Any suggestions for upgrading my brakes please?

[ProdigalGS]

The calipers were in better shape than I expected, but the screws and clips were heavily corroded. I now have new calipers and pads for just over £300, plus the cost of the easy bleeders. Having ridden the bike for a few miles now, my conclusions are:
Phase 1 - new EBC pads. These gave better initial bite but I was still unhappy with the progressiveness of the brakes.
Phase 2 - new calipers. Huge improvement, the rate of deceleration is now linear with the applied pressure, and it requires less pressure at the lever. Just what I wanted.

However...the brake lever feel is now firmer and the lever travel is reduced. I think I may have had some air in the system. This would account for the non-linear behaviour as the air bubbles start to compress under higher pressure. The bike was professionally serviced earlier this year and the mechanic replaced the fluid. I am wondering whether the job was done properly.

It may be that I could simply have replaced the pads and bled the brakes but I don't really mind. The bike is 9 years old and I was going to service the calipers anyway. The cost was modest and I'm now set up for the future.

 

[ProdigalGS]

Phase 3 - maybe I will fit 320mm calipers at a later date, but for now I'm just going to ride it for a while before I decide.

BTW removing the dowels is easy with a pair of molegrips. The dowel wall thickness is just 1mm so they are obviously just locating aids.

BTW 2 the OE calipers have different banjo bolts. The LH one is just a simple banjo bolt with a bleed nipple on top. The RH one is larger and more complex, with an additional piece in the middle. I was initially a bit nervous about fitting identical easy bleeders, in case the OE RH bolt served some special purpose. According to my research, the RH bolt is to enable automated brake bleeding at the factory and serves no purpose after that. You can see the difference in the photo.

 

[ProdigalGS]

Old calipers and fittings after 9 years and 20k miles. The pads are evenly worn, which suggests that the pistons were moving in unison.

 

[Leighwgold]

R1200/1250RT front discs , set of 7.5mm spacers for the calipers and uprated pads (did it on my 2015 GSA and it worked ) , or alternatively Galfer or Braking do a kit which includes larger discs, spacers and upgraded pads

https://calsport.co.uk/bmw-r-1200-gs-lc-13-18-2015/galfer-brakinggalfer-oversize-front-brake-kit-increase-to-320mm-includes-discs-sintered-pads-caliper-brackets/kg702wfs

Neil I like the idea of bigger disks but I’m curious as to how the calipers fit inside the spoked rims, the OEM Brembos on my 2017 GSA are pretty close to the spokes etc.?

 

[Neil W]

They are close but worked fine , if you are worried try just sticking a 7.5 mm spacer between the calipers and mount to see what the clearance is like. No need to change discs and as it is a static test a plastic spacer will suffice to confirm clearance

Neil I like the idea of bigger disks but I’m curious as to how the calipers fit inside the spoked rims, the OEM Brembos on my 2017 GSA are pretty close to the spokes etc.?

 

[swoopman]

i’ve recently fitted some new Stylema calipers and 320mm disks, i had a set of 7.5mm spacers made with a half dowel to fit into the fork legs, cost a whole £30, bargain and a nice compromise.
while the standard set is good this is in another league, very strong, modulated braking with two fingers.
The standard setup if perfectly fine even for fast road riding but for me i much prefer this ON THE ROAD, this set up would quite likely to over the top if you were anywhere off road.
The Stylemas were perhaps the best upgrade, if i’m honest i probably should have left it there , the bigger disks just reduce the lever pressure required, obviously a recalibration is required, it’s such a powerful setup compared to standard.
My recommendation would be Stylemas, followed by bigger disks if you still want more.

 

[jefformston]

Pretty sure those dowels will just pull out with a bit of twisting force, many other bikes do not use dowels so the combination of bolt strength and friction of the mating faces is more than enough.
You will just need to apply the brakes before tightening the calipers to centralise them, no need to do this with the dowels as there is no movement once located.

Why do BMW use dowels if no one else does? It’s been said many times the ‘accountants’ have lowered the quality of the bikes over the years, so why would they now waste money of dowels that weren’t needed? Food for thought.

 

[HxH]

Someone mentioned brake fade on discs, I may be proved wrong, but I always thought brake fade was mainly on the older styled Drum brake systems.
Where the brake drum itself would expand when hot to such an extent that the brake linings did not reach the inner drums.
Not on Disc brakes any more, hence why bikes, cars, trucks all adopted new Disc braking on modern day vehicles.

 

[Spook1969]

I always thought brake fade was generally over heating the fluid or on rare occasions overheating the actual brake pad. All due to excessive use.

 

[HxH]

I always thought brake fade was generally over heating the fluid or on rare occasions overheating the actual brake pad. All due to excessive use.

That does make a load of sense too. So I looked into it, for more info.

​

Factors Influencing Brake Fade​

Several factors can contribute to the likelihood of brake fade on disc brakes:

Factor	Impact on Brake Fade
Heat Dissipation	Disc brakes dissipate heat more effectively, reducing fade risk.
Brake Pad Material	Higher quality pads can withstand more heat, minimizing fade.
Riding Style	Aggressive or continuous braking increases fade risk.
Brake Fluid Condition	Old or contaminated fluid can boil, leading to fluid fade.

Conclusion​

While disc brakes are less prone to brake fade than drum brakes, riders should remain vigilant, especially during intense riding conditions. Regular maintenance and using high-quality brake components can further reduce the risk of brake fade.

 

[GTMorgan]

Brake fade will happen on a GS, I've only experienced it on a track day though, going from 135 to 50mph on a heavy bike creates a lot of heat in the front discs/pads.

 

[stick]

Not the same bike but I put Serie Oro discs , 700 brake fliud and road race pads , made a huge difference on my multi V4 , thinking of doing the same on my 1250 as I have the M 1000Xr and got use to the superb brakes on thet.

 

[stick]

Brake fade will happen on a GS, I've only experienced it on a track day though, going from 135 to 50mph on a heavy bike creates a lot of heat in the front discs/pads.

I have had fade on the road before in the Spanish mountains as you do use the brakes a lot on some sections , not horrific but had to wind the lever out ... to allow for it on the tasty sections...