Anybody experience inconsistent trouble with their front brakes? Most of the time my brakes feel like mush and pull back to close to the bars for my liking. In fact in the morning I can usually pull them back until they touch the grips and they don’t seem to stop all that great. I chalked it up to me just not liking the way Harley brakes felt until I left work the other day. I got on the bike and the brakes were hard after only pulling the handle about 1/8 of the way and they definitely were a lot more responsive. I did not take the bike to work today (rain) but when I got home the brakes were back to feeling like a sponge. I have checked the fluid and it is fine. I could try to bleed them but I think it has an issue in the master cylinder to cause intermittent problems. Has anyone ever seen this before?

 

Sounds like a bad master cylinder to me. You bought it new and it's always been like that? It's still under warranty?

 

Bad seal in master cylinder, rotten old brake hoses, or try tying the brake lever back after making sure its bled proper. Leave it overnight and see what happens in A.M. sounds stupid..but worked once when I had squishy brakes. A friend that worked at Golden gate cycles told me to try and it worked. Good luck!

 

U have more patience than I do.
If I had a new bike and anything was wrong with the Brakes.. the only place I'd ride it is to the Dealership..

That little lever not working correctly could be the diff of life and death if U really had to stop fast..

I'd drop it off ASAP and not ride it till its fixed...

I wouldn't worry about what others in here think, just take her in..!!!!

 

Absolutely right on the money here!!! Get to the dealer as a new bike...ASAP

 

OP never said new bike...but if he's that nervous about it, I suppose a trip to ANY mechanic would help. I just assume,(yes, I know about that word) that since someone is here asking what to do, that they are a DIYer that needs advice. Me personally, HAVE to fix all my stuff myself 'cause I don't have the money. "Necessity is the mother of invention".

 

We agree for the most part. I also do all my own work and wouldn't have it any other way. I, like you, made an assumption... Since his signature line says 2012 heritage I assumed that is the bike in question. That's why I specified "get to the dealer as a new bike". I may be wrong on that assumption. Well, if I am...you know the rest of the story.

 

Oops..I'm on a tablet on mobile version....sigs don't show up....hells yes! New bike?...absolutely RUN back to dealer and give 'em a big "what's up widdat?!" New brakes should never be squishy.

 

When I bought the springer front for my bike I also switched to a PM 4 pistion caliper. Stops on a dime now, even with that heavy front end.

 

Ya it is a new bike and my first Harley so I just wanted to make sure it was not something I needed to get use to. I spent 5 years as a line tech at Ford and could not believe some of the **** that happened in the stalls next to mine so I have a dim view of dealerships.