• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

motodan

Active member
Is it possible to replace brake fluid (bleed) a non-servo brake system with ABS in the old fashion manner, at the calibers only...pump - squeeze - open bleeder - close bleeder - pump - squeeze...and again and again?
 
Yes it is. But an even better solution is to get a "One Man Brake Bleeder" which is nothing more than a small 1 way check valve on the end of a short hose. This allows pump, pump, pump leaving the bleeder open.

I got one at a NAPA store years ago. An internet search will show several sources of such a device.

Speedbleeders (TM) allow the same thing. They are aftermarket bleeder valves with a built in check valve. However with multiple bleed valves on multiple bikes, a valve on a hose that costs between $5 and $15 is a more economic choice.
 
Yes it is. But an even better solution is to get a "One Man Brake Bleeder" which is nothing more than a small 1 way check valve on the end of a short hose. This allows pump, pump, pump leaving the bleeder open.

I got one at a NAPA store years ago. An internet search will show several sources of such a device.

Speedbleeders (TM) allow the same thing. They are aftermarket bleeder valves with a built in check valve. However with multiple bleed valves on multiple bikes, a valve on a hose that costs between $5 and $15 is a more economic choice.

Thanks Paul.
 
Is it possible to replace brake fluid (bleed) a non-servo brake system with ABS in the old fashion manner, at the calibers only...pump - squeeze - open bleeder - close bleeder - pump - squeeze...and again and again?

Can I ask a silly question? Why do you want to replace brake fluid in a 2013 motorcycle?
 
Can I ask a silly question? Why do you want to replace brake fluid in a 2013 motorcycle?

Not sure I want to replace the fluid on my 2013 model at this time, but the computer was in my hands, I was on the forum and that question was on my mind. However, I have noted recently that BMW now calls for a brake fluid flush at the one year mark and every other year thereafter. In fact some would argue a yearly fluid change is dollar wise. Combine that with the fact that many bikes sold in the USA have been in the pipeline for sometime, makes the effort a reasonable action. As an example, my machine was delivered in June, but was made in January...therefore it will be a year old in 2 months.
 
I put Speedbleeders on my 2012 RT when I did the first brake flush last week. $21 for 3 units. It was an easy job and everything bled out smoothly. My front pads are half shot at 24K miles. The rear pads are in better shape.

MotoDan, according to the RT service schedule you get 2 years initially on a new bike then you brake flush every year after. My fluid didn't look too bad. I think I will order a clutch speedbleeder in the future.

Good Riding!
 
I put Speedbleeders on my 2012 RT when I did the first brake flush last week. $21 for 3 units. It was an easy job and everything bled out smoothly. My front pads are half shot at 24K miles. The rear pads are in better shape.

MotoDan, according to the RT service schedule you get 2 years initially on a new bike then you brake flush every year after. My fluid didn't look too bad. I think I will order a clutch speedbleeder in the future.

Good Riding!

I think you might find that is flush after first year and then every two years after that. Rationale relates to time period between manufacture and delivery can be up to a year or more.
Regards
 
All good methods...first then every other year or just every other year...as opposed to neglecting this often neglected service. And brake components are not cheap by a long shot....certainly not as cheap as a $4.95 bottle of BMW DOT 4 (it is a hundred times that much for one front caliber, not to mention labor) and a little time. Brakes, this is one area I do not skimp on for obviously more reasons than money.
 
There is certainly no mystery on how this is done. The traditional bleed process is fine. When I performed this during the 6k maintenance, approximately one year from manufacture date, I had no issues and performed this alone without speed bleeders or any other tool. I had a Mighty Vac but didn't have the correct size tubing; I will have to sort this out for the next time I do the job.

Just take your time to ensure you do a thorough job and all will be fine.
 
That said a vacuum bleeder is simple and cheap to make take any stiff vessel, a glass mayonnaise or pickle jar will work ( I actually have a piece of ABS pipe with caps glued on)

Take the Jar and go buy some 1/4" vinyl tubing at the hardware store. Drill a couple holes in the cover and insert the tube, the inlet will extend toward the bottom of the jar. The vacuum side will just go into the cover. Next seal them up with some silicone calking and let it cure. (you can also use bigger hose for the vacuum source)

To use it, any vacuum source will work, even a vacuum cleaner (not as good as other sources), I now have a vacuum pump, but my other favorite source is just pull any vacuum line off the car/bike intake and start the engine, connect the other line (jar inlet) inlet to the bleeder and open it up and you no longer have to pump the lever. To use a vacuum cleaner you just need some duct tape to seal the big and little lines.
 
