MissBex

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/1536343_zpsutpvt5br.jpg They are just holes for the screws, right? Not sure about a bleed hole, will have to see if I can see one, maybe it'll tell me in the Haynes.

Hi Stu, The puddle is a sudden drop of coolant from the overflow (Which I've been told can happen for a number of reasons; faulty Rad cap, overfilled reservoir, a Leak somewhere, head gasket etc etc..) Heya Tango Uhmmm.. I..... don't know...? You saying the 'Bleed Hole' is the hole in the picture? (Which is 1 of 4 holes that hold the rad cover on.) or somewhere else?

It feels metal to me. Still though, if it's corroded then even after a fix it could possibly get another hole somewhere else? It's looks to have been already done before so I think if the rad's most likely (Hopefully) the culprit for it dropping the coolant then I'd rather just get a new one ( Will look nicer too.. ) but are they easy to fit? I'll have a look in the haynes later, but even if it says 1 spanner.. I'll probably still do something wrong XD!

Aha!! Just noticed whilst looking around it again, a droplet under the rad on the right hand side. Took the fairing and rad cover off again and sure enough, I think the leak is coming from around that damn screw'ole! So. Am I looking at a new rad? (Can get a Delkavic one for £135, But probs wont be able to fit it myself, so will probs have to pay a garage for that too) http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/rad1%20003_zps51pqy8f2.jpg http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/rad1%20002_zpsk3ctbwzi.jpg

Well, Service all done - New pads, oil & filter, Brake fluids and coolant. Everything on their 'Health Check' form was green, meaning good. But It's still pouring coolant out the overflow. So new cap didn't solve it I went up to town and back the other day and I didn't see it do it all, but today it did it as I pulled up to park in Tesco's car park. Started doing it as I was slowing to a stop riding into the parking area, and as the floor was very pale I noticed a line of it where it had gone on the wheel and rolled through it, and then it spat out a little puddle after fully stopping. Temp stayed low, not over 1/4 the whole ride. Didn't do it again when I got home and stopped. Any other suggestions or do I need to book it in to be looked at properly?

ahaha Well, will just see if the new cap makes any difference or not Service on Wednesday - be nice to know she'll have all new pads, oil, brake fluid, coolant etc.. in her

Well, yet another thing I just can't do XD I've tried and tried and I can't get it to screw in - tried a few different screwdrivers but I dunno, I probably don't have the strength :/ Will it be ok for now just to not have the screw in there?

Aha! Thankyou. Will give that a go tomorrow.

Hey all, so still be getting coolant coming out after stopping on longer rides, and if it's sitting idling and getting hot. So I've got a new rad cap from david silver spares which came today to see if that does help at all and I've retopped up the rad with more coolant again. Only thing is, It didn't come with the little screw and when I try to put the one from my old cap in it, it doesn't seem to fit? do I have to force screw it in the first time or something? Here's some piccys of the old rad cap: http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/003_zpsjbdcwkjr.jpg http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/004_zpslfffdodx.jpg Here's the new & old one's screw holes: http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/006_zpshgtjkcxk.jpg Here's how far the screw will go into the new one and then it's stuck: http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/008_zps3rgkygqf.jpg I have decided that I am going to take the bike for a service, atleast just this one time and then hopefully learn and do it myself after that. I've got it booked in for this wednesday with Wheels in peterborough. Should be having the brake fluids and coolant changed too. Will see how it goes. Think I need some new tyres soon.

Congrats on passing your test! My 2000 Hornet often has some smoke (White) when starting her up - especially if it's been cold or sat for a few days - and it's a bit stinky too. I like to try and let her warm up around 10 mins as that's what is says in the owners manual and you can hear the change in sound when it's good to go. The smoke stops when it gets warmed up. Probably just condensation or water in exhaust from washing it. Let it idle for a while and see if it clears up and take it for a good run and keep an eye on it and report back you findings.

Wow, Thanks for the detailed breakdown and checklist of tools etc.. I think I have most of those things - well, my stepdad has 2 garages of tools - although it may take a while to find the ones I need as they are a tip! haha I might just try myself.. I really don't have a lot of money to be spending on a garage service and I would love to learn anyway. Would I need a stand for the bike to do any of this? Not got one yet, still saving for an abbastand I assume I should torque the bolts up too, which I imagine I would find in a Haynes manual(?) Heya John, aww that's no problem, very kind of you say anyway. Unfortunately I pretty much don't really know anyone who's into bikes, well apart from another lady who lives in Chatteris but she doesn't know mechanical stuff either and just takes hers for garage services as it's only a year or so old. I also want to attempt to do oil & filter (I don't think that'll be hard) and would also like to put new coolant in too as I have no idea when the bike was last serviced anyway.

Thanks for the advice all, Yeah I'm also a fan of Delboy's garage I forgot he did a brakes vid, I'll have to bring that back up and have a watch. I find it all very daunting really, but I'm sure when it comes to it as long as I follow the steps properly, I might be ok I do need to find myself a mechanically minded helper round this way haha. My step dad does know quite a bit but he's often busy (and to be honest, often a bit of a bodge jobber! haha)

Hey all, so as the title says, how easy would you say it is for a complete non mechanically minded person such as myself to clean up the calipers, front and rear, put in new pads and change the front and rear brake fluid? It needs doing on the Hornet, I'm looking to get it booked in for a service in which brake service is included (I dont think fluid though) anyway, but be good to learn this kind of thing for future so I can save £150-200. I guess a Haynes manual would help for starters. Cheers

It is annoying without a stand, however you can clean a section at a time, roll it forward do the next section etc. I know they cost a bit but an abba stand works brilliantly much more stable than a normal paddock stand and easier to use on your own Yeah, funny you should say as that's actually what I'm trying to save up for as I will need to do it on my own and I wouldn't trust myself trying to hold the bike upright whilst putting a rear paddock stand under.

