The following instructions explain how to bleed or purge the hydraulic brake line from a scooter or motorcycle. They are specifically for a Tank Touring Deluxe but should work on any brand / model scooter or motorcycle with hydraulic brakes.

We have notice a problem with the rear brake overheating during normal usage on some Tank Touring Deluxe 150cc 2006 models.

To test if your scooter has this brake problem:
1. Use the bike normally for a short 10 minute ride.
2. Check if the disk is extreemly hot after 5 minutes of idle time. All brakes get hot during normal use. Extreemly hot or overheating would be hot enough to fry an egg.
3. Put the bike on the center stand and check if the wheel is rolling freely when pushed. If it is, rolling freely, then your bike is OK even if you feel the disk is overheated. If the wheel stops turning after half a turn or so or is hard to push, then the bike has a problem.

This problem does not occur in every bike. A scooter with overheating brakes will not brake as efficiently; the rotors may warp and the pads may wear out prematurely. The brake handle may also feel very hard to press and require excessive force to slow the scooter down. This problem is usually due to air bubbles or dirt in the brake line. In order to get rid of these, the brake line needs to be purged or bled. This is better performed with 2 people.

Do not attempt to do this yourself unless you have prior experience and are sure of what you are doing. Messing with the brakes may result in brake malfunction and accidents with serious injuries or death. If you are unsure on how to perform the following steps, we recommend that you take your bike to a local dealer and give them these instructions.

To purge or bleed the brake line on a Tank 150cc Touring scooter - these instructions may be applied to almost any scooter or motorcycle with hydraulic brakes, Tank, Lifan... How to purge or bleed a hydraulic brake line:

1. Open fitting on the caliper (called zerg fitting)
2. Pump the brake lever until no more fluid is coming out of the caliper
3. If there is more fluid in the reservoir, unbolt it from the bike and hold it up high until all fluid is out.
4. Close the zerg fitting on the caliper
5. Fill up with brake fluid, top off, do not exceed (go over the line)
6. Put the lid on and pump the lever until pressure is built up (about 10 pulls on the brake lever)
7. The level in the reservoir should drop. Add more fluid to top again, do not exceed.
8. Put lid back on and pump the lever until it's firm (10 or 15 times)
9. Once firm hold lever down with strength (need 2 people for this step)
10. One person is holding the lever down and one person goes back and opens the zerg fitting
11. The oil will get out and pressure on the handle will drop. Allow all the fluid to get out.
12. Close the zerg fitting.
13. Repeat steps 1 to 12 if needed as one time may not completely get rid of the air bubbles.
14. Repeat steps 5 to 8 when done.
15. Check the fluid level and pressure on the handle. The fluid should be at the right level, you should not have to add any. If you do, you probably did something wrong. Too much fluid in the line also cause the brake to overheat. Please do not fill over the line.

If the problem persists, you will need to get shims from your local motorcycle or auto part store. You need to get the kind that allow you to set the pads more in. Follow the instructions that come the shims or ask for advice at the store. Overheating brakes may cause the rotor to warp and the pads to wear out prematurely. These items are not usally covered under the warranty, check with your dealer.

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About the Author

Rony Cohen is the owner of http://evosales.com. The has 4 years experience in the sales and distribution of Chinese made motorcycles and gas scooters. He likes to share his experience with consumers who own or are looking to own a Chinese motorcycle or scooter.