Motion Pro Mini Bleeder - Tool Time

With just a couple of the proper tools and a little bit of patience, brake bleeding can be accomplished without spilling the slightest bit of brake fluid. Motion Pro (motionpro.com), however, has made the job even tidier and more foolproof with its new Mini Bleeder (part #08-0482; $24.99). This clever little tool combines the socket required to fit the bleeder with the wrench needed to turn it. The wrench is captive on the tool but can be slid off the socket's hex onto a rounded area, repositioned and then slid back onto the hex. Although the hex has, as its name signifies, six sides, the wrench has a 12-point box-end for greater flexibility in positioning the handle, which was deliberately made short to help prevent overtightening of the bleeder valve.

There’s even more thoughtful stuff packed into this small tool. The socket is hollow, of course, to permit fluid to reach the included hose; but it also has an internal rubber seal that fits around the bleeder nipple to prevent fluid from leaking past the socket and out onto the caliper or the ground. What’s more, there’s a one-way valve built into the tool so that fluid can exit but air cannot enter when the bleeder is open. This allows you to easily flush a brake system by simply opening the bleeder and leaving it open while continuously pumping the lever or pedal until all the old fluid has been replaced with new.

A fluid catch bottle is not included, so you’ll have to provide your own, but that’s no big deal; just about any little bottle will suffice. And for the present, the Mini Bleeder is only available with an 8mm socket, which is the most popular bleeder size on current Japanese and European motorcycles. Motion Pro will consider adding other sizes if there is enough demand.