brake bleeder kits

Brake fluid is the life blood of any hydraulic braking system. It transfers the pressure you put on your bike’s brake lever and/or pedal from the master cylinders, through the hoses, to the callipers and pads at each wheel.  

Unfortunately, brake fluid doesn’t last forever and needs changed regularly to keep the braking system working to its maximum efficiency and to keep all components in good condition. 

Old brake fluid

If your brake fluid is this colour, it’s time to replace it

Why do I need to change my motorcycle’s brake fluid?

Like engine oil, brake fluid has a lifespan. As the brakes are applied it heats up and over time it degrades and loses efficiency.

On top of that, brake fluid is hydrophilic - it absorbs water. Over time, through normal wear and/or during routine maintenance, moisture can enter the braking system.

As the braking system operates it heats up, which can cause any water in the fluid to boil, forming vapour bubbles. This is something we definitely don’t want in our braking system, because unlike fluid, bubbles compress when squeezed. That means less pressure is transferred to the callipers. 

We can’t stop these processes, but we can significantly reduce the risk of them happening by changing the fluid regularly.

How regularly should I change my motorcycle’s brake fluid?

Your owner’s manual or the service book should tell you how often your particular model’s brake fluid should be changed, but on a road bike covering average mileage, it should be done about every two years.

What’s the benefit of using a Brake Bleeder Kit?

Changing your bike’s brake fluid is a relatively easy thing to do - providing you’re competent and confident doing it. The consequences of not doing it right could be very serious indeed - but it can be a fiddly, messy and time-consuming job. 

A brake bleeder kit makes it possible to change your bike’s brake fluid at home, with full confidence that the system will be bled correctly, without having to mess about with old bits of tubing and jam jars.  

How do you use a Brake Bleeder Kit to change brake fluid?

Alongside a good quality Brake Bleeding Kit, you’ll need: 

Spanners - usually 8mm, 9mm or 10mm - for loosening and tightening bleed nipples;

Paper Towels / Cloths - for mopping up spills. Brake fluid is extremely damaging to paintwork, so it’s also worth covering areas like your petrol tank just in case; 

Latex / Workshop Gloves - to stop you getting fluid all over your hands; 

Fresh Brake Fluid - Brake fluid comes in different ‘DoT’ types. Each one has a different boiling point - so you need to use the right one - and should never be mixed. Your owners or workshop manual should tell you which is recommended for your bike. Learn more about DoT ratings and what they mean in our Everything-You-Need-to-Know About Brake Fluid DOT ratings post. 

Now you're ready to find out how to use a Venhill Brake Bleeder Kit, CLICK HERE to read more