2002 R1150Rt Brake leak ABS Failure

Just bought this bike, with failed abs system (seller "disconnected"). It has a leak at the front brake fluid reservoir, in fact, brake fluid sprayed up onto the windshield so it is high pressure. 1) wondering if you all think this is related to a disconnected abs system or 2) a separate issue (servo?). 3) I feel like my local dealer service won't help if I am not willing to put abs back to spec. Thoughts?

stevenollet said:

Just bought this bike, with failed abs system (seller "disconnected"). It has a leak at the front brake fluid reservoir, in fact, brake fluid sprayed up onto the windshield so it is high pressure. 1) wondering if you all think this is related to a disconnected abs system or 2) a separate issue (servo?). 3) I feel like my local dealer service won't help if I am not willing to put abs back to spec. Thoughts?

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Hey, Stevenollet,

My first thought is "QUICK - WHERE"S THE GARDEN HOSE??!!", but it's too late now. Got to keep a spray bottle full of warm soapy water and clean rags RIGHT HERE when dealing with DOT4. It eats everything including the OEM brake hoses. Can really destroy a paint job, dashboard, windshield, fairing, etc.

You may have a failed brake line. That is a prime place to split, lots of movement at the handlebars. If you have the fat black OEM hoses you'll need to put $200 in the budget for a set of Spiegler or Galfer replacement lines, weather this is the problem or not 'cause yours are due. Saturday job. It ain't the miles, it's the years on these brake lines that kills them.

It might be a leaking banjo on the reservoir. There is the hollow bolt, the banjo fitting on the end of the line and two small, skinny "crush washers", one each side of the fitting. Sometimes they are copper, sometimes aluminum. They might be reused once but they are the seals and should be replaced every time you loosen it. They are very soft metal but get "work-hardened" very quickly, and beat-up. I've had new ones fail to seal completely but most often it's a used one that leaks.

Squeeze the lever and watch for it (with glasses on). It's not good for us either.

Let us know what you find.

This is a banjo fitting:


These are Spiegler lines and fittings. You can see the crush washers if you zoom in:

If your bike still has the original rubber brake lines they are toast by now. Replace all of them with Spiegler teflon stainless braided lines or equivalent. Clean the rotors with Simple Green and water then push the calipers back in. Once the new lines are in fill with new DOT4 and flush the whole system out clean while bleeding the air out.

As for the reservior the cover gasket may be worn out or you have leaky fittings are the easy ones to fix. It may also be that your master cyliner has some pitting problems from lack of fluid changes. Water gets into the brake fluid as it is hydroscopic and this wrecks the piston and sleeve slowly but surely.

Sounds like the PO did not maintain the brake system other than to tear out the ABS?