Rear brake lock up

[Bumlinger]

Unsettling experience yesterday...was on cruise control, 65 mph, 2 lane, 2 up, approaching a left turn. Lightly on the front brake, cruise disengages, by the time I get to 3rd gear, bike isn't rolling freely anymore, slowing on its own. I pulled the clutch in and the bike comes to a halt in the middle of the turn and intersection. I could not get it to move. I reached down to the rear brake pedal and wiggled it up and down, noting the link to the master cylinder is moving with the pedal. The brake released somehow, and all seemed normal from then on. But was worried about random lock up.

 

Any ideas, thoughts, similar experiences? What should I look for? Need to regain confidence again.

 

 

[Dennis Andress]

Rear brakes can get very hot. If the brake fluid is old, has lots of water in it, the fluid can expand from the heat and apply the brake. At least that's what happened on my Yamaha years ago.

 

A good course of action would be to remove the rear caliper. Replace the pads and the little pins the pads ride on. Clean everything. And then, flush the rear brake system with fresh fluid. I haven't done this on my K13 yet, so I can't really say how it's done.

 

Dennis

[Bumlinger]

I had the brake line recall performed a couple of summers ago. I imagine it wouldn't hurt to have the whole system flushed. I was under the impression that the front and rear brakes were linked. Not true?

[Dennis Andress]

I don't know about the GT. Linked, probably. Having a dealer look at it is a good idea.

[RonP]

Here is another possibility, someone on another forum reported the same problem, they had found that a small stone had somehow logged itself in such a place that it would not allow the rear brake peddle to retract.

[Beech]

I have seen this on two other bikes also. (small stone thing)