6 MIN READ
Do it yourself: Replacing the brake pads on your motorcycle
Replacing the brake pads on your motorcycle in time is important and easier than you think. Replacing the brake pads yourself is an easy way to save money and RAD shows you how easy it is.
When should I replace the brake pads of my motorcycle?
All brake pads are equipped with wear indicator groove, the less visible the groove, the more worn the brake pads are. You can check this by looking along the brake discs in the brake caliper. Shine a light and you will see the brake pads.
If there are no indication grooves visible, the rule is that you have to change the brake pads if the brake pads have less than 2mm of friction material left.
What is the difference between organic or sintered brake pads?
Organic and sintered brake pads are two different types of brake pads with different composition and performance. Choose the type of brake pads that best suit your riding style.
Organic Brake Pads
The pads of organic brake pads are made from organic friction material, bound with heat-resistant resin that hardens at higher temperatures that occur during braking. These brake pads are most common in road motorcycles or lighter motorcycles.
The brakes are somewhat quieter and softer than sintered brake pads. Organic brake pads can withstand high temperatures, as their heat dissipation is better. This makes them more suitable for long rides.
Sintered Brake Pads
The pads of sintered brake pads are made from compressed metal powder with a binder. During sintering, the binder melts away leaving a compact, hard mix of the metal powder. These brake pads are most common in bigger motorcycles that are used for track and off-road use where powerful braking performance is required.
Sintered brake pads have more biting power and are suitable for intensive use. The downside is that they dissipate less heat, causing your brake discs to heat up faster. Combining these brake pads with a floating brake disc prevents the brake disc from warping when overheated.
How do I find the right brake pads for my motorcycle?
Go to the Brembo or TRW brake pads page and enter the model details of your motorcycle. Then you will see a selection of the correct brake pads for your type of motorcycle. In my case, I get the choice of both organic and sintered brake pads for both the front and rear wheel of my motorcycle.
My preference goes to sintered brake pads, as I want to come to a stop as quickly as possible in an emergency. The price difference is so small that it’s an obvious choice.
RAD sells brake pads and discs from the TRW brand. TRW manufactures high-quality after-market parts that, in some cases, are even an improvement over the original parts from the manufacturer. For example, I replaced the standard brake disc on my F650 GS with a floating brake disc from TRW.
What do you need?
- New brake pads for your type of motorcycle
- The right Allen wrenches or screwdrivers for your type of motorcycle
- Torque wrench with the right sockets or keys
- Piston reset tool (optional)
- Brake cleaner
- Ceramic grease or copper grease
- Shims (can be replaced by ceramic grease or copper grease)
- Brake fluid (if necessary)
- Soft brush or old toothbrush
- Fine sanding pad
- Work gloves or rubber gloves
- Plenty of clean cloths
Replacing brake pads
You can quickly change the brake pads by simply removing and replacing the pads. It’s even better to dismantle the brake calipers and clean them thoroughly. This way, you can be sure that your brakes are in top condition after the process and you haven’t overlooked any potential problems. This process is similar for most motorcycles, there might be slight differences such as a cover plate, metal shim behind the brake pads, or a different way in which the pin that holds the brake pads in place is secured. You can always consult your workshop manual if you have any doubts.
Dismantle the brake caliper and remove the brake pads
Dismantle the cover plate of the brake caliper (if present). If your brake pads are secured with a threaded pin, unscrew this before you dismantle the brake caliper. If the pin is secured with a safety clip, you don’t need to do anything yet.
Detach the brake caliper and take some reference photos to ensure that you can put everything back in the right way.
Remove the safety clip from the pin that keeps the brake pads in place and remove the original brake pads
Caution: Make sure not to touch the brake lever any more once you have disassembled the brake caliper to prevent pushing the pistons out of the brake caliper.
Clean everything thoroughly
It is important to remove all collected brake dust. Brake dust is a fine powder consisting of minuscule metal particles that are created during braking. Clean the brake caliper and brake disc with brake cleaner so both can enjoy a clean new start. Use a fine sanding pad around the brake disc to remove dirt residues as thoroughly as possible. This cannot do any harm.
Pay sufficient attention to the pistons and polish the edge nicely. Use an old toothbrush or fine brush for this. This prevents dirt from getting into the rubber seal of the pistons and causing a leak. Remove the last remnants of brake cleaner with a microfiber cloth.
Note: If you notice that the pistons are damaged or the rubber seal is leaking, you’re dealing with a bigger problem and you’ll have to replace them.
Extra thorough
You can pull apart the brake caliper to thoroughly clean the guide. This prevents your brake caliper from rusting and no longer moving properly, you may generously use the brake cleaner to remove all the brake dust. Make this as smooth and shiny as possible with the help of the fine sanding pad. Afterward, lubricate the guide with ceramic grease or copper grease to keep your brake caliper moving smoothly.
Push the pistons back into the brake caliper
Push the pistons back into place, you can do this with piston resetting tool. If you do not have this, you can do it manually, or insert the old brake pads and use a flat screwdriver to push the pistons back in this way. The old brake pads ensure that you do not damage the pistons.
Be aware: When pushing back the pistons, the level of the brake fluid will rise. If you have recently topped this up, there is a chance it will overflow. If there is a risk of this, open the brake fluid reservoir and use a syringe to remove some brake fluid. You can also use kitchen roll as a wick to remove it.
Install the new brake pads and mount the brake caliper
Apply a thin layer of ceramic grease or copper grease to the back of the brake pads, where they come into contact with the pistons or stick shims on the back. This prevents squeaky brakes. If there is already a metal shim present on the original brake pads, you can clean it and click it onto the new brake pads. Then there is no layer of ceramic grease or copper grease needed on these brake pads.
Mount the brake pads in the brake caliper and insert the pin back into the brake caliper and attach the safety clip. If necessary, replace the cover plate.
Mount the brake caliper on the motorcycle and refer to the workshop manual to set the correct torque of the torque wrench. Also apply some thread lock on the screws to prevent them from coming loose due to vibrations.
Attention: Never apply grease to the brake disc or the brake pads, it is extremely dangerous. You want to brake with grip.
Build up the pressure in your brake lever and start breaking in your brakes
Pull the brake lever several times until you feel the pressure in your brake lines return. Only start riding when you are sure that the brake lever has sufficient pressure.
During the next rides, gradually increase the braking force while you drive. This way, your new brake pads and your brake disc will gradually adapt to each other until they reach their full braking power.
According to the book
If you doubt your own abilities or cannot consult a workshop manual, there is no problem at all in having this work done by a professional or garage. I have enough confidence in my own abilities, while friends of mine prefer to take the motorcycle to the garage. If you want to do this, know that there is no room for half measures. Otherwise, it’s best to have this done elsewhere according to the book.
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Nathan is our webshop employee who is ready with advice and assistance to help customers. When he is not answering customer questions, he writes helpful texts and blogs for the RAD site.