Suzuki 125 Front Brake - no reserve travel

[matto]

Morning,

I'm currently doing a little tinkering on a mates bike for its mot. When it was brought to me it had all manner of issues, however it is left with one. The front brake lever has no reserve travel. The lever is firm and the brakes work well, just on the first pull of the lever you can get it to the bar, subsequent pulls on the lever result in some reserve travel, but after a short while it's back to none.

There were other brake issues so in order I have:

1) removed and cleaned all moving parts of the caliper then replaced the caliper seals.
2) cleaned the mastercylinder and replaced the brake line for a new braided one.
3) bled the brakes with only a slight improvement.
4) replaced the mastercylinder for a new one.
5) bled the brakes again.
6) and again.
7) ...
8) with only minimal improvement from 3 (above)

I'm right that the symptoms above indicate some air left in the system somewhere, aren't I? And there isn't anything that I'm missing other than another pot of brake fluid and another couple of hours messing around?

p.s. the bike is badged as a Suzuki GX125, has Jinsheng Suzuki SJ125 on the headstock and looks like my old Suzuki GS125. The pads have loads of meat left on them and I've never ridden the bike previously to know if it's always been this bad.

[P.]

GX is a chinky bike, from chinkychink land.

Had one, it shat itself hard. I would only advise getting shot of it.

But on the off chance you actually want an unreliable bike, try reverse bleeding it.

[matto]

it's really not mine, I offered to help the lad out. To be fair to him he's messing around on this while waiting until he can do his full A test and it is badged as a Suzuki...

I've already had the syringe on it. This evening I've had the lot off the bike and the caliper held in the vice above the master cylinder with the bleed nipple right at the top, and the line all nicely uphill... again it seems a bit better but I'm still not 100% the mot guy is going to be happy, which is why I can't help but feel I'm missing something

[P.]

replaced washers on banjo bolts? checked the piston in mc is nice and free of crap?

definitely chinky regardless of that badge, weird parts bin bikes

[matto]

Yeah new banjo bolts and washers, came with the braided line...

Hmm it's a brand new mc, didn't think to look inside but I guess if I'm still stuck it's worth a look.

[matto]

Lol problem solved, after a lot of dicking about!

It turns out the brake lever had been subtly bent towards the bar in one of the owners 'offs'. The only damage to the lever was a little scuff on the ball and it was not obviously mishapen, but it was obviously restricting the amount of available movement.