Here's an article I wrote up on brake fluid. Hope some of you find it useful. Feel free to link to it if you wish, or if you must copy it, provide a link to our site and due credit. Many more free articles to come. Thanks!

Brake Fluids - Everything you need to know (http://www.sportbikesolutions.com/motorcycle-articles/brake-fluid.htm)

:cheers

Good write-up, lots of people ask questions that are answered there :D

Long time no see, BTW - business going good?

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/_coffeecheersA.gif

Good Stuff, clear and informative.... :cheers

Is this your own research or actual testing?

Is this your own research or actual testing?

If you're asking if we measured the wet and dry boiling points ourselves, no. These are the figures supplied by the manufacturers of the fluids themselves.

Hmmm, I should have read this before I went and bought 2 bottled of Motul RBF600. You mention that it is highly hygroscopic. What kind of time frame am I looking at between fluid changes? Since this would be just for a street machine?

Is the Valvoline you suggest a more durable fluid?

Honestly, IMO, the RBF isn't one of my top choices for street riding. Its benefits (high boiling points) are generally only realized in race-like conditions, where a ton of heat is being generated in the brake system, lap after lap after lap. No matter how hard you brake, most street riding isn't done at 100% effort without letup, so the system generally never gets hot enough to mandate such a fluid. In other words - you pay the extra money, but realize no gain. I'm all for using 'the best' whenever you can, but if it's only advantage isn't an advantage to you... is it really the best?

In my experience, the valvoline certainly does seem to decline at a slower rate, though I don't have any hard data to quantify just how much longer it lasts. It's less expensive, and does as good a job on street motorcycles as the RBF does, only for a longer time. In fact, quite a few guys in our area use it in their race bikes.

I couldn't give you a timeline for fluid changes... too many variables, really. Just pay attention to how it's working for you, and flush/bleed accordingly. You can't bleed too often ;)

With any brake fluid, the conventional wisdom is to only use fluid from an un-opened container. With motul this is especially important. One trick you can use (sometimes) is to squeeze the bottle once you're done using it until the fluid comes just up to the lip, then cap it off. If the cap seals well enough to keep air from entering, it should keep for a time. But if you go back out to your garage one day and see the bottle's expanded back out... chuck it.

:cheers

I already cancelled the order and I'm going to look for some SynPower at some local autoparts stores around here.

Thanks :)

Bump. Good article that every sporbiker should read, at least once.

Good stuff.

Question. Where do I dispose of unused brake fluid?

Jody, I've tested and now sold on the Castrol SRF stuff. At $70 a liter people think it's over priced. I switched mid-season last year and haven't NEEDED to flush it due to fade problems. It's worth the $$$ IMO especially if you get a few others to go in with you on it.

I think I'm going to start carrying it, Phil :)

LOL - things I never wanted to know about brake fluids. ;)

i use SRF. its good, i was using motul before. it was good too.

i feel like im getting a bit of fade in 50+ deg C(track temp) days towards the end of a test. but it may be some other issue. like... my imagination.