is of the front clutch cover. Right edge of both pics should be on the bottom. Bike is a 2010 1300 36,000 miles young.
I assume I have the same problem nikonhonda wrote about - the other end of the fat hoses coming off the radiator are leaking in the 'V' between cylinder banks.
I initially planned to let this slide until the winter layup - there have been no leaks on the garage floor, I ride a couple of hundred miles a week with a MC club, and there is plenty of juice in the radiator overflow bottle. The leak seems very minor. Q 1. Should I wait or since the forks are coming off, this provides unfettered access to the radiator and just bite the bullet and do it now?
Q 2. Am I correct in my diagnosis that pulling the radiator is necessary and then I follow the hoses to the end and change/tighten the clamps? Mark wrote about Gates powerclamps solving the problem. McMaster Carr is a 20 minute drive away, so I would just pick up a pair of these clamps and swap them out.
Sorry about the pics loading sideways. Left pic is of the square hole on the right side of the engine; right pic is of the front clutch cover. Right edge of both pics should be on the bottom. Bike is a 2010 1300 36,000 miles young.