My take your wife needs to ride more, learn to sensitive to "funny" feeling of bike as you go along-----causes, maybe dirt/sand/salt....use of power washer. Boiling brake fluid, probably does not allow system to be pump up until system cools.


Bike is not high mileage, maybe not used enough. Could have been fatal.


John Grinsel

Update 2. The shop had replaced the front brake pads and fluid and the brakes seemed fine. They also were going to contact Honda about the event and ensure warranty coverage. A fellow from Honda called me and apologized for the event and is having the shop replace all components related to brakes. Calipers, pads, ABS, rotor, etc. He is looking into what may have happened. I am happy they are going for the overhaul. If it was a stuck piston on the caliper, it is possible this could happen again. Not a confidence builder.

Good thing that Honda is going to honor it's warranty; I think you will be happy with the result, but if at all possible, see if you can find out what they think the problem originally was. Ride safe!

Pendragon

After seven weeks, the Swing is back home. Entire brake system replaced sans two pieces of brake line which Honda was unable to get to the dealer. Honda wanted the entire system sent to them as a single assembly for evaluation, but since so much time had passed, and I was getting royally pissed, they went without the two brake hoses and got the machine wrapped up.
$3500 in parts and labor was billed to Honda. Everything is new and brakes feel great. They replaced everything, right down to the levers. I hope for the safety of myself and my wife, this does not happen again.

Thank GOD no one got hurt, please post what the problem was. Thanks

I never expected to know about what failed. Honda can't have that kind of PR being spread. I can only hope that our case is of some use to them. But in reality, these Silverwings have been out and about for 9 years. We have had two, an 07 and 09. I've done a lot of time on Silverwing related forums and don't recall seeing this issue. I was VERY surprised at this failure.
But hey, this is why engineers capture samples, either for common failures or those that are rare. That's how designs get better.
Nobody was hurt, and maybe some part will be improved in the future.
And while this was in for repair, I bought a new Honda NT700. I have faith this was an isolated incident.

This site has a good write up re Brake fade and associated problems.

http://www.torquecars.com/articles/brake-fade.php

Earlier this year I experienced severe rear brake fade on the MuZ. Scary to say the least. As the fluid is fairly old I suspect water contamination to be the culprit.

Frozen calipers are most likely to happen after your bike has not been ridden for a while It happened to me on one bike and a Pick-up truck I had But I could feel the Brakes locking up. Someone who is not that savvy on Mechanics would not think about it and keep riding until the brakes heat up and think there is something wrong with the throttle. Take heed The first couple of rides check for free wheel at every stop sign or Red light. Losing brakes Totally,Now thats scary

The service recommends changing brake fluid. Why does brake fluid go bad? Is it this unseemly boiling?

Basically it's because most brake-fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs water over a period of time.
Unlike brake-fluid, water is compressible so if there's too much, pulling on the brakes merely compresses it so doesn't apply the brakes.

I understand that the new fluid doesn't absorb water but isn't suitable for ABS brakes if the older stuff was used previously - any water in the system remains.

I stand to be corrected.

I know that, on an automobile, that there is a hole in the top of the cap on the master cylinder resevoir to allow for changes in the volume of fluid. This hole allows moisture to mix with the fluid.

Where on our Silverwing disc brakes does the moisture get in?

I bought my bike used at six years old. I had the fluid changed about two months ago. It might (repeat: might) feel a little firmer at the lever, but I couldn't swear to it. My point is that, at eight years old, the original fluid still worked well.

Reservoirs have an expandable bladder inside the cap. This is to prevent, ostensibly, the air and brake fluid from dancing together. Your car has them, so does your Silverwing!

So where does the moisture come from?

Now that is making sense! Thanks for the explanation.

[quote="honda_silver"]

Honigschmidt wrote:

What maintenance should I preform on the bike to make sure this does not happen again? Break fluid change?

Thanks very much for the tips. I appreciate the insight and help.

Glad to hear this is something that can be maintained.

This is clearly one we ought to keep an eye on. Thanks for posting!!!