Kawasaki KX65 Motorcycle User Manual


 
10-10 BRAKES
Brake Fluid
Bleeding the Brake Line
The brake fluid has a very low compression coefficient so
that almost all the movement of the brake lever or pedal
is transmitted directly to the caliper for braking action. Air,
however, is easily compressed. When air enters the brake
lines, brake lever or pedal movement will be partially used
in compressing the air. This will make the lever or pedal feel
spongy, and there will be a loss in braking power.
WARNING
Be sure to bleed the air from the brake whenever
brake lever or pedal action feels soft or spongy, af-
ter the brake fluid is changed, or whenever a brake
line fitting has been loosened for any reason.
NOTE
The procedure to bleed the front brake line is as follows.
Bleeding the rear brake line is the same as for the front
brake.
Remove the reservoir cap, and check that there is plenty
of fluid in the reservoir.
With the reservoir cap off, slowly pump the brake lever
several times until no air bubbles can be seen rising up
through the fluid from the holes at the bottom of the reser-
voir.
Bleed the air completely from the master cylinder by this
operation.
Install the reservoir cap.
Attach a c lear plastic hose to the bleed valve on the
caliper, and run the other end of the hose into a con-
tainer.
Bleed the brake line and the caliper as follows:
Repeat this operation until no more air can be seen com-
ing out into the plastic hose.
1. Pump the brake lever until it becomes hard, and apply
the brake and hold it [A].
2. Quickly open and close the bleed valve while holding the
brake applied [B].
3. Release the brake [C].
NOTE
The fluid level must be checked often during the bleed-
ing operation and replenished with fresh brake fluid as
necessary. If the fluid in the reservoir runs almost out
any time during bleeding operation, the bleeding opera-
tion must be done over again from the beginning since
air will have entered the line.
Tap the brake hose lightly from the caliper to the reser-
voir for easier bleeding.