Anyone fancy a wafer .....

[Andy B]

.... thin brake pad on the back of their LC?!

I know this is a known problem but I couldn't believe what I found when I changed the pads today. One had about 0.5mm on it and the other was cigarette-paper thin!

So the stats:

2014 GSA LC
Brembo Carbon Ceramic Pads (Brembo 07BB0335 rear caliper brake pads | BRA70335)
Total of just over 4,500 miles from new.

Now I know this wasn't because I drag my foot over the brake pedal - the most regular criticism of my riding is that I don't cover the rear brake pedal enough.

The front pads have done 10,500 miles and have plenty of life left in them.

Did I pick the wrong replacement? This time I've gone on the advice of my local bike shop and fitted EBC FA209/2HH's.

I will be watching the new ones much more carefully!!

Less than 5k miles - I ask you!!

 

[CPJS]

Par for the course.
The rear brake is activated with the linked braking system. With light braking in traffic it will be only the back brake activated even when using the front brake lever.
On average the rear caliper is activated twice as often as the front even if you never touch the back brake.
Bmw must have made some changes to the later models as my '17 bike has done 12,000mls and the pads are only half worn.

 

[Phill Elston]

My 2017 GSA went in for a replacement front tyre... changed tyre type and during fitment, it was noticed that my rear pads were badly worn... 4.5K!

 

[Neil W]

Linked brakes will cause faster rear wear , however, the recommended rears on the GS/GSA LC should be sintered not ceramic

 

[crashhat]

My dealer told me my rear pads needed changing at 6k?
I'm tempted to opt for bembo any recommendations organic,ceramic or sintered etc?

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[Deleted account Charles Martel]

As CPJS says, par for the course.
Neil correctly says, you have no control over the use of teh rear brake.
In addition every time the ASC flashes, and it does in wet/slippery press-on, acceleration. The system applies the rear brake to reduce wheel spin.

 

[roamer]

the EBC sintered have given good service in my bmws, no disc issues which was a concern some years back when lc bikes were eating organic pads,

 

[ChazzyB]

Weird innit. My 2017 GS has 8K miles on it now and the original pads (checked last week-end) all have loads of life left [though I'll check again this week-end...]

 

[dave hendy]

I had a 2013, 2015 and now have a 2017 GS LC and do between 7-9k miles per year mostly 2-up and have never worn out any front or rear pads. I only use the rear brake via the lever at very low speed and not in normal use. I take the pads out a couple of times a year to clean them up.


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[Andy B]

BuMW have obviously changed something on the 2017 bikes. I guess I was using my old 2011 GSA as a guide. I changed the rear brake pads when it was highlighted at the 18,000 mile service.

Linked brakes are nothing new but I’ve never come across them being set so agressively set to rear. Are they really set up this way?

Neil - my hunch is you are right. Despite the recommendation of (partly) carbon replacements my understanding now is that you should have carbon on carbon. If you are Marquez it’s fine! Not on a GS though! Organic or sintered on a GS!!

 

[ChazzyB]

Par for the course.
The rear brake is activated with the linked braking system. With light braking in traffic it will be only the back brake activated even when using the front brake lever.

How do you work that one out? My GS appears to have a direct connection between the front lever and calipers. It even works when the ignition is switch off...

 

[autogs]

2016 gs here and standard bm rear pads still going strong at 13000 miles,when they do wear out I will put bm ones back in.

 

[ShakeyGS]

I’m only on my second set at 14000 miles and I’m an avid user of the rear. I’ve got brembo at the moment and I notice more accumulation of dust in the disc holes. A phosphor bronze pistol bore brush quickly sorts that out

 

[Spud]

Just over 24000 out of mine and now need changing. And that includes tours over the Alps loaded up with camping gear etc. Yet a friend who rides very like me only managed to get about 4500 out of his. Same bike. I can't figure it out ....

 

[CPJS]

How do you work that one out? My GS appears to have a direct connection between the front lever and calipers. It even works when the ignition is switch off...

Bmw have worked it out, not me.
The rear brake comes on first which steadies the bike so, when in town say, with very light braking only the rear brake activates.
If you have a nav 5 or 6 you can look up you brake useage. A friend of mine zeroed his brake count, then did a days ride without touching the rear brake. When he checked the count again the rear activation was 50% more than the front.

 

[ChazzyB]

2016 gs here and standard bm rear pads still going strong at 13000 miles,when they do wear out I will put bm ones back in.

You might reconsider that when you find out the price, Andy.

 

[CPJS]

2016 gs here and standard bm rear pads still going strong at 13000 miles,when they do wear out I will put bm ones back in.

The BMW pads are relabled (marked up) brembo ones.

 

[autogs]

oh I know,i have bought them already BUT new in the packet for 35 quid in the for sale section, 70 odd quid from bm I think

 

[AP11 LAD]

From my experience of over 30,000 miles using BMW pads and Brembo pads on GS bikes, my observations are as follows. The rear ones supplied by BMW seem to remain good for at least 10,000 miles before they need changing which is acceptable to me at least. The Brembo ones last as long on the front brakes but the rear ones are shot at around 4000 miles. I’m sure that Brembo make both sets but believe different compounds are used. Although the Brembo ones wear quicker on the rear and because it’s a very easy job to change pads I favour the aftermarket ones as they are much cheaper than buying from BMW

 

[roamer]

There were threads on early lc bikes eating organic rear pads and disc damage, the bmw answer at the time was k1600 rear sintered pads, which is possibly what we have on later bikes,
mine have done 15 k up to now on bmw pads,