Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

Hi,


The front brake lever on my 1999 SV650 is really hard to squeeze and doesn't have any 'feel', it barely moves, however it still seems to stop the bike well.


It does have braided lines, and uprated pads, so was wondering if this was normal or if it means there's a problem somewhere - does it sound like the caliper could be sticking?



Also, I was wondering if GSXR SRAD calipers can be fitted as a direct replacement (as I'm sure I have a couple knocking about!)



Thanks,
David.

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

Id service the calipers,especially the sliders. When they stick you still get the pads acting on the discs but the effort is all one sided and all feel is lost. It also puts a strain on the disc rivits and causes wear.

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

No, SRAD calipers won’t fit without adapters

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

sounds like youve got corrosion behind the piston seals so that the rubber is squeezed onto the piston which allows it to operate but not retract. Effectively the pad is then continually in contact with the disc so the brake lever doesnt have to be moved so much for braking. Try pushing the bike to test for resistance or feel the temperature of the discs after a run......

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

Hi,
Thanks for all the replies! I took both calipers off and the pistons were stuck - I've not used the bike for about a year. I used the brake lever to push the pistons out and then pushed them back in, I did this a few times and that seemed to free them off and the lever now feels fine again and passed it's MOT yesterday :)
Thanks,
David.

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

Worth replacing seals if you have the pistons out and they've been getting stuck. Also worth scouring any corrosion out of the recesses that the seals fit in inside the caliper with something like a sharp pick with a right angle bend to it... such as the dental picks you can get on ebay. There's often a lot of corrosion in there that can cause the seals to sit a bit too far out grabbing the piston too tight stopping it returning or stopping the seal from deforming and moving back properly as brake is applied and released. The thinner outer seal is usually the worst.


I have a similar recurring problem with my rear caliper despite cleaning it out yearly. I think I may have other problems too though related to the master cyclinder which I'm trying to solve, but may start a post about it later if I can't work it out.

Re: Curvy SV650 Hard Front Brake Lever
 

Seconded. There's a good chance that the stiffness is caused by corrosion of the alloy grooves that the seals sit in, and that corrosion will continue to get worse. What's needed is to remove pistons and seals, clean the grooves out thoroughly, then refit the seals making sure there's enough grease to properly protect the insides of those grooves. I like Silicon grease for this, others recommend red rubber grease. Don't use normal petroleum grease as this will cause the seals to degrade and/or swell.