Rear brake pad wear? ('07 and newer..)

[Don_Eilenberger]

Just wondering what sort of miles people are getting from their rear brake pads.

 

On an R1200R specific forum - it appears rather common to wear out the rear pads on the R1200R at around 16-18k miles. The R12R all have non-servo partially liked brakes.

 

TIA!

[Semper_Fi]

I just checked mine during the 12K service - have 3mm of pad each side, min is 1mm

 

 

FWIW I usually use the front brake more than the rear

[Don_Eilenberger]

Thanks.. most of us use the front brake almost exclusively with the linked brakes, so the fast wear on the rear pads is really puzzling.

 

One interesting point on checking the wear - see the three rings in the retaining pin? When all 3 are to the right of the outside pad you NEED new pads. Easy to check that way, don't even have to kneel down to look.

 

And the inside pad is thinner than the outside, so if you're watching pad thickness - always check the inside pad, it's gonna wear out first.

[Semper_Fi]

 

One interesting point on checking the wear - see the three rings in the retaining pin? When all 3 are to the right of the outside pad you NEED new pads. Easy to check that way, don't even have to kneel down to look.

 

 

Learned something new today - THANKS

[motoguy128]

I think the linked brakes give a fairly strong bias to the rear brake. Possibly to give a more stable feel under braking and because the anti-dive front end allows for more rear braking. More rear brake also settles teh suspension and causes the bike to squat more than dive. I'm guessing as you brake progressively more, there become more front bias.

 

I remember when I had FD fluid all over my rear wheel (O-ring pinched after 600mi service) and brake rotor, I was suprised how much additional braking effort was needed to slow down from highway speeds at 70mph.

[Bernie]

2007 R1200RT, non servo brakes. 29K miles and still original brake pads in rear.

Changed front pads @ 16K miles.

[BailyD]

Rear brake pads,

 

Can you use organic or are they sintered?

[MrR1200RT]

On my 06 R1200RT with servo I get 20k to 23k on my rear brake pads and the first change was at 20k and I replaced both front and rear pads. I've since purchased a digital micrometer and found that my first pads still have 85% pad material left the second front pad set at 23k also have 85% pad material left. Looks like the rear brake pad wears out 2 to 1 with the front. This is strange being that 80% of stopping power comes from the front brakes yet the rear pads wears faster and no I do not rest my foot on the rear break and I mostly 70% to 80% of the time grab the front brake to get linked braking. Only in slow turns I use the rear brake by it self.

[bobbybob]

I've since purchased a digital micrometer and found that my first pads still have 85% pad material left the second front pad set at 23k also have 85% pad material left.

 

Are you saying that, after removing the old pads at 23K (or so) and measuring them, they still have 85% of the original pad left? They are only 15% used? *BOTH* inner and outer pads on each caliper?

[Don_Eilenberger]

Wow - just the opposite to what the R1200R owners are experiencing.

[Paco]

Although my rear brake pads seem to be wearing normally, I have noticed some blueing on the inside and outside perimeter of the rear brake rotor. The dealer tech and I surmise that I have been riding the rear brake lever. My bad.

 

 

[rglassma]

Someone correct me if I am wrong because I don't know this for sure, but I believe the rears wear out quicker because the fronts are sintered but the rears are not. When we looked up EDCs, the options for rear were sintered or non. The pads for the front are only made by EDC in Sintered..

 

I am experiencing the same phonomenon with several millimeters left on the rears at 22,600 miles on my 05 RT.. Ordered non-sintered pads for the rear and waiting for them to come in.

[marcopolo18]

I've noticed that on my '06 1200RT, the rear calipers remain quite hot, suggesting significant brake pad drag when the brakes aren't being used at all. Could this explain in part the excessive rear brake wear?

 

 

[PaulJr]

My bike had the clip reversed, this held the pads against the disk causing it to drag all the time. I changed the pads and put the clip in correctly...no more drag.

[pokorskij]

Could you expand on the clip you are referring to that was reversed?

 

Thanks.

[johnlt]

Keep in mind that many of the newer bikes have "partially integrated" brakes so every time you use the front, you also use the rear but every time you use the rear, you do NOT use the front. The rear gets used more.

[PaulJr]

Could you expand on the clip you are referring to that was reversed?

 

Thanks.

 

If you look at the photo near the front of this post you will see the L shaped clip which holds the pad retaing pin in place. The photo shows the clip facing the correct way. Mine was facing the oposite way (L facing the final drive).

[pokorskij]

Thanks for the clarification, but I don't see how reversing this clip changes the relationship of the pads to the disk rotor. But I am glad it worked for you.

[LuckyLeif]

Wow - just the opposite to what the R1200R owners are experiencing.

 

Could it be something as simple as the weight diff of the 2 bikes? My hunch is that the RT will have substantially more weight transfered to the front wheel causing relatively greater wear to the front pads (just a hunch - can't proove it).

[Bernie]

I am not sure about the difference, but I am under the impression, that the front brake is linked to the rear brake on the RT's. I know the brakes where linked on the bikes with the electric brake boosters, but on the newer system, 2006 and newer I was told they are still linked. The other day at the Tech Day in Atlanta, we applied the front brake and where able to turn the rear wheel by hand with no friction.

Maybe on 2007 and newer RT's the brakes are not linked at all anymore? I think that maybe the dealers and the media got it all wrong.

Or is it possible, that it will only be linked to the rear if the motor is running and the bike is moving above a certain speed. I am sure it is possible to make a system like that, but it sounds like it would be very expensive and involved.

Anyone know? How do we figure out if the brakes on the 07 and newer RT's are really linked?

Thanks.

[Don_Eilenberger]

Bernie,

 

They are still linked. All you have to do is use the front brake lever and try to turn the rear wheel. The linking is done inside the ABS modulator. Difference with earlier models is starting in '07 there no power boost, and it's a much simpler system, capable of better ABS control.

[Bernie]

I tried that. If the bike is on the center stand, and the ignition is off, I can squeeze the front brake lever hard and turn the rear wheel by hand, easily.

I think we have been misinformed by BMW. These brakes are not linked. My bike is a 2007 RT and last week in Atlanta I checked a 2008 RT.

As I said if it is linked it must be some magic that happens when the motor is running and the bike is moving.

[marcopolo]

Put it on the center stand, and try your experiment with the bike running. I could be all wet on this, but I thought there was still some type of servo on the '07s+ that had something to do with the front-to-rear brake force distribution.

[Don_Eilenberger]

I know the linking is supposed to be speed sensitive.. so if the bike isn't moving, or one wheel isn't turning, it may not do the linking.

 

Bernie - it would be about impossible to explain any rear brake pad wear on my bike if it isn't linked, since I about never use the rear brake pedal. And what seems like rapid wear was my concern.

[Bernie]

Wait a minute Don, I did not know the R1200R had linked brakes. I was told they are only linked on the RT's.

I read some where a post where the fellow claimed that the retaining spring clip was installed back wards, keeping the brake pads from retracting completely.

[Bernie]

To late to edit previous post.

I checked the German BMW website, it has a write up explaining the details of the brake systems. You are correct, that the R1200R comes with partially integrated brake system. My wrong.

http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/index.html

I think my brake system has a problem. I remember know that early on with this bike, if I used to use the front brake lever and then would applied the rear brake pedal, it would feel rock hard. If I would release the hand lever, the foot pedal would soften and work normally. Do I have air in the system or is there another problem?

[Boffin]

I tried that. If the bike is on the center stand, and the ignition is off, I can squeeze the front brake lever hard and turn the rear wheel by hand, easily.

I think we have been misinformed by BMW. These brakes are not linked. My bike is a 2007 RT and last week in Atlanta I checked a 2008 RT.

As I said if it is linked it must be some magic that happens when the motor is running and the bike is moving.

 

There is still a servo-motor in the new system, the difference is that it is only used to effect the front-to-rear linking. Repeat your experiment with the ignition on and I suspect you will get a different result.

 

Andy

[Art..]

The newer linked rear brake only works when the bike is running.

 

 

[GordonB]

Ditto, engine running.

[PaulJr]

Thanks for the clarification, but I don't see how reversing this clip changes the relationship of the pads to the disk rotor. But I am glad it worked for you.

 

Mine is fixed so a photo won't help. If you look at the clip its kind of like a hair pin, one side straight, one curved to fit around the pin and hold it in place. When you reverse the clip the curved side faces rear, it won't fit behind that protruding portion of the caliper then. That forces the inner pad to the right by the same amount as the protruding portion of the caliper. Try it once, I think you will find the pad drags all the time. Mine came that way new when I purchased it, could be a one time goof at the factory....but...if you have the BMW maintenance CD, it looks like that is the correct way to install it.

 

Just wanted to make people aware of it in case it was a problem on other bikes besides mine.

[Bernie]

Thanks for the info. I have tried with motor running, but it does not feel very power full, Maybe I got some air in there some where, or I need a software patch.

[Jim VonBaden]

At least on the GS', the linking is inconsistant. Servo or not, the bias seems to be stronger towards the rear on some than onthers. You can go from 6K to 30K miles on the rear pads, all claiming minimal use of the rear brakes.

 

Jim