Brake bleed for 2009 R12RT

[EvilTwin]

Sitting here at home while Dorian churns off the coast, I've been trying to research what the correct procedure is to bleed the brakes on my new to me '09 R1200RT.  

 

I've perused the web and looked at several youtubes and have come away somewhat confused.  This bike has ABS and I've read conflicting information as to what to do the completely flush the system.  My Haynes manual says to leave it to professional service.   Some folks say use speedbleeders, some not.  Some sites are using a vacuum bleeder at each nipple, some say they will screw up the internals of the ABS if they draw too much vacuum.   Normally I can find a pretty definitive procedure this way, but not so much today.

 

I've also got the motoscan app and the adapter to hook into the bikes diagnostics.  This is the poor man's 911, but for around 100 bucks it seems to work ok.  I can get to the abs module service function and it shows two selections, one for the front ABS and one for the rear.  I didnt run the service function, but it did look like it was similar to a couple of videos that I saw that talked about running the motor for the ABS  module while pumping the brake lever 3 or more times.  After each of those runs, you are supposed to do another bleed from the calipers which I assume takes the fluid that was in the ABS and moves it out toward the master cylinder which is then pushed out via the bleed.

 

So what is the straight skinny for this particular bike?   I'd like do get this done before the FART in a few weeks.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[dirtrider]

8 minutes ago, EvilTwin said:

Sitting here at home while Dorian churns off the coast, I've been trying to research what the correct procedure is to bleed the brakes on my new to me '09 R1200RT.  

 

I've perused the web and looked at several youtubes and have come away somewhat confused.  This bike has ABS and I've read conflicting information as to what to do the completely flush the system.  My Haynes manual says to leave it to professional service.   Some folks say use speedbleeders, some not.  Some sites are using a vacuum bleeder at each nipple, some say they will screw up the internals of the ABS if they draw too much vacuum.   Normally I can find a pretty definitive procedure this way, but not so much today.

 

I've also got the motoscan app and the adapter to hook into the bikes diagnostics.  This is the poor man's 911, but for around 100 bucks it seems to work ok.  I can get to the abs module service function and it shows two selections, one for the front ABS and one for the rear.  I didnt run the service function, but it did look like it was similar to a couple of videos that I saw that talked about running the motor for the ABS  module while pumping the brake lever 3 or more times.  After each of those runs, you are supposed to do another bleed from the calipers which I assume takes the fluid that was in the ABS and moves it out toward the master cylinder which is then pushed out via the bleed.

 

So what is the straight skinny for this particular bike?   I'd like do get this done before the FART in a few weeks.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Afternoon EvilTwin

 

The 2009 uses the I-ABS gen 2 system so it is rather easy to bleed.

 

If the brake service has been kept up to date then all you really need to do is keep the reservoirs full then bleed as a conventional system by pumping the lever or rear pedal. That won't get all the fluid out but will get most &  what little that you miss will come out at the next brake service bleed.

 

Or you can add a step by bleeding per above, then ride the bike, then bleed it again (that will get 99.9% of the fluid changed. (rear servo runs every time that you use the front brake lever while riding).

 

Or, after bleeding & with bike on center stand just turn key on (do not start engine), then spin rear wheel with your foot while applying front brake lever,   (that will run the rear servo pump & push the trapped fluid out of the rear servo), then bleed the rear again to remove the small amount of displaced fluid.

 

If you have  GS-911 then you can use that  to help with the brake bleed.

 

On your Motoscan,  you will have to figure out how that works (I'm not familiar with how that activates the braking system).

 

Do not use a vacuum bleeder as it isn't needed.  

[EvilTwin]

Thanks DR.   Just so I understand, spinning the rear wheel and braking causes the ABS servo to actuate which circulates the older fluid out to the system so it can be flushed out.  Running the system remotely using the gs 911 or this motoscan tool essentially does the same thing?   Is most of the fluid that gets cycled out in the rear circuit hence bleeding rear again and not the fronts?  

 

 

[dirtrider]

33 minutes ago, EvilTwin said:

Thanks DR.   Just so I understand, spinning the rear wheel and braking causes the ABS servo to actuate which circulates the older fluid out to the system so it can be flushed out.  Running the system remotely using the gs 911 or this motoscan tool essentially does the same thing?   Is most of the fluid that gets cycled out in the rear circuit hence bleeding rear again and not the fronts?  

 

 

 

 

Afternoon EvilTwin

 

Yes, that is pretty close__ The front & rear brake 'hydraulic' circuits are isolated from each other  (the only front to rear connection is electrical though the rear electric servo pump)

 

 

 

Your 2009 I-ABS gen2 uses  kind of a strange rear brake system. It is sort of 2 braking systems in one package.

 

When you brake using the front hand lever the rear brake is applied by the servo pump, when you brake using ONLY the rear brake pedal  then the fluid goes directly from the rear master cylinder (through the ABS module) to the rear brake caliper so doesn't use the rear servo pump.

 

Now the strange part__ If you brake using both the front lever & rear brake pedal which ever one is applying the most braking pressure operates  the rear brake & excludes the other.   Sitting still the key must be on  & the  rear wheel must be spinning to allow the front hand lever to run the servo. (you will quickly notice the rear brake lock up as you apply the front lever with key on & rear wheel spinning).

 

 

 

 

[EvilTwin]

Bled the brakes today.  Was surprised that I found a bit of a whitish goo inside the reservoir and the fluid was cloudy.  I cleaned off the rubber top piece and ran about 4-5 cycles on the left side brake and about the same on the right.  By the time I was done, the fluid looked pretty clear and I didn't see any residue at the bottom.  Rear was easier, I ran that through about 3-4 cycles of fluid refills and it looked clean.  It didnt have any of the cloudiness or residue that the fronts had.

 

Of course when I was working on the back wheel, I saw a shiny bit on the new rear tire.  I got a dental pick and small tweezer and pulled out a sliver of metal about 1/2 inch long.  Tire is holding pressure at 36 psi, so I'll keep an eye on it.  Never ends does it...

 

Gunk in cap

 

Cloudy fluid

 

 

Protecting the bike with slightly used chucks

 

 

[AndyInLZ]

I'd flip those "chucks" around so the absorbent side is facing up.........