Fluid under my hibernating ST1300

MichiGlenn

MichiGlenn

Joined
Jul 9, 2024
Messages
5
Age
67
Location
Portage, MI
Since we just finished our first false spring here in Michigan, I decided it was a good time to pull the cover off the bike.
It’s parked on a tarp to deter any curious critters, and the tarp has a small puddle of clear liquid under the belly of the bike. I bought it the fall of 2024, and the previous owner said it has Evans waterless coolant in it. I had no issues last year, and haven’t really looked at the coolant. The Evans site says it is turquoise colored, and the puddle is clear, not slippery feeling like Prestone.
The reserve bottle appears low or empty (I haven’t pulled plastic off yet). Any thoughts on what I can expect to find?
 
If it is coolant it is common to find drips when the bike is stored during the winter. The hoses shrink when cold and the hose clamps become loose. Usually this is a good indicator to check the condition of your hoses and tighten up the hose clamps. If it is water - perhaps it is just condensation from heating and cooling under the cover and collecting on the tarp.
 
Looks like a dog has had a pee on your bike.

The safety data sheet for Evans Waterless coolant states it has a yellow colour and faint sweet smell, the content is mainly ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, both of which will feel slippery to touch.
 
If it is coolant, I hope you don’t have any dogs or cats near it, even if the walk in it and then lick their paws, it can kill them.
Looks like coolant to me.
Way too much for brake fluid or leaking fork seal etc.
 
You can always give it the taste test:

Evans waterless coolant is designed to be extremely bitter, utilizing a strong bittering agent to deter ingestion by pets and animals. While based on glycols that naturally have a sweet taste (similar to traditional antifreeze), the added flavor makes it highly unpleasant to taste. It is not considered highly toxic, but it should never be consumed.

  • Safety: It has a low toxicity profile, but the bitter taste is a safety feature.
 
No danger of a dog getting into it. The bike is in a locked shed, haven’t even had mouse issues there.
Probably is the Evans, not as slippery as normal antifreeze, slightly bitter, which threw me off on the taste test. I expected the sweetness of antifreeze. I guess it’s time to pull plastics and find the source.
Any thoughts on the benefits of the Evans over traditional antifreeze?
 
If you have not already done so, you might top off the coolant level and run the bike some before pulling the plastic.
 
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