My 2004 r1150gs adv had a brake failure yesterday evening and I'm trying to piece together what happened.
Obviously the next stop is my mechanic.
Towards the end of a day of spirited riding, we came to a long downhill twisty fast road with plenty of straights and lots of hard braking coming into bends.
On approach to a bend I applied the brake and the lever was very stiff, almost no play at all, a couple of mm was enough to engage the brakes. I got around the bend and let off the throttle and the bike slowed down fast, I was initially confused and thought it was engine braking, then realised it was the front brake dragging.
I pulled the lever again and it came all the way back to the grip with no resistance the dragging was gone and I had zero front braking.
Back brake and downshifting got me out of trouble and I was able to crawl my way to a petrol station using the rear brake, still no front brakes. I parked up and after 5 minutes the brakes are working again.
The brakes are the OEM BMW branded Tokico Brake Calipers.
The ABS was removed by previous owner.
Braided hoses.
DOT4 brake fluid changed June 2021.
Double H sintered EBC FA294HH pads- Changed Nov 2021 (500miles on them).
I'm nearly 50 and riding since my 20s, I can't believe I cooked the brake fluid, I've ridden and braked harder for longer in the past, but it seems that that is what happened.
Does the brake fluid expand suddenly causing the lever to stiffen just before it evaporates leaving no pressure at all?
Did something else cause the brakes to drag which in turn overheated the brake fluid causing complete loss in pressure?
Maybe it was just me, repeatedly braking too hard from too high speeds going down a steep hill on a heavy bike with my fat ass adding to the problem on 20 year old brakes not designed for that type of riding.
I feel like I had luck or fate or something on my side yesterday, it would have been a different story if the brakes went 30 seconds earlier.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? Curious to hear your story.
Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk
Obviously the next stop is my mechanic.
Towards the end of a day of spirited riding, we came to a long downhill twisty fast road with plenty of straights and lots of hard braking coming into bends.
On approach to a bend I applied the brake and the lever was very stiff, almost no play at all, a couple of mm was enough to engage the brakes. I got around the bend and let off the throttle and the bike slowed down fast, I was initially confused and thought it was engine braking, then realised it was the front brake dragging.
I pulled the lever again and it came all the way back to the grip with no resistance the dragging was gone and I had zero front braking.
Back brake and downshifting got me out of trouble and I was able to crawl my way to a petrol station using the rear brake, still no front brakes. I parked up and after 5 minutes the brakes are working again.
The brakes are the OEM BMW branded Tokico Brake Calipers.
The ABS was removed by previous owner.
Braided hoses.
DOT4 brake fluid changed June 2021.
Double H sintered EBC FA294HH pads- Changed Nov 2021 (500miles on them).
I'm nearly 50 and riding since my 20s, I can't believe I cooked the brake fluid, I've ridden and braked harder for longer in the past, but it seems that that is what happened.
Does the brake fluid expand suddenly causing the lever to stiffen just before it evaporates leaving no pressure at all?
Did something else cause the brakes to drag which in turn overheated the brake fluid causing complete loss in pressure?
Maybe it was just me, repeatedly braking too hard from too high speeds going down a steep hill on a heavy bike with my fat ass adding to the problem on 20 year old brakes not designed for that type of riding.
I feel like I had luck or fate or something on my side yesterday, it would have been a different story if the brakes went 30 seconds earlier.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? Curious to hear your story.
Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk
