Triumphrat

PaleForce

So, what's the life expectancy of the brake pads on these bikes? I just got a good look at my rears, and even after 5000 miles, they're lookin' pretty rough. Not to mention, one side is wearing unevenly.

Has anyone else found the need to change these things out south of lets say, 7000 miles?

jimmyc

I'd be interested in this. I've got 11500 miles on the bike and the brakes just might need a changing. I'm calling my guys when they open this morning to see what they say. I'll report back later.

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2006 Triumph Bonnie Black

Nothing says retro like inner tubes~

sweatmachine

I'd say at 5000 miles they need to be inspected. These things can go through pads in under 10k miles easily.

When I changed my rears the first time, I think at 7500 miles, they were toast. I mean gone!

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Macgruber!


Click for a picture of my slightly modified Bonnie

badrufus

There has been a huge amount of individual variation in how fast people go through pads. I have the original rear pads on at 8K miles and they have plenty of pad left. Others have had them go at 4-5K and swear they are not resting their foot on the brake pedal (easy to do with Bonnies). When I took my rear caliper off two weeks ago to inspect and clean after bleeding, I noticed that both pad retaining pins were corroded, which, if bad enough, could keep the pads from sliding away from the rotor. They were also dry as a bone. While I was able to clean the pins up with 000 steel wool, I still ordered new pins and disc brake lube. The manual calls for copper lube, which is available in the UK and a bit more difficult to find in the US, so I ordered this
Permatex Disc Brake Lube
I would wonder if sticky pins could be contributing to the uneven pad wear?
On the front, I replaced the OEM pads with EBC HH pads at 800 miles, and they were fine when I replaced them with new pads at 8K. I only replaced them because I installed an EBC ProLite rotor.

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2005 T100

Baltobonneville

I just checked my front pads at 5000+ miles and they have lots of life left in them.

I might check the rears tomorrow. I put it off because I'm expecting to have to disassemble and clean them, but I don't think they'll be worn out. I'm gentle on the brakes and keep my foot off the rear pedal except when using it. They do rub lightly, I've noticed when lubing the chain.

I'd like to lower the rear pedal about 3-4cm, but it seems like a pain to do it, and I'm not sure from looking at it if it will go that low.

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Marty
2005 Bonneville Blue 790cc, AI removed, Staintunes RC, Unifilter, no snorkel, 120/40/Thrux needle/1 shim/3 turns, fly screen, tacho, D9 gauge panel, center stand, Ikon 7610s, Hagon fork springs, gaiters, Pirelli Sport Demons, 3 seats.

jimmyc

UPDATE!

I called my local shop and posed the question. "How long do they last?" As I asked the question the answer popped in my head. A second later it was confirmed. "It all depends". Duh! why didn't i think of that? So.. I buy new front and back and head on home. After a sufficient cooling off period I yank the front pads out. Holy sweet mother of jesus, mary, and johosiphat! Gone! Like the current beer I was drinking! They never squealed or made a hint of what I thought would be a "time to change me stupid!" noise. The current pads are "top of the line" so I expect a fine "how do you do!" when it's time to change them. I'll be doing the back tomorrow. Lucky for me the disk was not scarred = I will inspect more often.

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2006 Triumph Bonnie Black

Nothing says retro like inner tubes~

rodburner

16,000+ miles on my originals.I`ve had the replacement set waiting in my garage for nearly 10,000 miles. :???:

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Ruining a perfectly good Bonnie since 2004.

RedBird

19,750 miles on the originals--still have at least half left on the front and nearly half left on the rear. :-D Without many twisties, it's kinda easy on the brakes out here in the flat lands.

Larry

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Larry
2003 T-100 (790cc), NARK, NH Togas, 8100 rpm rev limiter, 158 main jets, 42 pilot jets (less than 1 turn out on pilot screws), stock needles--no shims. 13 A/F ratio from 1100 rpm to 4000 rpm; 12 A/F ratio from 4000 rpm to 6000 rpm; 13 A/F from 6000 rpm to 8100 rpm.:D
2007 Tiger 1050--White:D--SW-Motech crashbars, Skidmarx rear hugger/chain guard, Calsci +7 windscreen.

vertwrks

My fronts were toast in 5K, don't really use the rears so I guess it will wear the fronts more quickly. I ride the $#!Q^ out of it every chance I get. Rodburner........16K??? You must be so bad@$$ you don't even use your brakes! I find I am pegging out of turns and hammering the brakes before the next one though so I expect to go through em. Of course never exceeding the posted speed limit. Swapped to EBC Gold and love em.

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04 Bonneville w/904 kit, 1mm over valves, ported, ARK'd, Bub's, HSR 42's, F3 forks, kyb rear shox, F3 clip ons, Brembo M/C, 6 pot caliper, 17" Excel's, this & that

rodburner

Vert,I`m not sure what the deal is.I brake hard,fast and often.What I don`t do is drag them for long slow stops.However,I doubt that has anything to do with it. What I DO think has kept them this long,is that I roll backwards,downhill out of my garage,to my my driveway.I believe this ,A,cleans the built up brake dust off the pads somehow,and B,re-adjusts the calipers before each ride. :???:

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Ruining a perfectly good Bonnie since 2004.