The CB1100 Community Forum

I have 5k miles on my bike and the brake/hydraulic fluid looks pretty brown. I plan on changing it before spring. Does everyone else's look as bad?

Front? Rear?both?

Ok just checked mine.front brake and clutch are turning darker but i can still see thru it to the back of the master cylinders. Rear brake fluid looks crystal clear.

I am going thru on the search feature looking at the comments on the brake and clutch fluid. I was out "futzing" with the bike after installing the National wind screen and the risers. I had noticed what has been commented on in other threads on the black or truly dark oil in the motor at, in my case 500+ a little miles which is way out of my experience with other bikes. As noted else where good oil should be maybe a dark brown even on a new motor break-in. I looked at the site glasses on the brake reservoir and then the clutch reservoir. They are literally as black as the motor oil. WTF!!!!!!
I mean come on. it looks to me(of course my trust issues have trust issues) like the fluid in the site glass of both the clutch and brake is the same as the motor oil.
I'll be taking my bike in for it's 600 mi. service next week. I am going to have the shop make a record of it and flush and clean both brake and clutch systems.
I mean come on. I was taught and believe from looking at brake fluid over the years that one should get a year or two out of the fluid before it starts turning.
I am really disappointed in this start up on this new bike that I truly love on the way that it has been delivered from the dealer.

The funny thing was, the brand new Honda fluid I used was darker than the stuff it replaced.

Really! Thanks for the quick reply. I am used to the old virtually clear
yellow fluid. OK. Thanks for the info. I am still concerned over how
quickly(530 mi.) it got so dark. Any one else with info, insite, or their experience?

The discoloration is likely due to the types of seals (caliper square seals, master cylinder piston seals) used in the brake system.

Just an FYI. I replace the fluid in my hydraulic reservoirs each time I change the oil. It's easy to do with a brake bleeding syringe. Most brake fluids are hygroscopic (absorbing or attracting moisture from the air). Changing brake fluid is a quick easy method of keeping your brake fluid as dry as possible. This is especially important for vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes. An added benefit is your brake fluid looks "cleaner."

immgunn.. That sounds rather excessive. Every 3-4000 miles? Do you ride many miles per year? I think the manual calls for changing the fluid every two years.

I change mine at 2 years. Mileage does not matter as much I think as does age.

RE: Excessive. I'm not changing/flushing/replacing the brake fluid every oil change, just the fluid in the reservoirs. It's not good to keep brake fluid sitting around for any period of time. I find slurping a couple of ounces out of the reservoirs and replacing with new keeps the fluid in the bike from becoming contaminated with moisture as well as the fluid sitting on the garage shelf. The fluid removed is disposed of with the used oil. Works for me.