A few suggestions:

1. Read the brake fluid flush for the R1200R that is in the tech section. The only difference is how you open your front master cylinder cover. Other than that - the procedure is identical.

2. Get/borrow a GS-911. The latest software has a function for flushing/bleeding the ABS modulator. It's worth doing in my experience - doing this resulted in a firmer front brake lever. The software gives you instructions on using it, but it's basically do the flush as normal, activate the ABS modulator, then re-do the flush again.

3. Avoid using a vacuum bleeder. I don't have any confirmed instances - but I have been told by a source I trust that this may cause damage to the seals in the ABS modulator - pulling them inside out. As I said - no confirmed instances (I'm sure we'll hear from people who have used one), but the chance of this happening, and the ease of doing the brake fluid flush the standard way would make me avoid it.

4. Take care when pumping the brake. DO NOT allow the lever/pedal to travel further than it normally does under normal use. With a new system the bore of the master-cylinders should be clean and smooth, but on a neglected system, this can put the piston seals at risk.

FWIW - BMW did spec a fluid flush 2 years from the date of manufacture of the bike in 2007. I suspect the 1 year interval is to take into account the time between manufacture and sale. The manufacturing date can be found on the VIN plate, or by punching the VIN into www.realoem.com.
 
MotoDan, according to the RT service schedule you get 2 years initially on a new bike then you brake flush every year after. My fluid didn't look too bad. I think I will order a clutch speedbleeder in the future.

Good Riding!
You do realize there is no fluid change interval on the clutch hydraulics? And that brake fluid is NOT used in that circuit?

The mineral oil used seems to last a very long time (mine is going on 75,000 miles and 5+ years and still looks fine.) You can buy the mineral oil from BMW ($$$) - or Magura (who made the master cylinder).

One thing to watch out for - as the clutch disk wears - the fluid in the clutch circuit rises in the reservoir. If it rises enough it can prevent the clutch from fully engaging. This is a bad thing since it means a slipping clutch, and a continuously engaged throwout bearing at the clutch slave cylinder. Just something to watch for - especially if you're riding an ex-police bike.
 
In the BWW Service DVD--set to bike 0440, i.e. USA R1200RT 2010) there are no instructions for bleeding an ABS modulator nor any for connecting any electronic devices.

There is vague reference to "bleeding device" but no official BMW special tool is specified. I could easily take this to mean a vacuum bleeder. There is in fact reference to "vacuum extraction process" and recommendation to additionally "bleed manually" following use of that.

There is instruction to bleed at the master cylinder for front brakes in addition to bleeding at calipers.

There is instruction to remove the brake pads when bleeding.

There are revised instructions for August 2012-on production that omit the bleeding at the reservoir.

Lots of this conflicts with most information provided above.
 
You do realize there is no fluid change interval on the clutch hydraulics? And that brake fluid is NOT used in that circuit?

The mineral oil used seems to last a very long time (mine is going on 75,000 miles and 5+ years and still looks fine.) You can buy the mineral oil from BMW ($$$) - or Magura (who made the master cylinder).

One thing to watch out for - as the clutch disk wears - the fluid in the clutch circuit rises in the reservoir. If it rises enough it can prevent the clutch from fully engaging. This is a bad thing since it means a slipping clutch, and a continuously engaged throwout bearing at the clutch slave cylinder. Just something to watch for - especially if you're riding an ex-police bike.

Thanks D.E.;

Yes I do realize the diff between the brake and clutch requirements. On topic FWIW, after double checking, the service interval for brake flushing is every two (2) years for that year RT according to BMW. But if folks want to change the brake fluid early have at it. I only do it if I need to (1-2 years). I did mine 5 months early as it is. I did use a GS-911 for my brake service but don't see where or why you have to flush twice. I would like to hear more about that.
 
Last edited:
In the BWW Service DVD--set to bike 0440, i.e. USA R1200RT 2010) there are no instructions for bleeding an ABS modulator nor any for connecting any electronic devices.

