Squeezing the Front Brake Lever With the Wheel Removed

 

Let's say I'm at the dealership getting my tires replaced and some gawker --  
seeing the bike up on blocks and without wheels -- squeezes the front brake
handle.

How DOES one get the brake calipers and shoes apart again so that the wheel
can be replaced?

Thanks, Datesfat

 

Datesfat Chicks wrote:


One would hope that this competent dealer's mechanic would have placed a
shim or something between the pads. I use wooden ones 'tween the pads
when I am changing tires. And why do they allow gawkers in the shop?


A half-kilo of C4.

--
   -bts
   -Friends don't let friends drive Windows

 


Sorry, I should have explained my situation better.  Because I have a flat
rear, my plan is just to remove both wheels and take them to the dealer to
have new tires installed, then bring the wheels back and reinstall them.

I live in an apartment complex.  I know that people for whatever reason have
twisted my throttle when I'm gone -- I suppose it is natural for children to
touch parked motorcycles.  The bike will be up on blocks while I'm gone to
get the tires replaced.

There is actually a motorsports place less than a mile from my place, just
that I've never used them for tires.  If someone plays with the brake
handle, I'll just open the bleed valve and get the wheel on, then take it
gingerly up the road and have them bleed the brakes and replace the fluid.

Will the bleed valve work?

I suppose I could also just remove the front brake handle.

Datesfat

 

On Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:50:09 -0400, "Datesfat Chicks"


No you won't.  You'll just make a mess and screw up your brakes.


With no brakes?  David, you've asked some silly questions and done some dumb
stuff since you showed up here but you just keep topping yourself.  What you
have just proposed is sheer lunacy.


Or stick a shim between the pads so they won't compress.  If they do compress,
use a screwdriver to separate them again.  Don't mess with the bleeder screw.
--
Jack

 


Not at all.  I'd be completely comfortable limping a motorcycle up the road
for a half mile or so with back brakes only.

At low speed (25 MPH or so), you have three different ways to stop the bike:

a)Rear brake.

b)Killing the engine in 1st gear.

c)Laying the bike down or running into something or hopping off it (probably
not necessary).

I'd be completely comfortable operating the bike at low speed for a short
distance with rear brakes only.

The probability of both rear brake and clutch or chain failing is
astronomically small.  And at 25 MPH or so you can just either spill the
bike or hop off it.  Sure, a little skin lost, but an acceptable risk
considering that two other things need to fail to get there.

Datesfat.