KTM front brake woes

[Lars01]

I have an 02 EXC 300 and love the bike except for the wimpy front brake. I've been checking other KTMs I come across and they all have sucky front brakes. I had been riding RMs for the last few years and their front brakes had so much more power and better feel that there is no comparison. What can I do to improve the KTM's front brake?

 

[KaTooMer]

Switch to Nissin....hehehe. Brembo's are notorious for letting air into the front brake system. Nobody that I know has figured out how to keep air out of the system once it gets in, and Brembo doesn't seem to care. Get acquainted with back bleeding, the only way I've found to rid the system of air.

 

[wsmc831]

put a speed bleeder nipple in the caliper and run new fluid through every once in a while...cheap and easy. There's got to be a problem, ktm brakes are among the best. I have an 02 300mxc and it's got the best brakes of any other bikes I ride with...one finger is all that's ever needed.

 

[KaTooMer]

Originally posted by wsmc831
put a speed bleeder nipple in the caliper and run new fluid through every once in a while...cheap and easy.

If there's air in the system, I've found that it's unlikely that any form of conventional bleeding gets all of the air out. Not sure why, but it hasn't worked on either of my KTM's. However, back bleeding has worked.

It's hit-or-miss with the Brembos...some guys have no problems at all, then there's me....

 

[wsmc831]

well, on my roadrace bike I put some SS lines on dry and used speedbleeder nipples and they worked great and never had any problems.

sounds more like there's a small leak somewhere.

 

[MrLuckey]

I've never had any problems bleeding the brakes on the 200. I don't even use a speed bleeder, just the old fashioned way with a wrench. Both of our KTM's have very strong front brakes, almost too strong.

 

[KaTooMer]

Originally posted by wsmc831
sounds more like there's a small leak somewhere.

My understanding is that when air enters the Brembo system, the design of either the master cylinder or caliper (probably the caliper) allows a pocket of air to get trapped somewhere, and for whatever reason, can't be forced out with conventional bleeding. If you read the article from my website, part of the technique of back bleeding Brembos involves rotating the caliper around in various directions to ensure that the air pockets get dispersed as you pump fluid backwards through the system.

If you can keep the air out to begin with, you may never experience the sponginess that both my KTM's have had. One of my riding buddies loves to show me how firm his '00 300EXC brake lever still is after 3 years. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to keep the air out of either of my front brake systems.

 

[MrLuckey]

Hmmm - I'm wondering if Aimee's KTM has a different setup? 00 KTM200MXC. I don't even remember why but I had it completely empty, refilled and got her to run the brake lever while I manned the bleeder, worked like a champ.

Katoomer, do you ever have firm brakes? Firm after back bleeding but then it gradually fades?

 

[lawman]

the front brake on my '00 200 wpould put you on your head--it was like a honda. the 1 on my new leftover '01 300 wasn't as good, 'til i bled it a couple of times. that helped a lot. then, on jeb's rec., i put on an e-rider lever. now it's so strong it's almost scary--took some getting used to. you might give that a try.

 

[Scoott]

I have run EBC oversize discs for the last 3 years. The EBC is less grabby to begin with, but much more powerful as you squeeze harder. The problem I noticed is that the CALIPER flexes. If you run the pads below 50% the lever gets mushy. Try throwing on a new set of pads without doing any bleeding, you may be surprised.If you take the caliper off, space the pads apart with a bar and squeeze the lever, you can watch the caliper flexing as you pull the lever.

 

[Lars01]

Thanks for all the info, I'll do some bleeding work and see if that helps I'm also going to look into that eline lever. I dont like the way the KTM lever is designed I know that it is designed to keep some free play in the lever but even with it set all the way tight it still has way too much free play the lever comes about a third the way back before it does anything. Add the mushyness in and you get the lever tight against my knuckles before the brakes really start working.

 

[Rev]

First of all check your brake fluid, do not assume it`s full.My point is I have a 02 300 mxc. My consin has a 02 300 exc, Great brakes when we bought them. They set over the winter and I had very little front brakes when I got it out. I bleed them, hung them upside down, did all of the tricks nothing worked. I checked the Res. and it was empty. Got great brakes now, went riding with my consin, guess what, no front brakes and no fluid. We are both mechanic by trade and we assumed since the bikes had very little riding time the Res. would be full.. WRONG.. Also there is no leaks in the system. Like to know if other 02 came with the same trouble

 

[MWEISSEN]

I had similar problems, and normal bleeding helped but didn't cure it. I finally got a good response by removing the brake system from the handlebar and making sure I had a straight vertial line from the caliper to the master cylinder. This made a lot of difference in bleeding results.

Also fresh pads help a lot.

 

[wsmc831]

rev, I'd say mine was similar. I bought it new and put speedbleeders to put in. Probably had it less than 2 months before i put them in and re-bled the brakes...I was surprised at how little fluid was there. with them in its easy enough I run new fluid every couple months now.

good luck...it just sounds like there's air in there somewhere.

you might also look into a upper banjo bolt with bleed nipple so you can bleed from the top as well...

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Don't overlook the obvious like I did. Check the pins that the pads slide on, mone were grooved and I didn't even notice. I fought the front brakes for a while before figuring out what the problem was then I felt like a fool. There good now though! ;)

 

[TT]

Where did you get the speed bleeders at and what size are the threads?

 

[wsmc831]

www.speedbleeder.com.

can't remember the length and pitch, just email them, they know.

 

[Buckholz]

MWeissen has the correct solution, and only takes a minute or two extra, and no crap to buy.

BTW, I switched to Valvoline Syntec Brake Fluid for all vehicles, works great, cheap, avaliable at almost any auto parts store.....

 

[wyatt]

I had the same problem with a mushy front brake. 02 200 MXC

I had some luck bleeding the system them taking the font wheel off, carefully

apply the brake untill the pads come out then pry them back into the caliper

and re-mount the front tire. I suppose this has the same effect as "back

or power bleeding. Also i extended the tip (be creative) of the red screw on

the brake lever itself with good results.

 

[SFO]

I put a yz-250 m/c on denises 200 to get the feel better of the front brake on her 200. Plus I got rid of the worn out floppy levers of the stock m/c.

 

[miwebb]

Try the e-rider brake lever. The lever has a different engagement point, allowing a stronger brake feel with less lever pull.

Hope this helps!

 

[dan7clark]

Insert a flat blade screwdriver carefully between the rotor and the brake pad and pry the pad out away from the rotor. You need to just about put your chin on the ground to get at the bottom of the caliper to do it. This doesn't replace perodic bleeding, but gets rid of the inevitable air that gets trapped on KTM brakes just downline from the master cylinder. Takes about 30 seconds and it works. I do it before most every ride/race.