Bit of steam / smoke - whats going wrong now!!!

[Wonko The Sane]

The past couple of days my bike has wafted a bit of steam / smoke up in front of me while queuing in stop-start traffic on a steep hill (going up hill)

I thought this was just a bit of condensation / dew being heated as the bike warmed up as it's about 5 mins into my commute and the first time I'm sat for any length of time.

It didn't do it this morning as I started the bike a bit before I was ready to set off and warmed it up until it was completely off the choke (I normally start it up, open the gate, ride through, close gate and go)

This evening coming home after about 30/40 mins of fairly free flowing motorway I was queuing uphill moving forwards in stop start traffic slipping the clutch in 1st gear at about 3000 revs (same as I'm doing going out in the morning)

Got home a few mins later and couldn't get it to do it again to try and see where it's coming from, the expansion tank for the coolant is reading full (when bike warm) and the fan happily cuts in and out when the temp gauge reads about half, cutting out when it's moved below slightly.


Anyone any ideas what it may be?

[MarJay]

That max line on the expansion tank is not a target... I'd say that it would be more appropriate to ask yourself if the level is at 'min' when it's cold.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Wonko The Sane]

Yeh, I'm going to check it when the bike has cooled down.

[Wonko The Sane]

Water level dropped ever so slightly as I'd expect as the bike cools down, it's just below the max level.

oil level is pretty constant with how it's been for a while.

The bike can sit happily with my foot on the brake to hold it on the hill without it happening, it's when I move forwards and then stop, still on the hill, that it does it.

[jimspeed]

how about water running along the inside of the fairing onto the exh? my zzf fairing has foam inside it like sound deadening or something and that holds the wet, small leak from the motor somewhere?
fuel tank overflow or carb overflowing, petrol will steam on contact with a hot surface.
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Hyosung cruise 125(passed test on, sold) Kawasaki el 252 (better than expected but sold on) Kawasaki GPZ500S first "big"bike.(sold) ZZR600 E5..Z750 2007,ER5, currently on a 2008 Enfield bullet electra x and loving it..
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[Wonko The Sane]

My worry was where the water was coming from, on a dry morning then it being a bit of dew or condensation from overnight would explain it as nothing to worry about but last night had me worried.

Spotted a dribble on the back of the radiator this morning so tightened the hose clip above it, no steam this morning and temp gauge reading slightly lower and fan not kicking in (not hot enough) even when queuing in traffic.

See how it is tonight.

[CaNsA]

There should be a drain hole on your tank around the petrol cap which lets any water that gathers around the rubber seal to drain out.

Check where the pipe under the tank is.
Could be draining on a hot bit of the lump.

[Wonko The Sane]

already checked that, it drops out behind the centre stand where it appeared that it should be routed.

Couldn't get it to steam / smoke tonight but wasn't in stop start traffic on the hill, still running cooler than it had been so taking that as a good sign

[Wonko The Sane]

Well, no issues this morning until after a motorway run, bit of filtering and then steadily into the carpark where ther was a cloud of steam just after putting it on its stand.

It's going for a service tomorrow so will ask them to have a look.