As many CFM owners have found, the brakes (and other parts) are total crap on these machines. When brand new the brakes were fine. I personally didn't care for the peddle brake operating both front and rear. But thought, whatever as long as it works. Sadly it didn't take long to start giving problems. Occasionally I would loose front brakes all together. If left untouched it would magically fix itself overnight. After this happened a couple times I tried bleeding them. What a PITA. It took a minute to figure out the bleeders on the front calipers do not correlate with the line closest to it. Anyway I bled the front master cylinder enough to replace all the fluid with dot4. It seemed to work, but still had times I'd loose front brakes. I starting noticing a pattern, when in 4wd and front diff locked it was more likely to loose front brakes. I still haven't figured out why. Any input here would be appreciated.
On to the foot pedal master cylinder. One day I pulled it out and the first time I hit the pedal it stuck. Brakes stuck on, WTF! I wiggle the pedal up and down while hitting the handlebar lever and swearing. It finally broke loose, I gave it a few test presses, it's working again! When I was done using it for the day I took a closer look. Under the dust cover for the plunger I found rust on the washer. I figured it got wet while washing it and the dust cover just held the moisture in. I sprayed some lube in to displace any moisture and replace the dust cover. Things went well for a while, or so I thought. The pedal slowly got more spongy without realizing it until it was going to the floor. I bled them front and rear with the help of a friend. And this was the most trouble I've ever had bleeding brakes on anything. But, finally it's done and I have a firm pedal again. The next time I used it, it was for a joyride while out camping. And I lost all brakes!! This time it didn't fix itself overnight. It was about a week later I'm trying to bleed them again. While bleeding the rear caliper the right front brake line started leaking. Bingo! I found the problem. Or so I thought. But this line went to the handlebar master cylinder. Weird right. Any way I replace this line and bleed them again. Wow, somehow this fixed the pedal brakes too. After more confusion about how this worked and more swearing at the Chinese engineers I was just glad to be finished. Then, the very next time I tried to use it the pedal brake started sticking again. Of course this meant more swearing even louder than before. I walk away unable to use the machine. Come back a couple days later and pulled the master cylinder. Upon dissembled I found moisture and grit was getting sucked in around a defective O-ring at the fitting going to the reservoir. Definitely more swearing again lol. After checking every local shop and tons online, I could not find seals to rebuild this odd ball POS. Finally I had to resort to buying a whole new master cylinder. Before replacing it I had to flush the "mud" out of all the brake lines with brake clean and compressed air. Now it's back together, time to bleed them again 🤬. I was able to bleed all the air out using a combination of pressure on the reservoir, gravity and tying the pedal down over night then more bleeding. It took about 5 bottles of fluid to get all the air out. The rear wasn't a problem but because the front lines go DOWN to the master cylinder, UP to the distribution block then DOWN to the calipers it's quite a task to get all the air out. A pressure power bleeder would help if you're in this situation.
Now on to the junk oil pressure switch and junk rear wheel bearings. I've had 4!!!! Oil pressure switch go bad. Hopefully this 5th one (new style and double the price) will be the last one. I've replaced the wheel bearings twice and already have tons of wobble on one side. Yes I know how to properly replace them and have the proper tools. All this is on a machine with under 800 miles. Oh yeah, and a bad water pump seal, bad starter motor, 2 EPS motors, on my third cooling fan, a nut backed off in the CVT, a broken trailer hitch receiver and whatever else I'm forgetting about. To sum it up, I've literally spent more time repairing it than using it. Would I buy another one? Highly doubtful! That cheaper purchase price has come back to bite the f**k out of me.
Thank y'all for letting me vent my frustrations. Have a great day, cheers!

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

Wow..You certainly have had your share....and then some..of issues with your machine. Everyone has issues with these "minimal-standards" Chinese machines but yours...wow. I think if it were me I would have tossed-in the towel long ago. 

Sorry I had to laugh reading about brake nightmare, I was sure I wasn't the lone ranger  There has been problems with the front wheel calipers & the handle bar master cylinder. Sorry, I cannot tell which M/C you replaced. In the end I found bleeding by tying either the handle brake lever or the foot down....letting them sit was the only way....it's an engineering nightmare & a terrible POS by design & functionality.

