Can I get a consensus on brake fluid change?

[motodan]

BMW's current Owners Manual guides state to change brake fluid after first year and then every other year after that. I take that first year to mean after first (one) year of service. So, what if the bike went into service October 2018, but has a build date of September 2017? It is now (12/2018) so bike was assembled 15 months ago...does it already need a brake fluid flush? Or has BMW build in to its recommendation that many bikes are not sold until 3 to 12 months after they come off the assembly line? Therefore, recommending initial brake flush one year from sold date?

I thought about flushing them with a typical manual approach, what watching the recently posted video where a 911 was used to purge ABSystem, I'm thinking that wouldn't be good enough.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

I live in a humid climate and have flushed the brakes every year on all my vehicles, regardless of recommendations.
It is such an easy procedure and inexpensive to do, that it is a no brainer to me.. YMMV

 

[motodan]

I live in a humid climate and have flushed the brakes every year on all my vehicles, regardless of recommendations.
It is such an easy procedure and inexpensive to do, that it is a no brainer to me.. YMMV

Do you do an ABS purge with your flush? The 911 for $400.00 is not so inexpensive. That takes a little more equipment/cost than a simple squeeze lever, open-close-release level and repeat, which I'm sure isn't as complete.

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

Do you do an ABS purge with your flush? The 911 for $400.00 is not so inexpensive. That takes a little more equipment/cost than a simple squeeze lever, open-close-release level and repeat.

Yes I do as the entire system gets cleaned out that way. In the days of the wizzy brakes on the Oilheads/K bikes, I did them annually as well and never ever had an issue with that system on any of my bikes.
An ounce of prevention......

 

[rguy]

I did not do an ABS purge. From my understanding your dealer wouldn't do one either because the factory service manual supposedly doesn't mention it. Haynes manual doesn't mention it either.

 

[Gillie Dog]

Can I get a consensus on brake fluid change?

I do not think so. Like other things, everybody has an opinion.

Mine opinion is, that no matter if in use or not the need to change brake fluid is attached to time outside the original sealed container, it is easy to do and cheap (if you have the needed tools already) so why not.

Then comes your automobile(s) which most do not change brake fluid in for many years if at all?????????????

Changing it regularly since bikes first came with disks has been the norm and I have seen no adverse effects to doing so ............ But I have not seen adverse effect to never changing brake fluid either, since I do change it and that is why this is just an opinion, not scientific at all.

Good luck on this quest.

GD

 

[t6pilot]

I do a annual change on my 15RT, installed speed bleeders(big plus) less than 30 min to complete

 

[pappy35]

I wouldn't take that 1 year initial requirement so literally as to start counting from the build month. I bought my RT used from a dealer in April and had a service record showing it's first brake fluid change was two years after it was purchased. I've got 4 year old brake fluid in my Kia. Both work just fine. Now, the Kia is clearly WAYYYyyyyy overdue (and I'm going to flush it this weekend because it literally just occurred to me that it was that old) but my point is that a few months or so longer than the spec isn't going to cause a problem.

 

[179212]

Change

I have a1994 R1100RS and remove old brake fluid every wherever I can hook mity vac to, do the top of abs module first than all the calipers.
This winter the new brake lines going on, said that last year than spring came and it was time to ride so do do a quick flush and replace lines later, now later has arrived.

 

[vtbob]

Motorcylcing is a hobby for most people, and being obsessive is normal. BMW riders, for the most part seem more obsessed than others.

Enjoy and cherish your bikes.

FWIW I don't remember flushing the brake fluid on any BMW bike I've owned. The longest I've kept one is 10 years, most are traded around 5 or 6 years.

Car brake systems are similar, I trade cars at about the same 6 or 7 years (100-125k miles)...again never flushed a brake system.

Never had ANY brake problems! Motorcycle or car. (yes I have change brake pads on both cars and motorcycles)

ps I did get my 2001 Z3 system flushed a few years ago...don't remember when. I didn't have a problem...just felt a bit obsessive!.

 

[pappy35]

Car brake systems are similar, I trade cars at about the same 6 or 7 years (100-125k miles)...again never flushed a brake system.

...and THIS would be why I never buy used cars!

I'm kidding you by the way. Not picking on you. I sold my five year old Kia to my son in law. I never changed out the brake fluid on that car either...

...but then again, I don't really like him anyway.

 

[motodan]

I agree these things can be overthought. However, I had to go with stainless steel brake puck cylinders on a Corvette a few decades ago due to corrosion. Cars and motorcycles see a lot more stationary time in winter months, especially up North, which can lead to serious brake problems if moisture isn't kept to a minimum. The only way to do that is fresh brake fluid. They'll work and appear fine up until the day they start to leak, then it's $$$$ time.

