hard pushin

[ddanby2002]

hi guys, i have a 1200gsa 2010 model. I'm just wondering if anyone has a solution ... i have a thin drive leading to my garage and have to ride my bike into my garage on a night and push it out in the morning... the question is ... when i have been on a ride out and need the reverse the bike, its easy to push back, but in a morning it seems like the breaks are on... am i missing something or is there a fix... just its a massive pain, I've even tried starting it up before pushing it back but it makes no difference. ta lads

 

[patzx12]

Check that your calipers are not sticky. They should be taken off the mounting and the pads removed, cleaned and the sliding surfaces lightly lubed with copper grease.
This applies to any vehicle. Brake pads slide in the caliper and they don't have any return spring, yours could be sticky when cold.
Put it on the centre stand when everything is cold and try turning the wheels by hand.

If this works you can buy me a pint of that lovely Tetley's bitter.

 

[179club]

SAME AS ME

Hi Pal.
I have the same prob push bike into garage and pull back out. Bike seems very stiff when backing out. Fell over on me twice thank fully on to lawn no damage phew!. Could it be brakes are sticking a bit not sure as cannot hear anything rubbing. Other factor your GSA and my GSA are a quarter of a ton in weight. With fuel in a fair bit more weight. Is this a trait of these bikes.

 

[ddanby2002]

ill try that pal.. ta .

 

[RoyF]

Before doing anything, I would get the bike up on the centre stand and feel the amount of effort to turn the wheels when the bike is warm right after a ride, then try eactly the same thing again the following day, see if there is a difference and if so what end the problem is. Then unbolt the caliper from that end and try again. If not a brake binding, could be sluggish final drive or gearbox when cold maybe?.... If so, maybe just wrong oil in FD and or gearbox perhaps?

 

[oldnfat]

Or get one of these.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?

 

[Beemerman59]

If it's the front brakes binding then the discs will be warm without use. It's easy to check - just ride the last mile or so home using just the rear brake. Then feel the rotors to see if they're warm or cold. I had one of my front brakes slightly binding but the pistons were free to move even before cleaning and lubricating them. One of them did feel a bit stiffer than the other. Eventually I worked out that reducing the amount of brake fluid in the master cylinder until it was just above the low point resulted in the brakes retracting enough to prevent binding. If its the rear that's binding then as previously said that's easy enough to check on the centre stand.

 

[Greenman14]

More likely to be the back brake, pads seem to wear very quickly for a brake that doesn't get much use.

 

[bbb]

If you ride in and leave it in gear and simply push it out holding the clutch, put it into neutral and see if it's easier. If it's already in neutral ignore me!

 

[DC]

I dont have an issue manoeuvring , but if I have washed the bike the pads seem to stick to the discs…is there any damp in the garage causing this ??

also why not consider a plate that lets you son the bike round in the garage so you can go out forward ?

 

[boatman]

Could be the brakes, I have had 2 separate front brake seizure,s on GSA,s

Solution which deffo works is
Take the pads out and grind off about 10 thou ,clean up with a file ,reassemble in the usual manner

 

[King Key]

Is it downhill into the garage and up hill out to the road?

 

[Greenman14]

Are you big and strong? I find my GS a bit of a lump to drag around, worse than my VFR was, despite the GS being lighter. But then I'm not big and strong like most tossers seem to be.

 

[ddanby2002]

I dont have an issue manoeuvring , but if I have washed the bike the pads seem to stick to the discs…is there any damp in the garage causing this ??

also why not consider a plate that lets you son the bike round in the garage so you can go out forward ?

yea thats a good idea.. might look into that

 

[ddanby2002]

Are you big and strong? I find my GS a bit of a lump to drag around, worse than my VFR was, despite the GS being lighter. But then I'm not big and strong like most tossers seem to be.

I'm as strong as a ox, pre gsa lol.. I'm 6'4 and 20 stone and its hard... it does feel like its almost moving the drive maybe that kind of resistance...

 

[jags]

i find my son's street triple more awkward to push around than my gs even though the triple is a lightweight in comparison.

 

[Rusty Bolts]

I had something similar and it turned out to be the rear master cylinder was partially seizing due to corrosion 'creeping' up the bore from the displaced dust seal. I took it off (it's an 07 ABS) and fiddled with it and stuck some red rubber grease up it and that seemed to have cured it. Took a few mins to bleed through. I do however believe that these things will not fix themselves so I have a salvaged one to fit when I get round to it.

 

[BOBAD]

Problem solved....


http://www.matturntable.com/motorcycle_turntable_products.html

 

[TLSgazza]

Problem solved....


http://www.matturntable.com/motorcycle_turntable_products.html

Not really, if the brakes are binding for some reason this is not going to sort it out

 

[AustinW]

I cleaned up my rear caliper yesterday as it had just started to make manoeuvring a little harder. It really is easy as long it's not good and proper seized.

This is what I did......(2011 GSA).
Remove R clip and Drift out pad holding pin. Mine was rusty so rubbed with fine emery and covered in copper grease.

Remove pads. If they don't drop out when the pin is removed turn the wheel slightly and one of them will move. Wiggle it out and then push and pull on the caliper until the other one moves and wiggle it out. Clean up the back and edges of the pads with a file or emery or a dremel. Copper grease on the back and a smear on the edges.

With the pads out and the caliper still attached make sure it slides on its pins - just push on and pull the main caliper body. If doesn't move the next couple of stages will be very difficult.

Undo the two T45 bolts that hold the caliper on and lift it off. The hydraulic hose is short but enough. You could undo one or more hose clips to get more working (I didn't). Separate the two halves of the caliper. Inspect the rubber boots. If damaged they need replacing. Otherwise clean the two sliding pins and lubricate with red brake grease ( or copper grease if you haven't any but it reportedly can cause damage to rubber in the long term).

I squirt some wd40 inside the main caliper and leave for a few minutes and the clean and wipe all round the pistons and pad spring (my spring didn't want to come out so I just left it). Press the brake pedal a couple of times so both pistons come out a couple of mm. If only one moves hold it with either your thumb or a clamp so the other also moves a couple of mm. Wd40 and clean all round the piston skirts as best you can removing any build up and crap that seems to hang on in there. Make sure all wd40 is wiped off and put a smear of red grease all round the piston skirts and push them back in - all the way. Watch fluid level in master cylinder as it will go up. You should be do it with thumbs - firm but doable. If they lock up the mc is probably full. If they won't go in at all try a g clamp to start them but you really want to be dining to get them so they go in under thumb pressure. It's a sign of corrosion elsewhere if they really won't.

Reassembly is the reverse but I add a touch of copper grease to the caliper bolts. Pump the brake lever to bring the pads into contact with disk. Wipe it all down and spin the wheel and touch the brake to make sure the pads are in properly and don't drop out. Job done and no more binding brakes.

It took me about 45 minutes at a leisurely place. If I got everything I needed out first it would have been a lot quicker.