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Here's just a little story: I have a 1980 1100G. I have had it for several years and have always had spongy front brakes. I have, at one time or another, replaced the fluid, replaced the pads, rebuilt the master and bled the system several times. Tonight, as I was giving the bike a little TLC, I decided to try a bleed ONE more time. I got an air bubble out of the left side caliper. The brakes are solid once more! I don't know if it was the position of the bike (I have always bled on the center stand, this time it was on the side stand) or what did it, but it worked. Any thoughts?
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80G XScitant XStreme
"Don't ever give up, don't ever give in, and don't ever read the owner's manual."
-- Red Green
Bikes I have owned --
'68 Honda 90
'74 Yamaha Enduro 125
'75 Husqvarna 250CR
'85 Kawasaki KLR250
'80 Kawasaki KZ750H1 LTD -
Another good trick for bleeding the brakes is to tie the brake handle half way in and just let it sit overnight. It let's some air bubbles escape to the top.Nathan
KD9ARL
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1978 XS1100E
K&N Filter
#45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
OEM Exhaust
ATK Fork Brace
LED Dash lights
Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
Green Monster Coils
SS Brake Lines
Vision 550 Auto Tensioner
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Theodore Roosevelt -
Good tip
Thanks for that tip, I'll try it if the occasion arises.80G XScitant XStreme
"Don't ever give up, don't ever give in, and don't ever read the owner's manual."
-- Red Green
Bikes I have owned --
'68 Honda 90
'74 Yamaha Enduro 125
'75 Husqvarna 250CR
'85 Kawasaki KLR250
'80 Kawasaki KZ750H1 LTDComment
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Bleeding Brakes
I have had trouble bleeding brakes on motorcycles for a long time. I saw an ad for a reverse brake bleeder. Problems solved. I am on vacation and don't have access to the brand. But I am sure if you googled reverse brake bleeder it would come up.TomComment
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I have found that leaving it sit for a while definitely helps. All the tiny bubbles collect together, then you can push them all out as one bubble. With my split brakes, I struggle with bleeding the left front, since it is fed from the rear MC. I made a bleeder tool out of 2 Harbor Freight bleeder tools, that fills the rear MC while I bleed the other end. Front is easily done by hand.
1980 XS850SG - Sold
1981 XS1100LH Midnight Special (Sold) - purchased 9/29/08
Fully Vetterized and Dynojet Kit added, Heated Grips, Truck-Lite LED headlight, Accel Coils, Irridium plugs, TKAT Fork Brace, XS850LH Final Drive & Black SS Brake lines from Chacal.
Here's my web page devoted to my bike! XS/XJ User's Manuals there, and the XJ1100 Service Manual and both XS1100 Service manuals (free download!).
Whether you think you can, or you think you cannot - You're right.
-H. FordComment
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I always use a power bleeder, and the last step is the above mentioned trick. The difference in firmness is amazing after sitting a while with the brake tied back.Originally posted by natemoen View Post
One thing to be very careful of when bleeding is to not pull the brake handle all the way back when the system is open - like when you're trying to get the master cylinder bled. If you pull the handle back too far without pressure it can unseat the plunger, and then you have to redo the rebuild on the master cylinder. A block of wood wired between the lever and the handlebar will keep you from pulling it back too far, and may save you from having to do the job twice. JATI think I have a loose screw behind the handlebars.
'79 XS11 Standard, Jardine 4/1, Dyna DC1-1 Coils, 145 mains, 45 pilots, plastic floats - 25.7mm, XV920 fuel valves, inline fuel filters, speed bleeders, Mikes XS pods, spade-type fuse block, fork brace, progressive fork springs/shocks, manual petcocks, 750 FD, Venture cam chain tensioner, SS brake linesComment
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