Bleeding ABS brakes

[R Savage]

Advice please on how to bleed the front brakes on my 1150 with ABS. The brakes are soft enough for me to be able to pull the lever back to the bar. Do I start bleeding at the nearside (left) caliper and then move to the offside (right) caliper? Do I bleed the ABS unit? Why do the calipers have different bleed nipples? The nearside one has a conventional 11mm bleed nipple but the offside one has a black plug about 5 or 8 mm in diameter and about 10 or 12 mm long with a hex (Allan) socket in the end.

If you have an emailable answer please send it to [email protected] (as well as posting a reply here) as I cannot access my registered email address ([email protected])

Thanks Richard

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Check the grub screw on the front lever perch , behind master cylinder - maybe incorrectly adjusted and why the lever coming back to bar grip.It maybe nothing to do with air in system - try this before going to hassle of bleeding brakes.If the bike is regularly serviced then brakes should only need bleeding annually, unless something has happened to let air in.
Had the same problem on my old 1100GS (same system) and the pads,master cylinder was changed (under warranty) @ Pidcocks and brakes bled 3 x to no avail - lever still coming back to bars.Then the guys @ Rainbow said they knew what was wrong and fixed it by adjusting this poxy screw in 15 seconds. Result - perfect brakes !!!

 

[Howard Millichap]

Bleedin' ABS brakes indeed.:grndevil

 

[R Savage]

Bike now back from Prestige. New fluid in brakes and clutch (!), clipers thoroughly cleaned. Can't say that they are the best feeling brakes I've ever had but if Bernie says that they are fine for a BM who am I to complain.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Check that grub screw !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It may make a difference

 

[R Savage]

'Check that grub screw !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It may make a difference'

Johnny,

Which way should I turn it? It looks as though it will have the same effect as setting the span adjuster to maximum, or is it more subtle than that?

Cheers Richard

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

You'll have to experiment - screwing it in should take the lever away from bars and then you can fine tune with span adjuster.