Bleeding brakes link

[John]

Hi all,

Long time!

Having tried to bleed the brakes on my 'new' CX500 from 83, I struggled to make them firm. Searched the net and came up with this rather good description. Will try the reverse thingie (last one left). Never to old to learn something new...

http://www.h-e-l.co.uk/HEL_Performance_Motorcycle_Brake_Lines_Brake_Doctor_Brake_Bleeding.htm

Regards,

//John

[KXcam22]

John,
  Try bleeding a new CRF450.  Reverse didn't even work. I ended up with the whole brake system off and caliper suspended from the roof.  Now it's sort of ok. Master cylinder design traps air.  You can watch the bubbles move around stuck to the master cyclinder piston but they won't come out. Yikes. Cam.

[John]

Yes, I don't get it? This should be such a straight forward thing to do but sometimes it just don't work.

The reverse method obviosly did not work so I will resort to strapping the calipers to the highest point in the garage this weekend. All fun and games...

I'm going to buy me a proper bike as soon as I get some money to spare - delete that - as soon as I am allowed to by my better half. She's taking a bike drivers license now and I'm looking at a Monster 600 - for her obviously...

The CX will be my commuter bike used to and from the train station. I don't think anyone with any pride or taste would want to steal this bike. This is a typical H*nda piece of engineering though, impossible to break, ultra reliable etc. Ugly and heavy just like myself.

//John

[KXcam22]

John,
  Where you live you almost need an ugly bike to commute on.  Last time I was there the traffic was nuts.  Where I live I can hit 170 kmh on the way to work if I want - no one around. Back to brakes.  I also have had good luck with "cheater" reverse bleeding by removing the caliper and forcing the pads apart with a srewdriver.  Put it back over the disk and forward bleed then repeat the "cheater" reverse, and so on. Bast on a tip, for my 450 I also held the lever all the way in to the grip with a tywrap and left it over nite to let the air bubles rise out of the M cylinder.  Not sure it it actually helped. Cam.