Brake dragging?

I've noticed that sometimes, my bike is really hard to push. I roll it out of my garage and down my driveway every time I get it out, and it sometimes it will barely roll down the driveway without me pulling on it. Pushing it up into the garage is sometimes quite a chore (I rarely drive into the garage because I have to get off to open the garage door, so I figure I might as well shut the bike down.)

Once in a while, though, I'll go roll the bike out, and nearly drop it or run myself over because it rolls so easy. I've also noticed that on these days, the bike seems a little more 'spritely', at least at first.

Generally, I've noticed that when the temperatures are conspiring against me and I don't get to ride for a few days, that is more likely to be a time when the bike doesn't feel like the brakes are dragging, but letting the bike sit for a while is no guarantee that it will 'feel good'.

I've checked the rotors when I get done with a ride, and they don't seem particularly warm, but I guess if the brakes are dragging, the amount wouldn't be enough that I would expect the rotors to be particularly hot. Also, I haven't been able to check the rotors after a nice high speed run, as I live in town and I've only had a chance to check the rotors after driving several miles in the low-speed town environment.

I've tried spinning the rear tire with the bike up on the stand, and it always feels pretty free, but I know I should get the front tire up and try giving it a whirl...

I have also noticed that the brakes tend to be a little noisy when I'm stopping, but I've always kind of chalked it up to the big, drilled rotors of the FJR, I don't have any experience with another bike with drilled rotors (or, for that matter, more than 1 rotor...)

Has anyone here had a similar experience?

Copy & Paste from the Aussie FJR forum.

I may have mentioned this before, but I think it is worth mentioning again, watch out that your

rear brake lever may get may get stiff and sticky in operation, causing the rear brake, and on

gen 2 bikes, the front brake as well, to not release properly and drag.

I have had this problem on all 3 of my FJR's, and this evening I had to dismantle and lubricate

the rear brake pedal on this bike for the second time. A sticky brake pedal is very difficult to

feel through your size 10 riding boots, and the FJR is so powerful, it will push a dragging brake

with little effort. The first you may notice if you actually look at things like this, is that

your back brake disc has gone blue from massive over heating, or that the bike is unusually

difficult to push around manually.

It's no use squirting some oil around the hinge pin of the brake pedal, you must take the pedal

off, take the hinge pin out, and clean and grease it. You will need to disconnect the push rod

into the brake master cylinder, and it is a lot easier to do if you dismount the entire brake +

foot peg bracket assembly. There are 2 springs at the back of the hinge pin which you will need

to disconnect, one is the return spring and the other is for the brake light switch. You can't

even see these springs unless you dismount the entire bracket.

Thanks, that's something I'll take a look at. That's the sort of thing that could cause some rotor warpage....

rear brake pedal stuck on my '05 FJR so I had to take it apart and lube the shaft.

Works fine now.

Happened to me in minneapolis. Happened again here in michigan. Pull the shaft, lube it and have fun reconnecting the return springs.

I must've been lucky..I stopped the draggin by squirtin the heck out of the shaft and associated linkages with TF (lithium graphite I think) grease. Its been working for 2 years and I hit it once a month and its been fine since. YMMV !

Blessings,

Bobby

noticed my brake light was on one day and figured it out, no problem since I lubed that baby right up.......glad to hear that this is common.

bottom line I guess is to check all those moving parts and give them a squirt or two. :winksmiley02: