Is it normal to lose any coolant at all?

[SteveThe Snakes]

I got a small note.. Maybe get air cooled bike? Most old trail bikes are air cooled! almost all the new ones are water cooled. Then you have no worries.

Fixed it for you.

[Bitteeinbit]

Baja, is your coolant normal ethylene glycol or propylene glycol?

Also true about air cooled bikes... The more advanced bikes get, the more complicated they are with more things prone to go wrong. The old XR400s are great bikes reliability wise. Still, the power and suspension of modern bikes is difficult to overlook.

[Chaconne]

I got a small note.. Maybe get air cooled bike? Most old trail bikes are air cooled! almost all the new ones are water cooled. Then you have no worries.

Fixed it for you.

You still have worries just because a bike is air-cooled does not mean it can't overheat which is bad whether you see steam or not.

 

BTW I ride xr4 as well as a 2014 wr both have their charms.

[SteveThe Snakes]

You still have worries just because a bike is air-cooled does not mean it can't overheat which is bad whether you see steam or not.

 

BTW I ride xr4 as well as a 2014 wr both have their charms.

Well I haven't overheated a air cooled yet or a water cooled bike. But I do run straight anti freeze. The little worry would be a hole in a radiator or a hose in the middle of nowhere. Hasn't happened yet though.

[Chaconne]

Well I haven't overheated a air cooled yet or a water cooled bike. But I do run straight anti freeze. The little worry would be a hole in a radiator or a hose in the middle of nowhere. Hasn't happened yet though.

True. But even with an xr4 a stick or rock could certainly hit or crack the oil cooler lines. I have come close to doing that.

 

Overheating an air-cooled bike is not always obvious, unexpected power loss is one sign, but at that point some damage has probably already been done.