Reminder to Check your rear brake pads on 2nd Gens

[VentureFar]

I haven't been around much as I have been writing reviews on 2021 Tenere 700 that I got directly from Yamaha for press purposes. It is a fun bike, but I digress. I just got new Metzler 888 Ultras for my 2007 Venture to review and I asked the shop doing the install to check my rear brakes. I am a front brake kind of guy and had the serious wear down of the rear pads before, at about 30k miles. Now with 15k more, the rear pads are a 5%.  Basically. gone. This is an issue with the 2nd Gens with uneven wear. Just sharing that if you are new to 2nd Gens, check your rear pads and check them often.

[XV1100SE]

Good suggestion mid-summer.

Out of curiosity....what are the sizes of the Metzler 888's?  OEM sizes?  Would like comments regarding how they compare with the E3's especially for wear.  I got up to 30,000km on a set of E3's.

[BadCatClassics]

2 hours ago, VentureFar said:

I haven't been around much as I have been writing reviews on 2021 Tenere 700 that I got directly from Yamaha for press purposes. It is a fun bike, but I digress. I just got new Metzler 888 Ultras for my 2007 Venture to review and I asked the shop doing the install to check my rear brakes. I am a front brake kind of guy and had the serious wear down of the rear pads before, at about 30k miles. Now with 15k more, the rear pads are a 5%.  Basically. gone. This is an issue with the 2nd Gens with uneven wear. Just sharing that if you are new to 2nd Gens, check your rear pads and check them often.

Absolutely, since I trail brake often on slow maneuvers I go through rear pads about every 8000 miles. A customer brought a bike in with damage from a fire at the rear caliper as he ignored the noise that indicated metal to metal. The caliper was so hot it actually burned the inspection cover off and melted the inside the of the saddle bag. 

[Steve S]

I was checking out my 2010 RSV in preparation for a long trip and noticed mine were BAD!!!  The bike only has 19K miles on it, so I was surprised they were that bad.  I've put 13K on it since I bought it in May of 21 so I will be sure to check them closer from now own.  

Steve

[uncledj]

Just ordered a set of EBC.    I was thinking about it on a recent ride....seemed to make a bit more noise than they should have.    Your post prompted me to get that done this weekend....THANKS !!!

[RDawson]

I’ve got all new pads to install before Asheville, just haven’t had time yet. I got home from Huntsville Monday night to find we were victim to a lightning strike that took out my well pump. Got that replaced yesterday so on to a shop cleaning and bike maintenance. 

[BlueSky]

Could the uneven rear brake pad wear be related to a rear wheel alignment issue?  Just wondering?

[VentureFar]

16 hours ago, XV1100SE said:

Good suggestion mid-summer.

Out of curiosity....what are the sizes of the Metzler 888's?  OEM sizes?  Would like comments regarding how they compare with the E3's especially for wear.  I got up to 30,000km on a set of E3's.

Yes stock sizes. I am doing a review for UltimateMotorcycling.com and Metzler would only provide them in OEM sizes. I am not looking forward to the 150 front tire  and the slow speed handling as well as the harder steering inputs. I am spoiled by the 130 front tire steering. I really won't have that much input on long term wear anymore as I also have a 2021 Yamaha Tenerer 700 that I write reviews on. I have modified this Adventure bike for comfort  and it is so fun to ride that literally in the last 12 months I only put 4000 miles on my Venture. I had the original 888's when they first came out and the 880 before that. Just fyi I would get 12,000 miles on the front and 8000 from the rear. I will certainly post my review here. Honestly I think you will get more miles out of the E3 than Metz. Also, I have always liked the rain traction on all the Metz.

[VentureFar]

3 hours ago, BlueSky said:

Could the uneven rear brake pad wear be related to a rear wheel alignment issue?  Just wondering?

No, it is a known problem with UNeven wear. At minimum you should swap the inside and outside rear  pads when you change rear tires. Fyi pads are not a big deal on this bike.

[BlueSky]

7 hours ago, VentureFar said:

No, it is a known problem with UNeven wear. At minimum you should swap the inside and outside rear  pads when you change rear tires. Fyi pads are not a big deal on this bike.

I checked the rear pads on my 07 and they were wearing evenly.  

[Joe in WV]

Don't know if it was mentioned but you can purchase kevlar? brake pads and they do not lock up as fast. Just replaced all mine and forgot to buy those. Believe they are called EBC .  Less rear lock  up in a panic situation.

 

[sleepy2]

Just swapped mine from side to side (2012)as they were wearing on inside more than outside.

[RDawson]

Swapped mine around today and flushed. 

[XV1100SE]

On 8/11/2022 at 1:58 PM, VentureFar said:

.... I had the original 888's when they first came out and the 880 before that. Just fyi I would get 12,000 miles on the front and 8000 from the rear. I will certainly post my review here. Honestly I think you will get more miles out of the E3 than Metz. Also, I have always liked the rain traction on all the Metz.

Don't know what I would replace the E3's with when it comes time.  Long lasting tires (and I use the 150 front and wouldn't go to 130 - I'm comfortable with the handling).

[uncledj]

Just ordered a set of EBC.    I was thinking about it on a recent ride....seemed to make a bit more noise than they should have.    Your post prompted me to get that done this weekend....THANKS !!!

Update:  Just replaced the rear pads.   Inside pad was almost to the metal, so I got to it just in time....Put a little air in the rear shock....(45psi)...Won't clean it up until I get there.   Seems that every time I clean her up before hand it'll rain...In any case I'll see y'all there....

[BadCatClassics]

On 8/11/2022 at 9:31 AM, BlueSky said:

Could the uneven rear brake pad wear be related to a rear wheel alignment issue?  Just wondering?

Not much room for anything to move around. Worn splines on the wheel and bad bearing on the right side might be possible but not likely. 

Could be a warped rotor or loose caliper. My experience with three of these bikes is they are hard on rear brake pads. When pads start to where they wear most at their hottest spot. Just a function of heavy motorcycle and little brake on the rear.

[BlueSky]

9 hours ago, BadCatClassics said:

Not much room for anything to move around. Worn splines on the wheel and bad bearing on the right side might be possible but not likely. 

Could be a warped rotor or loose caliper. My experience with three of these bikes is they are hard on rear brake pads. When pads start to where they wear most at their hottest spot. Just a function of heavy motorcycle and little brake on the rear.

And the rear brake grips really well, maybe too well!

[larrydr]

Over the years of serving bikes , I have seen a ticking wheel cylinder cause problems much like that ....I like to mount the rotor in my metal lathe and take a power sander to the rotor as it spinning , sometimes tiny bits or road rash and bits of the pads stuck to the rotor cause problems