Rear brake strangeness

[Christos x]

Hello, not sure if this is an issue or just me not being used to ABS brakes (or disk brakes for that matter). Sometimes if I put a fair amount of pressure on the rear brake lever on me 800gs (down steep hills at low speeds for example) I get a strange and very disconcerting grinding / vibration feedback from the rear brake. Is this something anyone else has experienced? I thought that due to the slight lateral play in the lever, it was comming into contact with the exhuast mid section??? Could it be a simple break pad problem or something more sinister

Answers on a postcard to...Thanks

 

[chas820]

First thing is to check pads,grinding usually means metel to metal

 

[steve hughes]

Really good vids on youtube showing you how to replace or remove rear pads on the F8 in the field. Macedonia if i remember correctly.
Probably worth popping one out to assess the wear.

 

[Buz]

My guess is its the ABS kicking in, thats what i used to get on my 650 especially on loose surface

 

[Greggers]

Holaaa

If you've ground your pads down you'll know about it - it's easy to eyeball and check though.

If you're just clanking and banging on a downhill section then that's the ABS doing its job. Yes, the first time was disconcerting for me too (a bit like my first attempt at a shag) but you soon get used to it. You'll find it happens if you stamp on the rear brake while hard on the front too - as the front wheel loads up the rear unloads a little, reducing the weight on the wheel and therefore how much grip the tyre has on the road ... it will lock much more easily then of course the ABS kicks in - judadadadadadadada ... etc

G

 

[v8legend]

Really good vids on youtube showing you how to replace or remove rear pads on the F8 in the field. Probably worth popping one out to assess the wear.

You don't need to take the pads out to assess wear. You can easily check the pad material remaining by looking from behind.

Does your rear brake do this every time you use it, or just when braking hard? If it's just when braking hard (or if the rear wheel is unloaded), then it's probably the normal action of ABS. If it happens every time you use the brake, then there could be a problem (worn pads or dirt etc).

 

[Christos x]

Thanks for your replies everyone. It only happens when brakeing hard, and not all the time. So I suppose its a normal ABS thing (i'll check the pads anyway but it was only serviced a few months ago so they should be fine).

As I said I've never had this new fangled ABS thing on a bike before (I dont think i've had a car with it either) so it is a bit of an unknown entity for me. Suppose i'll have to go off and do a bit of research on how it all works so that I can get my head around it.

DRUM BRAKES ROCK!

 

[MikeMike]

I can honestly say that ABS brakes have saved me from what could have been 2 very bad accidents involving drivers pulling a left turn in front of me.
Any bike over 40 BHP should have its owner seriously contemplate an ABS set up. There are way too many cars on the road with way too many poor drivers behind the wheel and it is only gong to get worse. It's a jungle out there.