The handle bar M/C during shipping is down very low in the shipping crate, that causes some issue. Then how long it sits in the crate, brake fluid quality is something I always had concern with.

The brakes sticking on afterwards, I really found that problem with U Force & on occasion the Z Force. What I found is that problem surfaced with heat, working the unit hard. Engine & exhaust, so I'm guessing the fluid started to get hot or maybe the M/C & the brakes would drag. Reducing the piston stroke would generally solve it.....your foot brake M/C....free play would disappear.

Your question & notation about using diff lock & 4 wheel drive causing a brake issue, that would lead me to one of the front brake calipers having an issue. Sorry I don't remember how that stupid system works in the front calipers, however I do remember it can be a problem.

In my 25 years I never had as many brake problems as my very short experience with CFMOTO. Many things such a this that are left unexplained because no one really knows, they do not have the support or desire to solve field problems......not just brakes.

Wow..You certainly have had your share....and then some..of issues with your machine. Everyone has issues with these "minimal-standards" Chinese machines but yours...wow. I think if it were me I would have tossed-in the towel long ago.

I've considered it several times. But it's always broke down when I'm at that point. And it needs to be running to have any chance of selling it. When I get it running, I figure on need to get some use out of it to help justify repair cost. Then it breaks down again LOL

Sorry I had to laugh reading about brake nightmare, I was sure I wasn't the lone ranger  There has been problems with the front wheel calipers & the handle bar master cylinder. Sorry, I cannot tell which M/C you replaced. In the end I found bleeding by tying either the handle brake lever or the foot down....letting them sit was the only way....it's an engineering nightmare & a terrible POS by design & functionality.

The handle bar M/C during shipping is down very low in the shipping crate, that causes some issue. Then how long it sits in the crate, brake fluid quality is something I always had concern with.

The brakes sticking on afterwards, I really found that problem with U Force & on occasion the Z Force. What I found is that problem surfaced with heat, working the unit hard. Engine & exhaust, so I'm guessing the fluid started to get hot or maybe the M/C & the brakes would drag. Reducing the piston stroke would generally solve it.....your foot brake M/C....free play would disappear.

Your question & notation about using diff lock & 4 wheel drive causing a brake issue, that would lead me to one of the front brake calipers having an issue. Sorry I don't remember how that stupid system works in the front calipers, however I do remember it can be a problem.

In my 25 years I never had as many brake problems as my very short experience with CFMOTO. Many things such a this that are left unexplained because no one really knows, they do not have the support or desire to solve field problems......not just brakes.

The footpedal master cylinder is the one I had to replace. The brake line that sprung a leak (with absolutely no visible damage) went to the handle bar master cylinder. As for the 4WD diff lock situation it is very mysterious. For instance when pulling up a slick steep incline normally you need to hit the brakes when you get to the top. That's when the brakes fail. If I keep riding normally they'll slowly come back. Or if I let it sit for a few hours or overnight they'll come back. It's like magic, now you have them poof now you don't. Wait, whats this behind your ear, oh look it's your brakes LOL 

 In all seriousness though, the brakes on these things are a major safety issue. If these things ever fail and cause me or someone else injury. I'll be looking to start a class action lawsuit against the CFM. I know I'm not the only one with brake problems.

[2015 Z Force 800 53/Trail EPS]

I know I'm not the only one with brake problems.

Nope...you are not the only one.

Do to the brakes being conectat as they are if you lose preasure in one place you caan lose some of it in other places aswell even if it's not leaking.

I also noticed on mine if i accidently hit the brake caliper hard or the end of the breake lines with something likle accidently drive in to a smal log.


Do you tighten the wheelbearings tight as hell? (should be 320N or something like that) i noticed if you don't tighten them realy hard they tend to get loose and start to get a bit of play in them du to not being squeesed together hard enough and destry them self faster do to the play in them.

What year is your machine ?


I do think they have realised the breake system are a nightmera as it looks like they only have one brake line per calipper now (atleast in sweden) insted of 2 at the front calippers.