Fazer 8 ABS Bleedin Brakes!!!!

[FazerTech]

Hi,  (skip to the bottom for the question if you can't be a***d to read the whole story)
I wonder if anyone can advise on a problem I have with my brakes. I recently bought the bike privately, 2013 Fazer 8 ABS, and it had no front brake, the parts were all there just the lever went straight to the bar!It needed new pads and the fluid looked like it needed changing so these were done and then I attempted to bleed.
I bled using the pump the brake and then release the bleed valve  on the caliper method until I had a reasonable brake. All seemed well, I went back to the bike ten minutes later and the lever was straight back to the bar  :'( I kept trying, and getting the same result so I thought master cylinder kit was required. Kit purchased and fitted, same result!!! :o I then bypassed/cut out the ABS unit and managed to get a decent brake that held so I assume the issue is with the ABS unit or an air lock in the ABS unit, so I put the system back together and tried bleeding sections of the system bit by bit, finishing off with a good bleed at the callipers and all seemed well, the pressure held and I thought I'd cracked it. So I get ready for a test ride, start the bike and when I go to move it, NO BRAKE!!!!!When I turned the bike off I pumped the brake a couple of time and have a brake again, and it's held for a couple of hours, but I haven't started the bike again. There is no apparent leaks or loss of fluid.
QUESTION: Is there a special way to bleed these brakes? Am I doing somthing obvious wrong? Any suggestions greatly received.Thank you.

[Gnasher]

These can be real buggers at times to bleed.  :rolleyes  That said it's not just the hydraulics that can be the issue, the system has a hydraulic unit (pump) which requires voltage and is linked to sensors, these also need testing once you've bleed the system, there is 2 tests that must be preformed.

The unit can and does fail, mostly due to owners messing about with them, oddly enough trying to bleed them  :rolleyes they can also suffer wiring/connection issues.  They're bleed in much the same way as standard system, only there's a lot more areas where air locks can form.

There is no fast way of doing it, in fact speed is enemy with ABS.  I work on bikes all the time and it can on occasion take many hrs to get them to bleed.

Slow and methodical is the approach, or take it to someone who can.     

[FazerTech]

Thanks Gnasher, I'll have another go at it at the weekend.  :'(

[celticbiker]

A vacuum bleed works wonders on an abs system.
Have you checked the diagnostics for error codes? used the diag sytem to make sure the abs pump is working by switching it off and on?