Motorcycle Repair: front brakes, clutch lever, air bubbles

Question
Chris:
I have a 1985 Virago and went to put new brake fluid in which I did and as I was hooking the lines back up I now have no brake pressure.  I think they need to be bled, but not sure how to do it
Thanks

Answer
Hi Kirk.

Bleeding the brakes is a sometimes lengthy process.  However, it can go fast sometimes as well.

The details can be found in your repair manual, but here are the basics and some tips;

Always use the correct DOT brake fluid for your bike.  Some use DOT 3, some use DOT4 and some can use either.

You need a piece of clear tubing to go onto the bleeder screw as it will squirt fluid out.  That tubing needs to feed from the bleeder screw to a clear container with brake fluid in it (not full).

As you apply pressure to the brakes, crack open the bleeder screw and close it before releasing pressure.  Do this till you no longer see air bubbles coming through the tube.

There may also be a reverse trap in the system. Start by bleeding it out of the system.  The most common one is at the banjo fitting on the master cylinder.  Here's the proceedure for that if it hasn't been tried;

1) Bleed the brake line like normal.

2) With a rag placed over anything near the master cylinder that you don't want to get hydraulic fluid on (and while wearing safety glasses), place a wrench on the banjo fitting and depress the clutch lever.

3) With the brake lever depressed, crack the banjo fitting loose (1/8 turn should do) and retighten without releasing the clutch lever.

4) After the banjo fitting is tightened up again, check the clutch.  If it is not as it should be, then repeat steps 2 and 3, but no more than 3 or 4 times.  And make sure that the fluid level does not get low in the master cylinder.

If there are no other hidden issues with the brake system, then all should be back to normal.

Good luck and ride safe.
FALCON