I have years of experience of mixing brake fluids, not something I'm proud of! It took me years to discover there is a DOT5 and also a very different DOT5.1. Like DOT 3 and 4, 5.1 is not supposed to be mixed with DOT5!

What eventually happened is an awful jelly/jello like stuff developed, especially in the master cylinders, also serious corrosion of the master cylinder and calipers. It cost me a fortune to replace the entire brake system at both ends of the bike.

Factory DOT5 is not so expensive after all!

 

So true!

Here's an excellent article explaining the differences:

http://www.motorcycleproject.com/mot...rakefluid.html

 

That's a great link, thanks! Helps a lot.

 

Which brake bleeder kit to did you buy



QUOTE=knuck36;6455316]just did mine today, got the bleeder kit from auto parts store($30)fluid at the hd shop($12)..kit came with directions(you need tfe tape on bleeder to hold vacum).....alot easier and faster than the old way and you can do it by yourself,if your fluid doesn't look gummed up, your gaskets are fine, just wipe them off real good.[/QUOTE]

 

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As its an 11 year old thread, would he even remember? Plenty to choose from at the auto parts store.
But I dont even bother with them. Having arms like a gibbon I seem to be able to reach the lever with one hand and a wrench on the bleed nipple with the other and just do it the old fashioned way , one squirt at time and open and close the bleeder each time. It works.

 

I get the importance of brakes on a bike. I've had the following vehicles and never purposely changed the brake fluid - '83 Toyota Hilux (26 years), '05 Ford Ranger (15 years), Isuzzu Trooper (15 years), '07 Heritage (10 years), '14 Valk, '17 Multistrada. My assumption is that bad fluid will be a slow noticeable degradation, not an immediate failure.
Stupid or reasonable approach?

 

If you have ABS on the bike the 2 year flush done with ABS being cycled is a must. No short cuts . The result of not doing so will be an expensive ABS repair or brake failures. You can not flush the ABS values without the cycling. No madder what anyone says.