Brake pads - when should I expect to change them?

[toolie]

2017 f3L I now have 21000 miles and trouble free.
Just wondering when I can expect to change my brake pads. We plan to spend a few days in the Texas hill country next month.
Thanks

[BajaRon]

The best thing to do is to check each pad's friction material thickness. Wear limit is 1mm (about 3/4 the width of a dime). A pad on one side of the caliper can be worn more than the other side.

In my experience people average about 25k on a set of pads for the 2013+ models with the Brembo system. But this varies from as little as 15k to as much as 40k and even more in rare cases. There are a lot of variables that combine to create quite a spread in 'Expected' mileage.

If you are close to the 1mm wear limit on any pad and you plan to take an extended trip. It is advisable to change the pads and leave with fresh brakes. One less thing to worry about.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

2017 f3L I now have 21000 miles and trouble free.
Just wondering when I can expect to change my brake pads. We plan to spend a few days in the Texas hill country next month.
Thanks

I went 30,000 on my 14 RT and don't use the brake much ( anticipate & let engine slow the spyder ) .... I missed a Bullet, both pads were a hair away from metal .... it's not difficult to check them ..... at 21,000 I'd look ....I'm checking my rears now ( with 26,600 mi. on the new EBC pads ) .... well the EBC pads are wearing much slower than the original OEM pads. ... I will check again in another 10,000 mi .......jmho .... Mike

[Little Blue]

Do you know how to check your brake pads? 1mm is the minimum. If you can do you own brakes, BajaRon is good place to get your Pads. .......

[toolie]

I thought I would get a light on the dashboard when the fluid got a little bit low because of brake wear. Thanks for the comments, guess I need to order now and pull the wheels and have a look.
Which ones wear out first. Probably need to change all at the same time.

[BajaRon]

I thought I would get a light on the dashboard when the fluid got a little bit low because of brake wear. Thanks for the comments, guess I need to order now and pull the wheels and have a look.
Which ones wear out first. Probably need to change all at the same time.

Don't depend on a brake fluid warning light. Though most will get that. It's not a reliable way to go.

On the 2013+ Brembo systems, all 3 pad sets tend to wear evenly if the system is functioning properly. If anything wears out sooner, it will be the rear pads by a slight amount. Unless, again, there is something not functioning properly. The early Spyders (2008-2012) wear the rears out about twice as fast as the fronts. This is because BRP heavily biased the rear brake to come on first and go off last. This was done to anchor the machine and make it more stable while braking.

The later Brembo systems have a much smaller bias for the rear. It still comes on first and goes off last. But not by nearly as much. And since the fronts do more of the braking than the rear, it pretty much evens out, depending on your riding style.

[pegasus1300]

Thanks for that explaination Ron. I did not know about the bias thing on the 2010-12. I have always wondered why the rears went so much faster then the fronts. Counter to all my past experience with motorcycle maintenence.

[BajaRon]

Thanks for that explaination Ron. I did not know about the bias thing on the 2010-12. I have always wondered why the rears went so much faster then the fronts. Counter to all my past experience with motorcycle maintenence.

On 2 wheels, the fronts do 70% of the breaking. But unless you have an ABS system. It depends a great deal on how efficiently you use the front brakes as to what wears the most. With the Spyder, you don't have a choice. If you do a lot of light to light, stop and go at lower speeds. About all you'll ever use are the rear pads on a 2008-2012 Spyder. If you are doing a lot of freeway driving, applying the brakes longer and slowing from a higher speed. You'll get more even wear out of the same set.

[blacklightning]

My 2016 F3T had 21k this summer when I got it serviced. I was about to do a 1500 mile weekend trip, and it was suggested that I change them. But my 2014 RT had 28k and the brakes were still good when I sold it. The RT was a manual, not sure if that made a slight difference or not.