Z1OwnersClub GB

Not a Zed issue but thought you may want to see this.
Had a leaking brake caliper seal on my 350LC recently so drained system to replace seal (and as it happens new piston required hence leak), the fluid looked rather cloudy so left it to settle, what resulted is unbelievable (see pic).
Cant believe how much water was in the fluid , I've had the bike 2 years but never ridden it due to injury, I bought it off a guy who had the bike in his lounge since he bought it 5 yrs earlier so approx 7 yrs but bike not used.
How does so much water get into a sealed system? I know brake fluid is hygroscopic but this is crazy, always thought I was getting ripped off by car/bike dealers when they said brake fluid needs changed every 2 years but now not so sceptical, yes brakes will work but only until the water boils then bye bye brakes, hello A&E.

Are hydraulics a sealed system, is there a breather hole to let air into the resovoir so you don't get a vacuum as the pads wear and the fluid goes down?

Julian_Boolean wrote:Are hydraulics a sealed system, is there a breather hole to let air into the resovoir so you don't get a vacuum as the pads wear and the fluid goes down?

Yep gotta be getting in through the top-up reservoir cap!

Oh course you're correct re breather hole in reservoir cap but even so to have absorbed that much water just seems incredible.
Gonna change fluids much more regularly from now on that's for sure.

Is there not a rubber diaphragm that sits under the lid?