Front Brake Shudder

[DaFoose]

2001 M900S

Started doing it the other day on a short ride (5 miles) to the gym, while I never broke hard, the harder I pulled on the lever, the more it shuddered.

Just got back form a 500 mile trip the previous weekend, never experienced anything, and did some fairly hard braking during trip. Since I have been back I have only washed the bike, and changed clutch and front brake fluid. On the brake fluid change, I did it all at the master cylinder. Haven't bled it at the calipers (yet).

The fluid wasn't terrible (especially compared to the clutch) but wanted to flush it anyway.

Could it be as simple as I just need to bleed it at the calipers? My brother thinks my rotor(s) might be warped. Man I hope not!

[Schwanger]

This seems to be a common problem on the 2000 and 2001 900's.  My 01 did it also.  The issue is that you washed your bike.  There is now an uneven transfer layer of friction material on the rotors.

Clean the rotors off with scotchbrite and brake cleaner and then rebed the brakes.  Make 6 or more hard stops from 60 mph, but do not stop completely.  After making 6 or more stops continue riding to let the brakes cool, it isn't a terrible idea to repeat this procedure once more for good measure.  You will have to rebed the brakes a couple times per season depending on how much you ride.

[Drunken Monkey]

It's not the fluid.

I had the same issue when my bike (also an 01) was new. Try scuffing the pads and deglazing the rotors with a scotchbrite pad. When I did this the problem went from "horrible" to "occasionally annoying"

And from there it went away over time.

[DaFoose]

This seems to be a common problem on the 2000 and 2001 900's.  My 01 did it also.  The issue is that you washed your bike.  There is now an uneven transfer layer of friction material on the rotors.

Clean the rotors off with scotchbrite and brake cleaner and then rebed the brakes.  Make 6 or more hard stops from 60 mph, but do not stop completely.  After making 6 or more stops continue riding to let the brakes cool, it isn't a terrible idea to repeat this procedure once more for good measure.  You will have to rebed the brakes a couple times per season depending on how much you ride.

That's the answer I was hoping for, usually I go blow the air out of the calipers and off the brakes, but the compressor was elsewhere. Unless anyone else has other suggestions, I'll try this, maybe tonight if I have time. Thanks!

[Howie]

Also make sure the buttons are clean and can move.