By Tosh Konya
Looking at the mostly inaccessible bleeder screw on the rear brake caliper of my NT700V meant the Old School method wouldn’t work so mostly out of curiosity I bought a Motion Pro Brake Bleeder, P/N 08-0143. It’s available most anywhere for around $20. It’s an aluminum cylinder with an internal, spring-loaded, one-way valve and comes with two sections of hose and one hose clamp. The hose clamp secures the hose on the high-pressure side (towards the caliper) but it may be moot since the other end of that same hose is merely slipped over the bleeder screw without any leakage occurring.
Doing it the Old School way required fairly precise timing in regards to closing the bleeder valve while holding the lever or pedal but this tool negates that concern. Once the short hose to the caliper is filled with fluid, air cannot go backwards up into the system. The instructions said to “prime” (fill before using) that section of hose but I found it unnecessary since one pump of the lever or foot pedal easily fills the hose.
Here are a few tips I’d like to pass along. I always draw out all the old fluid from the reservoir BEFORE bleeding. Be sure NOT to touch the brake lever while the reservoir is empty, as you’ll introduce air into the system! Clean the bottom of the reservoir to ensure that crud doesn’t plug the compensating port, then refill with fresh fluid.
Fresh fluid in the reservoir means you won’t be pumping old fluid through the system so the bleeding goes much faster plus you’ll be able to see a clear transition line between the older darker fluid and the newer fresh fluid as it comes down the tube.
The instructions say to leave the reservoir cap sitting on the reservoir but not secured by the screws which to me is a dangerous situation since any movement of the front wheel is liable to cause brake fluid to splash out of the reservoir and drip onto plastic! Brake fluid is not only a great paint remover but it also can eat away at fiberglass fairing parts.
Is it better than Speed Bleeders? In function probably not but I didn’t want to go that way because the Motion Pro Tool also allows me to use it on my
car.
