APRILIA ATLANTIC 500, Workshop Manual

Page: 49 / 170

Routine maintenance operations
Release 00 2002-09
chap. 2
2-20
Atlantic 500
WARNING
BLEEDING THE INTEGRAL BRAKING SYSTEM
Carefully read DISC BRAKES.
If air is present in the hydraulic system, it acts as a bear-
ing and absorbs the majority of the pressure exercised
by the brake pump, reducing the effectiveness of cali-
per action during braking.
You can tell if there is air in the system from the “spongi-
ness” of the brake control and reduced braking efficiency.
Since these conditions would be extremely dan-
gerous for the vehicle and the rider, it is abso-
lutely necessary to bleed the hydraulic circuit
after the brakes have been refitted and normal
conditions of brake system use have been re-
stored.
NOTE
The left-hand pump lever acts on the rear
caliper and on the front right-hand caliper.
2
3
1
1
6
4 5
Suck out the oil from the bleeder nipple (4) of the front
right-hand caliper (5) using the specific equipment (6),
and unscrewing the bleeder nut (4) by half a turn.
Top up the oil in the brake fluid tank (2) approx. 2-3
times.
Unscrew the four screws (1) from the brake fluid tank
(2).
Remove the cover (3).
NOTE
In order not to spill brake fluid during topping
up, keep the fluid in the tank parallel to the ground.