I had my first go of cleaning the chain of my bike a little while after I bought it the end of last year. I used the Muc off chain cleaner and one of those 3 sided chain brushes with some cardboard behind the chain to catch the spray and muck from going everywhere else. http://www.motopsychos.co.uk/ekmps/shops/motopsychos/resources/image//CHBBSH02.jpg I don't have a stand (Still!) for my bike so I have to roll it forward/backward to move the chain around - which isn't really ideal. It did come up looking lovely and clean, I patted it dry with a clean dry towel/cloth and then I used Wurth dry chain lube and let it sit overnight. I rode it the next day and sprayed some extra on after the ride. http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/013small_zpsbxzwqbxn.jpg Unfornately over winter it seems to have taken it's toll on it (I think washing the bike a lot and the water not drying quickly as it was too cold and not reapplying lube enough has made it rusty (And it's is stored inside) I need to see if I can sort it out soon - I really need to get a stand for too to make it easier. At it's MOT last month the guy said the chain could do with lubing and that it was a little "tight" so he lubed it with stuff that looks very wet/oily but I've noticed it seems to have picked up quite a bit of grit some I'm thinking clean now and put dry lube back on again(?)

Once every couple of weeks or before a long trip, I only take her out usually a few times a week at most. I have a oxford digital tyre pressure gauge for quick checks and a Michelin programmable tyre inflator for pumping them up which only takes a few mins. I really do need to sort my chain out though, I don't have a stand for it currently which is awkward for cleaning and lubing and over winter it's gotten a bit rusty

Heya As what others have said and definitely concentrate on exams first, but do consider making a start to the basics of gear - Helmet, Gloves, Jacket, and if possible boots and textile/leather trousers or kevlar jeans. Most schools can provide you with the gear if you don't have any, but it's always nicer to have you're own that you will be more comfortable in, fit better and get used to. If you are not 100% sure if it's something you really want to do, or even if you know you want to and want to try out being on a bike before your CBT, go to www.geton.co.uk and book a Free hours session with a local riding school. This is what I did and I thought it was really great. They asked me if I'd ever ridden before, asked if I knew about the controls etc.. to try and understand how much I knew about a bike (I'd only been pillion quite a lot) and then I got taken out to the bike and just sat on it and learnt to move it very slowly by just using the clutch etc... and then soon after that was doing little loops around the training area and doing some practice on slow maneuvers.

Yeah, that's exactly what happened, took me 3 months after that to save for my bike - only being in P/T work too I snatched all the overtime I could find. That's who I went with

When I had to retake my mod 2 last year it cost £185. That was test fee and the price of a full days training (4hours) even though we only did 1.5-2 hours training/riding before heading to the test centre.

My DAS cost £700 (Discounted down from £777!) for a full novice course which was CBT, 3x 4hour days training, Mod1 and mod 2. It cost me double that in the end from retests and an extra day training.

Thanks, yeah I guess I'll just keep an eye on it for now then. I was really careful when pouring it in, I didn't notice spilling any, but maybe I did. Might get a new rad cap anyway as suggested, won't hurt. I do want to do a whole flush on it, as well as other service bits like oil, brakes etc.. but as I was planning to take it to a garage for the service this first time I could ask them if they'd do that for me as well. Yeah, Fingers crossed!

Hey all, Ok so, I topped up the rad with some putoline ready mixed green coolant I found in the bike shop. I let the bike idle and warm right up. When it got to this temp: http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/1536342_zpsne5uwq29.jpg Coolant came out of the overflow. It did this another couple of times whilst it was still idling and then also once I turned the bike off (I think the tank under the seat is still probably too high): http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/1536341_zpsbtfq1hgc.jpg I kept watching the side and cap of the rad for leaks but couldn't see any at all. I then pushed on the uplifted paint and saw some come out. I did it again and the paint completed came away. I carried on peeling it off and steam was coming off from what I can only assume was coolant trapped under it. http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k539/bexyboo88/Bikes/1536343_zpsutpvt5br.jpg I carried on watching now it was clear and still didn't notice any coolant leaking from cap or the hole. I'll go take it for a ride now and check again.

hmm, where to find it though.. Halfords sell OAT 5 year stuff which is red by the looks which is silicate free.. but I cant find any normal green stuff thats silicate free - The green Comma Xtreme they also sell has silicates in. (My manual says silicate free and 50/50 mix) Castrol sell theirs in blue. Any ideas? Really the whole lot should be replaced as I have no idea when it was last done, but I just need to worry about this leak first really. As a matter of interest, anyone know how much antifreeze & water or ready mixed stuff would I need to do the whole system if I was to do it myself at some point? It could possibly come from the rad cap however I've got a strong feeling it's coming from that bodged up bolt hole, maybe as well as. I'll idle it tomorrow, check it. then run it around abit and check it. I'll report back my findings.

Thanks guys, I'll start it up and let it run for a while tomorrow and see if I notice a leak - It's not going to be as hot a day for us here but see what I can find out. Then I might also take it for a run somewhere and see what happens. I seem to be getting conflicting info on using rad seals etc.. some say avoid and some advise to use it.. I didn't even know about that!? Would come in very handy. There is green antifreeze in it so would I need green antifreeze & distilled water 50/50 for it? would I be able to mix blue with it instead?

Hi again all, so another update, my step dad managed to get the screw out using the plier technique Please to see no gunk in there, but does need topping up in there. How high should it be? And should I just use distilled water (I don't have any green antifreeze at the mo) My stepdad also said I could use some Rad leak stop in there... should I? or just leave it for now and get a new rad? (£150 for a delkavic oem replacement)