toaster404's California 1400 thread - questions and observations

[Chuck in Indiana]

What is the rationale?  My understanding is that paper filters generally let through a certain amount of substantially larger particles than specified, and that screen filters are much more effective at maintaining an upper limit to particle size. 

Long ago we would use a screen filter and a bypass filter containing a roll of toilet paper.  I don't remember the name of the system. For trucks & autos.  Seemed very effective.

Really, a nicely designed and documented study would be nice to read.  Got a ref?

Yeah, we just went through this a couple of weeks ago. A search ought to find it. The stainless filter let larger particles through.

[charlie b]

Thanks Chuck.

I'd use a stainless pre-filter on my diesel truck, if I were also using one of the micron filters for synthetics.  But, if I went to that trouble I'd also do an oil analysis every three months and only change oil when the analysis shows it is needed.

[pyoungbl]

Yeah, we just went through this a couple of weeks ago. A search ought to find it. The stainless filter let larger particles through.

And then there is the issue of cleaning the filter....really getting 100% of the captured junk out of the mesh while making sure none of it is left to be deposited in the clean oil.  An ultrasonic cleaner might work with a few changes of solution each time.  We are talking about junk in the range of 20-30 microns.  A good fabric filter will claim to capture down to 5 microns or so.

The paper towel filter idea is touted by Gulf Coast for large commercial diesel engines.  http://www.gulfcoastfilters.com/  They talk about a Volvo engine with 1,000,000 miles and no oil changes.

Peter Y.

[Rough Edge racing]

 If the life of a Guzzi engined determined by oil filters or just the lifespan of the components ?  Cars can go 300,000 miles with indifferent maintenance. Will a superior filter actually extend the usable engine life? Will a Guzzi still have good cylinder seal at 100,000 miles ? Will the cam still have lobes?

[toaster404]

I have seen nicely scored bearings and quite scratched up cylinder walls in engines that worked great and had good compression up to the failure point, generally caused by the driver.  So I have to wonder. 

Now: HELP

Regardless, I've spent a wasted 20 minutes trying to figure out the oil filter needs for the 1400.  All I see is the OEM filter, which apparently is in a hole and takes a special wrench to get out. Is this true?  Is there some other good quality filter that will pop in there?  With long interval oil, I tend to swap the filter out before I change the oil, about 1/2 way through, if the filter is cheap enough. 

What's the consensus approach to 1400 filters?  I need to get one in the next week or so for the first oil change. 

Any "better" gearbox oil recommended?

[rodekyll]

I bought a bmw once with a handiwipe in the sump.  It hadn't contributed to engine longevity at all.  In fact there was some talk about the opposite being true. 

[Vasco DG]

There are plenty of AM filters that will fit. The same Hi-Flo that goes on a Mana will fit. Does it have the same bypass fires sure or flow characteristics. Absolutely NFI!

Why not just buy a couple of genuines and the correct cap wrench and be done with it?

Pete

[toaster404]

I really don't mean to be obnoxious.  I'm terribly short on time, have finally bought myself an exotic new bike, and am simply finding that it is alien.  Information isn't as readily available as for my other motorcycles.  I'm generally familiar with engines and motorcycles, it's just learning a new line and model, with modern features, that proves a bit difficult.  The manual isn't terribly easy to understand.  For example, things start with going to the "menu."  Nowhere can I find how to get to this alleged "menu."  I'll figure it out eventually by poking at that mode button or having a younger person used to such things find it.  But at the moment, when I have a brief time to ride, I'm on my way somewhere I need to be.  There's entering this "code" when there's no buttons with numbers or real instructions.  It's a bit of a puzzle.  On the other hand, I have yet to unlock many of the secrets of my IPhone.

I'm finding other oddities, too.  The relatively unusual lubricants.  85W90 GL-5 doesn't seem as common as other lubricants.  The inaccessibility of the rear dampers with the hard bags on.  The substantial buffeting with the stock screen. 

There's that horrible alarm system I must bypass sometime.

As a general philosophy, I like to know the range of things I can use in a pinch, and keep spares of anything fairly special, taking key bits on trips.  Looks like a couple of plugs will be handy to have in case one dies on the road.  I like to be able to top up the lubricants or replace with stuff I can get at WalMart or an auto parts store, in a pinch.  This includes oil and filters.  Now normally I'll just cross reference and put the list in the bike with other information. Under the seat or whatever.  But this bike is hard to cross reference and I haven't run across the filter designation.  I'm sure such things are out there, but they're not as accessible as for other bikes.

