brake life

[pjpockets]

I was wondering how long brake pads lasted on any of your R bikes out there. I just took my 1150 in for a six thousand mile service, and they said I was down to twenty percent on my rear pads. That seems pretty quick to me. Any ideas? Mike.

[Charles960]

Do you over use the rear brake? How worn were the fronts in comparison? I got into a very dusty environment and wwore my rears down to nothing-quick. This was not a typical experience though, just cause of the dust.
Charles

[motojeff]

At 6k on my 1200GS I had barely any wear on the pads. I down shift a lot, maybe that is why. Or it could be that I just don't stop much.

[Buster]

That's excessive wear. Something is wrong either with your braking technique or the bike. My experience with oilhead/hexhead R bikes has been that the brake pads last for somewhere around 20,000 miles - depending on what kind of riding I've been doing. I always check them carefully when changing the tire so they don't "sneak up on me", though.

[Boxer]

I agree. I have 48K miles on my R1150R and have changed out the rear pads twice. The front ones are the same ones that came on the bike and show no signs of going anytime soon.

[pjpockets]

Perhaps I have been using my rear brake more than I should, but I suppose I will see how the next set does with a different technique. Thanks guys! Mike.

[Stan Dulemba]

You might check if you are pushing on the brake pedal with your right toe or the ball of your foot accidentally.

When my current bike was new to me, I rode the rear brake because I was used to the position on my previous bike.

[motojeff]

I agree. I have 48K miles on my R1150R and have changed out the rear pads twice. The front ones are the same ones that came on the bike and show no signs of going anytime soon.

I always thought the front pads wore out first cause there was more stopping pressure applied to the front.:confused:

[Buster]

On most modern bikes there are two brake calipers on the front and one on the rear, effectively at least doubling the total surface area of brake pads. While more braking work most certainly is done by the front brakes (therefore theoretically more wear on the pads) the increased surface area would (all other factors being equal) tend of even out the rate of wear between the front and rear. Also, front brake pads each have a larger surface area than rear pads - generally - so the above comparison is more pronounced.

As with most other wear-related issues, however, operator technique has more to do with the issue than most other factors - assuming the systems are working as designed.

As an example, I find it quite amusing to listen to conversations where one rider inquires about the expected lifespan of different brands of tires, without even considering the type of riding done by other members of the conversation or their preferences for throttle and brake use.

Lots of apples/oranges debates ensue from these conversations. I happen to like Navel Apples and Golden Delicious Oranges. :D

[NCPilot]

Buster

I Changed Rear Brake Pads On My Gs At 19k Miles, And They Were Previously Changed At The 12k Service. The Linked Brakes Always Activate The Rear Brake With The Front, No Matter Whether The Rear Brake Is Activated Or Not With The Foot Pedal. The Caliper Is A Poor Design Using A Single Piston Which Slides The Caliper Toward The Rotor On The Inside. Dirt Gets Into The Slide And The Caliper Will Not Completely Release, Causing Considerable Drag On The Rotor All The Time. The Caliper Slides Need To Be Cleaned On Occasion With Some Brake Cleaner To Keep Them Free Of Dirt.

[Beemer_Princess]

I'm at 24K and have only 40% used. I think your's is a lot.

[Beemer_Princess]

I have 25K and they say I have 40% used. From what I have read here, I'm doing pretty well. I did have to get a new battery tho :)

[Blue_R1200C]

I tend to get about 15k out of the fronts and about 20k out of the rears, but i tend to replace them earlier rather than later because the rotors are a kick in the pants ( rumored to be 300 dollars each )

[fred veator]

I also have a R1150R and have used-up some rear brake pads (114,000miles) if you would go to Advance auto parts they have them for most motorcycles (bendix made in canada) for the r1150r the part # is MA 242 they don't have them in stock but will have them the next day. They are easy to change (I change a set at a rest area) They are warranty for 90 days and cost about 21.00 a set Fred Veator

[Beemer_Princess]

I have 28k on my original brakes and at the last checkup they were at 40%. I use downshifting mostly rather than breaks and when I do use the brakes I usually use the rear. Mine are ABS :)