Really hacked off with my Brakes

Originally Posted by xXBADGERXx

Aaaaah , one thing in all that Ralph , I`ve had my reservoir shut over night with cable tie on . Gonna pop it now and tie it back but I did try your "Aggressive" method as well . Was nice to it then I got Medieval on it . I`ll let you know if it works in the morning with the "Popped top" and cable tie .

I don't know if that actually makes any difference, it's just what I was told to do, I did it, and it seemed to work.

I knew what you meant Ralph . Anyway , took the cap off the reservoir , removed the Rubber Diaphragm and white washer and put the cap back on half a turn . Squeezed a bubble out of the black tube whilst I was there . Gave the lever a few rapid pumps and then jammed it against the bar with a cable tie , will get up early and give the system a quick crack to see if anything occurs .

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Don't know if this will be helpful or even relevant now as I haven't read the whole thread.

I got my next door neighbour to help me first time I bled the brakes as he has done his R1 a million times with no problems. But we just couldn't get pressure at the lever with the SV following open/squeeze/close.

He phoned a mate and the mate told us

• Close nipple
• Pump lever rapidly
• hold lever under pressure after last pump
• open nipple which will bring the lever back to the bar
• close nipple
• release lever
• repeat both sides until your sure there is no air in system
• close nipple for the last time and pump lever again rapidly
• tie wrap lever overnight with reservoir cap slightly loose
• pump lever in morning
• brakes now give good response and pressure at the lever
• check fluid level and tighten reservoir cap

Disagree with this if you want, but nobody bother flaming me 'cos I openly admit that I don't know what I'm doing, but this worked for me, whereas open/squeeze/close wasn't, and I'd do it again this way next time.

That's what I had to do when I was trying to bled it up with the mastercylinder off a smaller bike

[punyXpress]

Just doing mine at the moment, so this is straight from one end of the horse's digestive tract.
Calipers & lines on, reservoir 2/3 full. Lever back to the bars. Couple of SMALL bubbles in the res. Since no pressure at this stage, not a lot of point playing with the bleeding end.
After the above couple of bubbles, thought getting as much air as poss out of the top would help so applying a light but rapid flagellating rhythm to the lever got quite a bit more air out the top, which is the way it wants to travel. I used my hand for this, but your lady friend's SECOND BEST vibrator might be more fun ( don't use BEST or it wont be lack of brakes that kill you ! )
The lever was now fairly firm & just under half way back to the bar. Only at this stage did I try the bleeders & a very small amount of air came out.
The lever was firmer and just about to go out & have another go to get it just right.
Moral of this tale: Get the air out of the lines first 'cos until you do you are pi$$ing in the wind pushing the bubbles up & down the pipes.
xBADGERXx - what master cylinder are you using, naked or S ? Have a good S you can borrow if any help ( I'll do anything to get into your shovel society )

could reverse bleed it...
i.e get one of the metal oil cannister things, fill with brake fluid, take lid of resevoir attach a pipe to oil cannister then to bleed nipple... trying to have fluid at the tip of the pipe first to stop any more air being pushed up... and start pumping the oil cannister and watch the air bubbles at the resevoir...

not sure if this has been already suggested.

[Taipan]

I'd be careful about leaving the reservoir cap undone. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture form the air. At this time of year there's a lot of it about too!