Did you use Motoscan to bleed the ABS system? If not, that still needs to be done.

 

I did not touch the brake fluid at all, do I still need to bleed it ?

The service manual says nothing about bleeding on the brakes/pads replacement procedures :/

 

You should replace all the brake fluid every 2 years as it absorbs moisture and then corrodes the brake system from the inside (the term is hygroscopic). Have a look at this video (about 10mins in 15secs in) and see if the colour of your fluid looks like this. Mine was similar. When you pushed back the caliper pistons you may have introduced some air into the system. If you needed to replace pads, then the fluid was due to be changed anyway. I would just do the whole job as it isn't difficult or take that long.

 

The pads will take to bed in, as will the discs. One of the best ways to do this, is with some hard braking from 50mph>20mph, and repeat a few times. Usually it'll take about 100 miles for brakes to be fully bedded in/working at their best.

 

Brakes may not be as effective until they are bedded in and any oils/contamination from manufacturing or handling are burned off but this shouldn't take long. Brakes should NOT feel squishy or mushy. I would suspect air in the system and fluid should be flushed if you haven't done so recently (mine get done annually). At least bled to purge out air bubbles.

 

I agree with the others about bleeding the brakes. I was able to bleed mine successfully without using the Motoscan tool. However, that may simply be due to where the air was actually located. If there is air down near the caliper or up near the master cylinder, a traditional bleeding should work. If there is air in the ABS pump or close to it, you may need to trigger the ABS pump. I have seen it posted that some people simply bleed what they can and then go out and brake hard enough to trigger the ABS pump a few times and then bleed the fluid again. I can't vouch for this method, but others appear to endorse it.

It certainly can't hurt to bleed them and get some new fluid in there. It is pretty quick and easy. While, in theory, no air should get introduced if you don't open up any of the lines or let the master cylinder get too low, reality seems to act differently.

 

It might not work because there are two types of bleeding. A regular lever bleeding and an activated ABS unit bleeding.

Devices like a GS911 will pulse the ABS unit to bleed the ABS unit itself as well as the lines. The ABS unit should be pulse bleed too.

 

Thank you all. I changed the front brake fluid, and it was indeed a bit cloudy. The feel is better, but not how I'd like it to be..
I will give it some time, trigger the ABS, re-bleed and if it does not work I will accept my defeat and go and pay the big bucks to the big boys

 

From what the OP wrote initially I don't see anything that would cause air to be drawn into the system.
Trying to bleed out non existent air seems like an exercise in futility

Did you make sure that the new pads moved freely in the calipers when you fitted them?

Bedding the pads in won't hurt, just don't get over excited and bin it!

 

You can always try to park the bike on its side stand, then squeeze the front brake lever hard and fasten it closed with a Velcro strap. Let it sit overnight. In my experience that helps firm up the front brake feeling. But that system doesn't work so well if the back brake is feeling mushy.

 

From what the OP wrote initially I don't see anything that would cause air to be drawn into the system.
Trying to bleed out non existent air seems like an exercise in futility

Did you make sure that the new pads moved freely in the calipers when you fitted them?

Bedding the pads in won't hurt, just don't get over excited and bin it!

That was my initial thoughts as well.. The pads could move freely yes, I jiggled them to get the calipers in
What do you mean don't bin it ?

You can always try to park the bike on its side stand, then squeeze the front brake lever hard and fasten it closed with a Velcro strap. Let it sit overnight. In my experience that helps firm up the front brake feeling. But that system doesn't work so well if the back brake is feeling mushy.

That seems rather unconventional, I will try it thanks

 

What do you mean don't bin it ?

If you plan to do a hard stop to bed the brakes in, don't loose control and fall off