How firm is a firm brake lever?

[quarryman]

Ii have recently replaced the rubber hoses on my non ABS / non servo 1150GS (02). The play on the lever is improved, and the feel on the brakes seems better, but, previous experiences of braided hoses on other bikes have been 'rock hard' whereas i can only describe the beemer as 'improved'.

Am i being paranoid, or is the master cylinder on the GS just a bit lazy?

I'm struggling to find any feedback on non ABS brake systems.
Have bled the system and done the tie lever back trick already...

Thanks

 

[wildbeeste]

Just replaced my front brake hose with BMW original. The Independent BMW specialist said that brakes on GSs do not improve much (or even at all) with braided hoses. I only repeat what he says but would tend to trust his opinion.
What he did do though was loosen the handle bars and rotate the bars so that the open reservoir was level and gently squeeze the front brake a bit. A number of bubbles did rise even though he had already bled the brakes in the normal way. The bubbles are apparently impossible to eliminate unless this trick is done.
My bike is ABS but non servo but the reservoir is the same design.
Good luck
Paul

 

[bela]

Hi Quarryman, so you made the move and got the braided brake lines. Hope you went to motobins after me digging out all those part numbers. Anyway after i changed mine there was no major improvement ie didnt go rock hard. but a good brake. I think this is just a gs thing to be honest. I spoke to a guy a tyndrum who had the same experience. so must be par for the course.
Cheers
Martin onyack

 

[quarryman]

Thought as much guys - ride into work this morning the brake was noticeably better, just not that firm at the lever (still better than standard).
Went straight to HEL in the end - they did me some all black numbers - that i duly scratched putting on.....

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

99% of spongy levers are caused by caliper problems.

if you have a spongy lever - use pliers / grips and clamp the hose just above a caliper.

it'll be rock solid - thats a firm lever.

when unclamped - the play at a lever is due to caliper flex /movement / disc movement / pad movement , seals sticking / gripping the piston etc.

spend your money wisely

 

[cookie]

if you have a spongy lever - use pliers / grips and clamp the hose just above a caliper.

it'll be rock solid - thats a firm lever.

perhaps best not done on braided hoses with PTFE hoses inside

 

[quarryman]

hmm i did think that!

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

perhaps best not done on braided hoses with PTFE hoses inside

did i really need to say that ? ( probably )

i was talking aboutthe diagnosis before you get to the money spending stage

i'd always be buying new seals before hoses to fix a problem - braided hoses are mainly for show and armour resistance

 

[davegs]

Brakes

These are BMW brakes, what do you expect!.

 

[quarryman]

Having been running the HEL hoses for a week now, the feel has firmed slightly, but the stopping power of the brakes is vastly improved. Maybe my expectations were a bit high coming in from supermotos

 

[Stewart H]

I replaced all of mine last summer, the brakes certainly feel better than with the burst hose, but otherwise not vastly different.

Stewart