Front brake grabbing Al3 650

[650alang]

evening
Bought the bike with 10k on it, seemed a well looked after bike but been left in a garage after its last big trip for 12 months. I've done 500 miles in a month or so and find the front brake grabs and makes pulling up a slow speeds awkward, like it's on off on off type of thing, if a get a hand full at speed it's perfectly fine but low speeds is awful..
any suggestions?
both discs and pads seem fine, very little wear and spin freely

[Brockett]

I had something similar and it turned out the be the pin on which the lever turns. A dab of oil cured it.  Might not be relevant for you but I'll put it out there.

[650alang]

Cheers, could you elaborate a tad please, which pin?

[kwackboy]

The front brake lever has a pin that it pivots on.

When you pull the lever hard does it have a clicking sound ..?

Spray generously some WD40 into the front brake master cylinder where the front brake lever pivots and pushes a small piston covered by a rubber cover into the master cylinder.

[Joe Rocket]

Yes, a little maintenance item often over looked. I had the same, quite simply the lever stuck so smooth braking was impossible.

I took the pin and lever out to lubricate it properly. It's on the check list always but the reminder usually tells you when braking to a slow stop.

[650alang]

thanks chaps,  great stuff, will try tomorrow.

[porter]

I hope it's as simple as the above posts have stated but it sounds to me like it might be a warped disc. Remove the brake pads, clean the brake piston, get them moving nice and freely, clean  the disc bobbins etc etc.
I have the same trouble on my 1000, high speed braking is OK but once down to 10-20 mph it's on off on off. But I'm at 40k so I know I've warped a disc ( used over aggressive pads). The 650 is not known for that especially with only 10k miles but then again I've warped a few bikes disc's before that mileage. I hope I'm  wrong as it's an expensive fix.

[650alang]

Thanks, will check all of the above, just about to take out after oiling the pin,

[650alang]

Just got back absolutely soaked :-(
lubricating the brake seems to have eased the grabbing somewhat but hard to tell as it started lashing down 5 mins in, I cracked on anyway, did about 15miles, it definitely does feel more controlled. I'll try again tomorrow when it's dry.

[endintears]

Given the bike had been stood for some time you could also try cleaning up the faces of the disks with scotch brite or fine wet and dry paper and brake cleaner.
Can get etched where the pads are in contact with them for a long  period of time.

[Rixington43]

Had the same problem with my car where a sticking piston had left the pad in contact with the disc at one spot for a while. Disc is dead true but brakes felt on/off at low speed. Braking really aggressively at high speed seems to have helped out to clean up the disc and reduce the effects.

[650alang]

cheers all, will get back out on it on Saturday give it a proper going over, BSB today at oulton but going in the camper so I can brew up at my leisure,

[650alang]

Brakes are loads better after oiling the plunger,
Cheers chaps