Unusual Front Brakes Behavoir

[Wbowen]

I an new to the motocycle world and even newer to the XS 1100, so any advice will be helpfull.

Issue:
1981 XS 1100, First thing in the mornings and after the bike has cooled after a long ride the Front Brakes feel like they won't fully Release, Meaning in neutral I have a hard time rolling the bike around in a flat parking lot, if there any any kind of hill or slope forget about it. However after a longer ride 30 min+ The Bike rolls just fine. Additionally the Front Brake lever is very difficult to squease first thing in the morning but looses up as the ride continues.

My first instinct is to loosed the Front Brakes, but i am not sure how to do this and if it is even the right thing to do.

[webbcraft2150]

First off, you can not "loosen" the front brakes shy of taking them off. Check the tech tips on cleaning the "spooge" hole. If that does not clear things up, you are looking at rebuilding the calipers and or master cylinder. Not an uncommon problem on our old bikes. Might consider doing all the brakes at the same time. I had a similar problem and it turned out to be a stuck caliper piston. I was able to disassemble the calipers, clean em and reassemble without buying any new parts. This is not a scary job even for the novice. Bleeding the buggers will drive you to drinken, more.

[Dragonrider]

Agreed...spooge hole, caliper rebuild...and additionally...possibly contaminated brake pads.

[AKMac]

Originally posted by webbcraft2150
This is not a scary job even for the novice. Bleeding the buggers will drive you to drinken, more.

Yeah, bleeding the brakes is a PITA, and I know how to bleed brakes!

[Wbowen]

okay i will try the spooge hole first and then if that does not work you will be hearning from me before I attempt to clean the master cylinder.

[John]

Another item to check

Is if the lever is depressing the M/C piston when at rest, trapping the fluid in the lines and not allowing it to bleed back into the reservior in a timely manner. There is an adjusting screw on the lever where it meets the piston.