MOTORCYCLE RADIATOR REPAIRS & UPGRADES
Clearly, we’ve been at this a long time (from when vintage was new in fact!)
Northern Radiators was the original radiator manufacturer for the iconic Scott Squirrel and Flying Squirrel motorcycle brand in the 1920s, the units designed and handbuilt at our first works in Sheepscar Leeds, so when it comes to repairing motorcycle radiators, intercoolers, oil coolers, heaters, fuel tanks and sumps then look no further
Our workshops have repaired literally hundreds of motorcycle radiators since then, and our time served staff are highly knowledgeable and skilled in this area
Many radiators suffer from overheating, often because of the water tubes suffering from a build-up of deposits that restrict the flow rate. A quick test in our workshop can identify if the radiator is blocked
Northern Radiators offers the motorcycle enthusiast the following services and can talk you through all options for your ride
Testing:
pressure and flow rates -
A pressure test will reveal any leaks in the core or tanks of the radiator. A flow test will determine the extent of any internal blockage to the tubes. After testing we contact you with our findings and recommendations
Cleaning -
Internal blockages may be removed with a chemical clean
External blockage in the core can be removed with steam cleaning
Badly blocked cores will require replacement
Repairs:
leaks to the core and tanks-
We can repair many leaking radiators, tube leaks, core leaks, tank leaks and fitting leaks and have many repair techniques at hand depending on the problem
Recondition service:
full overhaul of the unit -
Some radiators will recondition, and we strip the radiator down and clean all parts
Tubes will be unblocked and tube joints resoldered, and the unit is then reassembled and tested
Recore:
strip and reassemble with new core (upgraded if required)
We can recore any radiator and offer many different specifications of core, from
the original design to ones with more water tubes and a higher fin pitch, and in most cases a more efficient construction of core which provides up-rated cooling
All recored radiators are individually inspected and tested prior to spray painting with either matt or gloss black radiator paint
(unit pictured is an oil cooler)
MOTORCYCLE FUEL TANKS
We offer two two possible options for motorcycle tank refurbishment;
One is a glass lining inside the tank:
The interior of the tank is thoroughly cleaned and then coated with a glass lining
During glass lining, we do our best not to disturb your external paintwork (although we can't guarantee it)
The second option is Fuel Tank RENU
The tank is cut open and shot blasted back to bare metal to remove all rust, any necessary repairs are then undertaken, then the interior treated with a rubberised lining. The tank is then baked in the oven at high temperature, cooled and tested, then primed and sanded outside
Turnaround time is approximately 2-3 weeks, but demand is high and lead times may prove longer. Details of this will be discussed at time of enquiry
**Please note every tank is different in some way shape or form, and we may use the glass lining instead of the RENU and vice versa should we feel the job will be stronger once a tank arrives with us and is inspected. All options and quotation will be fully discussed prior to any work commencing**
Turnaround times may vary with the amount of work we have on at the time your tank arrives with us
Should a complete refurbishment solution be required, with the provision of the correct paint codes for a tank's colour, we can arrange refinishing of your paint job to a very high standard, and are oftern able to replicate/replace decals and decorative detailing on a tank
Please enquire about the additional paint refinishing at time of enquiry
**CAUTIONARY OBSERVATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE FIND UNDER THE PAINT ON SOME BIKE TANKS**
Sometimes what lies under the paint can be a huge disappointment - what seemed like a simple resto with a new liner and fresh paint job becomes a much larger challenge...
MOTORCYCLE RADIATOR UPGRADES
We can recore any classic radiator and offer many different specifications of core from the original design to ones with more water tubes and a higher fin pitch, and in most cases a more efficient construction of core which provides up-rated cooling
All recored radiators are individually inspected and tested prior to spray painting with your choice of matt or gloss black radiator paint
MOTORCYCLE INTERCOOLERS
The above repair services are also available for motorcycle intercoolers
CUSTOM ALUMINIUM
Motorcycle radiators can be built to design in aluminium or copper and brass, or existing radiators can be copied and upgraded for improved cooling
All our radiators are fabricated with UK sourced components, and we also specialise in small production runs
If you need help right away or would like to find out more, please get in touch
MOTORCYCLE OIL COOLERS
Oil coolers are found on many different types of engines and are manufactured in several different ways, but they all have the same job: trying to cool oil, whether engine, hydraulic or transmission
A motorcycle oil cooler can get damaged or just suffer from old age and start leaking oil. If your bike is leaking oil, you run the risk of damaging your engine and needing an expensive repair job - so don’t put off replacing your oil cooler, get a new one or get it repaired
We can repair or re-tube oil coolers and manufacture new units from pattern
If a cooler is contaminated, we can descale and power clean it with a mobilizing agent that removes all deposits and swarf
MOTORCYCLE FUEL TANK MODIFICATION/EXPANSION
At our sister company HRCO's workshop, motorcycle tanks can be modified or expanded
Please enquire
** This work clearly requires skill and time, so is not provided with a rapid turnaround - an estimated time for completion will be provided on an individual basis**
MOTORCYCLE SUMPS
We can repair most motorcycle sumps either by soldering or welding
If the sump is too badly corroded, we offer the Fuel Tank RENU system (see explanation above)
