Race Bike Cooling systems

[Tim in Belgium]

With race bikes you have to run water instead of coolant, which is fine.

Two Questions:

1. Can you use any old water? Or does it need to be deionised/distilled type?

2. When not in use/between races is is best to drain it, leave it in or something else to minimse corrosion?

[lukemillar]

I run water wetter, which is non-glycol based so safe for race bikes. Doesn't get to freezing point here over winter (plus I race over winter!) so I'm leaving mine in the bike.

And I used bog standard tap water to mix the water wetter. :)

[Tim in Belgium]

It's toasty warm in the garage so I presume that means leaving it in will be fine.

[yorkie_chris]

I'd pop some antifreeze in there when not using it just for the anticorrosion additives.

[flymo]

I do the same, the day after the race season completes (or when I can be ar$ed to be truthful) pop a good mix of anti-freeze in there and then drain and replace at the start of the following season.

[Tim in Belgium]

Just flushed through with hose water and refilled with demin.