Scary moment

[Neil the Courier]

On my way into london today, in slow moving traffic luckily, when i noticed smoke from under the petrol tank (on the right hand side), this was swiftly followed by the brake lever coming back to the bars - no brakes on the front.

Model is a 2008 GS12, with 8,500 miles under its wheels.

Coopers at Tunbridge Wells have it at present and have said the brake lines (x2), under the tank had gone and it would be a week for the parts to arrive from Germany. If you notice smoke/steam from this area watch out.

 

[radrod]

what hapend for the brakes to fail?

 

[Neil the Courier]

The smoke/vapour was the brake fluid being burnt from the hot engine, every time the front brake was applied more fluid came out. Got home using the back brake only.

 

[John Armstrong]

Does your bike have ABS?

 

[Neil the Courier]

Yes the bike has ABS, would that make a difference?

 

[John Armstrong]

More pipework and connections under the tank.

 

[GSmonkey]

I assume its related to this recall.

Has the brake fluid stripped the paint off the engine??

 

[faantjie]

That's not good news at all.
8.5K miles..... Wow you do ride your bike. I suppose it's best to do the miles in the warrantee period.

 

[talonfs]

Had the same thing last week, got the lines replaced under warranty (as per the recall) on my 07 GS with ABS. also had the gearbox casing replaced under warranty as brake fluid ahd tarnished it.

have to say the service I got from Battersea was excellent, but a little bit disconcerting finding you have no front brakes whilst approaching a roundabout.