One question we get from a lot of riders is whether they should be changing out the brake fluid on their motorcycles? The answer is YES, and the best part is it’s easy to do it yourself. If you haven’t done this in a while, this is a really good way to breathe some life back into your brake system.
In this article, we are going to tell you how to tell when it’s time to replace your brake fluid, what tools you’ll need to do it yourself at home, plus a few pro tips we’ve learned along the way from our decades of experience with braking systems. Feel free to watch the video here, or read below for detailed instructions!
When should I change my motorcycle brake fluid?
Motorcycle brake fluid should be changed every 6-12 months, depending on the amount of riding you do (if you ride a lot, lean towards 6 months, if you don’t ride much, every 12 months or so is fine).
However, one factor to consider is whether you live near the ocean or in a high humidity environment. That’s because brake fluid can absorb humidity from the air. As your brake system gets warm, the water content compresses faster than the brake fluid and you’re left with a mushy brake lever.
What tools do I need to change my brake fluid?
It’s a fairly simple job to do at home, and really the only tool you need is a vacuum pump kit that’s designed for bleeding brakes. These can be picked up at any automotive store or most hardware stores. For replacement brake fluid, be sure to check your bike’s manual to get the correct fluid type.
- Replacement brake fluid (refer to your manufacturer’s manual for fluid type)
- Brake bleeding vacuum pump kit
How do I replace my motorcycle brake fluid?
- Open up the master cylinder
- Go to the caliper for the line you’re working on and open the bleeder nipple
- Attach the vacuum pump hose
- Start pumping fluid out. As the level in the master cylinder goes down, replace with fresh fluid and continue pumping.
- Once the fresh fluid starts coming out of the caliper, remove the hose and close the bleeder nipple.
- Now it’s time to bleed the line. Give the brake lever a few pumps and then hold the lever down and open the bleeder nipple to release some fluid. Close the nipple and repeat this until your brake lever feels nice and solid (make sure there’s sufficient fluid in the master cylinder as you bleed the line!)
And that’s it! Once you’ve replaced the fluid and bled the lines, you’re ready to go. As always, be sure to always refer to your manufacturer’s manual for specific instructions.