Cardboard brakes on a 00 pointy

The brakes on my 00 pointy have turned to cardbaord recently - when you squexe it's like crushing corrigated cardboard - it gives a little, then a little more, then a little more etc etc.

I'm going to replace the fluid today, but would appriciate any pointers for the job (Tried looking in the FAQ but couldn't find anything).

First time I've done brakes so I want to make sure I'm doing it it right...

Thanks in advance,
Stu

Strange one that. I think I'd start with a good visual inspection of the discs and pads, Then as you say I'd give them a good bleed, You could be compressing a load of air in the system.
I've had to bleed them at the union on the brake lever in the past. Put a load of rag under the lever to catch the fluid, apply a some presure to the the lever, crack the union for a brief second, and tighten it up. Then bleed from the calipers as normal.
I've also found that replacing the fluid completly makes a lot of differance.

I'm going to replace the fluid as it's a couple of years old, I know the pads and discs are good as they only have a few thousand K's on them (but will do a visual inspection when doing the fluid change)

One thing that bothers me is how does air get into a system in the first place (fluid hasn't been played with but air still managed to get in possibly). Could my brake pipes be knacked as well?

Oh one other thing that may be important... After a few squezes the brakes feel good again. But after a few mins they go back to cardboard... Don't know how significant this is...

[Red Herring]

Do they go back to "cardboard" even if you haven't moved the bike? Sometimes the sliding pins on the calipers get worn allowing the caliper to rock and go off square with the disc. When you apply the brakes the caliper needs to re-align itself before working and this can take a squeeze or two. Easiest way to check is to ride the bike slowly up the road, come to a halt without using the front brake then see if you can rock the caliper by hand.

If you are refilling the brake system from dry, ie:you've drained it, then it can be a right bitch sometimes to get the fluid to start running down through the master cylinder, the air in the pipes keeps going up (it would, air rises). Either take the calipers off and hold them above the master cylinder until you get some fluid through it, or (I joke not) blow up a condom and put it over the top of the fluid reservoir, open the bleed nipples on the calipers and the pressure should push the fluid through for you. Also helps explain to the wife why you keep a three pack in your toolbox!

Hmm, not sure. I'll go and check once I've finished watching race 2 from last night

I did my brakes a couple of weeks back and made every mistake you can make and invented a couple of new ones.

If only I'd read this thread before I started...

air can get into the brakes because you have maluable lines get some goodridge to reduce the problem, but as for the calipers, strip / clean / and renew fluid you will see a MASSIVE differance

Assuming you have meat left on the pads. This is almost certainly either sticking caliper pistons and/or sticking caliper pins!!

Oh and being pedantic, a 00 is a curvy ... curvy=99-02 pointy=03-08

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Assuming you have meat left on the pads. This is almost certainly either sticking caliper pistons and/or sticking caliper pins!!

Oh and being pedantic, a 00 is a curvy ... curvy=99-02 pointy=03-08

Just checked and if the bike doesn't move the cardboard stays away, I'm going to take a test ride after lunch to see if they come back.

As for the pointy... What can I say, it was early morning and I hadn't a coffee inside me when I wrote this...