Coyote Chris
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I was thinking but rejected the senario of stuck brakes that heat of the fluid till it boils....doesnt make sense here. I will say that I took my VFR for a ride in the semi spring yesterday and the rear brake works about as well as dragging my foot......just like my Vstrom. I dont get it.....The master cyl repair may very well fix the issue, hope so. Keep us posted.
The only other thing that has entered my twisted mind is that it only fails when the bike is moving and the wheel (and rotor) are turning. So is there still something back at the caliper? Maybe new brake pad not square and sticking/moving in it's mounts, some dirt messing with caliper seals? Maybe a bit of a stretch but it is an uncommon thing going on and this started with pad maintenance.
Arknt
On a different subject - I am surprised at how hard it was to find a set of tires to fit my bike. I guess many American manufacturers don't make the tire size for the rear tire anymore.I also plan my rear brake pad changes when I change rear tires. That seems to happen every 7 or 8 thousand miles so if pads look worn enough, I just put a new set on at the same time. I keep a set of pads on hand.
That's exactly what I just had put on my bike....I just got a set of Pirelli Angel GTs, ...
I am currently running a 160 Roadsmart in the rear without a problem. There is ~1% speedo/odo error but handling is not affected and there are no clearance issues.Fishermark... glad you got it resolved. That was an odd one.
Yes, the rear tire is also an odd one (150). A lot of manufacturers make the 160, but not a lot make a 150. I just got a set of Pirelli Angel GTs, and I've also put the Dunlop Roadsmart 3 on the bike (since I couldn't find the Dunlops in stock anywhere).
OK, I must be tired and its late....so for old people, what is the theory here by the mechanic? If a Piston sticks in either the actuated position or the relaxed position, the brake pedal still wont go "to the floor"?????? What am I missing? If a piston sticks and causes a bind, yes, the pads wont work but the peddle will still feel resistance?UPDATE.
Well, I received my master cylinder rebuild kit. While I was at the Honda dealer, I spoke with the mechanic there regarding the problem. He suggested looking again at the rear caliper and the pads. He said if I didn't clean the pistons real good before pressing them in the chances are good that one is sticking and causing a bind and thus the problem. SO... before rebuilding the master, (and adding another layer of uncertainty to the equation), I took off the rear pads again and looked at the pistons on the caliper. (Truth be told, I did not clean them before pressing them in originally as they looked reasonably clean). I cleaned them good and pressed them in - and carefully pressed the brake pedal to ensure they moved. Did that a couple of times and then reinstalled everything.
Just got back from a test drive and everything is working perfectly. I will keep the rebuild kit handy and that will be the next step if it happens again.
As an aside for anyone looking to do the rear brakes: I know it can be done without removing the various components in the way. But the job is MUCH easier if you remove the side pannier and the muffler. I have removed my muffler several times in the past couple of years for various reasons so it is easy to remove. And the side pannier takes maybe ten minutes tops to remove.
Yes, if the pad sticks, the pedal will feel resistance since the fluid is non-compressable.OK, I must be tired and its late....so for old people, what is the theory here by the mechanic? If a Piston sticks in either the actuated position or the relaxed position, the brake pedal still wont go "to the floor"?????? What am I missing? If a piston sticks and causes a bind, yes, the pads wont work but the peddle will still feel resistance?