Think twice before installing an extra horn

[the big mike]

Imagine you want an extra horn on your bike, just for the heck of it...
Here's a hint:

Don't install it in front of your radiator!!!

The nut which holds the horn to the metal bracket slammed repeatedly into the radiator, now I have a leak...
(it also hit my front fender)

It doesn't seem to be a problem when the bike is cold, but when the temperature goes up, sometimes I get a small cloud of clear smoke into my face for about 5 seconds. (That really happens very rarely, almost never, only when running hot)

I guess I can continue riding as I mostly do highway where the engine stays cool thanks to aircooling.
Although the needle rises quickly when doing jammed city traffic, it never gets to the redline...

suggestions?

[Skullz]

Drain the system and pull the radiator, use some needle nose pliers and clear the area just a tiny bit so you can clean it and solder the pinhole.
One time in my mustang the clutch fan bearing decided to crap out and left a smiley in a brand new aluminum radiator.
I feel your pain.

[dcj13]

Bummer. Hope you can fix your radiator per above.

Thank you for the warning!

[EternalNewb]

Yikes. Thanks for the warning. My family has asked me to install a bigger horn a couple of times, so I'll keep this in mind if I ever do.

[alex.s]

i have fixed several radiators. depending on how bad the hole is there are a few different ways to fix it. if it's a small pinhole in the very front or back of one of the tubes (caused by a bolt or something) you can solder, i prefer to use high strength high temp chem resist epoxy (drain the system first, let it dry before filling again) because you can really cram it in there with your finger and it doesn't have the same kind of porosity issues welding and soldering can have. if you are on the side of the road, the melting point of most plastic is between 350 to 450f so you can melt a ziptie with a lighter and jam it in the leak hole then melt the rest of it off. then just pee in the radiator to fill it back up after the leak. since your cooling system should not get above 100c it never has a chance to get as high as 200c to melt that plastic.

if the radiator tube is bent and cracked in the middle of the tube (between the fins), you have to carefully remove around it (don't pull the fins or they will tear more holes, you have to carefully cut them) and either remove the tubes that are too far gone and plug both ends, or just replace the thing

[misfitsailor]

A pinhole on the road can also be slowed down with a screw. This radiator is aluminum, you are not going to solder that, but like alex.s said, there are special expoxies. You may need to find a good used radiator, and not risk having it start leaking far from home.

The horn can be mounted on the side, under the fairing and still be quite loud. Also, it will not clog up with bugs there.

If you add an air horn, remember that you need to add a relay.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by the big mike

.................I guess I can continue riding as I mostly do highway where the engine stays cool thanks to aircooling.
Although the needle rises quickly when doing jammed city traffic, it never gets to the redline...

suggestions?

One way or the other, repair or replace the radiator as soon as possible.

Your radiator cannot develop the designed pressure and you are losing coolant more or less quickly, even if you don't see leaks or steam.
The cooling system in our bikes is marginal and easily under-performs if things are not as they should.

You are risking overheating and low level of coolant around the heads and cylinders, and that will create a chain reaction and expensive repairs.
It is very easy to inadvertently cross the fine line that separates the current condition from a blown head gasket or more damage.

This is how the cooling system works:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Cooling_system

[ninjamunky85]

Crack an egg into it. It worked on Mythbusters

[linkinpark9812]

I put an "aftermarket" car horn in replacement of the stock one. Wasn't much bigger or heavier, so far now problems. I better check though now, in case it is causing damage.

But now I got this beast mounted in the back. It gets your attention.