Thus such silly questions as what other filters fit and work well.  Pointing out that many AM filters will work doesn't really help.  A backup filter in the tool kit is something I usually have on trips.

How good are the OEM?  Generally I find they're generally merely "OK" - but if that's the ticket, I'll go with that.

Keep in mind that I do not know this bike, but I do know bikes fairly well, even if my knowledge is sometimes dated. 

In my fields I am faced with questions regularly that are somewhat trivial from the inside, but look a bit fuzzy from the outside.  Can contracts be verbal?  Well, of course, but that's not obvious to people who don't work with them.  It's that kind of thing.

I do attempt to answer questions via searches, but unless one hits the right terms some highly relevant information can easily slip by.  That something was discussed a few weeks ago may not come up on my search.

So I ask for a little patience and help in getting to know this machine.

If that is too much to ask, I will simply figure things out and go elsewhere.

On the other hand, there's much to be shared in all domains, and generally there's good companionship on the road.  I fairly regularly help direct visitors around this area and have led outsiders across the infamous Dragon a goodly number of times.  I really can't wait to get the 1400 across there - early next week I hope.  It's close, but very busy this weekend.

Thank you

[lorazepam]

You can use the Mobil 1 85w90 for the transmission and rear drive, it will work fine. If you find a BMW cycle shop, their 85w90 will work as well, but they are mighty proud of it. (price)
As Vasco said, there is a cup like wrench that is used to remove the filter, and I have no problems using stock filters, as long as you change them regularly, it should not be an issue.  I get filters from the dealer, or you can order them online from several places such as Harps, or MG cycle.
I found the best deal on 10w60 oil on Amazon, Motul is a good brand, and runs about 12.00 per liter.

[toaster404]

Thank you very much.

Of continuing interest, I note that the Harley Davidson gear box and primary use FORMULA+ TRANSMISSION AND PRIMARY CHAIN LUBRICANT (Part No. 99851-05) or SYN3 20W50 OIL  (which will also work in the engine, and is designed for wet clutchese) but that Amsoil markets a specialty V Twin oil for that use: http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/motorcycle/v-twin-synthetic-transmission-fluid/?code=MVTQT-EA
This is a rather interesting material.   40c gives 190 cSt, 100c gives 21 cSt.  Compare with the 75W-90 synthetic:
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/gear-lube/severe-gear-75w-90/?code=SVGQT-EA  109/17 cSt.  The VTwin remains substantially more viscous.

A gearbox oil that clearly meets spec is Liqui-moly 85W-90 https://pim.liqui-moly.de/pidoc/P000216/1404-OleoparaEngrenagensHipoidesGL5SAE85W-90-12.0-pt.pdf   at  194 / 17.5 

So 194 / 17.5 is clearly appropriate.   190 / 21 of the Vtwin Amsoil is the same at startup, a bit more viscous at higher temperatures.  The standard Amsoil 75W-90 is 109 / 17, thinner at startup (but that's still more than thick enough), and the same as Liqui-moly at operating temperatures.

Looking at the 20W-50 gear oil from Amsoil: 150 / 21 cSt

So, at operating temperature the 1400 should be using about 17.5 minimum.  But at startup the gearbox will tolerate 194.  Which means it will tolerate anything lower at startup.  And should be able to handle quite a bit higher at operating temperature.   The VTwin Amsoil at 190 /21 really looks like an ideal kind of gear box oil, being a premium oil.

Is there any reason not to use VTwin Amsoil in the gearbox? 

--- 

On the engine oil, Synthoil Race Tech GT1 10W-60 clearly hits what the 1400 spec.  Comes in at 155 / 24  cSt  40c/100c https://pim.liqui-moly.de/pidoc/P000342/1390-SynthoilRaceTechGT110W-60-6.0-pt.pdf

Again looking at Amsoil, their 60 wt synthetic motorcycle oil comes in at 155 / 24, just like the spec oil.  http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/motorcycle/synthetic-sae-60-motorcycle-oil/?code=MCSQT-EA

Is there any reason not to use the Amsoil 60?  That is really high end synthetic I suspect.  Their rear end oil dropped the temperature at the rear of my old Suzuki from 8 second touch then burning with mineral oil to about 110 F - which was perhaps 50 F drop at least. 

