Brake Bleeding 101

  Before you start crack the bleeder nipple with a ring spanner or socket ..... DO NOT use an open ended spanner...

Place the spanner on the nut and then put a length of hose over the nipple...I prefer clear hose and battery overflow hose works well.


Turn the handlebars to the left so the master cylinder is high.....it may be necessary to undo the master cylinder perch bolts a touch, and move it around, so that it is close to level fore and aft and the lever side needs to be higher than the outlet....

Take the cap off the master cylinder

If you are just changing fluid then pull the lever in slowly (if you do it quickly it will squirt upwards...and wrap some rags over everything close while your at it)
crack the the bleeder nipple slightly and pull the lever all the way in..

Nip the bleeder up BEFORE you release the lever or you just got air in there.

repeat untill the master cyl is ALMOST empty.....

then get a rag and clean the master cyl out...spotless....


Pour in some new fluid and repeat the bleed...untill new fluid is coming out of the other end...you will have to top up the master cylinder a few times..

Now if everything goes well...tighten the nipple up and check you have got good lever..and you should be fine..




If you replace the line or get air in the system then this is where the position of the master cylinder comes in handy...

set up the bleeder nipple, hose and spanner like previously noted, and fill the master cylinder with new fluid.

as you pull the lever in slowly it will close off the bleed port and then start to compress the fluid in the line...

if you have air in the line then "tickle" the lever lightly between these two points... you wil see air bubbles come out....

Keep tickling and alternately pulling the lever in all the way and cracking the bleed nipple as in the first stage....you want about half a dozen tickles for each couple of full throws....

As you start to get a bit of lever but still have air... tap the line all the way up it as you tickle the lever...


Keep repeating untill you have the lever tension back........ it takes a bit of feel.