Give us a brake!
Amazing as it sounds MV’S Agusta Brutale RR requires a brake bleeding session every two rides. Here’s why… and how
Squirting reservoir
The MV boils its rear brake uid on a regular basis. The master cylinder and reservoir are bolted to the side of the oil sump, just under the clutch basket. That means a running engine transfers heat directly to the brake assembly. This is the mess that escaping uid made aer just een minutes in a dyno shed. Pressure at the lever reduces to zero. Time to bleed.
ABS Pump
pump, Start under bleeding the at seat. the Pull ABS the 5mm Allen o the pillion seat and unscrew the two seat bolts. In true MV fashion the two bolts are di erent to each other. The pump is the colourful box that’s revealed. It controls both front and rear ABS function, and each is marked. Front hoses are yellow and green, the rear are red and blue.
Bleeding the pump
Unscrew the ller cap on the rear brake reservoir. You can undo the bolts in situ, but you’ll need a short crosshead socket to crack them. Ready a funnel to aid in topping up with Dot4. Pad the ABS pump with tissue to catch uid spills. No bleed nipple, so this is messy. Pump lever and crack red union rst. Bleed three times. Repeat with the blue. Tighten bolts to 18Nm.
Infuriating caliper
Pressure is now returning to the lever, but to get it rock-solid, you need to bleed the caliper. The problem is it’s bloody dicult to get to in between the chain and rear wheel spokes. If you leave it in place, you’ll need a shorty spanner to crack the nipple. In theory, brake uid maintenance should happen every two years. In practice, it’s every two rides.