Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Ok, so here's the situation...

Start hearing squealing from the front brake this morning on my way to work. I hate hearing stuff like this It's maybe a 40km trip to work, and in morning traffic, you can imagine they got more than their share of attention.

Assuming we're talking just brake pads, anyone see any major harm that could be done to the bike (or me) during another run of stop and go for 40km's?

I'm not really looking for "You shouldn't", but is there a chance that it could let go on me

maybe, maybe not - what you've got to be careful of is that if all the "meat" has gone form the pad, the matal back plate can cause some serious damage to your discs - and that is a COSTLY repair!!!

Yes check the amount of brake lining remaining or if it's an older bike make sure the caliper is not sticking.....raise the front wheel and see if it spins freely. This is like driving with your brakes on at all times.

honda599 wrote:Yes check the amount of brake lining remaining or if it's an older bike make sure the caliper is not sticking.....raise the front wheel and see if it spins freely. This is like driving with your brakes on at all times.

Bingo!!!

It happened to me last year, athough I was very lucky and found a used set on ebay for cheap.

Prior to my military service I was a break mechanic on cars. One person driving a 4X4 Ford Bronco didnt think anything of the squeeking. After a couple of MONTHS she decided she had the time in her buisy schedule to take the car in.

On the lift I removed the front right tire, and when I did the rotor came off with it....If you know anything about a ford bronco or cars in general - this is not normal behaviour. She had used the metal backing of the pads for soo long on the rotor she had literally decintegrated it. The left side had just enough left to get about 100 stops before it went the same way as the right.

The repair could have cost as little as $200 dollars including labor, but with the 4X4 rotors and having to replace BOTH calipers, her cost was $900 dollars. Moral of the story is - well there isnt one because my story doesnt apply to motorcycles. Guess I just wanted to tell a war story - thanks for listening!

I think the Moral of the story is....

Regular Maintenance is a good idea.

CentralOzzy wrote:I think the Moral of the story is....

Regular Maintenance is a good idea.

Yup, metamucil in the mornings and vitamins every night. Ben Gay every hundred miles or so. Keep your pipes clean and all your moving parts lubed.

I know I'm guilty of not quite taking as much care as I should... gotta work on that As soon as I get home tonight I'm taking the wheel apart and gonna have a real hard look.

As for metamucil, I'm doing just fine, thank you very much

bennettoid wrote:

CentralOzzy wrote:I think the Moral of the story is....

Regular Maintenance is a good idea.

Yup, metamucil in the mornings and vitamins every night. Ben Gay every hundred miles or so. Keep your pipes clean and all your moving parts lubed.

Define moving parts... and how does one lube them?

Sevulturus wrote:Define moving parts... and how does one lube them?

Sev if you dont know that then you were cheated out of the "birds and the bees" speech from your parents