[TopCone33]

Hello all,

I recently bought a 2018 MT09 and rode it about 120 miles home after purchase. At time of purchase no leaks were detected or reported. The bike only has 3700 miles on it, so it had been sitting for the past couple years. About halfway home I noticed a fluid leak on the right side of the bike, but all was performing normal so kept riding to get the bike home. Upon arriving I was able to fully wash and clean the bike to inspect where the fluid came from and found that it is leaking brake fluid from the connection of the brake line to the reservoir. I do not have any experience working on brakes, but am able to tinker on the bikes in my garage, so I am hoping someone on this forum can point me in a direction to rectifying the leak. It takes about 5 squeezes of the brake lever to cause a drop of brake fluid to weep out of the connection between the reservoir and the brake line (see pic).

 

[gbauto]

There is a copper crush washer on each side of the banjo fitting that the bolt runs through. I would check the bolt to make sure it's torqued to specs. If it still leaks, you will need to replace the crush washers. Should be able to get suitable replacements at any auto parts store.
P.S.-it almost looks like there are two washers stacked on the m/c side of the fitting. Should be one on each side.

 

[TopCone33]

Thanks for the response. Do you happen to know the torque spec for that bolt? I just picked up the bike and do not have a repair manual for it yet. Also, I'm assuming that if I take that line off to replace the washers that I will need to drain the reservoir to do so? Then refill and bleed the brakes after the new washers go in? I like working on my bikes but I don't have any experience with brakes so thanks again for the help.

 

[gbauto]

I don't have the torque spec for a Gen2, but I'm certain there is a copy of the service manual on this site.
As far as draining the rez, I wouldn't. In fact, I would top it off before you remove the banjo bolt and just place a rag to catch the drips. Completely draining the system will introduce air into the rest of the system and could make bleeding the system more difficult. Just have your tools and washers ready, pull the bolt and replace the washers and reinstall the line. I would bleed the air out by cracking open the banjo bolt while pressing on the pedal to remove as much air in the line before bleeding down at the caliper.

 

[LouG]

Keep in mind that brake fluid is nasty stuff on paint etc. Wipe up spills quickly.

 

[TopCone33]

Yep, I've been careful to wipe up and wash off all surfaces that I can see it on.

Now, in regards to putting new washers in, once I reconnect the line then I will need to bleed the system right?

 

[gbauto]

Yes

 

[CLemon]

If its been sitting for years it probably needs fresh fluids anyway, unless you bought it from a dealer and they recently serviced it

 

[LouG]

I agree, do a full service. Flush the brake system, change coolant, new oil and filter. Lubing cables is a good idea too.

 

[Loosenut]

If its been sitting for years it probably needs fresh fluids anyway, unless you bought it from a dealer and they recently serviced it

Perfect time to upgrade to better quality brake lines. However, I will bet that if you snug up the bolt, it will stop leaking. Yamaha uses aluminum washers rather than copper, so it can take a bit more to get a good seat/seal.

 

[TopCone33]

Thanks everyone. It's getting two new tires and new brake fluid today. Will be doing the oil change as well. The coolant was done not too long ago with engine ice. Cables all look and feel good. Rather than take the time to tinker around with it on my own I bit the bullet and took it to someone who knows. It is a new bike to me and I am excited to ride it, if it weren't for the need to ride it as soon as possible I'd park it in my shop and take my time with it - next time!

 

[TopCone33]

Well, this story unfortunately has a pretty shitty ending... I took the MT09 into our local (small) Yamaha dealer yesterday to mount two tires and address the brake fluid leak. They got the tires mounted today and called and said it was ready to pick up. Then the tech that mounted the tires took it for a ride to check the balancing of the tires, and laid it down going around a corner. He said he was "only going 15mph when it went down", but it somehow slid across the pavement and ended up jumping a city curb where it continued to slide and came to rest straddling the curb. The slide ground down the casing, swing arm, handle bar, clutch lever, yamaha emblem, and tank. It had frame sliders, main frame slider ground down, rear swing arm slider broke off (resulting in grinding of the swing arm). Foot peg and shifter controls broken off. Other miscellaneous damage yet to be accounted for. Moral of the story, don't be in a hurry to ride your new bike I guess.

They will be fixing it all of course, but who knows how long it will take to get parts and how long the bike will sit in their shop. I've owned it for 4 days at this point.

I also own a KLR and am on the KLR forum, those guys cry any time the thought of having to take their bike into a dealership comes up (such as a recall etc.) I now have much more empathy for those cheap bastards.

 

[betoney]

Damn, that sucks, sorry this happened to you. Its great that the shop is offering to fix it but for insurance purposes it could be a total loss, especially if there are any scratches or damage to the frame.

It might be in your best interest to have a different shop do the damage assessment, just to make sure no corners are cut or they don't try to take the cheap way out.

 

[CLemon]

I completely agree. Honestly if it were me id have my insurance take a look at it along with a different shop. Ive seen bikes written off over a scratch on the frame. It sounds like this dealer owes you a new bike

 

[meinschaft]

Dealer owes you a new bike. Call your insurance ASAP. Document EVERYTHING.

 

[MK3Brent]

Yeah, sign nothing and contact your insurance company ASAP.

I wouldn't want the bike back. They owe you a new one.
Insurance company and attorney. (ASAP.)

 

[1216bandit]

Wow...hell of a bummer! I agree with having another shop assess the damage! If another shop says its a write off, then one would think the insurance company of the place you took it to would be on the hook?

 

[Darf]

Tell them not to touch it and call insurance immediately. Prepare to get a lawyer and deal with that as well. Nobody destroys a bike at 15mph like that, hell I've done less damage going down at the track.

 

[Darf]

Also make sure there's a police report and if there isn't, call the police.

 

[TopCone33]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Unfortunately the dealership is the only Yamaha dealership in town. I will call my insurance today and ask for feedback, although it is uncomfortable that I have only owned it (and had insurance on it) for four days prior to the accident, but I know, it wasn't my accident. The bike is a 2018 with 3700 miles on it, not sure how that would play out if it were to be written off.

I was and still am suspicious as to the cause and behavior of the accident. The slide spots suggested much more speed than 15mph. Years ago my ex-wife dumped our FZ-6 going around a tight corner at about 10-15mph and all it did was snap off the foot peg and put a scuff on the bar end and rear rack, cost all of $20 to put a new foot peg on it. On the MT09 the casing on the transmission? alternator? whichever is on the left side was significantly ground down with lots of shiny metal showing, same story with the bar ends, frame sliders, clutch lever, and even a circle on the tank that looks like someone just held a sander to it until they reached shiny metal. I didn't think to look closely at the frame while I was in their shop, mostly just shocked by the event.