I have an 03 500i with inconsistant brake lever travel. Sometimes when I apply the brakes they are right there and stop the machine as expected. Sometimes when I apply the brakes the brake lever nearly goes to the handle bars.
I've gone over the bike as well as my dealer and there is no problem with air in the system or wheel bearings. Weve tried a new master cylinder with no change.
Any other ideas.
Thanks

 

Mine was doing the samething. Sounds like there might be some air in the system or the fluid is dirty. I drained mine and flushed with new fluid then filled the system and bled it. The problem disappeared.

 

Now problem with air or dirty fluid.
The brake lever is frim just inconsistant lever travel.
It's like the pads are being pushed apart and you have to pull the lever farther to get the pads to contact the roters

 

One of you brake rotors is probably warped. You can check them by blocking the machine up with all wheels off the ground. apply the brakes. Spin the rear tire a couple times, check your brakes if the lever goes to the bars it's the rear rotor. Repeat on both front wheels. If you have someone to help you you can have them spin the tire while you lightly hold on the brakes, you'll feel it through the lever. It'll push against you when warped rotor spreads the caliper way appart and the lever will go back in after that spot.

How do you like the jet hot coated pipe? Did it reduce the heat radiating off of it by allot?

Thanks

 

Another good idea but not the problem, I checked for a warped rotor.

When I had my pipe Jet Hot coated I thought I would really reduce the pipe temp so I removed the heat shield mounting brackets. That was a mistake. It did reduce the pipe temp but not enough to run with out a heat shield and wear shorts. You will burn your leg if you stay in a normal riding postion.

 

I have the same problem with my 03 400 4x4 ,
I noticed it when I first bought it but not as bad as it is now ,I thought it was just because they were new ,but now I have 300 miles in her and the brake lever will go almost all the way before I can feel them grab ,this happens mostly after going through water or mud/swamp .
the last time this happened I was almost into the back side of my brother-in-law's new 05 500 .
Not a good thing .

PS . I'm a mechanic ,I've been through this thing with a fine tooth comb and can't explain ,
no problem's when riding through the snow though.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

That's the first I heard of that, LOL. From now on, YOU go first-

 

You all have that white plastic Willwood Master Cylinder I bet. I have an 01, which had the older metal one. A buddy has an 02 with the same as I. I mentioned it to a guy at the dealer and he said that particular one was bad about failing. On my buddies you have to pump it from time to time to get any brakes at all. ON mine it would brake but failed to return all of the way out. Any way, he said when they come it he replaces them with the plastic Willwood from the 03. I picked one up and put it on. Now I don't jave any problem with it returning but I do notice that it will apply the brakes at different distances from the bar. When I swapped it I replaced all the fluid with synthetic DOT 4 and bled the system. The one thing I have to try is I think I beld the system backwords. I beld like on a car, start at the furthest wheel and work toward the master cylinder. I was reading the 01 service manual and it says to do the opposite.

Also, A girlfriend just picked up an 03 300 with the same master cylinder, white plastic Willwood. It acts the same way but not as bad as mine.

Brent

 

This was the first time to have mine in the deep mud and I noticed the exact thing. As if the rotors were wet and the lever had to be actuated a couple of times to get the break lever back "UP". After that worked fine. My 03- 500i has the white plastic cylinder.

 

It happened when we went through that first mud ,the one Rob got stuck in .
I still had a foot or two, but that was way to close for my comfort .
I bet I had that same expression on my face as I did when I popped the front-end over that log .[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]