Time for brake fluid flush- what is the best brake fluid?

[MAN OF BLUES]

What's your point?
Also, you say "but ANY Dot fluid rated 3/4 or 4, is adequate".
Is 'adequate" your standard for brake performance? And, while any DOT 4 fluid is fine for the C14, the bigger question is : for how long? That DOT 4 fluid that might be four years old is more like a DOT 2 fluid.

I was simplifying the whole procedure, ( and jokingly making fun of someone spending mega bucks for brake fluid...)you can get 3/4 compatible, or search out 4 specific, the 3/4 is completely compatible with the system. You will never boil it.... if you do, better not ride. It's simply not gonna boil, no matter what. And I did note CHANGE it on a regular schedule, if you ride super aggressively, yearly, if you put on 10k a year, and store the bike in a garage, every other year

don't take what i suggest as gospel, spend what you want on fluid you plan to dispose of regularly... we can go on and on.... it's like an oil thread, or a tire thread.... it don't mean squat if you never check it, when I see the reservoirs getting more brown than yellow, it gets changed..... given an option of purple fluid, or any other color.... it gets really rediculous.....
the smartest thing manufacturers COULD do, would be to utilize a dye in the fluid, that would change color when the fluid gets to a contamination point with moisture.... that would be too damned simple..... agree...? but nooooooooo.... they just make clear fluid, that you can't tell when the moisture content has been exceded....

I change this regularly, and have severely abused brakes, never boiled them, and can stand on my statements of such, so do a lot of folks. Racers included. Track days, mountain riding, heavy loads.... it is what it is. If you live in the rainforrest, and your bike sits outside year round, vs someone in Ohio, who's bike may sit 6 months indoors, it's all relative. I NEVER suggested changing fluid at 4 year interval...that's ridiculous....there is a user book supplied at purchase outlining flush intervals.....and that ain't the interval.

I say just keep it fresh, and you are safe.... problem with that?


maybe invest in developing a new fluid, that indicates when it SHOULD be changed.... ooooo, wait, bad suggestion on my part, nothing to see here, move along.....(he says, while trying to figure out this part of the equation....) 

[VirginiaJim]

I just use Kawasaki brand and as I don't ride like SBK or MotoGP riders, I think I'll be ok.  I also change it every two years or so.

[Frank ZZR]

I now feel guilted into doing some maintenance. I bought a Motion Pro bleeder just after I bought my bike 5yrs ago but have never used it. I've always just bled them manually.  Anything to watch out for?
Thanks

[Racer Boy]

It is extremely unlikely that you would ever work your brakes hard enough on the street to boil the brake fluid. On our bikes, the brakes are large enough, and have so much air flow over them that unless you are on a track such as COTA (150 mph straight with a 40 mph turn at the end), you will probably never start to approach the limits of the brake fluid.

Although it kind of pains me to say this, MOB is right. DOT 4 will work great.

If it makes you feel better, go ahead and spend the big bucks on the Motul or Redline brake fluid. (BTW, I am a big believer in Redline products, I used them in my race cars and only have good things to say about their stuff). That said, I didn't use their brake fluid, I used relatively cheap Motorcraft Heavy Duty DOT 4. You can usually find it at Ford dealers, and it is just as good as Motul or Redline. It is what I used in my race cars, but at half the cost of the other fluids I mentioned.

[almightys]

It's kind peculiar that were splitting hairs talking about differences of performance brake fluid when we've waited over four year to change something that should be just done annually.

[Conrad]

Thanks for the warnings.  I will add brake fluid replacement (possibly also clutch) to my Spring to-do list for sure.

Why wait till Spring Max? While you're waiting the moisture in your bikes braking system is eating away at your precious.   

Do it NOW.   

[Conrad]

I now feel guilted into doing some maintenance. I bought a Motion Pro bleeder just after I bought my bike 5yrs ago but have never used it. I've always just bled them manually.  Anything to watch out for?
Thanks

Yes, don't loosen the bleeder valves too much, just barely enough to let the fluid come through. Be VERY careful not to let the reservoirs get too low, you do not want to get any air in the system. The clutch is very unforgiving where air is the system is concerned. Don't ask me how I know this.      

