P.S I've only just noticed the ODO reading on that thing, 147,000km. Yes I know Canada is quite big, it took me 3 days to not cross Ontario
Damn these things are bombproof, makes my 37k miles seem barely run in

A dirty rad will definitely not help but 4 bars at idle is very not normal for a Vee. I've only ever seen 4 bars once and that was crawling in traffic in a 40 degree heat wave and even then that was with a few problems of my own which I've now resolved and I've not seen 4 bars again.
The fan should kick in after 3 bars have appeared but before 4, the fan should be able to hold the bike at 3 bars when idling in all but the most severe of ambient temperatures.
There are a few things for you to check really; (in order if difficulty)
- Is the thermostat opening properly - You can check this by seeing if the large radiator hoses/radiator body are getting hot.
- Is the fan buggered - Does it kick in sometime after 3 bars appear but before you see 4. If it doesn't kick in then it could be either the fan   itself or the thermo-switch that tells it when to kick in.
- You can check the fan by applying 12v directly to it and seeing if it spins. Easy to do but the access is terrible and you'll probably be removing the radiator at this point.
* If the fan is good then you'll need to check the thermo-switch
- Check the thermo-switch as outlined in the service manual located here https://www.v-strom.co.uk/downloads.htm, either K2 or the KLV1000 K4 will be fine. The thermo-switch is screwed into the back of the radiator so you're committing to rad off and coolant swap here.
- Is the coolant temperature sensor giving a proper reading - This is also a voltage check and the coolant temp sensor is buried between the V of the engine, screwed into the thermostat casing I believe.

Removing the radiator and giving it a good flush out will allow you to access and check the fan as well as ensuring the radiator core isn't clogged and preventing coolant from circulating. Cleaning the fins is easier with it off the bike as well, an airline is a nice help here if you can find one. As Gert mentions, the fins are super fragile, trying to straighten bent ones usually results in the very front part snapping off but I figured this was preferable to the entire channel being blocked. Just take it super careful.
One last thing to check if you have the radiator off is the shape of the plastic shroud on the rear. Mine had become pretty warped inwards at the sides and was fouling the fan as well as restricting the airflow. I used a heat gun on the corners to reform the guard and I've not had any issue with the fan or the airflow since.

Happy hunting

When I changed sprockets on my two 1st gen Wee, I referenced the info on https://www.gearingcommander.com

To me, one of the side effects when lowering the bike, is that the side side / kick stand needs to be shortened accordingly. The lean angle of the stock stand is too tall / upright and can cause unplanned naps / tip over, without much effort.

There are a couple of options to shorten the kick stand, for example by either cutting out a suitable length and then rewelding the stand together again or buying a replacement aftermarket kick stand.
Though not important, the advantage of sourcing a different stand is that you can restore the bike back to the orignial ride height, if needed.

The aftermarket kick stands of different designs are available ebay / amazon / etc, but do make sure that your stand of choice has a tab that operates the stand safety switch.

Hello all,

So I'm new here and to these bikes and bikes in general so bear with me. I've got a 03 DL1000

I haven't had much time to go over the bike since I got it. I figured I'd need to do some fixing before she's properly road worthy at the price I got it for.

I had the bike idling today just for kicks since it's been sitting for a week now. I noticed my seat for very hot and when I looked at my temp I saw 3 bars, then eventually 4. I shut the bike off.

I am worried it's something crazy but I was wondering if you all could look at these pictures of my radiator and tell me if that looks like it could be the cause for it overheating? I'm on going to clean it but any tips? Advice? First time for me so I'm nervous but also just praying it's the problem because I'm stressed over this overheating.

Also if there's a "do this, this and this" guide on how to get to the bottom of it - I'd really appreciate it if someone could fill me in.