Excessive brake lever travel

When you bought these nearly 0 miles calipers, why was the other person selling? Was it because his brakes were rubbish?

Well if all you need to do is push the pistons into the calipers a little, I don’t think it’s air in the system, unless that air is somehow getting released past the piston seals when you move the pistons in or pump them back out.

I suspect it’s an issue with the calipers or caliper seals, like you suggested. OR….
When you push the pistons in a little to “reset” the bite point, do you need more than 1 pull of the brake lever to re-seat the brake pads onto the disks? Could the extra master piston travel in the MC, during this pumping the pads back onto the discs, be whats temporarily fixing the issue?

I had a similar, but not identical, issue with my brakes on my 2012 zx-10r. They were always firm, but the lever travel needed felt like it had increased. I did *NOT* have the symptom of pushing the pistons in to reset it though. Eventually one spring morning (after a winter lay-up), I wheeled the bike out and I had ZERO front brake, the lever came all the way back to the bar. On trying to bleed the brakes I was getting no pumping of fluid either. I bought a new piston and seal kit for the master cylinder and my brakes have never felt better.

Usually a seal and piston kit for the master is a cheaper alternative to a seal kit for the calipers. But I do kind of hate the “throw parts at it” solution. It can get expensive.

 

Thought of that, it's very possible, I just can't explain why wouldn't it happen right away. Or how resetting the pistons would stop the rotors from pushing the pistons in for a while...

All good points from everyone! Thank you for all suggestions!

 

Borrow a known good brembo...