Rear Brake issue

[ArcsSparks]

At 20k my rear brake was worn out and took the rotor and the piston seals with it, now 15k later same happened (didn't lose the seals this time). Plus the pads wore differently inside was the one that wore out the quickest, outside pad looks new. My question is how often does everyone replace their pads on the rear (fronts are fine and I use them more than the rear). Is this kind of wear nomal? It looks like I'm going to have to every 10k to be on the safe side. Thoughts PLEASE

[Guest]

About 12k is a safe bet.

[BigBoyinMS]

Mine were paper thin but I got 21k out of them and they actually wore evenly. I was surprised too as I use the rear a lot for turns.

[Gary N.]

The RSV likes to eat rear brake pads. You need to get real friendly with your front brake and keep a close eye on the rears. I like to check the rear pads at every oil change and I swap the inside and outside pads as needed to get them to wear evenly. I wouldn't go much over 6000 miles without at least taking a look and probably doing the flip, inside for outside pad. I always have an extra set of rear pads on hand, just in case.

[LilBeaver]

I'm going on 20k on my last set of rear pads and they are wearing quite evenly (so much as with a side-by-side comparison about 2k miles ago there was no visible difference (to my naked eye).

 

I use the rear brake quite heavily for low speed maneuvering...

 

For what it is worth they are the ERC Organic pads (not the HH sintered).

[massey130]

The RSV likes to eat rear brake pads. You need to get real friendly with your front brake and keep a close eye on the rears. I like to check the rear pads at every oil change and I swap the inside and outside pads as needed to get them to wear evenly. I wouldn't go much over 6000 miles without at least taking a look and probably doing the flip, inside for outside pad. I always have an extra set of rear pads on hand, just in case.

I agree with Gary and it seems to go with previous threads where experience is the same. i swap mine the same way periodically as stated - they geenerally wear unevenly for most riders. brake pads provide stopping power, not intended to last so many miles, but till you run out of pad. if you stop a lot, like city stop n go, you use up that stopping ability sooner than someone who does leisure country riding with easy stopping performed. odometer mileage is only a statistic that tells that driver how many miles it took to use up that particular set of pads.

[naturbar]

21K on my 07 RSTD - in process right now of replacing the rears. i did the inside/outside swap about 7-8k miles ago. the fronts look to be in excellent condition. i use the rear more than i probably should and have tried to be more conscious of using the front more often. i will be putting on EBC HH Sintered pads.

[mbrood]

I'm curious, since these are hydraulic, there should be even pressure on each side even if the caliper was displaced left or right marginally...

 

I've never seen this on my bikes (earlier makes and models of course), can someone describe how the wear is differential?

[massey130]

when you pull the pads off the bike, one is thicker than the other by an easy visual margin. I don't remember which is usually thinner. when you put them back in the caliper, you reverse them. the inside goes to the outside and the outside goes to the inside. that way they even out the wearing.

 

as stated, some riders don't get this but get even wear. if you don't what your bike does, start checking every few thousand miles or so to find what your bike's rear brake characteristics is. then you know.

[Guest scarylarry]

The RSV likes to eat rear brake pads. You need to get real friendly with your front brake and keep a close eye on the rears. I like to check the rear pads at every oil change and I swap the inside and outside pads as needed to get them to wear evenly. I wouldn't go much over 6000 miles without at least taking a look and probably doing the flip, inside for outside pad. I always have an extra set of rear pads on hand, just in case.

 

 

:sign yeah that: :sign yeah that:

[skydoc_17]

I am going to start this post by saying that I DO NOT PERSONALLY Own a Second Gen. motorcycle! BUT, more and more of the older ones are coming into my shop as they go out of warranty for repairs.

Here is what I can absolutely tell you about the rear brake caliper on the Second Gen. bikes I have worked on. First, the rear caliper on the Second Gen. bikes is EXACTLY the same as the rear caliper on the MKII VR! It is a 4 piston two piece caliper, basically 25 year old braking technology on your brand new 2010 RSV or RSTD. Who knew! This caliper takes the same set of brake pads that the MKII VR does.

Of the 6 Second Gen. bikes that have been to the shop for rear brake work recently, all but one has had a misalignment of the rear caliper bracket that positions one set of the caliper pistons CLOSER to the rotor than the other set of pistons. Most of the time, it is the inside set of caliper pistons that are closer, but I have seen it the other way as well. So, I am assuming that there must be motorcycles out there with the rear caliper positioned correctly on the rear caliper bracket and are not seeing any abnormal (one sided wear). You are one of the lucky ones if this is the case. (I saw this on one of the 6 bikes I worked on, the problem with this one bike was a stuck caliper which required a rebuild)

I have machined a shim set that has allowed me to reposition the rear caliper bracket to help center the caliper but the offset is not consistent enough for me to be able to sell this shim set as one of my "KITS" in the Classifieds. The install of the shim set is at best a, "Hit and Miss" deal, with the rear axle being removed and reinstalled many times until the proper alignment is found. I would spend more time on the phone talking to distressed Second Gen. Owners who were trying to install the shim kit and were having a rough time of it, than would be practical. So I do not offer this kit at this time in the Classifieds. I do offer this service at the shop, but this is one of those "drop the bike off for a day" and pick it up later deals. Even with my reduced labor rate of $30.00/hour, this could be a $100.00 mod with parts and labor. There is a break even point with the additional brake pad wear and the fact that you are not spending riding time "flipping" the brake pads, BUT it doesn't come in a single riding season for the average rider.

I hope this has answered some of your questions about That "Pesky" rear brake on your Second Gen. RSV and RSTD bikes.

Earl

[TEW47]

If I remember right there is a wrightup on this issue. Seems you need a 42thousandth spacer on the rear bolt, between the caliper and the arm that holds it. I did it and the pads wear even on both sides.

 

tew47

[GeorgeS]

Everything that SkyDoc said, and a bit more.

 

If you are running the Dunlop E3 rear tires, most likley you will be replacing the tire at 15,000 miles of usage or higher. Best to simply order a New Set of rear pads, and replace them every time you pull off the rear wheel to change the tire.

 

If you are one of those folks who is afraid to use your front brakes ( I know your out there ) then by all means don't expect the rear pads to last much more then 15K on an 800 lb. motorcycle.

 

One other point on the rear calipers, everytime you replace the pads, you need to force the pistons to the fully retracted position. This helps to keep the Pistons from frezzing up. Also remember, for those who only run a couple thousand miles a year, time becomes the enemy of your rear caliper, and the pistons tend to freez up.

 

If its been 5 years since that rear caliper, or the fronts, have been worked on, best to simply replace the pads, no matter what, besides the fluid needs to be replaced !!!! All of it.

 

Brake pads, is not the place to try to save money!!

[1joeranger]

Hey Skydoc 17, Don't you sell a 2nd generation rear brake replacement kit? ("Not so subtle plug, Not so subtle plug!")

[skydoc_17]

Hey Ray,

Thanks for the plug! I do sell a Upgrade Kit for the front of the Second Gen. RSV and RSTD but do not sell a kit for the back.

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=2445&title=2nd-gen1996-2010-r1-caliper-swap-and-s-sbrake-lines-21&cat=22

 

Many of the Second Gen. owners have said that there is just a bit "too much" braking power on the rear wheel of there bikes, so an increase in braking power to the rear wheel is a moot point in my opinion. Now, who ever designed a 800 pound motorcycle with a pair of one piston calipers up front should be flogged, but I bet that engineer saved Yamaha a million bucks with that design change! I for one, like to know when I grab a handful of brake lever that my bike is gonna' stop!

Earl