 

[irish]

I did not do an ABS purge. From my understanding your dealer wouldn't do one either because the factory service manual supposedly doesn't mention it. Haynes manual doesn't mention it either.

+1. I was confused about this also because if you just read the GS911 instructions you might think this is standard procedure. But, the manuals don't mention it. I called my local dealer. The service manager, whom I trust, checked with the tech and said they would only do the ABS pump purge if they were replacing the pump. The regular brake fluid flush is quick and easy. The fluid darkens at it gets older so if it were me I would change it if the fluid in the reservoir looked dark. That's what I did on a used WR250R I just bought.

 

[Anyname]

I asked the service department at my local dealership if I needed to do anything special when I replaced the brake fluid on my 2011 R1200R. They said that I could change the fluid without any special consideration for the ABS. They did mention that some of the older versions of ABS did require a special process to flush them. The HexHead/CamHead tech sub forum has a good tutorial on the process.

 

[flhfxd]

BMW's current Owners Manual guides state to change brake fluid after first year and then every other year after that. I take that first year to mean after first (one) year of service. So, what if the bike went into service October 2018, but has a build date of September 2017? It is now (12/2018) so bike was assembled 15 months ago...does it already need a brake fluid flush? Or has BMW build in to its recommendation that many bikes are not sold until 3 to 12 months after they come off the assembly line? Therefore, recommending initial brake flush one year from sold date?

I thought about flushing them with a typical manual approach, what watching the recently posted video where a 911 was used to purge ABSystem, I'm thinking that wouldn't be good enough.

Was this a question? New bottle of brake fluid is $10. Change it yourself now and then do it every year just to err on the safe side. EZ.

 

[Gillie Dog]

I was confused about this also because if you just read the GS911 instructions you might think this is standard procedure. But, the manuals don't mention it.

So a year ago or so I asked Module Masters to get an answer from the horses mouth, so to speak, on the iABS II system and this is their written answer to me.

"The 2010 ABS does NOT retain any fluid in the pump like the Servo assisted pumps do.

When bleeding the brakes, fluid is pumped from the master cylinder (on the handlebar for the front and at the brake pedal for the rear) directly and straight through the ABS pump to the slave cylinders on the wheels. There is no place in the pump where fluid remains stagnant.

All the ABS bleed test function does is shuttle the valves inside the pump to ensure that no air is trapped in them.

On the older Servo pumps there are 2 reservoirs inside the pump, one for the front, one for the rear. ie On servo assisted bikes you have 4 reservoirs in total. These are the pumps that need to be flushed."

So I do the "bleed test function" anyway just for fun ...

GD

 

[motodan]

So a year ago or so I asked Module Masters to get an answer from the horses mouth, so to speak, on the iABS II system and this is their written answer to me.

"The 2010 ABS does NOT retain any fluid in the pump like the Servo assisted pumps do.

When bleeding the brakes, fluid is pumped from the master cylinder (on the handlebar for the front and at the brake pedal for the rear) directly and straight through the ABS pump to the slave cylinders on the wheels. There is no place in the pump where fluid remains stagnant.

All the ABS bleed test function does is shuttle the valves inside the pump to ensure that no air is trapped in them.

On the older Servo pumps there are 2 reservoirs inside the pump, one for the front, one for the rear. ie On servo assisted bikes you have 4 reservoirs in total. These are the pumps that need to be flushed."

So I do the "bleed test function" anyway just for fun ...

GD

That is interesting as recent video of 911 use for purging ABS was performed on a Wethead...and demonstration showed lap-top going through a purge sequence step by step on screen. Wonder why wethead's 911 version would do that if system, as response says, doesn't require it? Perhaps their response to the "2010" model has changed again since then? Certainly there's no servo assist now, but perhaps another circuit requiring such 911 directed program?

 

[motodan]

Was this a question? New bottle of brake fluid is $10. Change it yourself now and then do it every year just to err on the safe side. EZ.

Yes. The question was, when does time meter start for service recommendations? Does it start on assembly month or on in service date? Sorry I added more words than needed, didn't mean to throw anyone off point. A bottle of DOT 4 cost only $3.95 here, you're getting robbed.

 

[Gillie Dog]

Perhaps their response to the "2010" model has changed again since then? Certainly there's no servo assist now, but perhaps another circuit requiring such 911 directed program?

Same iABSII from what I understand.

GS-911 "bleed test function" will get the air bubbles out of the iABSII module, if any... Or they still incorporate it just to confuse/confound Motodan .

GD

 

[motodan]

Same iABSII from what I understand.

GS-911 "bleed test function" will get the air bubbles out of the iABSII module, if any... Or they still incorporate it just to confuse/confound Motodan .

GD

They do it to confuse me!