Tip For Bleeding Brakes

A lot of people (myself included) occasionally experience frustration getting the last of the bubbles out of the lines. Sometimes we get lucky and bleeding (other than knuckles) goes quite well. Sometimes we get it close, but action is still a little soft. A number of members on the Goldwing forum I spend a fair amount of time on suggest pumping up the lever until the firmest point is reached, and wrapping a bungee cord or rope around the lever and grip to retain pressure and leave it overnight. The bubbles tend to find their way up to the mc. This has worked for me.

An example: "Try pumping up the handle several times until it gets as firm as it's going to get, then hold it down tight, and use a bungee or rope to tightly hold the brake lever tight on. Leave it sitting like that overnight and see if it makes any difference."

YMMV

Ron in AZ

That tip has been doing the rounds on maxi forums for years. A bungee cord or rope seems way over the top though, a heavy duty elastic band or Velcro strap does the same job.

The easiest way to avoid bubbles is to pump the new fluid through to push the old out, I've never had a problem changing the brake fluid (or clutch fluid on geared bikes) using this method.
Sometimes though if your replacing a brake line or removing a caliper there is no choice than to drain the system down and then the nightmare begins. Holding the lever on overnight helps get those remaining bubbles out, but it's always taken me several goes and pumping though a lot of fluid to get to that stage.
Good luck.

Not this old chestnut again !

I was always taught that if there's a tool for the job why are you struggling ?
Work smart not hard.
That said, it's only with the advent of technology and combined braking systems, and later the addition of ABS systems that brake bleeding could become rather a pain for the DIYer.

So, how to work smart on your own, for me the only alternative was vacuum bleeding (as used by most manufacturers)
Here there are 2 choices, if you don't own an air compressor then there are these type items.
hand operated...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235567018792?_skw=vacum+brake+bleeder&itmmeta=01JAMF4GCRHFTQRJ47CQYDX569&hash=item36d8e37328:g:QVgAAOSwmqJmRipD&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKkfq%2BiI8cz4RgST0QF%2BmJWrMmZ%2B%2BEKDjQfJlM39NQpgnltb9Eu%2BDEaBWeg1OKtQrv6kP6VSfk%2FRMW7yn2%2BP5%2FHfOwzEnpv8rlL5N7%2BtLxEOuZQrw%2BNVB7QN6FiUOTJ4pGmJCvG1onGyXrZ73rQEccAw7ELNKPezWXuW0OmjRqjztj2w4ia4sCKT4%2FuG2cwv8oPrn1x%2BPLSooIyt8xSOHCjeMa443uCWwcAuYk8E8%2Ft6OgXwsaLHYN%2BdGtzscLWm7EBhlIcz5RXrba%2BVowuNhUCKLL8K%2FVqxZcHoNZVR%2FCT%2Fyw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMuoaSj9Vk

Alternatively if you do own an air compressor (this includes battery/12v operated inflators as well as mains) then one of these works very well.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224155528290?_skw=vacum+brake+bleeder&itmmeta=01JAMF4GCRHWR7CX1ZRBX0A4PK&hash=item3430b5ec62:g:ZAgAAOSwyIRfXi~C&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmHpWLxunNdfKU2kDZ4ZIvGxglDAArj9l2fLAgcqxHw9N9I2jkAIEE%2FNLGyb95%2Bynt9CopKuylbBxwsgLQfzwLBshKMAmK9TaekA3vLaNttbTJcv53JVaa5PMYI5FRG%2BXtoZwx1HPwuavfB6PWVKgKSLoUgM6CyM9L%2Fn%2B484Tp%2BxuLBKaIWZ6cYxr%2FAhc9p%2F82p336vcgs%2F59ljfsL3RBHhtoYu2DWfSgBu0ewA4jzBzd9MO5JRHMNgBlv16SE7GY16WlIkyuj32PrY9UpPv1--ZrkTWhRYKU1y%2Bozw3ELafQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMuoaSj9Vk

Once you have MASTERED the use of the tool, everything becomes easy.

Hope this helps.

Yes, strapping the brake lever overnight "Trick" usually works, if you have minimum air in system and good working components, etc.
I also have several of those "Fancy" brake bleeding tools and they work well, but IMO not a worthy investment for the occasional DIY
type, for a procedure that's usually done every 5yrs or so , personally I like to use the plastic water bottle technique on motorcycles,
simple/cheap and easy to cap/seal waste and dispose properly

Just install as shown in pic and pump away, the key to prevent air ingestion when lever is released is a heavy coat of grease ** around bleed valve threads,
I have also done a variation of the technique, using a flexible sealed bottle, you collapse the bottle, and it creates a low pressure/vacuum that draws fluid
out of caliper, it works slightly faster.

** IME, more effective/simpler than trying to apply Teflon tape to threads, etc.