new front tire

[ik97m2]

I'm new to riding. I just bought a metzeler roadtec z6 i was wondering how good these tire are, and if anyone has an opinion on them.

[xtremelow]

My GF has the Metzler tires and they seem to hold up pretty good, I dont have really anything bad to say.

Seem like they may be a little hard so maybe not the best for hard turns or rough roads.

[Stevexb12Ss]

heard some very good things about the z6 for both dry and wet... I myself heve the pilot powers from michelin.

[ik97m2]

thanks, when i took off the tire to get the new tire on the brake fluid came out of the master cylinder and now i can't figure out how to prime the breaks. I tried to open up the bleeder nozzle and bleed the fluid trough but none will come out? any suggestions?

[tuneport67ss]

Make sure the master cylinder is full then do the following. It should bleed out and get you back on the road.

1)Pump the brake lever a few times and then hold down.
2)With the brake lever held down open the bleeder screw. (should get fluid with a few air bubbles.) DO NOT RELEASE THE LEVER UNTIL THE BLEEDER SCREW IS TIGHTENED BACK DOWN!! Doing so will pull air back into the system.
3)Pump the brakes again and then hold the lever down.
4)Once again with the lever held down lossen the bleeder screw and release the preasure making sure to not release the lever until the bleeder screw is tightened back down.
5)Keep repeating this until there is no more air coming out and you get a steay stream of brake fluid.

Make sure you keep the master cylinder full during this process. Recheck it and fill it after every sequence.

Hope this gets you going.
Let us know if you have anymore trouble.

[ik97m2]

Do i keep the cap on or off of the master cylinder during the bleeding process?

[tuneport67ss]

Replace the cap after checking the fluid and before doing the bleeding process.

[ik97m2]

I drained the fluid out of the reservoir and the holes in the reservoir were clogged. looked like the owner before me had not changed the brake fluid in years. so i took it apart and cant get the plunger out. How can i get the plunger out?

[tuneport67ss]

I wouldnt pull the plunger unless you have a rebuild kit for it. I would take some brake cleaner and spay a good bit in the resivor and put the cap on and let it set. Maybe even skake it around a little. If you have some compressed air available, I would lightly blow into the holes after letting it set for a while. When you put fluid back in, make sure you put the correct type fluid in it. I am pretty sure it is DOT 4. If the previous owner put DOT 3 in it, this could be your problem. I would possibly start looking into another master cylinder for it, if you cant get it cleaned out. It will be a lot less of a headache than rebuilding it. Where are you located? When I get home in the morning, I will look at mine and see if I can tell how to get the plunger out if you are still wanting go that route. You can give me a call Any morning this week and I can try to talk you through it. My cell # is seven seven zero three one four- seven nine five zero. Just ask for Brad. I will do everything I can to help you get back on the road.

[Stevenc150]

I will do everything I can to help you get back on the road.That, my friends, is what this site is about. :D[up]

[ik97m2]

Hey i tried the cleaner and when the cleaner dried the plunger froze up and does not easily move now. I tried to put some fluid in and move the plunger manually to get lubrication in there but it didn't help. Looks like i may have to get a new one. Ya know where i can get it?

[tuneport67ss]

I would try Ebay first. I will start looking around to and see if I can find it. I am willing to bet that the previous owner used regulat old DOT3 fluid to top it off. You can not interchage brake fluids. Do you have access to compressed air? You need to flush the old fluid out of the line and caliper. I will let you know if I find something.

[tuneport67ss]

I just found this one on Ebay. Looks to me to be your best and cheapest route. It is NEW and has free shipping for under $70. I couldnt get the link to work. If you will got to Ebays home page and enter this item number in the search field, it will pull it up.

310130004134

Let me know.

[ik97m2]

i dunno it doesn't tell me what bore it is. I'm gonna try and email him and get some dimensions on it; i need a 5/8 bore

[ik97m2]

i think i got my master cylinder working again but i can not get the brakes to bleed still. The plunger is making pressure because when i squeeze it small bubbles come out the bleeder valve, but no new brake fluid is getting into the lines.