There is instruction to bleed at the master cylinder for front brakes in addition to bleeding at calipers.

There are revised instructions for August 2012-on production that omit the bleeding at the reservoir.

Lots of this conflicts with most information provided above.

Thanks lkchris.

It was a little scary bleeding the master cylinder as I have never had to do that before. My bike was built in Feb 2012 so I wonder what omitting bleeding the MC after August 2012 is all about? Any step I can skip is important. I do need to pick up the DVD. The GS-911 software is updated often and is fantastic but I guess more info is better.
 
Yes D. E. I do realize the diff between the brake and clutch requirements. On topic FWIW, after double checking, the service interval for brake flushing is every two (2) years for that year RT according to BMW. But if folks want to change the brake fluid early have at it. I only do it if I need to (1-2 years). I did mine 5 months early as it is. I did use a GS-911 for my brake service but don't see where or why you have to flush twice. I would like to hear more about that.

Glad to hear it - we've had more than one person here flush the clutch circuits with DOT4 - and it cost them a lot of money (basically new upper/lower cylinders were required - the seals are not compatible with brake fluid.)

I believe the idea behind doing the flush twice is - the first flush gets the old fluid out of the circuits. The GS-911 flush gets the fluid/air that might be in the modulator circuits out of the modulator - but it remains in the lines. The final flush gets that fluid/air out of the system. Makes sense to me.. Is it needed every time? Probably not if you exercise the ABS once in a while, and if no air is ever allowed to get into the system. It did cure somewhat (not entirely - but much better than it had been) a soft lever on the front brake that started with the first brake line recall done by BMW - and wasn't cured with multiple flush/bleeds, including the 2nd brake line recall by BMW, and replacement of the master cylinder under warranty.

It doesn't surprise me that the DVD doesn't reference the ABS bleeding. It may be taught when the techs go to the BMW tech school, or it may be overlooked entirely, but the fact that the ability is there to do it means the BMW engineers anticipated it being done since the folks who make the GS-911 only can enable functions that BMW has programmed into the hardware/firmware.
 
There is certainly no mystery on how this is done. The traditional bleed process is fine. When I performed this during the 6k maintenance, approximately one year from manufacture date, I had no issues and performed this alone without speed bleeders or any other tool. I had a Mighty Vac but didn't have the correct size tubing; I will have to sort this out for the next time I do the job.

Just take your time to ensure you do a thorough job and all will be fine.

IMHO the Speedbleeders are twice as easy as the vacuum setups. Less connections to leak/come apart, etc.
 
Thanks lkchris.

It was a little scary bleeding the master cylinder as I have never had to do that before. My bike was built in Feb 2012 so I wonder what omitting bleeding the MC after August 2012 is all about? Any step I can skip is important. I do need to pick up the DVD. The GS-911 software is updated often and is fantastic but I guess more info is better.

It reads like they changed the design and deleted that bleeder.
 
In the BWW Service DVD--set to bike 0440, i.e. USA R1200RT 2010) there are no instructions for bleeding an ABS modulator nor any for connecting any electronic devices.

There is vague reference to "bleeding device" but no official BMW special tool is specified. I could easily take this to mean a vacuum bleeder. There is in fact reference to "vacuum extraction process" and recommendation to additionally "bleed manually" following use of that.

There is instruction to bleed at the master cylinder for front brakes in addition to bleeding at calipers.

There is instruction to remove the brake pads when bleeding.

There are revised instructions for August 2012-on production that omit the bleeding at the reservoir.

Lots of this conflicts with most information provided above.

And this is exactly why I started this thread. Given the changes with in changes, reluctance of manufacture to provide much in the way of service data, lack of "current" info and differing procedures on differing models (let alone years) for these machines, it pays to check the general train(s)-of-thought from time to time.
 
Front Master Cylinder

There is instruction to bleed at the master cylinder for front brakes in addition to bleeding at calipers. QUOTE]

2010 1200GSA- Isn't this accomplished by flushing at the calipers? Is this a necessary/recommended procedure?

Thanks,

Ok, I think I am mixing up actions. So, my question I suppose is should the master cylinder be flushed by its bleeder valve when flushing the system?
 
Last edited:
Back
Top