Total Motorcycle Community Forums

2009 Suzuki S40. Bought it used this spring with about 1500 miles on it. Front brake started squealing at about 1600 miles.
If my cars brakes made this noise I'd go get a brake job. Any thing different about motorcycle brakes that it might be something else? I've read some posts about break cleaner. What's the deal with that stuff?
Needing new brake pads at 1600 miles just seems odd.

Thanks

Sometimes dirt and grit get trapped between the pads and disc, which can cause it to squeal when the brakes are applied. The pads could also be glazed, although that is unlikely on a bike with only 1500mi on it. If you have a service manual, follow the instructions to remove the pads and then give them a good scouring with 400 grit sandpaper before reinstalling them. You can also lightly scuff up the disc surface with a Scotch-Brite pad - don't use the sandpaper on it, though.

If the brakes are used very lightly or dragged a bit, they will glaze within a few Kms. Sometimes, they just develop a very hard leading edge. Anytime I put a new set of brakes on, I use a fine toothed file to chamfer the leading edges of the pads slightly.