I decided to get another BMW but I had to keep my K100RS.

Having had this K1300 for about a year, when the radiator decided to start leaking, 
fitting a new one requires the vacuum method, but a few are suggesting a method without 
vacuum - anyone out there that has filled the coolant without using the vacuum method?

If so can it be done safely and successfully?

I am aware of a method of having bike on side stand a slowly filling the radiator and waiting for coolant to come 
out the other side of the bike through the water pump bleed nipple.

thanks in advance.

I tried the non-vacuum method on my '09 K1300GT. After draining the radiator, removing it to access the sparkies and for a valve clearance check, cleaning out the numerous smashed insects, and straightening the many bent 'fins', it took three days of topping off, allowing the fluid to slowly fill the cavities in the engine, coolant overflow and radiator. Three days?! Just when the system seemed to have enough coolant contained within I'd start 'er up and let it idle 'til the fan cycled on...but it would never cycle off, so I'd stop it and let it sit overnight to cool thoroughly, then remove the pressure cap from the radiator. Side stand or not, once again, the fluid would be low and seem to require a bit more so in more would go, until the radiator overflow catch bottle would burp it out - I have to say that at no time during this trial and error was I able to get any of the renewed coolant to escape out of the two air bleeds on the water pump or radiator - and so in the end I bought a vacuum bleeder kit ($30 on eBay), hooked it up to my air compressor and did it the right way in about ten minutes' time. 

Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Who here on the forum had the quote "never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it again"...I think it was Blakey?

Can someone explain what the vacuum method is? TIA

Here you go:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=k1300+vacuum+fill+coolant&docid=608002610280072439&mid=10056C51B30B8EC4750C10056C51B30B8EC4750C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

Mike

Good video.  Thanks. 
Filling the radiator seems to be an issue with K1300, I guess.  When I serviced the radiator on my K1100 I simply filled it at the radiator as best I could then, in subsequent days, I topped up the over flow tank a few times and all seems good.

When I did my K1100 it was much the same, slow fill, then check and top if required.  Very different for the K4x bikes.

Mike

Two Wheels Better wrote:I tried the non-vacuum method on my '09 K1300GT. After draining the radiator, removing it to access the sparkies and for a valve clearance check, cleaning out the numerous smashed insects, and straightening the many bent 'fins', it took three days of topping off, allowing the fluid to slowly fill the cavities in the engine, coolant overflow and radiator. Three days?! Just when the system seemed to have enough coolant contained within I'd start 'er up and let it idle 'til the fan cycled on...but it would never cycle off, so I'd stop it and let it sit overnight to cool thoroughly, then remove the pressure cap from the radiator. Side stand or not, once again, the fluid would be low and seem to require a bit more so in more would go, until the radiator overflow catch bottle would burp it out - I have to say that at no time during this trial and error was I able to get any of the renewed coolant to escape out of the two air bleeds on the water pump or radiator - and so in the end I bought a vacuum bleeder kit ($30 on eBay), hooked it up to my air compressor and did it the right way in about ten minutes' time. 

Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Who here on the forum had the quote "never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it again"...I think it was Blakey?

Thanks for the info - I think I'll get a vacuum system just to make sure and as you say save time in the long run.

brickrider2 wrote:Good video.  Thanks. 
Filling the radiator seems to be an issue with K1300, I guess.  When I serviced the radiator on my K1100 I simply filled it at the radiator as best I could then, in subsequent days, I topped up the over flow tank a few times and all seems good.

I have a K100RS and they like your K1100 are filled just like a car, fill up and run the engine until all air is out, after thermostat has opened and fan cut in.