[dkansky]

I own a 1994 Aspencade. Bought it brand new in 1994. I've had to have the break fluid changed twice in the past three years on the coupled breaking system due to total loss of break pressure. I mean the pedal just goes bang to the pedal stop like its in thin air. The mechanic at the Honda dealer tells me this is normal and it has to be changed ever two years. My response to him was if this is true why did I not have a problem during the first 14 years I owned this bike? I find it hard to believe a virtually uncompressible fluid can become that compressible in two years.

I would like to know if this is true or is the local Honda shop blowing smoke up my ass?

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Welcome to the forum.

The fluid degrades and allows moisture in. The moisture will help degrade the parts it comes in contact with.

Pay now or pay later is what I have always heard. Same goes for the clutch fluid.

Note: if you do this every year.... you can just empty the reservoir and put in new.... no bleeding or anything. Put some stuff around the tank and other parts so if there is an accident, you have a chance to get it before it destroys your painted surface.

Sneak into your wife's cupboard and get her turkey baster. She won't be able to tell.

 

[Cantankerous]

The fluids should be changed out, but if you're losing all pressure, I'd say you have more of an issue. i.e. a leak

 

[Ron Robertson]

I could understand the brakes becoming weak but losing all braking pressure in two years? The bike has been garage kept it's entire life. It doesn't sit outside a lot. The fluid on my front brake and clutch have never been changed. Never a problem shifting. Hardly have to squeeze to brake hard with the front.

It sounds like you are getting air in the system some place. I do my clutch and brakes on my 93 every year because I can.
The brake system aside.
The clutch is the one that concerns me. We have a maintenance day every spring in my shop for our local GWRRA chapter, and the amount of crud that we find in the clutch reservoir is amazing.
Had a 95 1500 come in a few years ago the fluid looked like dark tea, and the stuff on the bottom could be scooped out like thick cream. How dark is the fluid in the site glass's ??. If it is starting to look like tea might want o get both the clutch and hand brake flushed and bled.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

hello dkansky, welcome to GWOF. i am looking in my haynes shop manual and it says change brake and clutch fluid every 12,000 miles or two years

 

[budoka]

Yes it sounds like you have a leak somewhere that allows air in the system. Every two years is the recommended interval for changes like the Doc said.

 

[trike lady]

Same with the Clymer service manual both brakes and clutch every 12,000 miles/2 years.
All that moisture collects at the lowest part of the system, messes with the hydraulic clutch slave cylinder and brake calipers.
Oh boy! not good.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

it might be time to do a m/c or caliper rebuild

 

[joe in calif]

It should be change every 2 years, it's not a hard thing to do. Changing the fluid in the reservoir will not do anything to help the dirty contaminated fluid in the lines, the dirt and moister will go the bottom of the line since it is heavier you need to flush the system.

 

[Amsoil Dealer Group]

It sounds like it has finally caught up.

I held a Master Certification in Brakes.... Moisture can get into the system no matter how new or tight it is. You cannot see bad brake fluid which is why the recommendation is to bleed brakes/clutch 1st year and completely flush the 2nd year.

You cannot see bad brake fluid. It can be holding 30% moisture and you can't even tell if you had them in side by side beakers which, is one of the tests they showed us.

As a system ages, you get more and more of a chance of this happening. You have just been lucky.

2007, brand new bike, lost the rear brakes coming down a mountain. Water contamination causes the fluid to boil and you are trying to compress steam, not the actual fluid. Brake fluid got changed as soon as I got home with AMSOIL DOT 4 Racing Fluid. Never another problem.

I now use the same fluid in all my vehicles.

Oil, is the Lifeblood of your engine. The oil filter, is the Kidney that keeps it clean.

The Best isn’t cheap
Cheap isn’t The Best

Bob