Interesting. Do you literally mean a Speed Bleeder or did you mean a generic bleed nipple?
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Hey Everyone! May's Bike of the Month challenge is now open for entries!
New way of fixing your useless rear brake when all else has failed
I've held off on posting this fix I've been riding with for a couple of years now for fear of the safety concern backlash. But seeing the weak rear brake continues to bother many Ducati owners - and Ducati doesn't seem interested in ever fixing it - here it goes with the fix I came up with when all else failed. Just as I put Speed Bleeders on top of ABS module for both the front and rear brakes following these directions ...
Motorcycle Info Pages - MTS1200 Service & Maintenance > ABS / Brakes bleed mod ...
In a similar fashion, I also put a Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder as shown in the pics that follow. Yes, it is partly exposed to the risk of it being damaged by an errant rock, but if you don't have a working rear brake now anyway, what's the difference? Besides, the risk of catastrophic failure is minimal , and if in doubt, you could always rig some protection around it.
Proof that it has worked for the past couple of years? A few days back I once again bled the rear brake, but this time just at the caliper (without detaching it and following the latest hold-it-upside-down-while-standing-on-one-foot-and-chanting-voodoo method that doesn't work anyway) and at the ABS module - not at the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder.
I strapped the rear brake pedal down over night just for kicks, went for a ride the next morning, and the rear brake was useless. I then used the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder, a big bubble popped out, and the rear brake has been solid since. Solid enough to activate the ABS.
I am not a motorcycle mechanic - obviously
- and I can't explain just why this works, but it does, and has for a couple of years now. This is not a fix for everyone, but if you get to the point where all else has failed, you might want to give it a try. Not to mention it is easily reversed if it doesn't' work for you. I hope this helps someone out there who has also had it with their useless rear brake.
2/15/21 Update - Still going strong with this setup. Make sure you activate the ABS after you bleed either the front or rear brakes! After bleeding my rear brake the other day, it felt about 90% solid. I used the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder, watched a bubble pop out, and now it's back to 100% solid.
Also, this technique allows me to bleed the rear brake without removing the rear caliper, hanging it upside down and all that nonsense. I leave the rear caliper in place as is. Very easy.
Motorcycle Info Pages - MTS1200 Service & Maintenance > ABS / Brakes bleed mod ...
In a similar fashion, I also put a Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder as shown in the pics that follow. Yes, it is partly exposed to the risk of it being damaged by an errant rock, but if you don't have a working rear brake now anyway, what's the difference? Besides, the risk of catastrophic failure is minimal , and if in doubt, you could always rig some protection around it.
Proof that it has worked for the past couple of years? A few days back I once again bled the rear brake, but this time just at the caliper (without detaching it and following the latest hold-it-upside-down-while-standing-on-one-foot-and-chanting-voodoo method that doesn't work anyway) and at the ABS module - not at the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder.
I strapped the rear brake pedal down over night just for kicks, went for a ride the next morning, and the rear brake was useless. I then used the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder, a big bubble popped out, and the rear brake has been solid since. Solid enough to activate the ABS.
I am not a motorcycle mechanic - obviously
- and I can't explain just why this works, but it does, and has for a couple of years now. This is not a fix for everyone, but if you get to the point where all else has failed, you might want to give it a try. Not to mention it is easily reversed if it doesn't' work for you. I hope this helps someone out there who has also had it with their useless rear brake.2/15/21 Update - Still going strong with this setup. Make sure you activate the ABS after you bleed either the front or rear brakes! After bleeding my rear brake the other day, it felt about 90% solid. I used the Speed Bleeder on the bottom of the rear brake master cylinder, watched a bubble pop out, and now it's back to 100% solid.
Also, this technique allows me to bleed the rear brake without removing the rear caliper, hanging it upside down and all that nonsense. I leave the rear caliper in place as is. Very easy.
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Oh, my bad. Yes, any generic bleed nipple will do. I got hooked on Speed Bleeders and use them all the time. Pros and cons to them though. They are fast and easy, but they can seem to leak out a little. I haven't noticed air getting in, but have noticed a dab of fluid on the tips at times. Seems to be the nature of them.
Oh, my bad. Yes, any generic bleed nipple will do. I got hooked on Speed Bleeders and use them all the time. Pros and cons to them though. They are fast and easy, but they can seem to leak out a little. I haven't noticed air getting in, but have noticed a dab of fluid on the tips at times. Seems to be the nature of them.
try Stahlbus for next time, they dont leak
https://www.stahlbus-us.com/
That is great to see as it confirms my suspicion, and proves I'm not crazy. Oh sure, I'm crazy in other areas, but apparently not in adding a bleeder to the rear master cylinder.
Good on that Ducati tech for thinking outside the box instead of replacing rear brake components to no avail as I've read about again and again.
I'm guessing it's not factory installed because of liability issues. The rear master cylinder is designed to be a simple, sealed, stout unit so it doesn't fail suddenly.
Here's my theory ... because the useless rear brake problem affects Multistradas, Monsters, Diavels, etc, etc ... and those different models incorporate different rear brake designs and plumbing ... it could be that the common denominator is subpar rear master cylinders and/or components therein that Ducati uses.
Kind of like the infamously weak, guaranteed-to-fail shift return springs that Ducati uses in different models.
After owning and tinkering on several different motorcycles of various brands, this is the first time I've been compelled to add a bleeder valve to any rear master cylinder.
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