[gPink]

Although it kind of pains me to say this, MOB is right. DOT 4 will work great.

If it pained you that much would it not have been better just to let it go?

[Rembrant]

LOL. This thread is awesome. 

You guys all worry too much. It's like an oil thread, only better.

For anybody that lays awake at night thinking about your brake fluid, you might want to add brake caliper service to your anxiety.

Rem

[gPink]

...but it's freaking winter and we have got to do something...maybe it's time for a nitrogen thread....

[Rembrant]

...but it's freaking winter and we have got to do something...maybe it's time for a nitrogen thread....

LOL, I know. We were "winter-free" over here until the beginning of February....then it arrived, like a punch in the nose...LOL. We're getting all of New England's crap a day later. YUCK.

Ya know, years ago, the weatherman use to say: "It's going to snow tomorrow". Now, it consumes entire news stations for days on end...everything closes, the public is warned to stay home, and a state of emergency is declared. I'm tellin' ya Mr. Pink, the cold makes people crazy...LOL>

I don't worry about fluids as much as some others do...but it makes for good reading in the winter, that's for sure...LOL>

A nitrogen thread would be awesome right about now....lol

Rem

[stevewfl]

^^^   I joke on the FL weather but i'd love to be at the lighthouses/beaches and having pizza at Mystic with snow everywhere

[sailor_chic]

Please educate me on this mentioned Motion pro bleeder.

[gPink]

LOL, I know. We were "winter-free" over here until the beginning of February....then it arrived, like a punch in the nose...LOL. We're getting all of New England's crap a day later. YUCK.

Ya know, years ago, the weatherman use to say: "It's going to snow tomorrow". Now, it consumes entire news stations for days on end...everything closes, the public is warned to stay home, and a state of emergency is declared. I'm tellin' ya Mr. Pink, the cold makes people crazy...LOL>

I don't worry about fluids as much as some others do...but it makes for good reading in the winter, that's for sure...LOL>

A nitrogen thread would be awesome right about now....lol

Rem

This is representative of everything that's wrong with society today.....they've even started naming snow 'events'   

[st2sam]

I never changed my clutch or brake fluid, 6yrs. - 58,000mi..

3 Questions? If I remove and replace just the fluid in the res.(don't have a bleeder and I'm lazy )would I feel a difference in braking?
Does anyone know what % fluid is left in the system after the res. is emptied?
 Or should I, at the least, buy a cheap Harbor Freight bleeder and do it right?

[Rembrant]

I never changed my clutch or brake fluid, 6yrs. - 58,000mi..

The horror..lol. Just kiddin'.

3 Questions? If I remove and replace just the fluid in the res.(don't have a bleeder and I'm lazy )would I feel a difference in braking?

Even if you replace ALL of the fluid, your brakes won't "feel" any different, however, changing it in only the reservoir will do nothing for you. The bulk of the dirty fluid is in the calipers....where you never see it.

Does anyone know what % fluid is left in the system after the res. is emptied?

Probably 75%-80%...

Or should I, at the least, buy a cheap Harbor Freight bleeder and do it right?

A bleeder sure makes the job easier.

[st2sam]

The horror..lol. Just kiddin'.
Even if you replace ALL of the fluid, your brakes won't "feel" any different, however, changing it in only the reservoir will do nothing for you. The bulk of the dirty fluid is in the calipers....where you never see it.
Probably 75%-80%...
A bleeder sure makes the job easier.

 

[stevewfl]

A bleeder sure makes the job easier.

+1, I like an extra person around helping too. Teressa is great at all the little bitty tasks!

[VirginiaJim]

Motion Pro brake bleeder

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0143/

It's basically a one way valve so the fluid can get by but air cannot come back in

I have one and it works great....even on the clutch side.  But don't tell Conrad that.

[lather]

Please educate me on this mentioned Motion pro bleeder.

Works great. Makes brake or clutch fluid changing a ten minute job. I use it on cars too.

edit great minds but Jim's is quicker than mine