As it's kind of boring around here, today's topic is how to bed in your new brake pads. This procedure also works to clean off old pad material if you have pulsing in the brakes. A lot of suspected "warped" rotors are actually caused by a build up of pad material on the rotor, not an actual warp of the rotor itself.

The way to properly bed in your new pads is by doing a series of heavy braking WITHOUT coming to a complete stop

50-10 mph should do it. Do this 6-10 times. Your brakes may fade so do it in a safe, open location. You will probably smell the brakes. This is good cause you want them very hot to even out the surface. After, drive for 5-10 mins to cool them off. All of this must be done WITHOUT coming to a complete stop. Otherwise you will transfer pad material to to the hot rotor and have to start over again.

Also another big no-no is holding the brake after you have come to a complete stop while the brakes are hot. This will transfer pad material to the rotor. Many times you can actually see a witness mark left by the pad if you do this.

 

I blow off my brakes every week or two to get the dust off the calipers, pads and rotors. Washing with a hose would work too.

My old '83 BMW R100RS had slight pulsation during slow stops when I first rode it, with less than 20,000 miles on the odo. But within a year of me riding it exclusively, the pulsation went away and stayed away for 14 years and 2 pad changes. Previous owner was my former girlfriend, and her daily commute was less than 2 miles. So build up on the rotors could have been the cause, since it went away with my 75 mile round trip commute, and I probably braked harder/later than she did. I always used OEM pads on it.

 

You would be amazed at home many cars have pulsation due to stupid drivers and there inability to use the brakes properly.

 

And I was saying "you" in a general sense, not anyone specific. The teachers at school drive me nuts with their brake "problems"

 

Once in a while a vehicle would come into my Brake and Suspension class for a brake check, and the students would tell me the front wheels were hot and the lug nuts were too hot to handle. The customer's complaint was often pedal pulsation. When the customer would come to pick it up, I'd ask if they by chance brake with their left foot. The answer was always "Yes". They would rest their left foot on the brake pedal while driving, keeping slight pressure on the pads. This can not only warp the rotors, but put the lining into a permanent fade condition, causing a hard pedal...almost to the point of feeling like a failed power booster.

After explaining what this was doing, some would say, "I can't drive any other way".

Yes, some drivers are stupid.

 

I am dealing with a front rotor issue right now and will sure give this a try. Thanks!

 

I just installed EBC HH pads from and rear. Fronts work great, but the back almost feels like its not there at all? Not that I actually use it much anyway, but I have about 200 miles on since installing the pads and can't seem to get the rears to come back to life. Any suggestions? Previous bike was a CBR900RR and I could get that rear to lock up pretty easy so much that it would actually put the back into a side to side slide of the rear.

 

Have you bled them? I can easily lock my rear wheel. How often do you use them? If I haven't touched them for a few weeks (I also rarely use them) I have to pump the pedal a few times for them to set back up properly. I try to do this more often now in case of emergency.

 

Rear brake is tricky to blead, usually have to unbolt the caliper and wiggle the line to get the last bubble out... Also, with the VTR's engine braking, rear brakes are often neglected, try cleaning the disc with a wire brush thoughly to get old burnt in pad material off...

 

Try lightly sanding or cleaning the discs with a wire brush, to get a fresh surface with no pad material... It's usually someone having held the brakes at a stop...

 

I will, thank you!

 

I don't remember having any trouble with this... must have just gotten lucky!

 

Pffft, try any Aprilia RSV or Tuono. 95% of those bikes have no rear brakes what so ever. Not only do they somehow draw air at the master pump but the bleeding is allmost imposible without some kind of forced flow.