Happy New Year all,

Attempting to bleed the clutch (2011 Concours) and can't seem to get any pressure in the lever at all even though the fluid coming out the bleeder valve is clear but with a ton of tiny bubbles. Initially I attempted to install a Speed Bleeder and in doing so, drained the system. Sadly, I couldn't get the Speed Bleeder to properly open so I reinstalled the stock bleeder.

I'm using a MityVac and the fluid coming out is clear, but can't seem to get rid of the air bubble or gain any pressure in the lever. I've not let the reservoir go dry, keeping it topped off with fresh fluid. Is there some trick to regaining lever feel?

For background, I've bled non-ABS brakes in the past, using said MityVac, but this is the first bike I've owned with a hydraulic clutch. I'm planning on taking the bike to the dealer for the ABS brakes but figured I could handle (no pun) the clutch myself.

You say you drained the system and also say you've not let the master go dry. Which might it be? Have you bled the master?

Attempting to bleed the clutch (2011 Concours) and can't seem to get any pressure in the lever at all even though the fluid coming out the bleeder valve is clear but with a ton of tiny bubbles.

Which bleeder- the slave cylinder near the transmission?

Initially I attempted to install a Speed Bleeder and in doing so, drained the system. Sadly, I couldn't get the Speed Bleeder to properly open so I reinstalled the stock bleeder. I'm using a MityVac and the fluid coming out is clear, but can't seem to get rid of the air bubble or gain any pressure in the lever. I've not let the reservoir go dry, keeping it topped off with fresh fluid.

Same question as gPink- are you saying you let the system go dry (drained)?  That is probably a big mistake- flushing the fluid is not that difficult, unless you get air into the system, then many people have posted it can be a nightmare to get all the air out.  Lots of threads about that.  Here are some:

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=18451.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=19050
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4458

For background, I've bled non-ABS brakes in the past, using said MityVac, but this is the first bike I've owned with a hydraulic clutch. I'm planning on taking the bike to the dealer for the ABS brakes but figured I could handle (no pun) the clutch myself.

I found that bleeding the brakes were easier than the clutch (mostly because getting to the clutch slave bleeder and getting the tube on it was difficult).  So if you can do the clutch, you can do the brakes.

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

I put a stainless clutch line on my bike and used this. It couldn't be simpler to use and worked great

Happy New Year all,

Attempting to bleed the clutch (2011 Concours) and can't seem to get any pressure in the lever at all even though the fluid coming out the bleeder valve is clear but with a ton of tiny bubbles. Initially I attempted to install a Speed Bleeder and in doing so, drained the system. Sadly, I couldn't get the Speed Bleeder to properly open so I reinstalled the stock bleeder.

I'm using a MityVac and the fluid coming out is clear, but can't seem to get rid of the air bubble or gain any pressure in the lever. I've not let the reservoir go dry, keeping it topped off with fresh fluid. Is there some trick to regaining lever feel?

For background, I've bled non-ABS brakes in the past, using said MityVac, but this is the first bike I've owned with a hydraulic clutch. I'm planning on taking the bike to the dealer for the ABS brakes but figured I could handle (no pun) the clutch myself.

The tiny bubbles are screwing you up- some are even too tiny to see at first. They will drift slowly up to the master cylinder where you have to continuously bleed with lots of DOT4. It took me over an hour and 2 qts. Needless to say I'm good for the next 90,000 miles.

I have the Mity Vac and the Harbor Freight . The Mity Vac can produce more vacuum based on the hand pump and the Harbor Freight depends on a compressor.
 If you dont have a compressor the Harbor Freight unit wont be of any good to you. (It uses a ton of air - a little portable compressor does not work)
Draining was your issue .You have air in the master. That  usually means either removing it to prime it or a lot of FAST hand pumping to push out the air. Neither of the above tools listed  can pull fluid fast enough. The one I have seen/used  for automobiles and large trucks 'pushes' fluid  at  higher pressure to get the air out. I do not know how to adapt those to a motorcycle application.
it looks like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04DZuyzAQDQ&t=7s

Watch this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtcmVPKwXDY

Darn , no Kawasaki??
https://www.motiveproducts.com/collections/motorcycle-adapters

You say you drained the system and also say you've not let the master go dry. Which might it be? Have you bled the master?

Hey gPink, allow me to clarify. What I meant to say is that I drained the master cylinder completely when I attempted to install the speed bleeder. After not having any luck getting fluid to come out the bleeder after topping off the master cylinder (I suppose lever pressure helps) I opted to reinstall the OEM bleeder. Now at least I was able to pull fluid through the valve using my MityVac resulting clean fluid from the master cylinder which I ensured never went dry.

That's what I intended to communicate.

those clutch master cylinders are a p.i.t.a. to get the air trapped in the pumping seal area out of... I disassembled mine once, for examination... and had to end up "reverse" bleeding the system... That does work, but is messy and somewhat tricky to perform...
You end up using an "inverted" container with a subsequent amount of fluid in it to supply, and a hose attached to the slave bleeder valve.... Then, crack the slave bleeder, and "suck" the fluid up to the master cylinder bleeder, using a mity vac.. It helps to have 2 people, one to hold the container and crack and reseaql the bleeder on the slave, and you can crack the bleeder and draw vacume, and reseal the top bleeder.. I have done this myself, and it does work great, as the air is trapped up top... so trying to force it downwards is a lot more effort, than drawing fluid upwards.. just reseal the top bleeder end bottom one every cycle... and keep a good vacume on the line before breaking the top one open.
Also, using small zip-tie wraps on both hoses, cinched up tight, really helps prevent 'accidents"...
Once the air is sucked from the top, the piston in the master will work, and pump fluid...

I've also had great success using a huge Veteranary syrynge, filled with fluid, with the clear hose clamped on the syrynge and also the slave bleeder fitting, and hose on master bleeder,(with the end of the hose submerged in a bottle with fluid, to prevent pulling air back in) and pressurized the system from the bottom forcing fluid out the top, but again, it takes 4 hands.