I just swapped over my front brake line from the stock line to a HD braided line.  I've bled all the air out of the new line and the brake seems to work ok.  But I can't seem to get as much pressure in the lever as before.  That is, I need to pull the lever in a fair bit to get the brake to engage.  This is the method I've been using to pressurise the brake:

1) Connect plastic hose and container to front bleeder valve

2) Pull and hold lever in about quarter travel, then open bleeder value

3) Pull and hold lever in another two quarters travel, fluid bleeds through hose, close bleeder valve

4) Allow lever to return fully out with bleeder closed

I tried this method for about 5 minutes and like I said I've managed to pressurise the brake somewhat.  Should I continue this method longer as it seems to be working or does anyone have a more effective method or pressurising the fron brake?

KC it's a slow process to get the last of the air out. You need to remove the cover from the master cylinder so you can see the bubbles as you tap the lever with the plastic end from a screw driver. Slowley move the leaver in and out at the same time but only just enough for the bubbles to escape. You will learn how much movement to give the leaver as the air escapes, slowly tapping at the same time.

RT

RT,

I'm pretty confident I've got all the air out, I've removed the master cylinder cover and did try a similar method, I'm not getting any air bubbles through the m/c or the bleeder at the caliper end.  As you said it's a slow process so I might try another few minutes of the same method to harden the lever up.

Continue tapping the line and the brake housing. Then move the lever in slowly untill you see the bubbles and that is the position you need to work the lever. You should restore pressure back to what you had.

RT

Sounds good, I'll give that a go.

 Rocket,

 I rekon you're last point may be where I'm going wrong.  I rekon when I hold the brake and open the nipple I'm losing pressure whereas if I keep the lever travelling while I open and close the nipple it may keep the pressure in there better.  I'll give that a go.

Cheers,

KC

Scotty,

I'll bleed it some more tonight and if I can't pressurise enough through bleeding I'll give this method a go.  Yeah, I didn't like the idea of sitting there for hours and going through heaps of fluid either, that's why I though I'd get some advice.  I've only waster a few mils and about 5 minutes up until now.

Cheers,

KC

Did this a couple of weeks ago KC put braided brake clutch and throttle cables on took a while to bleed brake but turned out ok this is what i did

took top cover of and filled up with dot 5

put some brake fluid in a glass ,got a tube one end in glass the other on bleed nipple ,make sure glass and tube is sitting higher than caliper

make sure nipple is done up and pump that lever until you feel some resistance ,keep pressure on the  lever and while your doing that just open the nipple as you open the nipple the lever will go all the way in ,dont let it out until you have closed the nipple again

then pump again and repeat  ,everytime you do it the lever will move in less to feel resistance

Worked for me 

I also had the problem once doing the brakes on the car when i didnt get anywhere and i did what scotty has said and it solved the problem

DOT 5 Brake fluid is fully synthetic and should not to be used as it can stuff your seals but you can use DOT 5.1 and as scotty said dont mix blends.

Rocket,

There's only one front caliper on my sporty.  I didn't remove the calipar or touch the brake pads at all and I have checked that they are firmly against the disc so all is good.  There must have been some air in the line still as now I have a fair bit of pressure in the lever.  The brakes engage quite firmly now but I won't really know how well untill I give it a test ride.

Yeah, I did exactly that sycle and it worked well, tapped the line and tickled the lever, I noticed quite a stream of micro bubbles come out of the tiny holes in the m/c.  I rekon after a short test ride, I'll try it again, and bleed it a little more, it should firm it up more.

Ever tried reverse bleeding?  Never fails.

First, make sure the bleed nipple is at 12 o'clock and not at 6 o'clock when you are doing this. It just won't work if, for instance, your caliper is at the bottom of the disc for looks (as mine is).

Buy old-fashioned thumb-pump oil can and clear hose from DIY store. If this is a front brake job, get a good length of hose. So you can stand with can in one hand, and watch the handlebar reservoir fill....

Fill can with fluid, and attach one end of clear hose to can spout, the other end to the bleed nipple, use little hose clamps to secure at each end (or maybe a little rubber grommet or plumbing fitting and press-fit hose on to bleed nipple). Keep the spanner hanging off the nipple to ensure it stays open during the process...

Pump fluid s-l-o-w-l-y. Watch the reservoir fill. when enough is in there, shut the bleed nipple with the little spanner, put the can down and go to the brake lever/pedal.

Depress, depress, depress, slowly and firmly. Do this until you get feel which, crucially, is when you get NO MORE BUBBLES apearing in the fluid. Air rises....you are bringing the air bubbles to the reservoir with every snapback of the lever/pedal.

Now and again, pull the lever / press the pedal halfway about a dozen times in quick succession and then pull in hard and let it snap back a few times. This always brings up a dozen stubborn air bubbles. Tap the hose along its length with a spanner now and again too.

Keep doing this. It DOES work. Last time, I bled my multi-piston front caliper in 2min, even shocked myself. That was a personal best.

I got this tip a long time ago and have done it no other way since. It never fails. You don't need costly vaccuum pumps, ''speed bleeder'' nipples or any other bull. Just a $5 cheap oil can and the clear hose and clamps..

The key to it is that air bubbles RISE! So start at the bottom i.e. the caliper!

Back in the day when I was fitting braided hose, "Goodridge' to Japper after Japper,I would often get the "squishy" lever feel thereafter.Bearing in mind they all had twin front calipers.....

The best trick was: (Assuming you have already bled and bled and BLED the fucker...)

Get up as much pressure as you can pump and hold the lever in at that pressure.Have some elastic bands handy and slip them over the "half way in "lever to maintain the master cylinder pressure at that level.Leave overnight,and the next morning release the lacky bands and you have a fully firm brake lever no worries. The pressurised fluid somehow allows all the micro air bubbles to rise back up to the master cylinder (with LID ON) and out thru' the fluid. Probably helps with seating the pads out near the disc as well.

Might be worth a try,as it costs SFA and can do no harm.