Brake pad life????

got a 06 ST1300A last fall with 14,000 on the clock

not ridden much this Colo winter

wondering what pad life is on these with linked brakes. I imagine the rears go 1st with linked system and one rotor / pad set back there

Thanks


just planning some spring cleaning / prep....if it ever stops snowing

1gopokes1 said:

wondering what pad life is on these with linked brakes. I imagine the rears go 1st with linked system and one rotor / pad set back there

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You'd think that, but the fronts do 70% of the work and the linking is a wash since the system is linked in both directions.

Estimating pad life is really difficult since the brakes do a lot less work in 1,000 highway miles than they do in he same amount of suburban commuting and everybody brakes differently. Fortunately, pad replacement isn't a major effort and it's pretty easy to keep tabs on how close the pad material is to reaching the wear indicator.

--Mark

ALL the rear disc braked bikes I have restored have had a worn out, or nearly so, rear pad. Front brakes were all fine...as far as pad thickness goes. I can only suspect that the rear brake was used for most of their braking.

I usually get 32,000 miles on the back set and 64,000 on the front sets. I use the Honda pads. Russ.

Oldbikefixr said:

I can only suspect that the rear brake was used for most of their braking.

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I've met many a biker that would fit that statement. In fact the last guy that was the salesman for my current steed re-purposed old Honda CB's into choppers, he left the front brake off of them since it was just dangerous and no-one used 'em anyway.

1gopokes1 said:

I imagine the rears go 1st with linked system and one rotor / pad set back there

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Depends on the rider. Even with linked brakes, the rider will drive the wear. Many novice riders use the back brake as the primary. Experienced riders tend to use the front brake as the primary. Check your wear visually, it is very easy on this motorcycle.

I took my 2003 to the dealer to have some work done and asked that they replace the pads while it's there. I specified that they use the OEM's because I really liked the current braking. They called me the other day to say that the original pads were replaced with a new part # and when they installed them, they were binding. They said something about the back of the pads having no cut out to fit properly or some such nonsense. I have a feeling they were using s different set of pads and charging me for OEM, don't know because it's still there a week later and it will be there well into next week as well. I knew I shouldn't have had them do the pads. Then they tell me that my radiator cap was leaking pressure, so they ordered me another one....then called later to tell me one of the mechanics had one "in his tool box" and they put that on instead and he'll take the one they just ordered......uhhhhh, yeah, that doesn't sound right. Guess I'll be pulling that cap off the moment I get there to ensure it's brand spankin new.

dtg said:

They called me the other day to say that the original pads were replaced with a new part # and when they installed them, they were binding. They said something about the back of the pads having no cut out to fit properly or some such nonsense.

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Well, they're half right. The original pads were superseded, but unless they changed the compound, it was a revision in packaging only. (This was also nine years ago.)

I'll tell you exactly what happened: they ordered rear pads (or didn't check what arrived) and tried to fit them to the front. The fronts and rears are almost identical, the differences being that the rears have more pad material and the fronts have a notch in the leading end that slots into the caliper. This will allow installing a set of front pads on the rear caliper but prevents fitting the too-thick rears on the front.

Then they tell me that my radiator cap was leaking pressure...

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...Which is exactly what it's supposed to do since the ST has a recovery tank.

And that, ladies and germs, is why I do my own work.

--Mark

I typically get 15,000 mi on the rear and 30,000+ mi on the front. Seattle has hills...but most driving is freeway. Easy and low cost to replace - and I should mention that I use the same pads front and rear...I think the OEM rear is thicker, but I just use the same type as front and replace more often

I just change the rear at 32,000 last year and front today 33,000.