The stainless lines make a pretty big difference in feel. I recently replaced my 500's stock lines with SS. New fluid all around. Although I must say that my fluid didn't look all that bad when I bled the brake system and I ride daily, stop and go. Hmm.

I use front and rear brakes for all stopping, just habit. I have locked the rear once or twice in extreme "holy ****e" moments but I was able to ride it out (all that mtn biking experience perhaps) without incident. Light pressure on the rear is all you really ever need since 60 to 80% of your braking force is handled by the front.

 

If you apply to much rear brake and lock it up and then release the brake, the rear regains traction and some bad things can happen, like high side!

I am impressed with the guys who can slide there bikes around corners and control the rear wheel spin. Plus it looks cool as hell lol

 

well, dont do that then lol

 

I'm also not a fan of the rear brakes. Although, I keep telling myself I'll use both brakes under emergency braking (hard braking into a complete stop), i'll probably end up not using it since I'm so used on front braking only.

 

anyone ever haul *** into a corner and grab nothing but front brake ? kinda scary to dive the nose before you lay it over. you guys need to practice with that rear brake.

 

no $h!T.... i did that once on my dirt bike..... going down this hill and it was a very sharp turn and if i didn't make it well a nice drop.... if you know what i mean.... so i very slightly pressed the fronts but I was already in the turn and just went boom!!! but at least didn't go the other way and off the damn trial, that could have been much worse.... on the crash all i did was screatch up my gear a little..... since then i have been tring to use both all the time.... i guess that's good practice since there was no cars around to run me over!!!

 

WOW! Never expected this to turn into a "don't use the rear brake" topic. Chances are, if you fear either brake, you are not using the other to its full potential. Get yourself out to a empty lot and start practicing hard stops with both brakes, (and for the love of Pete, bleed the lines!). This bike has a relatively high performance threshold, but if you never approach it you may end up over someones bumper or taking a little offroad trip you didn't plan on. Stuff happens on the street, sometimes of your own doing, (getting in too hiot in a turn, etc.,,) most times from another mindless or rage fueled driver, if you have to think about what brake to use, how hard you can pull it, how far you can lean, etc.,,,,, its is probably too late already. The controls on your bike and its limits should be intuitive, look where you want to go or stop and it happens. I'm getting the feeling there are some relatively new riders here, I guess it goes with the EX 500 theme and where it fits into the food chainamong modern bikes. If your a newer rider or have issues with brakes, set up some cones, start slow, and practice. Basic braking, braking into turns, sliding the bike, front and fear, do the work and you will enjoy this sport alot more while having a better chance of surviving it. A guyn I know has gone through several bigger bikes, a CBR1000 and a Valkerie come to mind. Claims he can ride but when we spoke of bikes and riding he asked if I ever use the front brake!!!????!!! He was shocked and asked if I feared flipping over, he had the Valkerie at the time. I tried to explain the basic physics to him but he wiould not be convinced. How he survived I do not know, many people can operate a motorcycle and get it from one point to another, far fewer can RIDE them. Choose your poison,,,,,,

My hydraulics get flushed every 4-5 months as well, and your right, the stock stuff may have been in there awhile but it still cooked far too easily, IMHO. Are these still made in Japan or did they farm the build out to Taiwan like a few other models? Jim.

 

okay I did not go out and do it right away I did just finish flushing the brakes. and there were really dark. worst I ever saw and I have seen some really old brake fluid. so my guess is residue from brake line makeing since it was there when the bike was new.

 

So I'm not the only one with a new bike and burnt/black fluid, as I expected. Did your brake feel get better as a result of your flush? I replaced my lines when I did mine but suspect the feel would have been greatly improved as a result of a fluid change only. The first 1 to 1-1/2 " of fliud was burnt in mine, as it ran through a clear tube from the caliper, so I am convinced it was burnt up, I doubt the black residue from the lines would settle in the caliper, but maybe???? Never heard of that, had many new bikes I converted to SS lines these past few years, 4 Kawis among them and none of them had anything remotely similar to this. Is this bike still built in Japan, I know several Kawis are built out of country, KLR650 is one, perhaps lower grade fluids are being snuck in???? Anyway, if your looking for a cheap mod to get some bang for your buck, flush away. Jim.

 

ok, if it's a new bike wouldn't the sevice dept. take care of this for you for free - i take it the bike is still under warranty and this looks like not a regular normal situation???