Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

Had to bleed the VFR brakes again today. Had a massive leak yesterday whilst buzzing around Llangollen. It's a bit worrying when you press the rear peddle and there's no resistance , nor any stopping power.😨

One of the two bleed nipples on the rear calliper had come very loose and the fluid just pumped straight out.

To be fair the clues were there beforehand as I had noticed some fluid on the rear tyre but assumed it was from the chain, but it was just in one place not spread evenly around the circumference (as if a dog had pee'd on it)

So the moral of the story, don't make assumptions.

PS. The bike was MOT'd last week and they didn't spot the leak either.

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

MOT = Moment Of Time.
It wasn't there at the time it was tested. Or on the meany pre ride checks you carried out after.
P,O,W,D,E,R s
O= oil. Brake fluid is an oil...
Naughty corner Sir...http://www.saferrider.org/the-garage...-d-e-r-checks/

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

last couple of days took lower Fairing off to re spray red and the seat cowl which I will fit at last and get rid of the pillion pegs , changed coolant , new dust seals on forks oil seals were fine.
couple off months ago rebuilt all the calipers new pistons in the front ones and changed the oil . will change my avatar with a new pic. of the bike when I finished spraying and re fit the lowers.

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

Pre ride check. I rarely do that, only if I'm going on a long trip. My only regular checks are usually based on washing as this involves running your hands over every surface and you tend to spot the small things such as loose or missing screws. The bleed nipple is an odd case as hadn't been touched for a year and must have looked okay on the MOT. Why did it suddenly come so lose? I'll never know.

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

Well it's a wakeup call to check the basics.
Been a few broken engines through lack of oil.
But it's your call.

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

I've been riding 41 years. I know what I'm doing.

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

OK. You beat me on that one lol.
I believe I was 10 when I first encounterd powerd two wheels.
And had to wait for 16 till I could ride on the road.
Ps
I have a bit of an idear what I'm doing. But open to suggestions

You can teach a dog new tricks ;)

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

John,
I had a related but very odd one a few years ago, set off as normal on my SV and the front brakes felt soft, pulled over and gave them a squeeze and noted that they came up to pressure, and then the lever just kept slowly moving back to the bar. Had a look over the brakes and noticed fluid leaking out of one of the banjos on the front calipers. The bolt was still tight and hadn't been disturbed in at least 6 months, popped back home, pulled the bolt, replaced the copper washers and tightened it up, and the leak was gone. No obvious failure of the washers (i.e. crack). Still none the wiser on that one!

Jambo

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

your avatar and that statement dont tie in together :smt046

Re: What have you tinkered with today?
 

ooohhh and think about what happens to brakes.. they get hot then cold so on and so on so things work harden or what might have been just tight enough might come loose. add to that brake fluid is a super thin liquid and it will seep out any gap it can find which in turn makes a lubricant.