Tales from the Emporium

[NordieBoy]

All 12 of them, eh?

Watch it, he'll hit you with his banjo

[warewolf]

how often should you replace brake fluid on a trial/adventure bike?

Service intervals on brake fluid is usually 12 months. The stuff is seriously hygroscopic (absorbs water) which ruins it. Buy a fresh container once a year, zip round do all the hydraulic brakes/clutches on all the bikes in the shed. Maybe tomorrow I will post a photo of my speed bleeder, consists of 1x 30cm length of clear hose, plus 1x cable tie.

And yes, I've noticed the adventure bike needs doing more often than the road bike, and the off-roader more often again. As in, the roadie still feels OK at 12 months, the adventure bike hmmm okay-ish and the off-roader get done when it feels spongy - never lasts a year.

One of the problems with not changing the fluid is causing rust (from the absorbed water) in the steel bits such as the pistons, which then chew out the seals. Both of these are far more expensive to replace than fluid. Like engine oil, one reason to change it is to physically remove particulate contamination. Dirt/dust gets in behind the piston seals, too.

And I would recommend a caliper piston removal and flush every handful of years as an in-situ bleed won't scavenge the caliper completely.

[far queue]

Service intervals on brake fluid is usually 12 months ... lots of techo stuff ... completely.

You trying to make me feel guilty

[warewolf]

You trying to make me feel guilty

Too bloody right!

How's your fork oil?

[cooneyr]

All 12 of them, eh?

The webs in between make up another 10 so almost to 43!

Cheers R

[warewolf]

The webs in between make up another 10 so almost to 43!

Nearly enough to count all your siblings, John-Boy!

[far queue]

Too bloody right!

How's your fork oil?

Forks have oil? Next you'll be expecting me to clean it The headlight fluid is topped up though

[NordieBoy]

Forks have oil? Next you'll be expecting me to clean it The headlight fluid is topped up though

I used "Phillips 55/60 + 50" headlight fluid in mine.

[GaZBur]

OMG. Do you mean I gotta take care of it? What the...I thought the service instructions in the manual were just so bike shops could make money and was under the impression DR's were maintenance free! Hell, are you sure you guys are right? Damn, if I wanted to spend time doing maintenence instead of riding I would have bought a KTM or something.

[far queue]

I used "Phillips 55/60 + 50" headlight fluid in mine.

Huh :spudwhat: Oh, I get it, you're using that new fangled electrickery stuff I meant I topped up the kerosine in the lamp, it's far better than the carbide I used to use

[warewolf]

it's far better than the carbide I used to use

I still use carbide, it RULES







And until a few years ago, the systems cavers used were exactly the same as you'd see on vintage bikes! The only real improvement has been a larger plastic acetylene generator remote-mounted on your belt, rather than the small metal one behind the lamp.

[cooneyr]

I still use carbide, it RULES

picy picy picy

You gotta take a big fuller down a hole one day, a nice easy one mind

Keen to see the inside rather than the top of a mountain for once. Got my own harness, helmet, basic gear etc.

Cheers R

[marks]

One Man Brake Bleeder $25
http://www.dirtbike.co.nz/default.asp?pageid=99#

$20 at supercheap auto

[warewolf]

You gotta take a big fuller down a hole one day, a nice easy one mind

Anytime. Maybe xmas when you're up here? Could do a pre-DustyButt warm-up cave!

[cooneyr]

Blingy blingy. Purple and yellow goes nicely with the rest of the bike. One thing left to do - get the clip link replaced by the rivet link on the bench in the gge. Did new wheel bearings and seals at the same time and gave the whole rear wheel assembly a good clean. Was just a little bit dirty.

Holes in the sprocket will mean I'll have to make sure the scotty stays in the right place.

15 front JT 43 rear Chaingang and EK MVXZ 525.

Cheers R