please help.

Remove the left lower cowl and the coolant overflow tank is just under the frame spar.
Check the coolant level with the bike upright. Don't over fill.
To add coolant, you need to not only remove both lower cowls, but the upper cowl as well.

I have no idea why Honda put the radiator cap under the right-rear part of the upper cowl.
If they could just have moved the neck a few inches to the rear or made a cutout for access it would be no problem. But no.
Be sure and check your hose clamps to ensure they're snug, especially the left radiator hose clamp as it is notorious for leaking.

wow. honda should just put a sign on most of their bikes that say DO NOT TOUCH. sounds like a 3 hour job just to check the coolant!

thanks sub, you're the best, man...

yup, that's honda's way! make things difficult to get at!
suzuki is the opposite, everything is easy to get at. my 05 gsxr1000 doesn't even require fairing removal for oil filter changes!

TMFD said:

wow. honda should just put a sign on most of their bikes that say DO NOT TOUCH. sounds like a 3 hour job just to check the coolant!

thanks sub, you're the best, man...

Click to expand...

Well ordinarily you'd only be checking the overflow tank level and topping it up for evaporation losses.
When the system cools down the negative pressure will suck the coolant in the overflow tank back into the radiator.
Usually about the only reason to pop the radiator cap is changing out the coolant (every two years for ethylene glycol) or replacing after disassembling the system, or topping up the system after fixing leaks.

ok, i'm revisiting this topic. a few months ago i thought i had a left side coolant leak so i took it to the shop. thankfully the owner and techs are friends so i trust them when they said no leaks, everything is snug. they changed the coolant out and refilled.

i noticed earlier today after a ride that there are dried flecks and splatters of what looks like coolant on the lower left side fairing and exhaust pipe. it's a light blue/white/chalky kind of color. could this just be overflow coming out of the little hose that hangs below the fairing, like a venting process or something? i don't like that hose hanging under my fairing so i put it inside the fairing facing to the rear.

any ideas would be appreciated.

Same thing happened to me a while back as the overflow tank was a bit overfilled.
So I keep it around the middle of the HI-LO marks.
Also make sure the reservoir cap is fully closed around the neck.

reservoir was overfilled!

thanks sub.

Sub Sailor Strikes Again!