Front brake issue

[matt415]

Hopefully somebody can help me out here...

When I pull my front brake, I get about 25-30% of full on braking up to a certain 'sticking' point. Once I go past the sticking point I get about 75%-85%. There is a noticeable difference in the amount of force I need to exert on the lever to get past this 'sticking' point. It makes it very difficult to come to a full stop from anything over 30 mph because the pressure exerted on the lever is not constant throughout the varying amounts of braking force required to slow myself down. Once I pull the lever to get past the sticking point, the front brake practically pitches me over the handlebars.

Anybody experience anything like this? What was the fix? New pads/rotor? Cable adjustment?

Thanks!

 

[taildraggin]

How old is the bike? miles? Does the brake lever feel spongey?

Without that info, it sounds like you need to bleed the brake line. Longer shot is the pads/rotor are glazed - any 'extreme' braking?

From there (if an old or outside stored bike) I'd check for sticking brake pistons (corrosion), then look at the master cylinder seals/corrosion.

- Charlie

 

[LeFox]

my guess would be that
- dirt (oil) on rotor
- your rotor isn't fitted correctly
- your rotor is crooked.

clean the rotor and see if it's fixed...if not
try loosening the rotor and fasten them according to spec.
see of you still experience it...

 

[matt415]

The bike is a 2003 xb9r with 12,500 miles. I bought it used with 10,000 miles on it. It was stored in an unconditioned shed by the previous owner for five years and in my parking garage under a cover for the last year. The pads were replaced before I bought it. The brake lever does not feel spongey and used to require a linear amount of force applied to it which corresponded to the braking force at the rotor. No extreme braking that would damage the rotor either (I ride like a pussy because I had never been on 2 wheels until a year ago and still haven't really felt up to testing my limits or the bike's yet.)

This problem just started a couple of days ago after a year of riding with no issues.

Thanks for the tips, I'll check things out better on my lunch break.

 

[BRatigan]

Try this one. Your piston has a ring of oxidation on it because of the long layover. Either the caliper piston or maybe a piston device in the brake lever mechanism. Might be worth a look.

BR

 

[RobertKing37]

Thi might seem elementary, but check the fluid level, sometimes if the fluid level drops, the breaking pressure graph can become very unconventional.