[lorazepam]

No offense, but I do my best to not over think this stuff. The Motul oil I use is designed for bikes like this, and says so on the label. The Mobil 1 gear oil is of proper spec, and the BMW stuff is what Guzzi told the factory trained techs at my dealer is perfectly fine to use.
A Guzzi is a lot closer to being a tractor than a F1 racer, and agonizing over lubrication minutiae is something  I do not do. Never have with any motorcycle or car I have owned.

[Tom]

 :1: on going simple.  Check the owner's manual.  "exotic and new" in this case doesn't mean different in the case of being an air cooled engine/drivetrain in a motorcycle.  Biggest advice on oils, read the alphabet code on the recommended oil and go to WalMart and read oil labels.  Oil filters.  Order replacement ones and the tool and be done with it.  After getting the info you need and saving money from the forum.  Consider donating to the cause and help Luap with the operation of the forum.

[toaster404]

I'm one of those odd people who drives vehicles a long time.  My BMW cars typically start to fail because of general disintegration just shy of 300,000 miles.  My Ranger pickup at 250,000 miles looks clean and shiny under the valve cover gasket, which only came off because it started leaking.  A previous blueprinted Saab 99 had a head gasket fail at 350,000 miles past the rebuild at 200,000 miles and looked like an operating room inside.  Faintest bit of varnish.  That one had a screen filter with a toilet paper bypass in it, and went back on the road with great compression and only faint cam wear.    This is better life than most people get, which I attribute to routine maintenance with top-end lubricants, and checking things now and then.  The number of CV carb equipped bikes that do not run well because the slides are gunked up is significant. 

So I like to use very good lubricants.  The OEM lubricants are generally not the best, just at a very good production level.

As with any machine I acquire, I simply look at the accumulated wisdom I can reach and pop into the technical specs of available lubricants.  Better materials are coming along all the time. 

Once I pick something, I stick with it until the formulation changes or the machine changes, which is pretty rare. 

On oil filters, based on tests I'd rather have synthetic media rather than paper.  A top end equivalent to stock would be nice, especially one that can be acquired on the road. 

So I'm simply in the process of building my personal maintenance & spec crib sheet. 

I will check a few more things, but the inherently wide range of the Amsoil 60 oil seems ideal, and should allow it to perform longer than an oil using lots of VI to get to 10W60 characteristics.  Wintertime, maybe rethink for cold starts.  The VTwin Amsoil seems highly effective and if further investigation continues to support it, I'll go with that.  I might even run the 60W oil for 4000 miles and send off a sample to see how it holds up.  Would not be surprised if it remains high cSt.

Still pondering the filter.  Would be very nice to have a cartridge filter with parallel fine particulate filter.

Any idea what aftermarket filters fit?

Thank you all.

[sliphorn]

Do what you want, but as far as I know the two oils from Amsoil that you mention do not meet spec for your 1400.

[bad Chad]

I don't bother using purpose built oil filters, why wast the money?  Instead I jam a couple of my wife's Brilo pads from under the kitchen sink, into the sump and have at it!

[toaster404]

Do what you want, but as far as I know the two oils from Amsoil that you mention do not meet spec for your 1400.

Maybe you're correct.  Let's see 

Spec: Engine oil ENI i-RIDE PG RACING 10W-60 SAE 10W - 60. As an alternative for recommended oils, top-branded oils that
meet or exceed the requirements of CCMC G-4 A.P.I. SG specifications can be used


ENI i-Ride PG Racing 10W-60:
JASO MA, MA2 - API SG
SAE grade 10W-60
Viscosity at 100°C mm²/s 23.5
Viscosity at 40°C mm²/s 160
Viscosity Index - 177
Viscosity at -25 °C mPa·s 6800
Flash Point °C 225
Pour Point °C -36
Mass Density at 15°C kg/l 0,856



