April 26th, 2018, 05:27 AM | #1 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: AJ
Location: Green Valley, IL
Join Date: May 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250r(SOLD) 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250r full Muzzy(my pride and joy) Posts: 331
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Changing brake fluid
Happy riding season! The weather here in Illinois is finally ride worthy and I haven’t been off my bike in a week. When I’m asleep I’m thinking about it lol. Anyway, a good friend of mine and a fellow forumer here said “always change your break fluid every season”. So my question is what kind should I use and where can I get it? This will be my first time doing so. I’m somewhat handy with a wrench when it comes to these wonderful bikes but any tips or anything I need to know would be much appreciated. Happy to be back and see some familiar posters! Be safe happy riding in 2018!
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"A car or truck will get you from point A to B. But a motorcycle, that is the point." -unknown |
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April 26th, 2018, 06:04 AM | #2 |
Rev Limiter
Name: Jay
Location: WI
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): '06 SV650n, '00 Derbi GPR, '64 CA77 Dream 305, '70 CL450 Scrambler, numerous dirt bikes Posts: A lot.
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This section should have what you need - https://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Brakes
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April 26th, 2018, 06:26 AM | #3 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Sep '15
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I put this in my 250:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prestone-...12-oz/35764362 I even saw another guy I race with putting it in his R3. |
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April 26th, 2018, 10:51 AM | #4 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
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MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17
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If you're changing it out yearly, pretty much any DOT-3 fluid will do.
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April 26th, 2018, 11:11 AM | #5 |
‘94 Rider
Name: Colin
Location: Lewis Center, Ohio
Join Date: Nov 2010 Motorcycle(s): 1994 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F Posts: 81
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You definitely don’t need to change it every season, brake fluid doesn’t get subjected to same stresses and extreme temperatures like the engine oil does.
Water/moisture absorption is why brake fluid gets “dirty”, and why it changes color as it gets older. If it’s tan/Brown, dump it. If it’s clear, you’re definitely good for another year. I change mine every 3 years. The manual officially calls for either 2 years or 4 years, can’t remember. |
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April 26th, 2018, 05:35 PM | #6 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: AJ
Location: Green Valley, IL
Join Date: May 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250r(SOLD) 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250r full Muzzy(my pride and joy) Posts: 331
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Hey guys thanks for all the tips. I went to O’Reilly since I too my moms bike battery in for a charge anyway and bought Prestone Dot 4. That’s pretty much what wiki said. Since I just bought the bike last summer I’m not sure when the fluid has been changed last although it was regularly serviced the expensive route before I got her. I changed the oil last season but used Mobile 1 synthetic 4T racing oil and it’s amazing stuff. As recommended by @ramjett. So I’ll go ahead and change it this summer (brake fluid). Probably do it this weekend and inspect the breaks very throughly. Appreciate the responses as always you guys are great!
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"A car or truck will get you from point A to B. But a motorcycle, that is the point." -unknown |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
April 26th, 2018, 07:14 PM | #7 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Sep '15
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you may want to double check, pretty sure the ninjette uses dot 3 brake fluid.
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April 26th, 2018, 08:17 PM | #8 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bill
Location: Port Huron, Michigan
Join Date: Mar 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Kawasaki 250 Ninja, 1982 Honda Ascot FT500 Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
Bill
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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results each time. |
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April 27th, 2018, 06:38 AM | #9 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: AKA JacRyann
Location: Mesa, AZ
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot.
MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17
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April 27th, 2018, 10:47 AM | #10 |
Track Clown
Name: Chris
Location: Kingman, AZ
Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R, 21 MV F3 800, Kawasaki 400 build Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Sep '15
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Also Dot-4 and Dot-3 do not mix.
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April 27th, 2018, 01:11 PM | #11 |
ninjette.org newbie
Name: Matt
Location: Oregon Coast
Join Date: Apr 2018 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Fire Breathing 250 Ninja Posts: 4
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Dot 3, 4, and 5.1 are glycol ether based. They are compatible, but like motor oils, you should use the recommended or higher grade fluid. Dot 4 and 5.1 also have borate ester to handle higher temperatures. DOT 3, 4, and 5.1 fluids are found in most brake and clutch systems
It is important never to mistake DOT 5.1 (glycol-based) with DOT 5 which is silicone-based and should never be mixed with any other DOT fluid. |
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April 27th, 2018, 01:41 PM | #12 | |
Rev Limiter
Name: Jay
Location: WI
Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): '06 SV650n, '00 Derbi GPR, '64 CA77 Dream 305, '70 CL450 Scrambler, numerous dirt bikes Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jun '18, Oct '16
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Quote:
DOT 5.1 is fine to use for most applications but DOT 5 is not. Duh. |
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April 27th, 2018, 02:40 PM | #13 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: AKA JacRyann
Location: Mesa, AZ
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot.
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It has to do with boiling-point ratings:
DOT-3 = dry boiling 401F / wet 284F glycol-based DOT-4 = dry boiling 446F / wet 311F glycol/ester-based DOT-5 = dry boiling 500F / wet 356F silicone-based DOT-5.1 = dry boiling 500F / wet 356F glycol/ester-based Back in the '80s, I used DOT-5 in my Supra and it worked great! Can last for 5-years or more due to not absorbing water*. I was flying down moutain-roads with my brake-rotors glowing red-hot and there was absolutely zero fade or pedal depression. Only issue is that it's not compatible with ABS and you have completely to clean brake system with alcohol before switching. Making it a pain as upgrade and mainly of benefit in systems that use it from the start. Such as military vehicles which are the primary users of DOT-5 today. So, a more compatible DOT-5.1 glycol-based fluid was developed that was backwards-compatible AND provided higher boiling-point than DOT-3 or DOT-4. * rumours of DOT-5 causing water-pooling are mis-diagnosed. The fluid doesn't absorb water at all, so where does water come from? In all cases where this occurred, it was due to users not completely clearing brake-system of prior glycol fluid and water by flushing with alcohol. The issue isn't the fluid, but how it was used. |
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April 27th, 2018, 03:33 PM | #14 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bill
Location: Port Huron, Michigan
Join Date: Mar 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Kawasaki 250 Ninja, 1982 Honda Ascot FT500 Posts: A lot.
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Thanks, I didn't know that. Anyway, DOT4 is imprinted right on the front master cylinder cover on the pregen.
Bill
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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results each time. |
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April 27th, 2018, 04:03 PM | #15 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: AKA JacRyann
Location: Mesa, AZ
Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
I have, along with plenty of others have put DOT-3 in master-cylinder without any issues. Part of this has to do with being able to use whatever supplies are within easy reach of tracks in event raceflais rears its ugly head. Need to be able to run to local auto-parts stores for supplies. |
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May 6th, 2018, 12:13 PM | #16 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: AJ
Location: Green Valley, IL
Join Date: May 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250r(SOLD) 2006 Kawasaki Ninja 250r full Muzzy(my pride and joy) Posts: 331
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I went with dot 4. Why? Because Kawasaki and my bike said so.
__________________________________________________
"A car or truck will get you from point A to B. But a motorcycle, that is the point." -unknown |
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May 6th, 2018, 01:38 PM | #17 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Bill
Location: Port Huron, Michigan
Join Date: Mar 2017 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Kawasaki 250 Ninja, 1982 Honda Ascot FT500 Posts: A lot.
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Me too!
Bill
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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results each time. |
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