Speed Bleeders - long-term experiences from those who have installed them?

I've searched and see quite a few guys have installed speed bleeders on the brakes and clutch.

I'm planning on ordering a set and installing them before riding season. Has anyone who has had them a while experienced any long term issues?

Also, for installation, YouTube seems of the consensus that you should NOT drain the lines before installation. Just remove the old bleeder screw and quickly screw the speed bleeder in. I like the sound of that if it works.

For future fluid bleeding procedures, I assume then that there is no need to use the tilted 15 degrees SMC method? Is there anything you have to do to ensure that the fluid in the SMC is fully bled?

Anyone who has speed bleeders, please feel free to school me on how it should be done.

Thanks much!

IMHO they are unnecessary. The suggestion to not drain the fluid is because it is hard to initially get the system pumping, this is the job for the vacuum pump, when the system is bled then I use the conventional method to get the last little bit of air out. I have not used speed bleeders but if I was that way inclined, I'd just buy one and add a short piece of pipe to it and then use it on the existing bleed screws. The hardest part of bleeding is the ingress of air around the bleed screw threads, which is why conventional bleeding is best.

BTW you still have to tip the SMC, you really need to understand how the air sits in the system to perform bleeding correctly.

Or get one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0143-Hydraulic-Bleeder/dp/B000MXW2EM

I think the speed bleeders are a good idea, although, I would go the route DeanR referred to. Same principle but You only have to buy 1 and you can use it on any vehicle. It can be had for as little as $10 CAD +shipping at royal distributing. I have had a vacuum pump for years and have tried it a 1/2 dozen times and have had very little success with it. It really sucks a lot of air from around the bleeder threads. Think trying to get that last bit of milkshake from the bottom of a glass with a straw.
There is no need to empty the lines first. You should empty the reservoir first though (the only thing i have found the vacuum pump does well) and make sure it is clean, then fill with fresh fluid and bleed. When you see the fresh, clean fluid come out the bleeder, youre done

I've had them on my ST for about 10 years, no issues so far. I purchased the tube + collection bag at the same time. Plastic seems to be getting a bit brittle so it may not last much longer. Makes bi-annual fluid change a very quick 1 person job.

I never went to speed bleeders because of the linked braking system. The line between the front and rear brakes needs to be bled correctly and the only way to do that is to follow the Service Manual instructions and use a vacuum bleeder which pulls the fluid through the system.

I give Speedbleeders two BIG thumbs up! Used them for 19 years on my first ST1100 and put a new set on the '96 1100 I bought three years ago too. Makes bleeding so simple, I don't know why anyone would use other means, unless you have a dry system, or a stubborn air block.

They come with a light coating of a sealant on the threads, sort of like the teflon tape plumbers use, which reduces the chance of air slipping past the threads, but the key to using them is to only crack the bleeder one quarter turn. That is sufficient for bleeding and I never had any problem with air going past the threads.

Just take the old bleeder out and quickly put the new one in. No air should get in doing that, but you will lose a bit of fluid. Once the bleeders are on, get a length of clear tubing - the airline tubing used for home aquariums is perfect - and you slip that over the nipple, stick the other end into a jar - I use a jar with a metal lid with a hole punched through to hold the tube from inadvertently coming out of the jar - and crack the bleeder one quarter turn and begin pumping away on the lever.

Watch the fluid level in the reservoir carefully, because it doesn't take long to pump it down to the point you will be sucking air into the system! You can tell when your bleeding is done by seeing the clear fluid come through the tubing. You can also see any air bubbles coming out.

100% recommendation from me on Speedbleeders.

Having just read the post before mine, after I posted this, I can only say that they work great on my non linked, non ABS system. A 1300 may pose other considerations.

ReSTored said:

I've had them on my ST for about 10 years, no issues so far. I purchased the tube + collection bag at the same time. Plastic seems to be getting a bit brittle so it may not last much longer. Makes bi-annual fluid change a very quick 1 person job.

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See my post about collecting the used fluid. No need to buy anything except a piece of tubing, which you now already have.

I have seen a couple fail over the years. Another downside is that you are instructed to remove them every couple times, repaint the white thread sealant (that you buy from them) and have to bake it on.
I ask myself, why would someone want to purchase (7) units at a pretty high cost, compared to (1) unit (MP) that you can use on any vehicle, take with you, and not give away when you sell or trade your bike?
I have shown many members that the MP tool works better than any vacuum bleeder more times than I have bled brakes .
.02

Used the Motion Pro and it made the job easy. It is in the plastic line and you slip it over the bleed screw. I don't see the advantage to exchanging all the bleed screws. Maybe I'm missing something?

Bush said:

Just take the old bleeder out and quickly put the new one in. No air should get in doing that,

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That's impossible. The fact you screw the bleeder in with a pocket of air in the threads makes it so.

Rob2m said:

That's impossible. The fact you screw the bleeder in with a pocket of air in the threads makes it so.

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Wrong. When you pull the bleeder out, fluid will begin to escape - no air is going in. Of course any minuscule bubble of air in the new bleeder itself is then bled out.

British Columbia (1) UK (O)

Igofar said:

Another downside is that you are instructed to remove them every couple times, repaint the white thread sealant (that you buy from them) and have to bake it on.

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In my experience, over the 20 + years of using them, mine did not require this, ever. Never had need to fully remove them. Mine, both times I bought them for my two 1100's, came with what looked like a coating of red loctite. I said "looked like", which doesn't mean it was. As I said earlier, only opening the screw a quarter turn is all it takes to bleed.

British Columbia -1 California 0 ??

Yellow card for British Columbia....I was simply quoting the instructions that came with the speedbleeders
on the opening the screw just enough to bleed it.

beeker said:

Used the Motion Pro and it made the job easy. It is in the plastic line and you slip it over the bleed screw. I don't see the advantage to exchanging all the bleed screws. Maybe I'm missing something?

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Don't disagree, seems like a good product that I wasn't aware of 10+ years ago when I purchased my Speed Bleeders.

I use a vacuum bleeder and a speed bleeder tool so that I can use it on any vehicle. Works great. Bought the vacuum bleeder at Harbor Freight and the speed at the Honda STealer.
Similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Hydraulic-Brake-Bleeder-Valve/dp/B01GOSI44U/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1487640577&sr=8-18-spons&keywords=brake+speed+bleeder&psc=1

and this:
https://www.amazon.com/1L-VACUM-BRK-FLUID-BLEEDER/dp/B00BANZSJO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1487640666&sr=8-2&keywords=vacuum+bleeder

These do make the job faster but it is still a chore that I do not look forward too.

I'm a fan of speed bleeders, and echo all that Bush said.. no need to remove and reseal. The silicone tubing you can get from them (or elsewhere) is way better than vinyl tubing because it will stay on. I rinse mine with isopropanol after use but you don't have to. If you want to bleed using the conventional bleeders or a vacuum bleeder, remove your bleeder screws and wrap them with teflon tape to prevent air from leaking past the threads, or some have smeared grease on them at time of bleeding.

cjames431 said:

I use a vacuum bleeder and a speed bleeder tool so that I can use it on any vehicle. Works great. Bought the vacuum bleeder at Harbor Freight and the speed at the Honda STealer.

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Not commenting on your post - just wanted to congratulate you on that impressive Tip Over record you have going there! Does anyone keep score on this stuff?

Bush said:

Not commenting on your post - just wanted to congratulate you on that impressive Tip Over record you have going there! Does anyone keep score on this stuff?

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I do I have seen one other member with more tip overs than me though.