SAE 60 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil
API SG, SL/CF • JASO MA/MA2 • ISO-L-EMA2 • API GL-1
Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D-445) 23.4
 Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D-445) 190.2
 Viscosity Index (ASTM D-2270) 151
 Pour Point °C (°F) (ASTM D-97) -34 (-29)
 Flash Point °C (°F) (ASTM D-92) 242 (468)
 NOACK Volatility, % weight loss (g/100g) (ASTM D-5800) 3.60
 Four-Ball Wear Test (ASTM D-4172 @ 40 kgf, 150°C, 1800 rpm, 1 hr), Scar, mm 0.40
 High-Temperature/High-Shear Viscosity (ASTM D-5481 @ 150°C, 1.0 X 106 s-1), cP 6.80

Seems that the Amsoil 60W meets the spec quite well, although below perhaps 50 degree cold starts might bear examination.  I would imagine it is fine down to 40 degrees or lower, in real life.  Which specification does it not meet? 

On to the Gear Box.

AGIP GEAR MG/S SAE 85 W 90 Gearbox oil API GL-5

Agip Gear MG/S 85w/90            200  mm2/s                                 17.5  mm2/s

This is a highly refined mineral oil with various additives for extreme pressure


Amsoil VTwin
Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D445). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.7
Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D445). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190.3
Viscosity Index (ASTM D2270). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Pour Point, °C (°F) (ASTM D97). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -40 (-40)
Flash Point, °C (°F) (ASTM D92) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 (442)
Fire Point, ºC (ºF) (ASTM D92). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 (468)

Looks to me as if this is a superior transmission lubricant.  Seems to meet the specifications. 

The problem with "purpose built" is that they are also built to production specs.  Usually I can't really tell what, for example, an OEM filter has in it without destroying one.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

Occam's razor, ever heard of it? Don't over analyze this stuff. Everything listed in the owners manual is there for a reason. All the stuff you need is on Amazon.

[stephenm]

 >>For example, things start with going to the "menu."  Nowhere can I find how to get to this alleged "menu." <<

-Page 45 in the Owners Manual
-Flicking the MODE switch repeatedly either left or right will cycle the display.
-MENU is '10' in the list.
-When MENU appears, press the MODE button inwards, in the centred position (not left or right) to select.
-In MENU, your choices are listed. Scroll up or down by flicking the MODE switch left to right.

>>There's entering this "code" when there's no buttons with numbers or real instructions.<<

-You might be referring to entering a CODE if the key is not recognised?
-Since that is not currently an issue, and is unlikely ever to be an issue, why not save it for a less rushed time?

>>There's that horrible alarm system I must bypass sometime.<<

-Bypassing the alarm is a 5 minute job. Remove the right side cover. Unplug alarm. Plug in supplied bypass plug. Reinstall side cover.

>>The substantial buffeting with the stock screen.<<

-I fitted a Laminar Lip initially, and found my body being pushed forward into the low pressure zone behind the windscreen. I then added the MG lower screen deflectors as well and it now works fine.<<

Stephen

[toaster404]

Will give all that a whirl.  The manual is certainly a user-hostile dense thing.

I have lowers fitted, modified from some leftovers, and they work well.  I either have or will get material for some superior ones that will be very simple in construction and can be experimented with.  Generally find the simple slab lowers have air pile up and burble around the upper outside edges, throwing good-sized eddies aft.  The most effective I made ever were tunnel lowers.  Hideous, but very very nice.  MG is too pretty for that! 

One of the really opaque things about bikes and cars is that the actual design specs and parameters are so opaque.  By the time things get filtered into a manual, we get "10W-60" and a recommended change interval or two.  We don't get actual design specifications and tolerances, or statements such as "if using mineral oil based engine lubricant, reduce change intervals to _____.  If substantial city and slow riding is often experienced such that the engine is radiating substantial heat and the cooling fan regularly cycles, reduce change intervals by 50%."   That kind of thing. 

I'd also tend to put key information on crib cards and enclose with the manual.  I make these up myself.  Acceptable fluids, valve specs, target fluids, etc on the maintenance card.  Checklist for maintenance.  A card for operation listing best rpm range, shift points, tire pressures for various loads and the like.  While this may seem excessive, managing vehicles has saved me tremendous money.  I suspect most US drivers think 150,000 miles is a lot on a vehicle, but when I drove a great deal (I don't any more) I would put over 300,000 in street use.  In a program I was involved with we would get about 450,000 miles use per vehicle, at least half of that off road, and would retire them when fatigue cracking in the structure was experienced at an increasing rate.  Generally the engines had one rebuild and two additional top end jobs by then, and the transmission was gone through once.  The off road portion was slow.  These machines took tremendously hard use, but held up wonderfully because each had a keeper-mechanic assigned.  I figure I'm the keeper-mechanic for the ones I have!

