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GSW--Busted Radiator Fin

pjrider

New member
287 miles on my 2014 GSW, about an hour west of Austin. NOTHING around me. Suddenly get a splash of liquid on my visor. Try to attribute it to the morning condensation that maybe reached critical mass and flew of the front of the bike. Notice that the spray on the visor isn't evaporating . . . then look down at handlebars. More liquid . . . it has a blueish tint.

Check temperature gauge--227 on a cool morning of 55 degrees. Definitely not the 185 it was a few miles ago when I happened to look at it.

Pull over, dismount. Radiator fluid running down the front of the bike with steam coming up as the fluid hits the exhaust pipes . . .

Upon inspection you can see something (a rock/big pebble) hit the radiator fin--didn't see it, didn't feel it, didn't hear it. No 18-wheeler or anything else to curse. Must have been a stone that got kicked up by the front tire.

Not what I planned for this morning. But at least it happened on a state highway and not the dirt county roads I was planning on riding. And with the great weather I was able to brew a couple cups of coffee with the JetBoil while I waited for BMW Roadside Assistance that got to me with about 80 minutes.

Damn, though. Had just passed on the radiator guards because I was thinking that a small dent here or there wouldn't be the end of the world. And besides, had a plenty of time to get them . . . what are the odds that I'll have an issue right away?

Guess what I'm ordering tonight from Touratech . . . ?
 

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287 miles on my 2014 GSW, about an hour west of Austin. NOTHING around me. Suddenly get a splash of liquid on my visor. Try to attribute it to the morning condensation that maybe reached critical mass and flew of the front of the bike. Notice that the spray on the visor isn't evaporating . . . then look down at handlebars. More liquid . . . it has a blueish tint.

Check temperature gauge--227 on a cool morning of 55 degrees. Definitely not the 185 it was a few miles ago when I happened to look at it.

Pull over, dismount. Radiator fluid running down the front of the bike with steam coming up as the fluid hits the exhaust pipes . . .

Upon inspection you can see something (a rock/big pebble) hit the radiator fin--didn't see it, didn't feel it, didn't hear it. No 18-wheeler or anything else to curse. Must have been a stone that got kicked up by the front tire.

Not what I planned for this morning. But at least it happened on a state highway and not the dirt county roads I was planning on riding. And with the great weather I was able to brew a couple cups of coffee with the JetBoil while I waited for BMW Roadside Assistance that got to me with about 80 minutes.

Damn, though. Had just passed on the radiator guards because I was thinking that a small dent here or there wouldn't be the end of the world. And besides, had a plenty of time to get them . . . what are the odds that I'll have an issue right away?

Guess what I'm ordering tonight from Touratech . . . ?


Holy Crap.... Glad I put the Touratech guards on as soon as I brought her home. Aamazing how vulnerable they are.
 
And here I'd been thinking they're not really all that important. I liked the look/apparent functionality of the Hornig version. They're also a few dollars cheaper than the Touratech version. Might be time to order some.
 
ughh...

Don't own a WC yet, but looking at the radiators, noticed they are out there... lots a frontal area to catch bouncing stones on the highway.
I don't like the appearance of most guards, but these rads need to have some protection.

I do own a 2003 K1200GT.
It also has a big front facing, flattish item, larger that one of the 2 WC radiators. The headlight.

Even though I leave as much or more following distance than most, this past spring a rock found the headlight.
Impact crater with small hole.
$550.00ish new.... just for the part.
The bikes are aging, plenty of used parts around, and I found a fine replacement on Flea bay for $110.000 shipped.

If I may, how much for the new radiator?
I'm guessing about the same... $500...
( just looked it up $~290.00)

or

it can probably be repaired by snipping the damaged tube and and sealing both ends.

d'milan
 
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Well, the dealer let me know yesterday that there's no replacement radiators in North America and they're trying to get one allocated out of Germany. So we haven't even talked price yet. This was more of a "It's going to take some time" phone calls.

Parts for the GSW seem to be hard to come by based on some other conversations I've had with owners.

Money aside, I want to be riding so the wait for the part is a bit of salt in the wound . . .

I've ordered the guards from Touratech to reduce the chance of this happening again.
 
That didn't take long...Meaning the radiator is out there as someone said and it's a bike meant to be ridden off pavement. Go figure. :scratch
 
Looks like the damage to my wallet for the left-side radiator is about $300 for the part and around $90 for labor. Dealer has located one so I'm just glad to be getting my bike back in the next couple of days.

Radiator guards arrive Monday and they're going on the same day.


ughh...

