My bike spits water vapor when it's warming up in the morning. I just try to stay out of the way!

 

I have also noticed black spots on my tail-light, don't seem to loose any fluids, so I think it is just warm-up moisture.

Steve.

 

If it's just water vapor, I will be relieved. But it's actually drops of liquid. How I first noticed it, was when my daughter's bicycle, that was parked behind my Sprint, had black specs and drops of black liquid on it. I then noticed the black drops on the tail light of the Sprint. That's when I got a paper towel and put behind the exhaust to catch some of the liquid.

 

I would guess the humidity is collecting in the pipe and when it blows out the water is filled with loose soot. Does it continue to blow liquid specs after it has warmed up a bit? If you wan't loosing oil or coolant and it happens throughout a ride, it would almost have to be in the fuel. Possibly condensation contamination. Now that most fuel is supplemented with alcohol we tend to get more water in our gasoline than before. All just guesses though... can't hurt to send it in for a service to make sure.

 

More than likely a nasty mixture of water vapor and exhaust residue. If you took the exhaust pipe off a car and did the same paper towel test, the results would be similar.

The car has a longer exhaust pipe for the vapors to dissipate to some degree, or do whatever it is they do. The bike has a couple of inches of pipe after the exhaust, thus the vapor mixture could be considered to be at full strength, and will splatter on whatever you put close to it.

 

Like Cam says it's dirty water. Water is a by-product of combustion. If the pipes are hot, the water remains a vapor and goes undetected. If the pipes are cold, the vapor condenses, collects some carbon along the way, then spits out the back and dirties up your pretty bike. Nothing to worry about, except cleaning up the mess that it makes

 

If it's just water/moisture, my mind will be put to ease. I was panicing thinking it was coolent or fuel. The bike has ~23,000 miles on it, and didn't know if I have a serious problem. I was thinking of doing the paper towel trick again, and lighting the paper on fire and seeing if the moisture ignites. This would tell me if it's fuel or not. Hopefully I won't burn my eyelids off.

 

Instead of paper, why not use Aluminum Foil? That way, only the "substance" might burn, but not the paper towel.

I'd agree that it is most likely interior silencer condensation, mixed with carbon dust.

Hence the old saying "I'm gonna take her for a run to blow the carbon out". Well... at least partially to do with it.

This is why you always want to try to at least get the bike good and warmed up to full operating temperature each time you take her out. Although many modern silencers and pipes are Stainless or at least made up of much better anti-corrosive materials, this moisture is a quick way to age a silencer and pipe set.

Every morning on the highway, you'll see cages dripping water from their tail-pipes, this is condensation, and partially a by-product of combustion, which evaporates once the exhaust system is warmed up nicely.

 

From what you guys are saying, it does sound like it's just moisture. I feel like I've been too anal about this bike since I bought it 3 months ago. I got a fantastic deal on it and have been looking for the past 3 months what could be wrong with it since it was such a good deal. All you guys are awesome and I do appreciate the help!

 

Dude it's the remnants of the road it's eatin up! --- naw just kidding - I don't know what it is. I know have had similar stuff come out my bikes exhaust but I really ain't to concerned about it. In fact is there a way I can change it to be blue flames instead?

 

As others have said, you are in SC = humid = condensation when cooling down forms on the inside of the entire exhaust system. Start bike spits out the condensation until it warms up to a temp high enough to evaporate.
On coolish days you'll notice vapor coming out until warm up occures.

 

Similar thread a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.triumphrat.net/sprint-forum/115070-st-1050-oil-coming-out-of-the-exaust.html


Grant

 

2c8h18 + 25o2 ~> 16co2 + 18h2o

 

2c8h18 + 25o2 ~> 16co2 + 18h2o

Stoichiometry, fond memories, NOT!

 

Water is a natural by-product of cumbustion. Water vapor from the combustion process condenses in the exhaust system when it's cold and is spit out the back mixed with carbon. After it's hot, it will remain as water vapor and you will no longer see it. You will ofter see a car drip at the exhaust pipe when sitting at idle. Same process. There's nothing wrong with the bike, at least in this regard.