Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

I had same last week (1150GS). Brake was fine over weekend, Monday nothing

Replaced flexible line (had it made up by clutch & brake people @ R374). Problem now fixed.

If it is a leaking flexible hose, ideally you should take the bike to the workshop that actually do the work and physically show them what you need. Find out where such a place is near you, probably Paarden Eiland/Montague Gardens. I believe Goeie Hoop Onderdele in Brackenfell can also have it done. 

I should have paid more attention to the tiny bit of wetness around caliper that I saw some time ago.

What happened was a slow leak in the pipe wasted the brake fluid little by little, brakes still feeling good and the wasted fluid caused no conspicuous wetness. Then the reservoir becomes empty and eventually an air bubble enters the master cylinder. Suddenly no brakes...

Note: Make sure the people who makes up your new flex pipe knows that it is for a motorbike and they must make the length exactly the same and also make the angles of the end fittings exactly the same. They tend to assume the pipe is for a car and make it "a bit longer to be safe"

i just went and checked the bike again now, it seems that the brakes are ok now...

i checked and no residue / fluid any where, reservoir is full...

i did push a little hard to get to work this morning,

any iddeas?

p

If you know nothing at all about brakes you should probably take it to one of the mechanics or your nearest dealer.  There are many possible causes:

• Out of brake fluid due to a leak (as per Danie)
• A big leak or breakage in the pipes or banjo-bolt joints or washers
• A bubble in the system (symptom of this is more sponginess than complete lack of brakes)
• Failed Master Cylinder seal
• Failed Slave Cylinder seal
• Grease or brake fluid on the brake pads or disk
• Worn-out pads

Search this site for a good bike mechanic near you and have it seen to.

When I still owned a Dakar, a similar thing happened to me once.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the link between the pedal/lever and the plunger that pushed the master cylinder piston had fallen out

Or the link is dangling, and sometimes the lever hits it, and other times it misses.  I have resorted to cable-tying that clever clip thingy so that it does not go AWOL like on my trials bike.

A brake that stops working and starts working again is dangerous --- something is not right.

Sounds like mechanical problem such as Stan mentioned.

If you cannot find the cause, take the bike to a mechanic or where you have the bike serviced

Hi

As ek reg onthou was dit al tevore hier bespreek.  Die agter master cylinder piston van die 650 singles is geneig om vas te steek.  (Gewoonlik roes.)

Die basiese simtoom is dat die piston nie terug beweeg na onder nie.  As jy die pedaal met hand druk sal jy sien dat die 'rod' los is en dan later aan die piston druk en 'vas' raak.  As jy ry sal jy voel dat die pedaal 'toto onder' gaan en nie 'styf' word soos normaal.

Adie

Hi Alma's, dankie v d rad. Addie eke gan dit more oopmaak en leaker skoonmaak!, 

p

Dis ma goeie rad - Pasop vi te veel peuter wa ni noorig issie 

Hi Daar.

Ek sal ook se moet nie te veel krap nie.As jy die brake fluid "flush" of bloei maak jou ook effektief die pompie skoon.Om die pompie oop te maak kan jy miskien net die seeltjie ontstig en seer maak.Daar is n plastiek sleeve aan die binne kant wat mens nie kan reg maak nie en moet dan die hele rear wheel master cylinder vervang.(R1500)Wat meneer Adie gese het is een honderd persent reg.Die piston haak partykeer net vas.Vervang net die vloeistof.Die vloeistof is hygroscopic wat beteken dit absorbeer water wat nie goed is nie.

As die pyp erens sal lek is dit onder aan die linkerkant van die swingarm,dit maak n slegte knak daar en van heeltyd heen en weer buig beskadig dit party keer.Ek het dit al persoonlik twee keer gesien!

Hi everyone. Thanks for the advice, I flushed the system w new fluid! 

Brakes never been better!,,

p