robp
Guest
Gents, what is the normal life expectancy of the rear pads on the 12GS? I have just had mine replaced on the second annual service at 6200 miles. Seems like quite a short life for a set of pads?
Chris Terry
Registered user
Mine's done 11,500 mls and still has a few thou left.
PS. I only use the brake lever (linked brakes)
PS. I only use the brake lever (linked brakes)
28k from new and still on the orginal brake pads front and rear.
Non ABS model mind so no linked brakes.
Non ABS model mind so no linked brakes.
st247
Registered user
nedflanders
Registered user
1600miles and down to the metal 
, ABS with linked brakes, and no my foot wasn't resting on the pedal, the bike was off the road for 7months while I was in Iraq and I think something somewhere was stuck after such a long layup. Fitted sintered pads since the dealer didn't believe it wasn't my fault 
, 4k later and no sign of wear
, ABS with linked brakes, and no my foot wasn't resting on the pedal, the bike was off the road for 7months while I was in Iraq and I think something somewhere was stuck after such a long layup. Fitted sintered pads since the dealer didn't believe it wasn't my fault , 4k later and no sign of wear
Rear brake pads were changed at 16k and the fronts have about a third left in them @ 17k. Why use yer brakes with all that engine braking. As my mate points out 'he hates following me into corners as I don't break'. Works for me, he should of been behind me on my old Aprillia RSV now that HAD engine breaking
I fail to under stand why people need them after 5k, they must trail the rear brake into corners without realising?
Allan
I fail to under stand why people need them after 5k, they must trail the rear brake into corners without realising?
Allan
I fail to under stand why people need them after 5k, they must trail the rear brake into corners without realising?
Allan
Do any bit of off roading in the mud and they don't last p1ssing time..
5000miles seems normal with Linked brakes.
Get your dealer to check how many hours,mins,seconds you've used each brake.. It'll give you an idea of how much you really use it (though not how hard you've used it)
nedflanders
Registered user
Rear brake pads were changed at 16k and the fronts have about a third left in them @ 17k. Why use yer brakes with all that engine braking. As my mate points out 'he hates following me into corners as I don't break'. Works for me, he should of been behind me on my old Aprillia RSV now that HAD engine breaking
I fail to under stand why people need them after 5k, they must trail the rear brake into corners without realising?
Allan
It's got nothing to do with riding style, I've never worn out pads on any bike until I bought the GS, some bikes must be set up with more rear bias, you must have got lucky thats all. The dealer 'failed to understand' as well not accepting there might just be a problem with the setup rather than the rider
Garfieldus
Guest
this never happened to me on any other oilhead and i've had seven others. this is my eight oilhead (12gsa) and the first to have linked brakes.
metal to metal at 4400 KILOMETERS
almost metal to metal at 10,500 kilometers
dealer replaced disk and pads (with sintered) a couple of weeks ago at the 10,000km service under warranty. seemingly there is a special premature pad wear warranty code.
metal to metal at 4400 KILOMETERS
almost metal to metal at 10,500 kilometers
dealer replaced disk and pads (with sintered) a couple of weeks ago at the 10,000km service under warranty. seemingly there is a special premature pad wear warranty code.
JohnC
Registered user
Rear brake pads were changed at 16k and the fronts have about a third left in them @ 17k. Why use yer brakes with all that engine braking. As my mate points out 'he hates following me into corners as I don't break'. Works for me, he should of been behind me on my old Aprillia RSV now that HAD engine breaking
I fail to under stand why people need them after 5k, they must trail the rear brake into corners without realising?
Allan
I wish people would put their brain into gear, as well as their bike
So, if you do lots of stop start town riding and filter through miles of traffic every day then you can get away with just engine braking?
As you own a GS you will know that unless you have some sort of contorted gammy foot that your boot will be miles away from the brake, hence why people put brake extenders on the GS. Trailing the brake into corners has it's uses but I very much doubt that anyone with high wear rates does this.
