Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

I just replaced the brake fluid with the help of my wifw. ( not mechanically inclined ) Brakes work great.

use an 8mm wrench for bleeder valve.


1 - cover any bike parts near the brake master cylinder.

2 - use a hair dryer to heat the end of plastic drain tube

3 - use a turkey baster to empty the resevoir.

4 - take your time.

5 - follow the service manual instructions

6 - bleed twice top up as required.

7 - test while sitting on bike.

8 - take a test ride.

10 - use 8 mm wrench for the bleeder valve.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

When you bleed your brakes don't save what fluid is left for more than a couple of months.Fluid once opened absorbes air .If used later you will always have a spoungy leaver or pedel.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Actually Blaine, the brake fluid absorbs moisture. Not good by any stretch of the imagination. Moisture will do a lot of damage and lead to failure.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

DUH!!! I thought moisture,but wrote air. Brain fart.THANKS.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

I just received my brake pads. The ones from denniskirk.com. the part # that badbob mentioned. My question is, are they really that small and thin looking ?

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Yes, but they will do the job.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Shit, wow. Ok !!

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

No shit involved. It's brake lining material actually. :lol: :lol: Carry on.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

People keep asking "how many miles do brake pads last"? It should be "How many stops can I make"? At 15 mph, at 30 mph, panic stops at 60mph?
The miles on the bike are irrelevant if you make mostly longer distance trips. If you are riding around town stopping at every corner or in traffic, they will last less, obviously. It all depends on how and how often you use the brakes, so the varied answers are almost meaningless.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Ive been practicing engine breaking, seems to really slow me down when shifting from 2nd to 1st gear only. I can see that engine breaking would save brakes and keep them longer.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Don't use first as an engine break. It's a small gear and you might slam it into gear too early one day when you're not thinking.

If you're going slow enough to turn or roll at all. You need to be in 2nd gear. Unless you are stopped and need to get started again, there is really no reason to use 1st.

From 5th down, feel free to engine brake all you want, granted that you don't shift into a lower gear too soon. Just don't do that with 1st.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Hmmmm, i didnt know that. I cant really feel the bike slowing down when engine breaking in a higher gear, 5th to 4th etc. Im still not sure how much to blip the throttle when engine breaking from those higher gears. Trying to match the speed.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

How far down should the back brake peddal go down before slowing the bike down ? Mine goes down quite a bit.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Not much.About a inch or so.You can adjust the amount of travel by turning the kurlled nut on the rod at the rear wheel.You can also adjust the height of the pedal by a adjuster under the pedal.If you adjust the height of the pedal,check the operation of the brake light switch.Your brake light should come on ith very little pressure on the pedal.
:) :2tup:

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Yeah i adjusted the hieght, didnt know about the nut. Thank you.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

How long does it take to break in new pads ?

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Not very long.About 10 to 15 normal stops are enough to mate the new pads to the rotor. :) :cool:

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Ok, thank you !!

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

How the hell do you get the pads off ?? I took the 2 bolts out and have the whole piece hanging but cant get the pads out/off.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

You need an allen key (offhand, can't remember the size) to unscrew the long bolt that goes through the top hole of the pads. See the new pads for the position in the caliper.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Thanks, i did it, wasnt sure if i was supposed to take the screw out. Bit i did. I put grease on back of brake pad and then put that flat metal bracket thing against brake pad then a little more grease on that then installed pads. Brake lever feels a little better. Less squishy. No squeeks.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Sounds like a job well done. I can honestly say I've never replaced pads on a bike.............ever. Brake shoes on the rear once on a dirt bike, that's it. I feel blessed and so out of touch sometimes. :lol:

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

That was my first time WW.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

:lol: Bout time you lost your virginity.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

[quote=Water Warrior]
:lol: Bout time you lost your virginity.[/quote:3d8teesr]

Yeah.
The fluid is pretty messy.
Make sure you have plenty of rags lying around for clean up afterwards.
It's a tough job sometimes. Just keep squeezing until it comes out.
Once you get a firm feel to it, you'll know you're almost done.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

[quote=jonathan180iq]Yeah.
The fluid is pretty messy.
Make sure you have plenty of rags lying around for clean up afterwards.
It's a tough job sometimes. Just keep squeezing until it comes out.
Once you get a firm feel to it, you'll know you're almost done.[/quote:2e8vy938]

:lol: OMG, I must have a dirty mind. I had to read that 3 times and just had to laugh. :lol:

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Well said, lmfao. I read it 3 times too.

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Dirty minds think alike!!!! Read it 3 times. :tongue: :) :)

Re: Front Brakes and Brake Fluid
 

Ahhhhh, motorcycle innuendo.

I'm glad it wasn't lost on deaf eyes.