Thank you all for your help in learning this much more modern device.  My newest other vehicle is a 2005, and my newest car is a 1996 BMW.  All this new-fangled stuff!

[Tom]

An observation.  Being a new forum member, some of the above info. would have tempered our responses. 

[rodekyll]

Try doing your lowers experiments with something easy and cheap -- like automotive mudflaps.  Once you're got shapes and contours decided you can use them as a pattern to make the real thing.  I started out that way and decided the mud flaps worked well enough (and I didn't care about how they looked) that I kept them.

$0.02

[toaster404]

I'm never sure how much information to provide.  I was partially raised in the antique automotive trade, not that the vehicles were antique then, and still have an SU carb wrench rattling around in my toolbox.  From assisting with repairs (there's a photo of me somewhere at 3 or 4 running a van Norman boring bar on a Perkins diesel cylinder) I advanced to precision rebuilds of various auto engines, including blueprinting and working on the gas flow through the head(s).  This was all long ago.  I did not do motorcycles because my grandfather was the only surviving member of his motorcycle club and was dead set against them.  In spite of the fact that my grandmother was apparently a fine rider in the 1920s & 1930s.  From pictures, my mother appears to have traveled a good deal in a side car, but the second child cramped things so the bikes went away.  I recall my grandfather pointing out various bikes in the Glasgow transportation museum, most of which he had owned or ridden.  He was a master troubleshooter and mechanic, and worked extensively in the Civilian Repair Corp keeping Britain's air arm working. He had great familiarity with the Merlin and other engines, and the engine management and control systems of fighter and bomber aircraft.  I was told that he had spent many nights making pistons from block metal when the manufactured ones were used up.  This sounds like him.  After the war, he moved into large workshop management overseeing the rebuilding of large diesels (e.g., locomotive size), military power plants, triple expansion steam engines from ships, and so on.  His retirement saw him driving around picking up heads from here, arranging for machine work, and continuing to rebuild small engines.  He was not one to compliment, but actually said to me once "nice shifting" after I drifted a Ford something or other British through a series of turns on the way to Loch Lomond.  He is, unfortunately, gone these many years.

I did manage to sneak in a little motorbike time along the way, but never owned one personally and was not proficient.  I did ride high performance bicycles extensively, including rather rapid Alpine descents.  I have no idea how I survived.  Motorcycles are so much easier to ride.

So I have a bit of a background in making engines and machines work.

I ended up in various graduate and professional schools, and did not do much automotive work except routine maintenance and the odd repair here and there.  The last more or less major job I can recall was going through the engine on a Volvo after the dear departed ran it out of oil.  Simple machine.  I do not think I am young enough to do that now.

In 2009 I decided I would ride motorcycles and took the MSF course, which was fun.  Found I could track stand a Honda 125.  Bought a Suzuki VL800 cruiser because the local Harley shop had it in on trade and proposed a price about 40% off what would have been reasonable.  I immediately went through the entire bike and figured it all out.  Got everything torqued up, anti-seized, etc.  Systematically tested my limits and the machine's limits. 

At this point, my partner rides a VStar 250, and I have the VL800 cruiser and a VStrom DL1000.  I wanted a more comfy and cool touring bike, but found the usual ones to be either or both uncomfortable and pedestrian.  The MG 1400 appealed, so I got it, but it is more technologically challenging than I anticipated.  As to the drive train and the mechanical parts, I am sure that I could completely disassemble and reassemble the components.  I have no interest in doing so, one of the reasons the MG appealed - the robust drive train.  Now the electronics, I don't have that much skill in.

In the regular world, I have a residual professional practice and also do a range of things in the musical instrument business, my favorite being making violins.  I have a quite useful wood shop that can handle making limited metal things, such as fittings for lowers.  My current test lowers are leftovers from my VL800 project that I butchered up.  The next set will be PVC pipe in white.  If they work well, I will get clear pipe and really do a nice set.

Thank you for your assistance.  I trust the above information will be useful.

I'm still thinking a remote and easily accessed oil filter with high efficiency parallel filtering would be a nice addition!!!!

