08 with blown head for sale as donner bike

[rb_writer]

The Freudian slip in the subject is too good to pass up, since the bike will be 'cannibalized' for the benefit of other bikes. Especially in California.

[imfreelandian]

About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[Fred Hink]

http://ebcbrakes.com/articles/what-is-brake-fade/ Fred http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com   [b]From:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Wednesday, July 06, 2016 5:05 PM [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_KLR650] Brakes, No Brakes, Brakes     About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[Martin Earl]

Gerry,Do you have stock OEM brake lines on the bike or aftermarket, braided, stainless steel brake lines?If you have OEM brake lines:Some folks suggest that under continuous hard braking, when the brake pedal goes down, but the line expands rather than pressurizing the wheel cylinder. = no brakes until the brake fluid cools, or in this case, the brake line cools down and contracts. If you were to go back to the first mentioned, first experienced location under similar outside air temps and riding conditions, you probably will get the same results. I will say that on my KLR with SS braided lines, I have never experienced your symptoms; there are others on this forum that have OEM brake lines, and they have not experienced the symptoms you describe. If you have SS braided lines, then, I have no clue. m.

On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 5:05 PM, gerryponline@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote: About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[Michael Martin]

Since the brake pedal went to its full travel, there was probably no significant pressure being developed.  But there was no fluid leakage.  Two possible causes are: 1. Water contamination of the brake fluid causing vapor to form at elevated temperature in the brake caliper.  You say you changed the fluid 1400 miles ago but don't mention how many  months ago that was.  Normally changing brake fluid annually is enough to avoid excessive moisture build-up, but that assumes that the brake fluid comes from a sealed container. 2. A piece of grit present in the master cylinder could have temporarily caused the master cylinder to malfunction.  This is a real stretch, but not impossible. I'd bet on the brake fluid being contaminated with water.  Here's an article on the subject: http://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/resources/faq/dry-and-wet-boiling-points-dot-brake-fluid/HTH, Mike Martin [b]From:[/b] "gerryponline@... [DSN_KLR650]" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Wednesday, July 6, 2016 7:05 PM [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_KLR650] Brakes, No Brakes, Brakes   About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. 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[Buddy Eckles]

Gerry,Do you have stock OEM brake lines on the bike or aftermarket,  braided, stainless steel brake lines?If you have OEM brake lines:Some folks suggest that under continuous hard braking, when the brake pedal goes down, but the line expands rather than pressurizing the wheel cylinder. = no brakes until the brake fluid cools, or in this case, the brake line cools down and contracts. If you were to go back to the first mentioned, first experienced location under similar outside air temps and riding conditions, you probably will get the same results. I will say that on my KLR with SS braided lines, I have never experienced your symptoms; there are others on this forum that have OEM brake lines, and they have not experienced the symptoms you describe. If you have SS braided lines, then, I have no clue. m.

On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 5:05 PM, gerryponline@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote: About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[GMac999]

I installed stainless steel hoses and DOT5 brake fluid. I ve had a little fade since then, but not anything like I did with the factory line and DOT3/4 brake fluid.

 

So far, 9K miles, I haven t had any problem with seals that you can get running DOT5.

 

Greg

95 Gen1

 

 

[b]From:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] [b]Sent:[/b] Wednesday, July 06, 2016 6:05 PM [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_KLR650] Brakes, No Brakes, Brakes

 

About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

 

[Big Foot]

This has happened to me on my 06, while climbing Engineers pass In colorado. Loss my breaks going up.on the way down , they returned. Went to a dealer soon after and was told my break fluid boiled from the altitude. Must have got some moisture in the fluid when I changed it. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 7:05 PM, gerryponline@... [DSN_KLR650]DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:   About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[Martin Earl]

Fred was answering as I was typing. It could also be brake fade. wink.m.

On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 6:13 PM, Martin Earl wrote: Gerry,Do you have stock OEM brake lines on the bike or aftermarket, braided, stainless steel brake lines?If you have OEM brake lines:Some folks suggest that under continuous hard braking, when the brake pedal goes down, but the line expands rather than pressurizing the wheel cylinder. = no brakes until the brake fluid cools, or in this case, the brake line cools down and contracts. If you were to go back to the first mentioned, first experienced location under similar outside air temps and riding conditions, you probably will get the same results. I will say that on my KLR with SS braided lines, I have never experienced your symptoms; there are others on this forum that have OEM brake lines, and they have not experienced the symptoms you describe. If you have SS braided lines, then, I have no clue. m. On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 5:05 PM, gerryponline@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote: About a month ago, I was following a friend uphill on a very curvy road, requiring lots of braking and accelerating. We had gone about 4 miles when I suddenly had no rear brake. I pulled off the road to investigate. The brake pedal could move through it's entire travel with virtually no resistance. The master cylinder was still full, there were no signs of leakage anywhere. It took 5 - 10 minutes for my friend to return to where I was stopped. When I tried to demonstrate the problem to him, the brake felt normal again. I rode the 8 +/- miles back home, repeatedly using the rear brake to try to get the problem to repeat itself, it never did. I don't get it. I have not ridden the bike since then. I'd sure like to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd appreciate any answers, theories or even wild guesses as to what could have caused this, and possible solutions. The bike is an '04 with 20,118 miles on it. I changed the brake fluid (DOT 4) 1,400 miles ago. Until this one occurrence, the brakes felt good and solid, as they should. Thanks in advance for any replies. Gerry

[imfreelandian]

Thanks to all that responded to my post. Having considered all the information that I received, I'm pretty sure that the problem was caused by water contamination of the brake fluid, causing it to boil with aggressive riding.  Between having other bikes, and a way too busy schedule, I haven't been riding my KLR much at all lately. Although I changed the brake fluid 1400 miles ago, that was back in late September of 2014. Shame on me. I now have much more spare time, and will catch up on many things, KLR maintenance included. I expect good results. Gerry P.S. I do have steel brake lines and recommend them for all motorcycles with hydraulic brakes.