I've never had a problem.

Yeah, that's the way you do it.

 

If the pistons are stuck you would have resistance, no brakes, but resistance.

 

Quick update. Last night I pulled both calipers and ran the pistons out and cleaned the 'old' side. I bled the line connection at the master, and bled both calipers again, this time with the block unmounted and turned vertical. The lever feel is much better. I get resistance a lot earlier but it still feels mushy and it is not as stiff as it was before I started and had the single disc. I strapped the lever last night to let it bleed just for good measure and will check later today.

@TSheff what you said about resistance with a stuck piston makes good sense.

 

Caliper don't have to be mounted to test and bleed. If you have some plate or even plywood to place between the pads, you can operate them and verify that they pump up and MC releases and fluid returns.

 

Probably the last update. Undid the zip tie on the lever late this afternoon, checked the fluid level one last time and I'd say it's 95%. I still wish there was just a bit less travel but I'm happy with it. It doesn't help that the only other bike in the garage for comparison is a '22 FXBBS and that lever is rock hard and the travel is >1/2" before engagement.

 

It could be that the diameter of your brake lines is absorbing a lot of the fluid being pumped.. I recently replaced my complete rear brake line on my 98 fatboy (Evo) that is only 1/8" id compared to the stock 3/16" and I must say that I've never had such a short stroke solid pump like this.. Not saying it's your issue but it made a huge difference in mine.. When you replaced all the front lines are the id's the same?

 

I hadn't thought of that. I went from aftermarket to aftermarket lines but I never looked at ID. I tested the lever on the way out the door this morning and my brain is adjusting to it...it felt good.

 

Sounds like you got it sorted out, but I ran into the same bleeding issues when I installed basically the identical setup on my bike last winter. I just kept bleeding and doing the ziptie lever trick overnight and eventually it worked and I got a solid lever. Never tried unmounting the calipers and moving them above the master cylinder, but that probably would have been a good idea.

 

The times I've had this happen on different bikes, I've cured it by just tapping consistently on the lever. Just enough to open the MC rapidly (like rapidly tapping a finger on the lever). It purges the little pockets of air still trapped in the MC. With the MC cover off you can see the bubbles work up to the top.

 

Here's my tried & true front brake bleeding procedure for non ABS, learned this back in my chopper building days and it paid dividends when the aftermarket kit choppers were all the craze and the aftermarket stuff they used was not always consistent nor good quality. Last generation Indians were a bitch from the factory for the bulk cheap **** custom chrome stuff they used.

Lean the bike & front end over to the kick stand side.
loosen the MC and the bars if needed to get the MC as level as possible with the cap off.
Gently and slowly work the handle with just a hair of pressure against the plunger, this pushes the plunger past a very small port in the bore that air tends to collect behind.
Watch for bubbles or fluid surging up a little., don't pump it.
Repeat this SLOWLY till the grip starts getting good back pressure against it and you don't see any bubbles or anything but clear fluid coming up.
Can take up to a 1/2 hour if you are doing right and not in a hurry but you should be getting a decent handle pressure.

Now slowly pump it 2 or 3 times and crack the lowest bleeder very slowly, you want to see it seep out not spurt, close while still under pressure and fluid coming out, repeat till clear.
Switch to the high side and repeat.

Never had an air lock at a tee or cross over yet but I have had to break the banjo at the MC on a few real headache cases to get a hard handle doing.

Never had this fall in the 40 odd years I've been using this method.

Been occasions where even new stuff the caliper pistons were sticking and wouldn't allow the pads to stay out against the rotors, on duals I pull them one at time and work the MC till the pads move out then pry them back open just enough to push them back on over the rotors.

Last and I have to add pay attention the fluid levels, yeah I know but I've blown that one myself not paying attention when frustrated with a hard case.

Good luck and just take your time, slow is fast in this game.