Just an FYI - As I just got done with this job. 90 E Glide with 85k. Front right caliper piston froze. Buddy elected to replace both calipers with new OEM units. Installed them and had a hell of a time bleeding the system.
Followed all the steps in the manual to no avail to get them to bleed. Researched some threads on the forum to see what others have done.

Went with the following.
Filled the master cylinder with fresh dot 5. Cracked the banjo bolt to bench bleed it and got that working. Stole a meat injector from the Mrs. kitchen . Used that , with some tubing to fill each caliper and line from the bottom up. Then was able to get the bleeding exercise underway. Went and bled the left side first and that caliper was good to go within 15 minutes. The right side had a lot of air in it and took about 25 minutes to get it good.

In the end, had the brakes functioning but the lever feel was spongy. Pumped it up and got the best lever feel I could and then used a zip tie to keep it compressed overnight.

In the am cut the zip tie and had proper brake feel and performance. Test rides all worked out.

Hope it helps if you have to do this job on an older Glide...

 

There seems to be a bubble that hides in the Master Cylinder on dual disc set ups. Rattling. shaking, compressing it out of there takes some patience!

 

Bleeding bl33ding brakes is a b1tch! I installed a new rear caliper a couple of years ago, pumped the pedal a couple of times, prior to starting the bleeding process, and hey presto - firm as a rock! WTF. Done!!!!! Has never done that before or since.

Serviced my front calipers since then, so rebuilt the front end anew and it took forever. I have various instruments of torture that are supposed to make bleeding a breeze, but have yet to find a favourite - and I have been bleeding Harley brakes since the 1970s!

All we can do is to pray to our preferred gods, choose the best and most suitable phase of the moon, sacrifice a few virgins and hope all turns out fine. Nothing else seems to work......

Well done, by the way.

 

LOL ! Couldn't agree more Graham !

 

I've got this "tickle technique" down pretty good. After everything has been tried, tap the lever repeatedly and quickly, (like you're flicking it.) It only has to deflect a 1/2" or so and bounce back til you flick it again. The vibration usually will loosen the bubble from it's hiding place in the master cylinder.

 

The best way I have found is what you did.
Pull the lever 1/2 way, tape it in place (or zip tie) and leave it over night.

Works fine.

 

I guess most of us been there and accomplish it in different ways.
I mostly force the fluid in the caliper, up to the master cylinder, good method for impatience.

Now if the system wasn't open and I wanted to just replace the fluid, I replace the fluid in the reservoir, then bleed normal method till you get clean fluid out.
I also learned along the way to not bottom out the lever or pedal when bleeding.

 

Also do the bleed slowly. Best is like is said tape and come back in morning. Sometimes get a sponge touch....go ride around block(carefully) tap calipers with a deadblow hammer lightly and bleed again slowly. Bikes are not bad....try a complete new system in a hot rod /streetrod that you made all the lines from scratch.......OH BOY now that's a b....tch