'14 CTX700 only on inch of coolant in reservoir tank.
- Thread starter Duffy
- Start date
MJC
Super Moderator
If you have had the bike for less then a week you should bring it back. Have the salesman and the service manager go over the bike with you and show you where fluid levels should be and how to check them. If anything is not right it should be taken in the back shop and put right, then you should ask why it was not done in the 1st place.
When I sold new bikes and cars, it was the salesman's job to show the new owner (with the help of the service manager if needed) how to check the oil, coolant, etc, all the fluids. How and what type of gas to use, and to make a appointment for their 1st service. If the new owner wanted to do the service themselves I would make sure we want over the owners manual and point them to the parts department so they could get what they where going to need. If I had the type of new owner that did not want to hear it or knew too much and just wanted to get the bike and go, then I would make sure the bike was ready and checked it out before they got there.
If you do not bring it back, please get the service manual (not owners manual) read it and check over your bike the right way. there is a way to check the oil, a way to check the coolant, etc. each bike may be different on how to do it, the service manual is your friend.
When I sold new bikes and cars, it was the salesman's job to show the new owner (with the help of the service manager if needed) how to check the oil, coolant, etc, all the fluids. How and what type of gas to use, and to make a appointment for their 1st service. If the new owner wanted to do the service themselves I would make sure we want over the owners manual and point them to the parts department so they could get what they where going to need. If I had the type of new owner that did not want to hear it or knew too much and just wanted to get the bike and go, then I would make sure the bike was ready and checked it out before they got there.
If you do not bring it back, please get the service manual (not owners manual) read it and check over your bike the right way. there is a way to check the oil, a way to check the coolant, etc. each bike may be different on how to do it, the service manual is your friend.
Duffy
New member
I häve the online manual and want to buy a hard copy. I am brining it in, but they want you to drop it off, which I am not going to do. I will bring a container and ask them to put some coolant in the container if they tell me to drop it off. My truck is at the garage for service right now. I only have my bike and my super scooter.
This dealership is new. They purchased an old venerable, highly respected Honda dealership. They do not have a good reputation here. I see few customers. The workers are arrogant half the time, at least. I will not be surprised if they go out of business. The other place had a great reputation.
Obviously these guys don't know what they are doing. It is very hard to see the level in the coolant reservoir tank. Because of the fairing part. The fill cap is easy to get to. I made a dip stick and checked it and did not like what I found. One inch in the bottom of the tank when hot.
I'm going to check the oil today. That better not be a surprise. I'm changing it very soon anyway. I have most of the materials already. At 600 miles I will have my mechanic check it over and check/adjust the valves.
This is the only Honda dealer for many miles around, like 60 or 70 miles. And they do not have the old mechanics. You know. Young kids that they don't have to pay as much. They have never even worked on a bike like ours before.
Amateurs really. But they can fill my reservoir tank up to a better level than this. I can do it myself if they want me to drop it off. I'll have my mechanic do most of the future service.
This dealership is new. They purchased an old venerable, highly respected Honda dealership. They do not have a good reputation here. I see few customers. The workers are arrogant half the time, at least. I will not be surprised if they go out of business. The other place had a great reputation.
Obviously these guys don't know what they are doing. It is very hard to see the level in the coolant reservoir tank. Because of the fairing part. The fill cap is easy to get to. I made a dip stick and checked it and did not like what I found. One inch in the bottom of the tank when hot.
I'm going to check the oil today. That better not be a surprise. I'm changing it very soon anyway. I have most of the materials already. At 600 miles I will have my mechanic check it over and check/adjust the valves.
This is the only Honda dealer for many miles around, like 60 or 70 miles. And they do not have the old mechanics. You know. Young kids that they don't have to pay as much. They have never even worked on a bike like ours before.
Amateurs really. But they can fill my reservoir tank up to a better level than this. I can do it myself if they want me to drop it off. I'll have my mechanic do most of the future service.
is the radiator full?
when you check the oil, be sure you follow the procedure in the Owner's Manual or you'll think it is too low. page 76
The Owner's Manual should be number one on your reading list! ahead of the daily paper
The 600 mile service does not call for a valve check-you are wasting time unless you want to do the procedure for practice.
First service involves replacing engine oil, oil filter, clutch oil filter
Inspecting idle, brake system, brake lock operation (for the DCT), clutch system (for the manual clutch bikes), nuts & bolts, steering head bearings. And a thorough going over of the bike. A valve check is not suggested or mandated-that comes at 8000 miles.
I hope my link (in another thread) to a source for the hard copy service manual was helpful.
Before you buy anything else for your bike I urge you to get the service manual and read through it. Take it with you to your mechanic when he works on your bike-I'm sure he'll appreciate it. The info found inside will be of great help to you both.
when you check the oil, be sure you follow the procedure in the Owner's Manual or you'll think it is too low. page 76
The Owner's Manual should be number one on your reading list! ahead of the daily paper
The 600 mile service does not call for a valve check-you are wasting time unless you want to do the procedure for practice.
First service involves replacing engine oil, oil filter, clutch oil filter
Inspecting idle, brake system, brake lock operation (for the DCT), clutch system (for the manual clutch bikes), nuts & bolts, steering head bearings. And a thorough going over of the bike. A valve check is not suggested or mandated-that comes at 8000 miles.
I hope my link (in another thread) to a source for the hard copy service manual was helpful.
Before you buy anything else for your bike I urge you to get the service manual and read through it. Take it with you to your mechanic when he works on your bike-I'm sure he'll appreciate it. The info found inside will be of great help to you both.
Duffy,
I understand your concerns with your new bike.
