brake fluid...

[alexXx]

uhm...i just realized i have never done any maintenance on the brake fluid...how often / how to bleed to brakes and whatnot?


- alex

[cernunos]

I think on a bike that it is a good idea to replace the fluid every season. It is a fairly straight-forward procedure which can be done several different ways. Kerry or somebody has a detailed procedure which you can follow or if you have a manual just use that. Basically you are just applying pressure to the brake lever and then opening the bleed valve just enough to drain some fluid and then closing it again, all while maintaining pressure on the brake lever. Don't allow the fluid to get down to the point that the supply ports in the master cylinder are uncovered or you will get air in the system (top off the fluid periodically). Also, don't squeeze the brake lever rapidly if you have the master cylinder cover off or you will shoot brake fluid up out of the top of the master cylinder. And remember, as the fluid comes out of the bleed valve you don't want fluid to get on paint. So use a hose on the bleed valve or be really careful. Love the Baby GS and this forum.

C.......

[John Bates]

According to my Suzuki Service Manual:
Change fluid every two years.  Use Glycol based DOT 4 from new container.
Replace hoses every four years.

[MR_PINK]

Thats prolly not needed unless the bike is old and it's never been changed

[Kerry]

In the past I have used the cernunos method exclusively.  I didn't have any suitable hosing the first couple of times, so I used a bendable drinking straw, a paper cup, and Scotch tape.  :mrgreen:

The brake fluid on my recently-purchased 2000 GS500 is pretty dark, so I'll be changing it the next chance I get.  This time I plan to try cummuterguy's gravity-driven method.