Can I race with a bent radiator

tschweitzer622
Edited Date/Time 10/3/2022 6:14pm
Took a mini digger this past weekend and tweaked my bar mounts and my left radiator. This happened half way through Moto 1 of a 4 Moto day in 2 separate classes. I didn’t catch the bent radiator until Monday afternoon bike wash/prep. I obviously finished that Moto and 3 more motos at race pace but am I pushing my luck to race again this coming weekend? I thought I read in here somewhere you can run a screwdriver through the screw hole mounts and gently tweak it back. I won’t have time to mail them off between now and this weekends race. Any input or experience with this appreciated and yes now I’ll buy mounts and probably guards. Peace ✌🏻
|
tschweitzer622 10/3/2022 3:00pm
10/3/2022 3:00pm
tschweitzer622 wrote:
Took a mini digger this past weekend and tweaked my bar mounts and my left radiator. This happened half way through Moto 1 of a 4...
Took a mini digger this past weekend and tweaked my bar mounts and my left radiator. This happened half way through Moto 1 of a 4 Moto day in 2 separate classes. I didn’t catch the bent radiator until Monday afternoon bike wash/prep. I obviously finished that Moto and 3 more motos at race pace but am I pushing my luck to race again this coming weekend? I thought I read in here somewhere you can run a screwdriver through the screw hole mounts and gently tweak it back. I won’t have time to mail them off between now and this weekends race. Any input or experience with this appreciated and yes now I’ll buy mounts and probably guards. Peace ✌🏻



Juck
Profile picture for user Juck
Posts
2098
Joined
5/23/2019
Location
AU
Fantasy
70th
Juck 10/3/2022 3:01pm
10/3/2022 3:01pm
It's fine
5
Gravel
Profile picture for user Gravel
Posts
1880
Joined
2/22/2014
Location
Ridgecrest, CA, USA
Gravel 10/3/2022 3:04pm
10/3/2022 3:04pm Edited Date/Time 10/3/2022 3:05pm
If it’s not leaking, I’d run it until I got a new one.. I’ve raced with worse.. but I have a history of bad decisions behind me..
7
Mr. Afterbar
Profile picture for user Mr. Afterbar
Posts
2420
Joined
5/13/2019
Location
Green Bay, WI, USA
Mr. Afterbar 10/3/2022 3:09pm
10/3/2022 3:09pm
Run it as long as it’s not leaking. Keep an eye on it.
8

The Shop

See All »
PNWMXer
Profile picture for user PNWMXer
Posts
1777
Joined
1/13/2022
Location
Washington, WA, USA
PNWMXer 10/3/2022 3:20pm
10/3/2022 3:20pm Edited Date/Time 10/3/2022 3:23pm
In addition to the above, I’d also pull it and verify that it flows. But as long as it flows and isn’t leaking you’ll be good.

Edit, just saw the pictures…guessing you’re fine. Only thing I’d check is the dent in the lower elbow, to make sure it’s not blocking the flow too much. Looks fairly shallow though.
3
dsmith
Profile picture for user dsmith
Posts
4574
Joined
3/29/2011
Location
way north, IN, USA
Fantasy
528th
dsmith 10/3/2022 3:26pm
10/3/2022 3:26pm
Use it...
3
davis224
Profile picture for user davis224
Posts
7527
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Cornland, IL, USA
Fantasy
139th
davis224 10/3/2022 3:31pm
10/3/2022 3:31pm
I crashed and bent a radiator, ordered a new half with braces, and got the one radiator and one brace on before I decided I'd rather go shred a few laps before I put the other brace on, then promptly fell over in a low speed turn and bent my other radiator. It's still bent.
Sheriff245 10/3/2022 3:52pm
10/3/2022 3:52pm
It doesn’t look too bad. As long as air glows through it, coulant flows inside and there is no leak, there’s no problem riding with it as is.
1
Darrin Willis
Profile picture for user Darrin Willis
Posts
1105
Joined
11/16/2020
Location
Red Deer County, AB, CA
Darrin Willis 10/3/2022 3:56pm
10/3/2022 3:56pm
I've never not raced with a bent rad. Lol
9
Motoxdoc
Profile picture for user Motoxdoc
Posts
2711
Joined
11/8/2009
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO, USA
Motoxdoc 10/3/2022 3:57pm
10/3/2022 3:57pm Edited Date/Time 10/3/2022 4:00pm
I laughed hard when I read this thread title. I have probably raced more races with bent up radiators then I have with straight ones. Put your shrouds back on and sign up.
6
1
MotoChris
Profile picture for user MotoChris
Posts
456
Joined
12/12/2016
Location
Vilonia, AR, USA
MotoChris 10/3/2022 4:17pm
10/3/2022 4:17pm
As said above, if air flows and no coolant leaks I wouldn’t worry about it. I also wouldn’t try to get aggressive with trying to straighten it because you could create a leak.
2
sandman768
Profile picture for user sandman768
Posts
8180
Joined
3/21/2014
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY, USA
sandman768 10/3/2022 5:14pm
10/3/2022 5:14pm
That radiator can be straightened out to look pretty good in about 30 minutes… Utube it….
3
tschweitzer622 10/3/2022 5:57pm
10/3/2022 5:57pm
MotoChris wrote:
As said above, if air flows and no coolant leaks I wouldn’t worry about it. I also wouldn’t try to get aggressive with trying to straighten...
As said above, if air flows and no coolant leaks I wouldn’t worry about it. I also wouldn’t try to get aggressive with trying to straighten it because you could create a leak.
Thank you for that. I figured getting bananas with trying to fix it would only fuck it up more. I may try to just gently partially straighten it for ease of mounting plastics back in n. Thanks big dog 🐕
1
S.Loyer
Profile picture for user S.Loyer
Posts
1749
Joined
1/4/2012
Location
Palmer, AK, USA
S.Loyer 10/3/2022 6:05pm
10/3/2022 6:05pm
If its not leaking, you're fine.
MotofactioN
Profile picture for user MotofactioN
Posts
645
Joined
6/25/2020
Location
Gloucester, VA, USA
MotofactioN 10/3/2022 6:05pm
10/3/2022 6:05pm
Mine always end up bent somehow lol. My Suzuki I always had 1 shroud that was sticking out more than the other 😂

Post a reply to: Can I race with a bent radiator