RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

...turned into a flood then stopped suddenly after another top up. Next couple of days engine temp got up to 106/107C then yesterday on same trip went up to 115 (flashing!) then within a mile 130C and scary overheating warning messages on digital display despite fans running and being topped up with coolant. When the temp topped out (LLL!) I still rode about 6 miles to get home. Checked coolant again next day and went for a short ride - temp topped out again inside 2 miles running engine at low revs. Could running the bike at maxed out temp damage anything else? Bought a cheap set of 2nd hand 'plumbing' incl. expansion tank - hope complete replacement will sort it out. Really hope I haven't stuffed anything else ... reassurances welcome (though 'you stupid bugger' comments I feel more likely).

...on the upside (no pun intended) it hasn't fallen over or gotten any additional scratches for a month ... is that a crash I hear from the garage?

jesus running at that temp i'd be worried

I certainly wouldn't run the bike again until the cause has been found. 130 deg C is a scary, scary temperature. I'd also put the bike in for a compression test when you've got it fixed, to make sure of the engine's health.

A rise in temps as rapid as you say indicates either a complete blockage, a massive leak, water pump failure or a massive airlock. Specialist advice is probably a good move, but if you want to try something yourself I'd drain (what's left of) the coolant and look for traces of oil or emulsion in it. If you see significant amounts it could mean a blown head gasket, which would also pressurise the cooling system and give rise to the leak you had.

Either way, it's not safe to ride in its current state.

Yeah - I'd first be suspecting an airlock (not that I've had any experience of this in a Falco)
Probably worth checking your temp sensor (if it doesn't all cure itself clearing an airlock) - seem to remember the workshop manual tells you how to do this.

Head gaskets blowing can pressurise the cooling system and blow the water out - but you'd probably have noticed the drop in coolant. Mango mentions the symptoms of this (I know it well - used to have a Hillman Imp that did this on a regular basis)

.... and has been said, don't ride it at those temps - you'll risk all sorts of nasties ... warped heads etc ....

...crikey! Hoping I haven't done serious damage. Thing sounds ok and the oil looks alright but will deffo ere on the side of caution and push the heavy bitch to my mechanic on Tues. Have pushed bikes a few miles before - it's ... er... character building. Thanks again for the feedback - should've consulted this particular font of expertise earlier. Ridersite/falco should have annual awards. Am sure I'd win the one for 'least recommended to own a Falco on the grounds of impaired mechanical intuition.' Despite 12 years in the saddle, ranging from a gn250, a Suzuki Intruder and savage (least appropriate model name), to bandits, firestorms and falcos through three countries I'm still the numb-nut who makes even the most prosaic mechanical deduction an exercise in futility. Thank you for your good humour and patience... and thank Jacob's Creek for my forumular verbosity.