KLR 650 front brake is getting sticky

[Gareth123]

Occasionally when I pull on the front brake, the lever doesn't want to move. Lucky for me I always pull on the front brake as I start the bike so I notice it nice and early. With a bit of jiggling the lever comes right and doesn't do it again for the whole day.

I changed the brake fluid not long ago as I thought that the fluid was probably old. We won't go into what colour it was but I suspect it has been in there since 2003 when the bike was made:facepalm:. This helped a lot. Solved the problem for a couple of weeks but it's now slowly coming back again.

I'm gonna replace the lever when I can in case this one is a bit bent and not quite right.

Is there anything else I should look at?

[Katman]

Get the brake caliper stripped and cleaned.

[Gareth123]

Is that a job that a home mechanic can do? Obviously brakes are important so if it's a tricky one, I'll send it to the shop to get done. If it's pretty straight forward I might give it a go myself.

[pete376403]

If the master cylinder turns out to be beyoned salvage and you have to replace it, this could be interesting :
http://www.klr650.net/forums/showthread.php?t=82348

The person says the Honda part is bigger - if this refers to the cylinder internal diameter then it should give weaker, not stronger braking (ratio of diameters of master cyl to caliper piston diameter, a bit like gear ratios). However, could be worth researching, given the reported crappiness of pre-08 KLR front brakes

[FJRider]

Is that a job that a home mechanic can do? Obviously brakes are important so if it's a tricky one, I'll send it to the shop to get done. If it's pretty straight forward I might give it a go myself.

There's not that many parts involved ... just pays to remember how it came apart. And put it all back in the same order.

[Gareth123]

If the master cylinder turns out to be beyoned salvage and you have to replace it, this could be interesting :
http://www.klr650.net/forums/showthread.php?t=82348

The person says the Honda part is bigger - if this refers to the cylinder internal diameter then it should give weaker, not stronger braking (ratio of diameters of master cyl to caliper piston diameter, a bit like gear ratios). However, could be worth researching, given the reported crappiness of pre-08 KLR front brakes

I've never actually had a problem with the front brakes. I'd hate to do something like that and then have to stop quickly down a gravel road somewhere. I can just imagine the front end washing out and making me horizontal rather than vertical.


There's not that many parts involved ... just pays to remember how it came apart. And put it all back in the same order.

Sweet. I'll have to give this one a crack then when I get some time.

[pete376403]

The '08 (gen2) has (apparently) much better brakes than the gen1s - bigger rotor, dual piston caliper, plus more rigid forks may assist.

You can brake really hard on gravel if the situation warrants (approaching a biiig drop off way too fast)

[Gareth123]

The '08 (gen2) has (apparently) much better brakes than the gen1s - bigger rotor, dual piston caliper, plus more rigid forks may assist.

You can brake really hard on gravel if the situation warrants (approaching a biiig drop off way too fast)

The only problem with the KLR and braking that I've really noticed would be the front forks now that you mention it. They can dive a lot when under pressure.

[F5 Dave]

Occasionally when I pull on the front brake, the lever doesn't want to move. . . . . With a bit of jiggling the lever comes right and doesn't do it again for the whole day.. . .

I'm gonna replace the lever when I can in case this one is a bit bent and not quite right.

Is there anything else I should look at?

Just as an aside one should be careful with any aftermarket lever. If one fitted a particularly badly made lever (rare) or the wrong but almost fits lever (eerily often) it might not let the master cylinder return fully thus the return port will be closed. This can cause the brake to bind on a bit esp if it is marginal & say it gets hot. This would make the lever feel pretty firm, like the brakes were already on at full out.

The fact you can jiggle it & get it to release makes me think this might be the issue, but its hard to tell from description.

If the brakes were dragging when it felt like this would be a clear pointer.

[Gareth123]

Looking at my lever, I'm pretty sure I've bent it at some point. I'm off to the bike shop tomorrow for a couple of new tyres so I'll see if they have a lever I can grab as well.

[FJRider]

Looking at my lever, I'm pretty sure I've bent it at some point. I'm off to the bike shop tomorrow for a couple of new tyres so I'll see if they have a lever I can grab as well.

Check your lever pivot point too ... if it is damaged/offset (even slightly) it may upset the brake action ...

[Gareth123]

Check your lever pivot point too ... if it is damaged/offset (even slightly) it may upset the brake action ...

:no: I hope that hasn't happened! Thats the last thing I need!