Don't own a WC yet, but looking at the radiators, noticed they are out there... lots a frontal area to catch bouncing stones on the highway.
I don't like the appearance of most guards, but these rads need to have some protection.

I do own a 2003 K1200GT.
It also has a big front facing, flattish item, larger that one of the 2 WC radiators. The headlight.

Even though I leave as much or more following distance than most, this past spring a rock found the headlight.
Impact crater with small hole.
$550.00ish new.... just for the part.
The bikes are aging, plenty of used parts around, and I found a fine replacement on Flea bay for $110.000 shipped.

If I may, how much for the new radiator?
I'm guessing about the same... $500...
( just looked it up $~290.00)

or

it can probably be repaired by snipping the damaged tube and and sealing both ends.

d'milan
 
Even my antique Transalp has better protected stuff from the factory. It wouldn't be very easy to pop a rock off the front into the rads. I'd call this a design error- but that was a pretty big rock to make that dent.
On track cages, we make screens for low mounted (oil) coolers from 1/4" stainless hardware cloth and usually pop rivet or screw them to the panel opening. That stuff stops just about anything, is cheap, and easy to use. Does minimal damage to airflow through the cooler.
 
This comment isn't going to help much, but I'm a little skeptical as to the cause of the damage.

The OP noticed the coolant leaking only a short distance from the selling dealer and felt nothing that could be identified as a rock hit. To me the radiator damage looks like something that might have occurred prior to his first ride. I hope I'm way off base on this.
 
You wouldn't feel a hit on the rad from that size rock.

But if it were shipping/assembly damage- from what? Need to see how this model is crated and what parts are actually dealer assembled to evaluate that one- it is an interesting idea. Maybe talk to a some of the mechanics at other dealerships or get a look at a crated example.
Still, that's a fairly hard hit to make that big a dent in the cooler.

I wouldn't expect its crating or we'd hear more of these. The previous models for which I know the crating/ assembly drill were crated pretty nicely by the factory.
 
No, I there were 287 miles total on the bike when it happened. I had it out for a ride the weekend before and was just starting on a day's ride when it happened.

Something hit the radiator and I know when it happened because there was a spray of coolant on my face shield when it first happened--I attributed the moisture to condensation coming off the bike but quickly realized it was something else.

The other reason I know it was perfect when I first drove it off the lot is that I spent way too many hours installing the crash bars and was in front of both radiators for extended periods while I wrenched those things on.

Anyway, got the bike back late today, radiator guards go on Monday evening after UPS drops them off . . .


This comment isn't going to help much, but I'm a little skeptical as to the cause of the damage.

The OP noticed the coolant leaking only a short distance from the selling dealer and felt nothing that could be identified as a rock hit. To me the radiator damage looks like something that might have occurred prior to his first ride. I hope I'm way off base on this.
 
If you have comprehensive coverage, this loss would be covered by your insurance less any applicable deductible.
 
security screen

Holy Crap.... Glad I put the Touratech guards on as soon as I brought her home. Aamazing how vulnerable they are.

After reading this thread checked the radiators and had a pretty good ding in one, straightened out the fins as best I could and cut security screening to fit. it was easy to do only 3 screws on 2013 WGS on each side. placed very stiff screen in, can't come out. Looks like factory. Got the screen free. Also if radiator has leak a good welder can fix it.
 
I was at the dealership yesterday for another reason and took a good look at the wethead GS (still haven't ridden a wethead).
That's a good quality set of coolers, nicely made, good size, well placed, etc etc except ---
BMW cheaping out on any kind of protection. To call them vulnerable in stock form is an understatement. Those tubes are completely exposed, a relatively fragile material, and well positioned to catch bouncing stuff- their only protection is height but we all know highway crap bounces or is thrown higher than that with pretty good frequency.

Someone at BMW must own parts of Touratech and/or Hornig or they're even more asleep than I though IF they actually ever do a serious design review.

Were it mine I'd just make my own screen as I've done for various track toys- no rewards to BMW or accessory shops for this very deliberate choice to save a few $ in manufacturing. They have to know how vulnerable these things will be in the real world.

I doubt they'll get it right on the RT but it would be nice. Has anyone confirmed if the Adventure still has the rads open like this?
 
I definitely advocate a guard.

KG-12GS-LC.jpg


Personally I am not a fan of the cut steel ones. The holes are too big, and the radiator is too fragile.

I like the foam idea, and it would likely stop smaller rocks. I also like the mesh,

Of course the odds are slim that damage would happen, but it would be expensive damage if it did.

Jim :brow
 
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