[nasirkaka]

That's quite worrying! Is that a common issue with the Xpulse? Or just when ridden hard? That's still no excuse for Hero of course- the bike is meant to be ridden hard, but does it happen under certain conditions?

Its not very uncommon on brakes to fail on bike, meaning reduced braking with air bubbles getting into the line. In mycase, it did not happen due to being ridden hard, but due to constant pressing on brakes. I was coming down the hill and it was slippery surface. I was holding the front brakes most of the time to prevent bike from sliding down. I guess the brake was overworked and this happened. Have heard similar cases on other bikes too. I am sure its quality related to an extent, but these bikes are made to a budget so cant complain too much.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Its not very uncommon on brakes to fail on bike, meaning reduced braking with air bubbles getting into the line. In mycase, it did not happen due to being ridden hard, but due to constant pressing on brakes. I was coming down the hill and it was slippery surface. I was holding the front brakes most of the time to prevent bike from sliding down. I guess the brake was overworked and this happened. Have heard similar cases on other bikes too. I am sure its quality related to an extent, but these bikes are made to a budget so cant complain too much.

I like your optimism however I wouldn't let this off lightly.

When you over work the brakes, ideally happens when you're coming down a very long and steep mountain pass you experience either the brakes seizing or your brakes fading, which is why the recommended practice is to engine brake and keep brake use to a minimum.

Brakes completely failing is an issue that needs to be looked into, it is quite common with the Xpulse as I recall sharing an incident shared by fellow enthusiast Manoj a while ago.

Do have a look at the ABS motor, and do contemplate scrapping it and installing a direct line. I know I'd get flack for this but at the end of the day brakes that work are better than being hopeful.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by nasirkaka

Its not very uncommon on brakes to fail on bike, meaning reduced braking with air bubbles getting into the line. In mycase, it did not happen due to being ridden hard, but due to constant pressing on brakes.

Yeah, I've heard of this happening but I've never experienced it. I've never gone off-road and probably never ridden any of my bikes that hard.

Still,

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

I like your optimism however I wouldn't let this off lightly.

+1 - budget bike or not, a brake failure is a very serious thing in my book.

Thank you both for your inputs.

[Balaji31582]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Do have a look at the ABS motor, and do contemplate scrapping it and installing a direct line. I know I'd get flack for this but at the end of the day brakes that work are better than being hopeful.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

Sorry to barge into the discussion. Thanks for throwing some light here. But all the while I was thinking if for some reason the ABS fails its internally kind of a short circuit and so the normal brakes will work as is. The reason I was assuming this was because of the ABS off feature in some of the bikes and was thinking in similar lines when ABS is switched off or doesn't work, the normal brakes would work. So what I get to see from your post is that it is not so.
I know there could be separate discussion forum where this could have been discussed in depth. Could you kindly share me any reference to this?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Balaji31582

Sorry to barge into the discussion. Thanks for throwing some light here. But all the while I was thinking if for some reason the ABS fails its internally kind of a short circuit and so the normal brakes will work as is. The reason I was assuming this was because of the ABS off feature in some of the bikes and was thinking in similar lines when ABS is switched off or doesn't work, the normal brakes would work. So what I get to see from your post is that it is not so.
I know there could be separate discussion forum where this could have been discussed in depth. Could you kindly share me any reference to this?

There is a valve that disrupts input from your MC to the Caliper once this activates lever force would not be transferred to the pistons, then the fluid is stored in a temporary cavity from where it is pumped via the motor to the piston through a one way valve.

Now the assumption we make is that when the ABS fails the disruption valve isn't activated like when the ABS unit is Turned Off. This isn't true all the time, which is why at times the lever locks up but there is no brake pressure transferred to the piston.

Another faculty scenario is that the fluid keeps going to the temporary cavity instead of going to the piston, this causes the lever to go in all the way without any or reduced brake pressure being transferred to the piston.

Either way a faulty unit isn't the same as when the ABS is Turned Off/Disabled, at least with consistency.

All said, ABS should be treated as it is i.e a safety aid at best and a brake failure at worst.

Hope that helps.

[nasirkaka]

When you over work the brakes, ideally happens when you're coming down a very long and steep mountain pass you experience either the brakes seizing or your brakes fading, which is why the recommended practice is to engine brake and keep brake use to a minimum.

This happened while coming down from Kyatanamakki view point on a hill which is very steep and known for tough technical type terrain made worse by wet soil due to rains. Had to inch downwards slowly, step by step, so engine braking was out of question. Its like one is slowly paddling the bike down, holding the front brake all the time, releasing only a bit to descend a step or two.

Brakes completely failing is an issue that needs to be looked into, it is quite common with the Xpulse as I recall sharing an incident shared by fellow enthusiast Manoj a while ago.

Like i said, the front brake on my bike failed only towards the end of descent, and it did not fail completely but about 50% of braking was gone. Had to press the lever much more work the brakes.

Do have a look at the ABS motor, and do contemplate scrapping it and installing a direct line. I know I'd get flack for this but at the end of the day brakes that work are better than being hopeful.

I doubt if its related to ABS. We opened the front brake fluid reservoir and found the oil level to be much less. bled a bit from the bottom, and kept pumping the lever without much success. Than we tilted the bike on left side, so the oil level in the reservoir was almost close to the entry point while pumping the lever and master cylinder. And at that point, we could visible see good amount of air bubble escaping out from the inset and lever getting back its rigidity. put all back, and went for a test spin and brake was back to normal and abs working as intended too.Rode back to Bangalore and next morning topped up the reservoir with dot4 fluid. All is well with brakes so far post that.
In retrospect, may it it was a lax on my part not to keep a keen eye on brake oil lever, and brakes being overworked, on a difficult and incline surface, some air must have entered the system causing the issue.

I had a similar issue on my interceptor rear brake some months back. The rear tyre on the bike had to be removed for tubeless conversion while i was not present. God knows what those guys did but when i got the bike back, it was very similar feel. Press the lever, it goes down all the way and brakes hardly working. went to a near by Enfield service center and got it bled and fixed.

[nasirkaka]

This weekend, went on a short trail ride with a small group including a new 4V Xpulse. Got a change to ride the bike for a short distance. The bike sounds a bit different, would call it sweeter. The engine feels more rev happy and refined than BS6 but not like day and night difference. The bike felt a bit peppier and as per owner, it pulls up to 38kmph in 1st gear. Not sure how much Bs6 does. He also mentioned the 4V has different sprocketing, not sure if thats the case. Maybe i was expecting a bit more from the bike.

Anyways, it was a short spin, will need to ride a bit longer and at higher revs to get a better feel. Sharing some pics from the ride. For those (including mysefl) considering possiblity of swapping the head with 4V, i am not sure. Externally the engine header is different on both the bikes. (last engine head pic is of the 4V)