What did you do to your Spyder today?

[Peter Aawen]

Thanks Pete, I wouldn't guess that the Nanny would be so particular with wheel rotation, but i thank you for the heads-up. As for the brakes, we were certainly conscious of the rotors and calipers, and as such there wasn't any significant contact with either that we felt could have collapsed the cylinders enough to warrant a full pedal of movement. Are these caliper pistons/hydraulic system softer than the typical automotive brake system?

For someone not used to them, Brembo brakes, especially those on our Spyders, do feel a little different to the brakes most are used to with their cars & trucks etc... Some call it a 'softer' feel; some feel it takes a 'longer pedal/lever throw until they start to bite'; some just feel it takes more pedal movement to get any braking action, but then there's little progressive feel, once they grab they just REALLY brake; while others have completely different 'feelings' & terms for them/the way they work, but for most, they do work well and they are widely considered to be a massive shed load better than the previous brakes on the 2012 & earlier Spyders! And when these Brembo Brakes are teamed with a very good Nanny, like that on our Spyders, then largely because of the larger tire footprint area Spyders have over most bikes; the Brembo's excellent braking effectiveness; and the much lighter weight of a Spyder vs that of most things fitted with similar brakes, then if you/the rider knows how to use the pedal to get the best from them, they will pretty much stop your Spyder vastly better/quicker than just about anything else on the road!!

Regardless of what you call it/how you describe it, it'll take very little disc/pad movement to produce what feels like a much greater 'loss of pedal'! What you've mentioned re the brakes isn't an uncommon thing with Brembo brakes, even if they aren't on Spyders; and it is almost impossible to take the front wheels off a Spyder without moving the discs a little, which means they'll be pushing the pads clear of the discs juuust a tiny amount.... So just that action of removing the wheel is often more than enough to let the pads move away from the discs a seemingly miniscule amount, something that's compounded exponentially if you do happen to noticeably touch &/or drag the disc a bit as the wheel comes off - and even that miniscule amount of additional clearance between disc & pad can give you what feels like a massive loss of pedal!!

But if, as is most likely given what you've told us, Poppie, that's all it is in your case, then simply making sure you apply the brakes a couple of times after refitting the wheels and before turning the ignition on will likely mean you never experience a 'brake failure' warning for the same reason again.... Altho there's still the possibility of the brake fluid level in the reservoir being down juuust a tiny amount thing that can cause similar warnings; or the pressure switch getting a bit of mud on it & not working properly; or your foot touching the pedal as you ride; or the....

Just Sayin' Ride Safe, & have a Great New Year!