Pcx front break failure

[Sydneycraig]

What would cause my front break to fail ?! Coming down from the top of mountain in samui, front break just went loose. No breaking at all on front .... Stopped and after 5mins seems to be ok again .... But happened twice now and still not on flat land! What is causing this ?!

[NickJ]

How old is the bike...and do you check rhe fluid every six or so weeks.......just beacause its a cheap scooter doesnt mean it will run error free. IN fact you should be in "Tune" with the little piece of plastic and pot meddle that keeps you alive.

[Sydneycraig]

5 years old and fluid through the window looks same as always ...if it was a leak, assume it wouldn't fix itself like it has. Overheating?

[seedy]

Have you ever had the old brake fluid flushed and replaced with new ?

Brake fluid will pull water right out of the air. If contaminated, and the fluid heats up, water turns to steam, and is compressible.

Check master cylinder for leakback, same for the caliper.

[transam]

HEAT..........

[Don Mega]

HEAT..........

Bingo.

Boiled the brake fluid...

[Sydneycraig]

Ah ok. Will take to Honda and get the fluid changed and everything checked over ... Thanks

[seedy]

Good info here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_fluid

Especially as to brake fluid with some water in it.

[kiniyow]

Change the Brake Pads and fluid..When they get to hot often they crystilize...

[moe666]

Heat can cause a failure of the contact surfaces of the disc and the pad nothing to do with the fluid.

[Sydneycraig]

I was going down reasonably steep and sandy dirt road with a passenger, so was going slow with back break on almost full and front on but quite lightly....happened after 1--15 minutes of this but luckily timed it just as I was stopping at aviewpoint or it could have been quite messy! will get fluid and pads changed anyhow as neither been changed for a while and beter safe than sorry cheers all

[Sydneycraig]

Any ideas how much new break fluid and calipers may cost?

[papa al]

Brake fluid and pads are cheap.

Why would you want to buy a new caliper?

[Sydneycraig]

Sorry meant pads

[Sydneycraig]

Have been told it is not fluid or pads but because of the combined breaking .... He asked straight away if I was up the mountain! He said if he changes fluid/pads same thing will happen

[DILLIGAD]

Did a 5 year old PCX have combination brakes ?????

[Sydneycraig]

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/honda/pcx125/2010/

[Sydneycraig]

It's the first time I have had a pillion in those conditions ... Constant breaking to maintain slow speed in steep/uneven/sandy surface so assume just overused the breaks ... Was on the back break constantly for 10-15 minutes at least ....

[Sydneycraig]

And now it seems being on the back break also means being on the front break too ...

[Sydneycraig]

So, do you think I need a second opinion? Those saying it was the break fluid, are you sure that's the case?

[papa al]

I bought a two-year-old bike, and the brake fluid was gunky.

Changing the fluid is EZ.

I noticed that you did not share your mechanic's explanation, if any, for the one-time failure.

"because of the combined breaking" doesn't say much.

As noted above, absorbed water (vapoizing under heavy use) fits the described scenario.

Over heated pads, maybe.

Or just don't ride two-up downhill, and save $10.

[Sydneycraig]

I'm getting the fluid changed. But he still says it's not needed and won't change anything ... He said it was just a case that the front break overheated, because when I was using the back constantly , the front is also activated with the dual breaking system. No fix for this he said ... Just alternate on and off breaking if two up on a hill like that ... Or go solo like I usually do

[casualbiker]

Just go to a different shop. And ask for it to be changed. Do not give a reason why. Just tell them to do their job!

[Sydneycraig]

He is changing it. That's not the issue...it's that he also said that the same can happen again ... It's something that can happen under those circumstances ... He seems quite confident of it! Has anyone else had this happen on their Pcx?!

[papa al]

" But he still says it's not needed and won't change anything"

"He is changing it."

papa confused.

[JonnyF]

Definitely sounds like heat, that's the trouble with auto scooters, you can't stick them in a low gear and use engine braking so the brakes do a lot of work going downhill. I'd stick in the best quality pads and fluid you can find.

[Don Mega]

Have been told it is not fluid or pads but because of the combined breaking .... He asked straight away if I was up the mountain! He said if he changes fluid/pads same thing will happen

when using the brakes, do you use both levers or just the one ?

[Sydneycraig]

usually just the one, but with pillion, the back break wasn't enough to maintain slow speed I wanted on the sand/gravel/steep road, so was using the back on full, and front lightly....guess the combination and time doing it was too much...I wont be taking my gf up the mountains again any time soon

[guzzi850m2]

After changing the fluid and getting some better pads and still no good, you will have to stop completely 2-3 times on the way down and wait for the brakes to cool down before proceeding again, each time.

First time I heard this happen on a Pcx, I am quite happy with the combo brake system on mine but never ridden it in the mountains.

[Sydneycraig]

Good to know it can happen and how to avoid now ... I was lucky as it happened the very second I pulled up to stop at a nice viewpoint .... If not it could have been a very bad situation! Live and learn