Motorcycle Engine Coolants

Liquid cooling gives your motorcycle certain benefits in terms of performance, however, such a system requires servicing and regular fluid change. You may need to eliminate leaks, flush and refill the system in some cases, and the modern market offers a wide range of liquids featuring different properties. What coolant is right for my bike? Can I use automotive antifreeze in a motorcycle? These and similar questions arise quite often, and indeed, there are some general recommendations on how to choose the right fluid for the motorcycle's cooling system.

Not all car coolants are safe for a bike. Mainly, this concerns the products with silicates which can be harmful to water pump seals. Besides a silicate free formula, the liquid has to be friendly to aluminum parts, as most motorcycle engines are made of aluminum alloys. These days, there are two main types of cooling fluid depending on its base: ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. The first one is more affordable but very poisonous, while the second one is much less toxic and somewhat more expensive.

The companies making specialized coolants for motorcycles pay attention to such factors and often give preference to propylene-based products. Usually, a ready-to-use fluid is a 50/50 mixture of glycol and water plus some additives, but there is one more special kind that has appeared relatively recently, so-called waterless coolant. Based on propylene glycol, it has a higher boiling point than traditional coolants and doesn't contain water. For instance, the liquids by Evans Coolant don't boil at temps below 369 °F, while usual coolant used in a pressurized system needs approximately 250 °F to boil. One more factor worth considering when choosing coolant is a freezing temperature which may differ in various products. On our virtual shelves, you will find a wide range of motorcycle coolants that meet the highest requirements.