I doubt the coolant is any issue at all-if it's low, it isn't much.
I feel you have a negative attitude towards things for some reason- both the bike and the dealer.
My experience is that if you go to the dealer expecting to be treated poorly and expecting bad service, that is exactly what you will get.
Only because that is what you expect.
Try introducing yourself as a new owner who is unfamiliar with this bike. Even though you have had other bikes, this one is foreign to you and you need their help to get a better understanding of how it all operates.
Don't worry about the young mechanics, we can't all be older and wiser. They will get the job done if you give them a chance with an open mind.
So far you have worried and over-thought about all sorts of things with your bike-it's time to go put a few hundred miles on it and get to know it.
Go ride and enjoy!
Duffy
New member
I'm okay. I love the bike. I'm not impressed with the dealer, like many around here. They neglected to do the initial preparation of my bike as was expected. I paid a lot of money for the bike and I paid for it to be properly prepared. That did not happen.
randy1149
New member
Duffy listen up to ofdave it's good advice.
Now for the 1" coolant in the tank? 1" in the tank is as good as 3 feet of coolant and yes the radiator is full. I know that because of the way the coolant system works. The radiator cap essentially is a pressurize control valve for a fluid, which takes advantage of the fluid expansion as it's heated up. As the fluid expands it pushes on the valve in the cap and when the pressure reaches the pressure level of the cap the fluid is released and dumped into the radiator external tank. The radiator has to be full in order for the fluid to be expelled into the tank. This action remains as long as the engine is running. The pressurizing of the radiator is to increase the boiling point of the coolant to somewhere around 250-260 degrees.
Now when the engine is shut down the coolant cools down and as it cools in the radiator it creates a suction within the radiator and radiator cap (valve) sucks the coolant back in that was dumped into tank when heating up. After a few heat up and cool down cycles and if there is any amount of coolant in the tank the system is functionally full of coolant. Adding more coolant to the tank will not produce anymore cooling efficiency. I recommend you buy some antifreeze and a large bulb syringe and fill the tank to the marks on the tank as described in the owners manual on page 76. And DO NOT REMOVE THE RADIATOR CAP at any time while your adding or removing coolant.
Personally I would not go to my dealer and complain there's only 1" of coolant in the tank. That is a normal function part of maintenance as described in the owners manual. And a dealer can charge you for performing that for you.
We're all here to help each other. Take advantage of the hundreds of years of knowledge.
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Duffy
New member
Yes Randy. I know what you mean.
That's why I came to you guys in the first place. I don't mean to sound negative or anything like that. My apology.
Here is the deal.
I called the dealer this morning when they opened and talked to the service manager very politely. I told him that I thought my coolant tank seemed to be somewhat low. He asked me to bring the bike in and he would look at it and add some coolant.
Plus he told me my new windshield was in.
So I rode over there. Devastating electrical storm last night, branches everywhere. It's maybe 5 miles from our house.
He moved the bike right in to the shop and worked on it himself. I watched him from the service counter. He said the coolant was slightly below the low mark and added some coolant with a specialized funnel.
Since almost no one was out and there were no customers, I asked him if he could put my new high windshield on. He had it on in maybe 20 minutes. I would not have wanted to try it myself.
I was polite and he was a nice guy, doing the work himself. The owner came by and said hi to me, calling me by my first name. I hardly ever had talked to him before. So everything went great. The service manager didn't charge me anything. I had already paid for the windshield and installation.
So that was a good experience.
Of course, on the way home I encountered a super jerk driving recklessly. I am going to go back to my old ways and just slow down and wave these people by. Let 'em roll.
The ride home with the new windshield was totally different from the mega buffeting ride to the dealer with the stock mini shield. The wind was blowing from every direction it seemed and was buffeting even with my modular helmet closed all the way up. The ride home was free of any excessive buffeting and I had the shield up all the way home on my modular helmet, just wearing sun glasses. I rode around my little town for a while and it was fun. The windshield looks great. The mini windshield is also cool and I brought it home with me to maybe put on during the hot summer months. Yeah right. I'll probably just leave the high windshield on because it makes the ride more relaxing.
Also, the '25 mile' oil change is not in the owner's manual. It is a 600 mile first oil change and the service manager verified that and said that they run those engines in the factory and you don't need to change the oil before the specified time. I read the 25 mile idea on a forum. It was a theory or someone's personal opinion, called, a 'hard break in' method. It involves several short term oil changes and a lot of running the engine up and down the power band, with cool off periods between sessions.
The dealer said to just ride it normally. The motor was broken in at the factory.
So I'm riding conservatively but not slow. I have not had it close to red line yet. It only has about 35 miles on it. I gas it some and don't lug it, downshifting and engine braking as I vary my speed pretty much constantly, instead of just riding at one rpm down the interstate or county road.
The advice on here is definitely valuable and I learned some things from you guys already. I also learned some stuff on my own, like slowing down and waving the aggressive drivers by. I'm retired. I'm never in a hurry, hardly at all.
I think it is a safe bike too, with the front turn signals working as amber running lights. Amber light is supposed to get people's attention more effectively.
I might get a tail light modulator if necessary. When I think I need to I modulate the tail light with the break for several fast flashes anyway, so a modulator would just automate that habit.
Thanks for all the help. I think I have all of my concerns out of the way at this point. You know, new bike jitters. I think that is over now.
Duffy
New member
ofDave, thank you for your advice. You are right about the first oil change. It will come soon enough.
I am going to order the service manual hard copy right now.
Thanks for the great information, reorientation, and help.
Everything went very well at the dealer this morning and he put some coolant in the bike and put on my new high windshield. I like the high windshield, needless to say.