'83 GS850GL - Front Brakes SOFT !

[Wingsconsin]

I woke the 850 this past weekend from her winter hibernation.
Put the battery in and she started right up --- ready to go --
As I prepared to swing my leg over I did what I always do -- squeeze the brake lever and press the foot brake -
Just to see that I have brakes should I need them

This time -- front was really really soft --

No leaks - Stainless Steel braided lines - redone last year and worked well -
I suspect air/moisture got into the Master and/or lines ...
Time for a brake bleeding - bot hard with my mity-vac system -But I haven't the fresh fluid (dang it)

So it has to wait for a few days so I can get to the store and buy a can of Dot ... 3??

Now I have to look at the MC cover to be sure ...

Spring is in the air in Wisconsin (finally) - gonna be over 40 degrees most of this week

[salty_monk]

Any of Dot 3, Dot 4 or Dot 5.1 will work. Just not Dot 5. I would be suspicious of the bleeder screws sealing if there is definitely no leaks & also check the banjo are nipped up tight

[phydeauxmutt]

DOT 5.1 will work, but I must say, I don't remember ever seeing any at the local auto parts store.

"Soft" brakes can also be your rubber lines. Look at them carefully. If they are original, they will have a date printed on them. Keep in mind that Suzuki recommended replacing the brake lines and the fuel lines every two years.

[Wingsconsin]

DOT 5.1 will work, but I must say, I don't remember ever seeing any at the local auto parts store.

"Soft" brakes can also be your rubber lines. Look at them carefully. If they are original, they will have a date printed on them. Keep in mind that Suzuki recommended replacing the brake lines and the fuel lines every two years.

The lines are NEW braided steel from one year ago -

[Wingsconsin]

Any of Dot 3, Dot 4 or Dot 5.1 will work. Just not Dot 5. I would be suspicious of the bleeder screws sealing if there is definitely no leaks & also check the banjo are nipped up tight

This is good advice - I have had to work on the 'splitter' on the front end so maybe it was a bit loose -- hmmm....a place to start looking

[Wingsconsin]

Resolution: I checked all the connection points - banjo bolts, splitters, etc.
None of them seemed to be leaking either fluids out or air in -
So I opened a fresh can of brake fluid and did the bleed routine on both front calipers (first I suck out the old fluid from the Master Cylinder)
I had a hard time drawing on the Right front with my MityVac and that worried me a little bit - but I resorted to the old method of operating the lever and forcing fluid out -
When I switched to the Left front it was easy to draw fluid through - I suspect and air bubble had formed in the splitter over the winter (speculation) and I forced it out
Went for a test run and the brakes worked perfectly -
Now this weekend I will do the rear - just because I have a fresh can of brake juice open and then I will know it is fresh all around