[bad Chad]

You really are way over thinking this.  Vasco/pete has chimed in, and he knows this stuff about as well as anyone can.  My own Guzzi tech has also echoed the same when I asked about SS reusable filters, don't do it.

My guy, who is very well known and respected said if you want something even higher spec than OEM, then go with HI-Flow.

Change your oil every 6250 miles, at least that what the interval is on my 07, not 100% sure what it is on the latest bikes, and don't worry about it.   

But it's your machine, you will make up your own mind.  Whatever you do, I wish you well, despite my goofy post about the Brilo pads!

[Tom]

What part of the country are you in?

[toaster404]

I live just to the southwest of Knoxville, TN in a small town called Friendsville.  Well, outside of.  Friendsville itself has almost 500 people and I prefer the solitude out here in the suburbs.  Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort is 50 miles ride east over the Dragon.  It's a pretty place.

[Lannis]

Occam's razor, ever heard of it? Don't over analyze this stuff. Everything listed in the owners manual is there for a reason. All the stuff you need is on Amazon.

Yes.  This.

Any of the OEM stuff you need can be at your door, delivered by a nice athletic fellow in brown shorts, in two days.   You can order extra quarts or filters and keep them on the shelf.

You can twist yourself sideways trying to figure out if there's a cheaper alternative.   That's just recreational, has no bearing on real life.

Oil changes on my new bikes are at 10K km.   I don't even leave home if they're burning or leaking oil; I fix my bike first.   So obtaining oil or parts on the road shouldn't be a big issue.

The manual specifies an oil, then says "or any oil meeting the same specifications".   They're not hard to find.

I used to hyperventilate over this stuff until I found the "100,000 Mile Plus Guzzi" riders list, and realized that none of the guys on that list, with bikes running 250,000 or 375,000 or 500,000 miles were making a big deal about their oil.   At best, they used what the manual said and changed it at regular intervals.   Others threw in any oil that came to hand.   All of them were very often far from sources of supply for a long time.

And all of them have massive mileages on their bikes.   So they're my models ....

Lannis

[toaster404]

Fluid, no doubt original, slightly discolored, so replaced.  Assistant let slight amount of air seep in at MC.  Bled at the nipple.  No brakes.  Pointed MC up.  No brakes.  Ended up having to tap the MC vigorously to shake loose bubbles, a couple of reasonable sized ones and many tiny ones.  Brakes.  Thought this might be useful.  Not had an issue like this before.  The other two bikes we did had no issue at all.  Amazed at how dark the fluid was on the 2012 VStar - with 650 miles!  Just from sitting.

[Vasco DG]

Look, don't take this the wrong way but why do you own a motorbike? I have to ask because it seems that it's more a kind of therapy for your OCD than anything truly enjoyable.

Can I suggest you just get on it and ride the tits off it and then if anything goes wrong you just, well, y'know? 'Fix it'!

Pete

[rocker59]

I'm almost embarrassed to say how many years it's been since I changed the fluid in my Sport 1100's brake system.  Probably a decade!  And guess what?  The damned things WORK.  Like one finger work!

My Chevrolet Suburban has just over 260,000 miles over it's 13 year life.  Still running the original brake fluid.

Why anyone would be messing with the brakes on a 2014 model motorcycle is beyond me.

[Kev m]

I'm trying to be better about brake fluid. The presence of moisture can be a problem over time, especially on the modulators/valves in ABS systems. I know a lot of manufacturers are recommending replacement in shorter replacement intervals these days (and many, like BMW for instance) have always recommended something short like 2 years.

Granted, other manufacturers leave it off their maintenance schedules (assuming it's a lifetime component).

I just had the fluid done on the Ducati at what I believe was double their 2 year recommendation.

And I just did the fluid on our 07 Harley for the first time. Remarkably I'll say the fluid that came out looked IDENTICAL to what I was putting in. So even after 8 years there was no immediate need.

But I have to think it's still a good idea after some amount of time.

I think I'm going to continue to do it on my cars/trucks at about the time brake pads are necessary (assuming that's in the 2-4 year range, I don't think it's necessary any sooner).

On my bikes, not sure how long I'll go now.

On JENN'S BIKE, I think double the book is about as far as I want to.

How's that for being all over the place?