Soft front brake fixed, ideas anyone?

The last time a qualified mechanic worked on my bike was around the 12k mark. This was Spanner Man & he did a damned good job.

background (read only if interested):
Recently, I've been feeling that the front brake was going a little spongy (I know, braided lines fix this).

Yesterday, my new rear paddock stand arrived (thanks DoubleD), so I took the opportunity to take a closer look at the pads etc, this time with a vernier caliper instead of my eye-gauge ("Oooh, that looks a little low"). Turns out, pads are aiight, but I digress.

I took the back caliper off & back on no worries. I took the front calipers off, checked them, and could I get the buggers back on? No! What they?!? This thing came off, and I haven't striped it, it shouldn't need bleeding!

I know, I'll release the vacuum seal by taking the top of the fluid res. Hmm, no joy. The pads are still too close to go over the disc. Maybe if I roll the bike forwards it'll slip on. So I drop it off the stand (forgetting that the cap was off on the brake fluid, luckily non spilt).

Aha! That would be why, the 5 elastic bands I put on the front brake lever to hold the bike still. Might need to release them to put the calipers back on

Calipers on, I decided to seep a TINY amount of brake fluid from the brakes. When I say tiny, I mean, imagine an ant's eyes watering & you've got too much fluid!

Tighten up & torque appropriately, add a dose of brake cleaner to the discs, just in case any crap came out of the calipers whilst removing/f****** about/re-fitting.

Question (important bit):
My front brake is now ace! Could it be because of the ant's crying worth of bleeding? Could it be the brake cleaner? Could it be that the ancient gods of greece now favour me? In short, what the?

There's no saggyness (technical term) in the lever at all, squeeze it with one finger (I tested this morning) at 70mph, just a couple of mm at the ball, instantly scrub 20mph. Seriously, it feels like the front brake on my mates R1!

How did I manage this? I want to be able to repeat the performance!

Ideas on a pigeon... wait, no... the veggies will shout, postcards are safer for my health (and don't crap everywhere).

Sounds like you have stumbled on the Holy Grail of Sv front brakes.

Mine always feel a bit spongy, but my mates, my old Sv, is rock hard too. "Just bleed em" he says nonchalantly. G*t!

I presume that you've checked to make sure they're not binding though.

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

I presume that you've checked to make sure they're not binding though.

With my miles? Sorry, silly question silly answer

As for it being holy grail terratory. That's spot on. The brakes are so nice at the moment that I'm contemplating stoppies on the SV! I reckon 2 fingers would be enough (maybe 3 for confidence).

I bet it was crap on the disks and the cleaner has sorted it out for you.

Glad you go the stand ok!

DoubleD