Total Motorcycle Community Forums

My friends Rebel 450 has been sitting all winter. The bike is very hard to roll in neutral and makes a high pitched squeeling sound when you try to roll it. we have not ridden it yet. what has happened to make the brakes grab and how do i release that grab?

if someone has squeezed the front brake lever when they passed the bike sitting there the brakes will stick--take a rubber hammer or block of wood and tap lightly on front caliper--this should free them up--roll it some and squeeze lever again--if still hanging hit it again.

The caliper should be taken apart, cleaned and rebuilt. It isn't that hard. You may only need the seal. The piston should be replaced if pitted. Get a kit and clean it up. If you don't clean it up, you may free it, but it will stick again or may leak and you lose your brakes. You tend to lose brakes at inopportune times, so I strongly urge you reapir them rather than just loosen them.

a little rubber tap did it, thanks

oh and this bike is for sale, so this probelm will be disclosed but i won;t be investing in repair as it will sit till it goes otherwise i woudl have taken the brakes apart as suggested