I just had brake failure!

[Taipan]

Yup, my servo brakes failed tonight! :shock: Fortunately I wasn't riding it. I started it up and left it idling whilst I put my lid and gloves on. As I then pulled away I noticed the brake light was flashing rapidly. I pulled the front brake on and there was nothing there. Ho hum!

Pulled over and had a look round. I noticed the brake light was stuck on. Eventually I tried adjusting the lever span from 1 to 4 and the brake light went out. I turned the ignition off and back on again and all was well. Rode home with no further problems?

So if you ever start your bike up and find the brake failure light is flashing, try adjusting the span wheel thingy. Possibly the same thing has happened to others and this old news? But it caught me out. So hopefully this post will save someone calling the breakdown recovery service.

 

[Mouse]

Sounds like something was causing the switch to stick. Was the hand guard fouling the lever?

If the brake lever is pulled (or if the circuit to the brake lever switch is broken) the ABS and servos won't initialise.

It's a bit over the top to call this "brake failure" as this behaviour is well documented in the manual and there's a warning light you should get into the habit of checking before you ride off

 

[Taipan]

Sounds like something was causing the switch to stick. Was the hand guard fouling the lever?

If the brake lever is pulled (or if the circuit to the brake lever switch is broken) the ABS and servos won't initialise.

It's a bit over the top to call this "brake failure" as this behaviour is well documented in the manual and there's a warning light you should get into the habit of checking before you ride off

No, I don’t have hand guards, so it wasn't that? I have no idea why it took it upon it self to do this? With all the stuff about these brakes being "iffy" I am pretty cautious of them and stick to the proper start up procedure.

I didn’t get a chance to check anything last night and have ridden my scooter in today. I'll check the switches tonight. They aren't mechanical though are they? For some reason I have it in my mind they are a fluid pressure switch?

Brake failure or not? Hmm, well I started the bike using the manuals stated procedure and the brakes failed to initialise, so yes I am calling it brake failure.

Would this incident make me sell the bike or never have servo assisted ABS brakes again? I’m going to say no at this stage. They are superb and incredibly powerful brakes backed up with ABS to save an idiot like me over braking. So it’ll take more than this to put me in the “anti” camp.

Thinking about the brakes on the way in this morning, I do have an issue with the rear brake “grabbing” when using the front. Maybe the caliper was stuck out or on slightly when I started it? This has prompted me to look into that. I know quite a few people have suffered from this grabbing rear brake syndrome and the guys on the ADV rider site recommend a thorough strip and clean of all moving parts on the rear caliper. So that’s my Saturday morning taken care of!!

To be honest the post wasn’t really about the joining or adding to the issues surrounding these brakes. It was more of a heads up to the brake lever adjustment should it happen to anyone for the first time like it did me. I was just about to reach for my phone and call the recovery until that adjustment cured it.

Best,

Dave

 

[Mouse]

No, I don't have hand guards, so it wasn't that? I have no idea why it took it upon it self to do this? With all the stuff about these brakes being "iffy" I am pretty cautious of them and stick to the proper start up procedure.

I didn't get a chance to check anything last night and have ridden my scooter in today. I'll check the switches tonight. They aren't mechanical though are they? For some reason I have it in my mind they are a fluid pressure switch?

I don't think so ... I'm pretty sure they are standard mechanical microswitches, but I'm not near my bike at the moment so I can't check.

Although I just noticed in your profile that your bike's a Rockster, not a GS! Explains why you don't have handguards

Brake failure or not? Hmm, well I started the bike using the manuals stated procedure and the brakes failed to initialise, so yes I am calling it brake failure.

Fair enough. I had had a few beers last night when I replied so sorry if I was a little dismissive. It's just that there was a rash of 1200GS owners reporting "brake failure" after they bashed the hand guards causing them to foul the brake lever.

Thinking about the brakes on the way in this morning, I do have an issue with the rear brake 'grabbing' when using the front. Maybe the caliper was stuck out or on slightly when I started it? This has prompted me to look into that. I know quite a few people have suffered from this grabbing rear brake syndrome and the guys on the ADV rider site recommend a thorough strip and clean of all moving parts on the rear caliper. So that's my Saturday morning taken care of!!

I can't really see how a binding brake (which is a problem in itself of course) could affect the initialisation procedure - that is of course assuming I am correct about the brake switches.

However keeping your brake calipers clean is an important job - I must have cleaned the brakes on my GS half a dozen times in the 10 months since I bought it. Mind you riding off road tends to fill them with mud and I doubt you have that problem

 

[Spout]

Rear brake switch does seem to hang low and be vulnerable to damage (off road?). There have also been reported instances of grit getting in the switch causing it stay "on" and causing similar "failure" (purely road muck).

Check for grit in the switch.

 

[Taipan]

http://www.r1150r.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=2303