New Brakes - wow

JQL

JQL

Growing old disgracefully
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
837
Location
Val de Marne, France
Bike
2010 NT700 & 2019 FJR1300
I had my bike serviced at the weekend 42,000km (26,100 miles - the cycle is shorter on the European continent every 6,000km - 3,729 miles) but they didn't have the brake pads in stock. I went back this afternoon and they fitted the pads to the front and wow! The difference is amazing, even with the brakes being new the bike stops so much quicker.

So, if you've been putting off changing your brake pads - just do it!

I commute into Paris and need a new set of brake pads (front and rear) approximately every 12,000-14,000 kms!
 
I'm glad to see someone else go through brake pads quicker than me. I'm averaging about 12,000 miles per change but as I recall from an earlier thread most on here do much better. Maybe it's the daily commute that causes higher uses.
 
Where you commute has a lot to do with it. The more urban the environment the more the brakes get used.
 
Just changed all my brake pads for the first time at 15,000 miles. The right front pads were the most worn. They all had a fair amount of thickness left in them. The rear had the most left.

The change I noticed:

I tend to brake late and hard preparing to turn. The bike had slowly developed a bit of a front-wheel "chatter" under braking (no, not ABS operation - I don't have ABS). Replacing the brake pads eliminated this chatter.

Unlike some maintenance, brake pad changes on disc brakes are easy. (Easy as pie, piece of cake, Bob's yer Uncle)
 
And on the NT, the right front pads wear faster because they've got all three pistons actuating them. The left front only has two piston actuation unless you're also using rear brakes.

My guess is that I might go 2-300,000 miles before needing to replace rear pads.

I rode my two Connies 165,000 miles (115,000 on the first one) and never replaced a rear pad set.
 
I don't think I've seen riveted motorcycle pads. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've never seen any.
 
When I changed my front tire a few months ago I took a look at the front pad thickness and they still looked good at 30k miles. I use combined front & rear brake on 95% of my stops and am retired so I don't have to commute and as such my rides are pleasant in rural surroundings.

As a side note: whenever I have the calipers off, such as for a tire change, I drive a wooden shim into the caliper to push the pistons back. Creating extra space here really eases installation. The shims are inexpensive wedges used to shim doors and windows during installation. One phenomenon I've noticed from this practice is that lever "feel" is noticeably improved after doing this so pushing back the pistons must force any air bubbles back up to the reservoir. It feels just like it does after the brakes are bled.
 
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Still have my OEM front pads on @ 45,600 miles, I guess I need to check them! Not grinding yet. But I do 98% interstate riding
 
I go through brake pads faster than tyres! Brake pads last about 8,000 miles and tyres about 12,000...

The joys of commuting in a city with Filtering
 
JQL said:
I go through brake pads faster than tyres! Brake pads last about 8,000 miles and tyres about 12,000...

The joys of commuting in a city with Filtering
Click to expand...

That seems way fast for brake pads. Of course brake pads are easier to change than tires so that is good.

Brad
 
Rich said:
I tend to brake late and hard preparing to turn. The bike had slowly developed a bit of a front-wheel "chatter" under braking (no, not ABS operation - I don't have ABS). Replacing the brake pads eliminated this chatter.
Click to expand...

Interesting observation. I brake like you and the bike has developed some chatter. I figured that it was a warped rotor. Maybe not.

New stock pads measure 4 mm in thickness. My rear and left front measure just over 2 mm at 34K miles. Right front measure 3 mm, but they were changed at 25K when they measured 1.5 mm. After this next trip, maybe I'll change them all and see what effect that has. In preparation for the trip, I installed speed bleeders and flushed the system.
 
Mine chatter and they have always done so and I thought it may be something to do with the ABS.

I'm still trying to locate the cause.
 
DirtFlier said:
When I changed my front tire a few months ago I took a look at the front pad thickness and they still looked good at 30k miles. I use combined front & rear brake on 95% of my stops and am retired so I don't have to commute and as such my rides are pleasant in rural surroundings.

As a side note: whenever I have the calipers off, such as for a tire change, I drive a wooden shim into the caliper to push the pistons back. Creating extra space here really eases installation. The shims are inexpensive wedges used to shim doors and windows during installation. One phenomenon I've noticed from this practice is that lever "feel" is noticeably improved after doing this so pushing back the pistons must force any air bubbles back up to the reservoir. It feels just like it does after the brakes are bled.
Click to expand...

Dirtflier - do you recall if the piston pushback was slow incremental taps or a short sharp sudden action ? I think you might be onto something there , your theory about purging air bubbles..
 
Just did an inspection on the brakes. Both front / rear have about 1/16 - 3/32 left of pad. Also while looking I was wondering if NT pads had a limit indicator like a vehicle does. I did locate what appears to be one, a piece of metal bent in a manner to hit rotor to make that screeking noise. I'm at 46,000 miles now,can get at least 5,000 - 10,000 more for me, I will order them and have on hand to change at last minute.
 
I don't know if they are better quality or not but denniskirk.com has a couple of different brands available for the NT.
 
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