What the hell is leaking from my new bike?

[PlaynInPeoria]

Bike = 2012 C14, 1500 miles. Bone stock (ok, Phil's rack and Givi, also bar risers)

Reddish, doesn't feel like oil? My son spotted it, so I fired up the bike and moved it, it showed up at the new spot also.  Is brake fluid in that area?  The brakes feel fine and I rode it home 70 miles from there.

I leave for Texas Wednsday am at 6:30, this doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

Thanks!!!!

[VirginiaJim]

Brake fluid isn't red, at least the last time I looked it wasn't.  It's near the kickstand so it could be some overflow of gas mixed with crud...typical on a fairly full tank with the bike on the side stand on a warm day.  Reddish is strange, though.  I don't think there's any fluid on the bike that's red.

[Conrad]

What's it smell like? As Jim said, it could be over flow from that gas tank. Did you just fill 'er up? Red is strange though.

[Caffeinated]

red coolant?

[Rhino]

red coolant?

I was just wondering if they started using the red stuff on the 2012's.

[B.D.F.]

The vents for the fuel tank end right where that leak is, as does the vent from the air intake. As others have said, I cannot think of anything that color red anywhere in the bike but it might be gasoline mixed with something else (left over lube, thread locker, a thousand other guesses). Smell it- if it smells like gasoline it is nothing to worry about. If it came from the intake it is most likely water that again mixed with something on the bike. Look up just inside the fairing and you will see at least three drain tubes; there are small, capped, bottles on the ends of at least some of them so they can be drained properly (rather than just draining on the road) and maybe one of your has something red in it?

I would not think it was anything serious only because I am not aware of any red fluid that the bike needs to run / ride. ??

And I cannot believe no one mentioned the obvious- your bike is bleeding.... :-)

Best of luck and please do let us know what it turns out to be.

Brian

Bike = 2012 C14, 1500 miles. Bone stock (ok, Phil's rack and Givi, also bar risers)

Reddish, doesn't feel like oil? My son spotted it, so I fired up the bike and moved it, it showed up at the new spot also.  Is brake fluid in that area?  The brakes feel fine and I rode it home 70 miles from there.

I leave for Texas Wednsday am at 6:30, this doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

Thanks!!!!

[Rhino]

Blinker fluid? Or maybe the FOB battery is already getting low. 

[Conrad]

Snip...

And I cannot believe no one mentioned the obvious- your bike is bleeding.... :-)

Best of luck and please do let us know what it turns out to be.

Brian

Brian! We ALL know that Kawasakis are like Vulcans (the alien race not the motorcycle (although that is a Kawasaki), think Mr Spock) and they bleed green.

[B.D.F.]

Another thought- as your bike is red, perhaps that is gasoline with a little bit of paint overspray mixed in it? If so then absolutely nothing to worry about and perfectly normal.

Brian

Bike = 2012 C14, 1500 miles. Bone stock (ok, Phil's rack and Givi, also bar risers)

Reddish, doesn't feel like oil? My son spotted it, so I fired up the bike and moved it, it showed up at the new spot also.  Is brake fluid in that area?  The brakes feel fine and I rode it home 70 miles from there.

I leave for Texas Wednsday am at 6:30, this doesn't give me a warm fuzzy.

Thanks!!!!

[Pokey]

Rusty water vapor drops, or maybe some kind of coloring from gasket at header joint?

[connie1]

Motor oil in mid-life will  be reddish.  Modern oil out of a modern engine doesn't turn black till its way past it's useful life.  The black is carbon and a good engine sends that out the tail pipe far better than engines of old. Does it feel oily?
Gas mixed with anything would evaporate very quickly.
 Antifreeze would be green as anything mixed with it would precipitate to the bottom of the puddle.
Brake fluid looks oily but has a grippiness when rubbed between the fingers and shouldn't be red.
If it's battery acid the red is blood oozing out of your fingers because you left it on too long.

[VirginiaJim]

I've never seen anything red come from my bike....  I've never seen 'reddish' motor oil either, but then I lead a very sheltered life.

[ZG]

Maybe it's female, has it been a little moody lately? 
 

[PlaynInPeoria]

Look at your brake/clutch fluid reservoir, they are vaguely reddish. I know, I stared at their levels all the way home.

The consistency was that "not slimey like oil" yet a bit tacky feeling of brake fluid. Is there a brake component (ABS, linked brakes etc) near there?  I have heard of (but don't suspect in this instance) 'friends' pouring fluid under a bike repeatedly to drive a rider crazy.  I was a long way from home watching a high school play my daughter was directing.

I parked it on the side stand in the garage, I will check it when I get home.  I don't recall ever seeing it before.  I changed the oil a while back (900 miles ago) and looked for leaks under it after the oil change like I always do. I wasn't in clothes where I could climb under it, I will be tonight though!!

Thanks, guys!

[VirginiaJim]

Maybe it's female, has it been a little moody lately? 

 

[VirginiaJim]

My reservoirs...all three of them aren't the vaguest reddish at all.  Course I have an 08, not a 12.  The red color certainly is strange, though.

[Riverszzr]

 Some local dealers here use (reddish tinted) engine oil and final drive oil.

 Maybe the oil level was a bit high and some went in the air box and drained out the drain tube from the airbox?

As everyone mentions the overflow tubes are right there and that doesn't look like it would be anything serious

[Conrad]

My reservoirs...all three of them aren't the vaguest reddish at all.  Course I have an 08, not a 12.  The red color certainly is strange, though.

+1 My reservoirs are clear and so is the fluid inside.

[PlaynInPeoria]

My fluid is reddish because she (my 2012) is SPECIAL.  And I don't mean short school bus special, unless we're talking about linked brakes.

[VirginiaJim]

Well that explains everything...