[tuneport67ss]

Keep doing it. It takes more fluid to fill the line and caliper back up than you think. Another trick you can do is to open the bleeder and just let it gravity feed. Making sure to keep the resivour full. If you still get air, then the master cylinder is bad from where it frove up. I would buy a whole new assymbly and just change it out. Keep us updated.

[ik97m2]

i'm looking for a new one. do you know how i can find out if the one you mentioned on eBay will fit?

[ik97m2]

i found a bunch of other buell front master cylinders but all the pistons are bore 1/2 instead of 5/8 like mine; do you think that the raccoon bolts are the same size?

[tuneport67ss]

Ok heres the deal. It is not a good idea to use a 1/2" bore if yours has the 5/8 bore. I would search the web to see if you can find someone who sells replacement parts for the M2. I will try to find out the part number for the one on ebay i showed you. If the part number matches then it is exactly what you need. I will try to find out this morning and let you know something.

[ik97m2]

well i found a place but the only have the master cylinder for 98 up m2's and i have a 97. That is why i asked about the 1/2 vs 5/8 bore cylinder, the 1998 m2 used 1/2 and i think the raccoon bolt is 12mm on both not sure i wanted to check with you guys. Oh and i just noticed but the casing on my master cylinder says to use dot 5 and i put dot 4 in there, is it going to make any difference.

[tuneport67ss]

Yes you can not mix brake fluids. The DOT 5 is a fully synthetic fluid. If you mix it with the others, it will draw in moisture and corode the whole system. I am willing to bet that this is what started all your problems. The one from Ebay will not work. It is a 1/2 for the XBs. Ill keep looking. Let me know if you come across one. Where di dyou say you were located?

[ik97m2]

i live in mississippi on the coast and i cant find anywhere that sells dot 5; the people at coast cycle world told me dot 4 would work, I'll keep looking. But, like i said earlier i dont think the master cylinder is done for. I was trying to get the brakes to bleed and could get brake fluid to squirt like 6 to 8 inches straight out of the bleeder valve but in doesn't do it constantly only after some time and break fluid has worked its way down into the lines. After the first couple squirts its nothing but air again; so I am getting pressure from the cylinder just no fluid from the reservoir.

[Spud]

Hey ik97m2, Putting Brake cleaner in your master cylinder resevior without removing the rubber piston will destroy it. Brake parts cleaner breaks down rubber products. I read that you are replacing the master cylinder now but I have to tell you that the chances that that the rubber o-rings in your brake caliper pistons may be damaged as well. I had to learn the hard way. My rear wheel locked up on my Kawasaki 1000 during a ride and I had done the very same things. I recommend rebuilding the caliber or get a new one (eight piston upgrade) and matching Master cylinder. I know its not cheap, but it safer.

[ik97m2]

well i got a vacuum pump and and tried to bleed the brakes that way, but still no go. Regardless if the master cylinder is bad i should still be able to fill the line with brake fluid using the the vacuum pump but i still have air bubble in the line. Maybe i am doing it wrong? i did what the instructions that came with the pump told me to do, any suggestions. If it is the master cylinder is bad can i use one from a later model buell M2 cyclone. The master cylinders on all models after 97 are 1/2 inch and mine is 5/8 inch; as long as the banjo bolts are the same size everything is alright and should be interchangeable?

[ik97m2]

hey guys messed with the vacuum pump and got my front brakes up and running!!! Got my endorsement !!! and on the road. Love my Buell, thanks guys for all the help and suggessions. I will keep posted.

[xtremelow]

Damn you deserve to be on the road after your little ordeal over the past week.

Good Buelling.

[tuneport67ss]

Glad to hear that.:D

Ride safe.

[ik97m2]

Thanks guys, have been riding it non stop since. Went on a ride that was about 5 hours round trip.