Originally Posted By: alarmguy
Originally Posted By: Analyzer
While I do agree that the brake/fork fluid are some of the most neglected fluids on a motorcycle; having deposits form if in use for more than two years that potentially cause brake failure is a serious problem. I would argue that most motorcycles on the road today have brake fluid that's been in use for longer than two years with no serious ill effects (besides moisture saturation and reduced boiling point). ... I know my exception doesn't make it the rule, but I've never heard of braking issues due to 2+ year old brake fluid that can lead to a potential failure.
Your correct, your exception doesnt make it rule.
I had the rear brake on my 2008 Yamaha Vstar 1300 Tourer fail in the Smoky Mountains, coming down a mountain, with my wife on the back no less and can fully "testify" all I am typing here.
THE REASON FOR THIS REAR BRAKE FAILURE WAS MOISTURE IN THE BRAKE FLUID BOILED UNDER HEAVY USE, CREATED VAPOR LOCK WHICH COMPLETELY DISABLED THE REAR CALIPER, BRAKE PETAL JUST WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN LIKE IT WASNT EVEN CONNECTED TO ANYTHING.
WE WERE ON A STEEP DECLINE COMING DOWN FROM THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN, NO PLACE TO PULL OFF, OF COURSE PLENTY OF CURVES, TRYING TO USE ENGINE BRAKING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND HOPING TO GOD THE FRONT BRAKE WASNT GOING TO GO OUT ETHER.
That 10 minutes or so (maybe more, maybe less) were some of the longest 10 minutes in my life, first most concerned for my wife on the back and how her life was depending on my performance, just kept reminding my self to keep calm, keep calm. We got to the bottom of the mountain, what a relief, thought to myself at least I can get to someplace with the front brake, if again, it didnt stop working, yet, about 10 or 15 minutes later, the rear brake started working, once the brake fluid cooled down.
It continued to work the rest of the trip, I was advised by forum 1300 members right after I got back to our motel it was vapor lock and avoid extremes until I can get home to change the fluid, which I did and never an issue again.
Because of Yamaha willful disregard to properly post required brake fluid changes in the maintenance section of the manual where all the required items are posted, we very well could have lost our lives. After this experience I checked again, as others who had told me, sure enough, it is posted in the maintenance section but not on the maintenance chart, its posted in the "notes" section under the chart.
Im telling you, it was freaking scary and wondered to myself how in the [censored] can a manufacturer bury this requirement in the notes section?
Anyway, point of my story is not to defend Harley, it is to tell a real story about a non Harley bike because Harley (the American brand) gets bashed by Americans, yet the other manufacturers get off the hook, part of the reason is the other Manufactures have not even close to the same number of bikes on the road so you dont hear about issues like you do with HD.
I was shocked and so [censored] at Yamaha, loved the bike.
Anyway, change your freaking brake fluid like the manual says, even if you dont ride mountains, two up, luggage ect. it will help your system last longer by taking the moisture out of it with brake fluid changes and for gods sake, stop comparing the brake systems of automobiles and trucks with motorcycles, my god. (not directed at the person I am replying to by any means)
I just tell this story over and over, hoping if I prevent someone or their spouse from getting killed, disabled or injured I have done good for myself.
Yikes! That's definitely a nerve racking scenario and Im glad you and your wife came out safe after the ride! You are correct about the asterisk next to the service schedule, Yamaha definitely should have included that in the actual service schedule instead of in the notes section after the fact ( I'm sorry I missed that). Although I'm sure the reasoning for the brake fluid replacement/caliper rebuild every two years is driven by lawyers to cover their butt in every possible scenario (I've also seen many manufacturers recommend all brake lines to be replaced within a handful of years regardless of their actual condition as well!).
None the less, I will be changing out my decade old brake fluid prior to my next track day and would recommend everyone check when they last serviced their brake system and make sure it hasn't been overlooked for too long!