Organic pads are the problem, along with slow or town riding where gentle braking puts the bias at 80/20 rear/front. That along with people who use their bikes in all weathers/all year as this allows road crud to act like grinding paste on the organic chocolate pads.
I've owned about 50 bikes over the past 25 years
and the GS12 is the only bike that eats rear pads. It's also the only bike I've owned with linked brakes. Make of that what you will 
Yoda
Registered user
'06 12GS, linked ABS servo brakes:-
1st set lasted 3,400 miles. 2nd set lasted 1,600 miles and that was with knowingly not using the rear pedal except for slow car park type stuff.
However, with two months of riding through the continued deluge I think the cardboard pads just mushed away.
As JohnC says, light braking gives an 80/20 rear bias (I believe).
At the last service, the dealer fitted the sintered pads free of charge, so clearly it's a known issue.
1st set lasted 3,400 miles. 2nd set lasted 1,600 miles and that was with knowingly not using the rear pedal except for slow car park type stuff.
However, with two months of riding through the continued deluge I think the cardboard pads just mushed away.
As JohnC says, light braking gives an 80/20 rear bias (I believe).
At the last service, the dealer fitted the sintered pads free of charge, so clearly it's a known issue.
I didn't mean to annoy or upset anyone with my view as it was only a view.
I ride my bike all year around as the miles on the clock suggest. I also commute on my GS12 (plus transalp) and have taken it to the Pyrenees and Alps loaded and two up, not to mention Scotland and Ireland, so it has stop started and braked like most bikes. Must be just a bit of luck then, a bit like the last four or five bikes I've owned in the 12 years of a 28 year biking passion. Unless BMW changed the compound after 2004
Only a view mind
I ride my bike all year around as the miles on the clock suggest. I also commute on my GS12 (plus transalp) and have taken it to the Pyrenees and Alps loaded and two up, not to mention Scotland and Ireland, so it has stop started and braked like most bikes. Must be just a bit of luck then, a bit like the last four or five bikes I've owned in the 12 years of a 28 year biking passion. Unless BMW changed the compound after 2004 Only a view mind
JohnC
Registered user
I didn't mean to annoy or upset anyone with my view as it was only a view.
Only a view mind
Of course, all views are to be respected,
but to say it's the owners fault when there is obviously some other reason does not help the poor sods like me who have been through 4 or 5 sets of pads within less than 20K. FWIW sintered pads seem a LOT better. What model year is your bike btw?
My rears were done in about 10k miles. When I removed them, the wear indicators fell out...so they were about to go metal to metal.
Replaced them with the ones Steptoe flogs. After 4k it looks like the they still have a lot of life on them.
My 0'7 has links, but no servos and I DO use the rear as needed....slow speed maneuvering, etc.....
Replaced them with the ones Steptoe flogs. After 4k it looks like the they still have a lot of life on them.
My 0'7 has links, but no servos and I DO use the rear as needed....slow speed maneuvering, etc.....
I have over 12000miles on my R1150GSA and my pads ar all most new
Mines an 04 on a 54 plate . I too have brought some of steptoes pads for a quick change before the big trip to the Stelvio and all passes in Austria/Switz that are worth while and not forgetting the pootle through the Blackforest B4 and after So its good to here some feed back on them
Allan
. I too have brought some of steptoes pads for a quick change before the big trip to the Stelvio and all passes in Austria/Switz that are worth while and not forgetting the pootle through the Blackforest B4 and after So its good to here some feed back on them Allan
My 1200GS just had its 2nd annual service (~7,750 miles) and I was told the rear pads needed replacing so I said yes. I only use the front brake lever but most of my riding is slow commuting in traffic (I know - why don't I get a scooter? Well, the GS is much more fun!)
However the wear is much better on the GS than on my previous BMW (R1150R) which I managed to get down to the metal twice during a similar period / mileage. Very careless - should have cleaned it more often & checked the pad thickness...
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