grrrrr brake line split day before holiday

  • Thread starter Thread starter mot
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mot

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Only had the bike two weeks and just about to go of for our first "tour" (long weekend in norfolk - very adventurous :rolleyes: )

But on the way to work today i'm trundling along thinking this ABS braking is a bit odd. You jam the things on get an initial bite then it fades away and the lever goes all soft, still seemed to be braking fairly well to start with but got worse and worse on the way in to work. Funny old thing ABS, not sure i like it me thinks :confused: :rolleyes:

On closer examination as i'm about to leave work what is actually happening is when you jam the brakes on you get a nice squirt of brake fluid shooting out of the brake line at the bottom of the link between the bar and the frame :(

So after a 12 miles ride home in the traffic and rain with no front brake i need somewhere in London who will have a brake line in stock and be able to fit it tomorrow.

Just missed the BMW Battersea shop closing (which is nearest to me) so will have to call them at 7.30am tomorrow and hope they have a line in stock.

Any suggestions of alternative places which have good stocks of spares would be much appreciated.
 
BMW should ideally replace this for you as a matter of safety, and I would imagine free of charge if the component (hose) is faulty.

Also, bleeding the ABS brake circuit on a GS is damned near impossible as a DIY job as the servo unit has its own inbuilt reservoir which needs a special rig to fill, there are about 13 bleed nipples on the system and once air gets in it takes ages to bleed due to the ABS pump 'cavitation'.

I would not ride your bike as it is unsafe in its present condition. If it is less than 2 years old, you should have the benefit of BMW cover, ring BMW Emergency Service on 0800 777111, tell them about it and get them to collect it and take it to a dealer for warranty repair. Its a 24 hour line, the sooner you call the sooner they can arrange for pickup and repairs.

Also, make sure you wash down the bike immediately as brake fluid is an amazingly good paint stripper and will ruin the finish on anything it comes into contact with.
 
I just noticed from your profile you have an 1100GS, so I doubt you have the BMW care package I mentioned. I still think you need to get it done by BMW though as the ABS needs specialist treatment and tooling which other marques may not have.
 
yep, unless BMW guarantee brake lines for 11 years i don't think it'll be free!

:D

Anyone know somewhere that would loan me a brand new GS while they fix me old un, i'd be willing to let them take all weekend to fix it! ;)
 
If you're lucky MOT, a certain person may well be along in a minute to say if it's likely that PL have the part in.......

(PM about to be sent)

Otherwise, PM Steptoe who may well have one sitting in a box in a corner of his empire somewhere :D
 
Fanum said:
If you're lucky MOT, a certain person may well be along in a minute to say if it's likely that PL have the part in.......

(PM about to be sent)

Otherwise, PM Steptoe who may well have one sitting in a box in a corner of his empire somewhere :D
Click to expand...

Mister Fanum you make it sound like I don't have a life ... ;)

To be honest, I doubt we'd have one in stock .. brake lines as a rule aren't an item I sell a lot of - couple a year at a push?

Worth giving Ben at Battersea a ring in the morning just in case (I'm off this week and shall be rolling over about 7.30 :D) but I would imagine it would need to be ordered in - unless Steptoe has one?

Good luck! Worst case scenario, if you can't find one and it's to come in from the Fatherland, might be worth trying Goodridge hoses - I think Nippy Norman does them :)
 
Sorry to hear that mot.

eggsakerly the same happend to me about six weeks ago, it's not uncommon ('95 1100) so Im told, it's all the flexing in that area you see.

Anyway, if it's any consolation, replacement and bleeding is simple and straight forward.

Hope you get the bits

Jamie
 
Steptoe is yer man !

Steptoe had brake line kits for 1100's a short while ago, and he's in Kingston so a small trot across London should do it.
 
no lines in at the moment - only to order -

i could fit it tomorrow afternoon, but don't pin me down to a time - i'll be in and out getting ready for the hogroast -

Also , if you've an1100 , check the front M/C to junction brale hose, just at the point where the banjo connector fixes to the hose, it's a weak point due to all the flexing taking place at the same area - i've had one split on me recently while riding the bike, and i know of half dozen bikes in the past year who've had the sameproblem .
 
I used to get all my brake lines- and other bits - made by james at Goodridge, Exeter Airport, delivered next day.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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