This isn't a Hurricane issue (well it is if she ever needs to stop and runs into my bike instead...) but I thought maybe with the wealth of experience here someone could help...

(I am cross-posting so this is a copy/paste)


I have a suzuki across (GSX250F) I bought to teach my fiancé how to ride. It's a POS but runs well and seems to hold up Ok when she lets it fall over (which is quite often with excuses ranging from 'it's too heavy' to 'I got tired of holding it, you can fix it, right?')...

The brakes on it are shot though, and I just can't seem to get them right. I have a fair bit of experience with mechanics in general, modifying cars and bikes for the past 10 years or so, so something simple like this is really getting to me...

It seems like there is air in the front system, and I can't get it out. It was like this when I bought it. Initially I thought the hoses were shot (which they were) so braided line. No difference. I flushed and bled the system again still nothing.

I have tried bleeding from the top, bleeding it with pressure from the bottom, vacuum bleeding from the bottom, still no joy.

I have disconnected the calliper and master cylinder and tried bleeding them at all different angles to dislodge any bubbles.

Last night I did some troubleshooting.

I blocked the master cylinder off at the banjo (just put a cut-down bolt in there) and tried the master. it was like a rock (as it should be!) no give at all.

I then put the braided line on and blocked the calliper end banjo. I couldn't get a perfect seal, and bleeding it was tricky, but I got it pretty hard, definitely better than it is when connected to the calliper.

SO I decided the issue was in the calliper, I pulled it down and cleaned the pistons and seals, it all looked fine inside. I tried to note anywhere were bubbles could get caught (so I could maneuver them out later). I put it all back together and bled it again and it was exactly the same as before.

The lever pulls all the way to the bar. when riding any hard braking has the lever against the bar. If there's an emergency on this bike atm I would recommend avoiding the brakes and jumping off.

AS I have been struggling with this for weeks, last night I had an epiphany, just put on a bigger MC! with a bigger bore I can just compress the damn air more and get decent braking force from the ****ty air-filled system...

After considering the issues I'm going to have with master/slave piston ratios I decided to have one last go at doing it properly, so, I ask you all, what else can I try??

Tim.

 

Are you using new crush rings when you swapped the lines? They are cheap and really only one-use. I have had a problem re-using them before, hence, new every time I remove the banjo-bolt.

Hope that does the trick, Ern

 

Yup !
That's the only area you haven't covered - the crush washers.
Betcha that's it....................

 

I put new ones in when I swapped the lines, but I've had them off and on since then.

If it was an issue with the washers fliud would leak, or they would allow air to enter, and that would have different symptoms? IE fluid coming out or a lever that starts of well after the bleed and then gets worse with use.

I could go and bleed it now and no air would come out. if the system was taking in air I think I'd notice air in the pipes when I bleed it. (not to mention it would also leak fluid, which it isn't)

All I can think of is there's an area in the calliper that catches air and is tough to get out.

I have been thinking of buying $20 worth of fluid, filling a bucket then rebuilding the callipers while submersed... that'd show em...

 

try bleeding it on the pipe first, and then the caliper.

 

YouTube - ‪Motorcycle Brake Bleeding Procedure from Sportbiketrackgear.com‬‏