What moron designed that radiator filler???

First topic message reminder :

I decided to do a coolant swap today, and drained the system using the oil cooler fitting. That part was easy, but the refill was a nightmare!

Firstly that filler cap is in the most useless position with the fairings on; no problem when the bodywork is off, but I could only fit a little funnel on and then was unable to get a clean pour from any larger container. I ended up using a 750mL water bottle with sipping nipple, which at least gave me control over the addition.

However, everything was "full" with only 750mL on board, even though nearly 2L came out. I ended up running the engine for maybe 15 minutes waiting for the rest of the air to burp out. In the meantime the coolant expanded and overflowed on the floor, the engine got pretty hot and the fast idle system kept running at a "cold" setting. All this time the coolant in the neck stayed cold, until finally there was a little vapour rising, then with a gurgle I think the thermostat opened and the level dropped and I was able to get the rest of the liquid in.

Moral of the story....actually I don't know what I would do differently next time. I've never seen anything quite like this with any of my "big" bikes. Any suggestions from the more seasoned Silverwing maintainers here? I don't think this had anything to do with my Southern Hemisphere orientation as I bough an Australian-branded coolant...

Loosemarbles wrote:

What's a pushbike?

You don’t know what a pushbike is! It's a bicycle, pedal cycle, bike etc. One of these human powered two wheeled contraptions that in our brave new world they now want everyone to use to get to work instead of using public transport.

Never heard of it. Can't imagine a two wheeled contraption without an engine

You soon will when they start banning traffic from city centres. Up here in what they correctly refer to as God's Country, York City Council already want a car free city centre by 2024.

I don't mind cycling into York and I often do. I can take a route mainly in cycle lanes and ride along beside the River Ouse and in sight of York Minster. Maybe I'll ditch the push bike in future and buy an eBike, and Boris's minions have also mentioned electric scooters as another alternative.

The expensive BMW C Evolution electric scooter comes to mind, but I doubt the non-riding commuter masses will be buying them.

I thought it was some English term for a bike with pedals and no engine other than a sweating and puffing human aboard.

exavid wrote:

I thought it was some English term for a bike with pedals and no engine other than a sweating and puffing human aboard.

Well done that man, got it in one!!

In my case it's swearing and puffing, but it's all good as I've lost weight since the start of lockdown and can cinch my belt in another notch.

Over here if we didn't just call it a bicycle the term, "pedal bike" might more rarely be used. It appears that "bicycle" could equally apply to scooters, both motor and push scooters, "push bike", motorcycle or anything with a pair of wheels.

Don't forget there's pedelecs too, not as good it seems as a mid-drive eBike.

I went out on the Forza yesterday, really enjoyed the ride which re-emphasised my feelings that Honda really got it right with the restyled 2018 sportier version.

Riding along it mulled over in my mind that I don't really miss the feet forward riding position of the Silver Wing anymore. With the more upright riding position there's no strain on my lower back and any need for a backrest.

Not that I've had a backrest on a maxi scooter since my Helix years. A filled Ortlieb bag cinched to the passenger seat works well enough on long trips.

Right enough of this, I need to attend to my sourdough bread.

You know a hygrometer works good for testing radiator juice.
All in all I think the packaging of the Silverwing is crap, but it is that way for most scooters. Typical of vehicle design, an engineer makes this wonderful design or a stylist designs something beautiful. Then the making it function aspect comes up and compromises happen....like the radiator fill. On top of that the corporate budget rules over all of that. Service departments ‍(dealers) like to make money. Dealers buy bikes and scooters from corporate. Takes a while to service a Swing sometimes .
I am bald and it only takes five minutes for my wife to cut the sides ‍🦲. There are some really nice scissors with the safety ends for trimming a noses hairy area. I like those for that task.