Greetings all. I just got my 2002 Fatboy back from my trip to Daytona. I took it for a spin for the first time since my trip today. The front brake lever went all the way down to the throttle with no braking at all. I pumped it up and it felt fine. I rode about 50 yards to the stop sign and again, no brake whatsoever. I could build up brake pressure by pumping lever but it would not last me to the next time I had to use it. Frustrating and dangerous.

Took it home, figured I had air in the line so I completely bled out front brake. Lever was stiff as can be. Backed my bike up for a test ride and again, lever right to the throttle. I could pump it back solid but it would just go soft again as soon as I moved a few yards.

Brake pads were about at the end of their life span so I changed them and bled the system again. Lever completely stiff. Parked bike and used a zip tie to hold the brake lever in overnight for good measure. Got up this morning, cut off zip tie, lever stiff, backed out, grabbed brake..... and soft again.

Mechanic friend believes rotor might have been bent in transport back from Daytona and that the warping is pushing the caliper pistons back in. He may be right, but when I do build up pressure by pumping the lever and apply the brake while moving I don't feel any pulsating at the lever.

I'm beginning to think I need to rebuild the master cylinder but it just seems odd to me that my brake felt fine in Daytona and then it went right to zero overnight. It's also odd to me that when it's sitting still the brake is rock hard but goes 100% soft as soon as I move a little.

Does anyone have any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I would venture to say it is in fact the seals in the master cylinder. That's where I would start.

 

Turns out my buddy was right. I had the m/c rebuild kit in hand but decided to check the rotor just in case. I got the front wheel off the ground, used duct tape to hold a really sharp pencil against the rotor, put on my cheaters, spun the tire and lo and behold the pencil tip was at least 1/8 of an inch away from the rotor in one spot. Swapped out the rotor and everything is back to normal

I guess you learn something new every day.