Rotors are like oil and tire issues. A lot of opinions and statements. But many don't square with the facts.
Anyone remember the old vinyl records? Well, they actually warped if you didn't take care of them. Usually leaving them in the sun would do it for you.
If the warp got too bad, it wouldn't even play anymore.
And while a vinyl record would still play fine even with some visual warpage. It only takes a few thousands of an inch to render a rotor defective.
Most true warpage on our rotors comes from improper torque on the wheel lug nuts. But you have to be quite a ways out of speck to get this to happen.
What most are calling warp, is actually not a deformity of the metal rotor. Instead, it is a buildup of brake material which is absorbed or embedded into a too soft/porous rotor surface. This happens when you get the pads & rotor good and hot. Then you stop with the brake peddle mashed down. Now the very hot pad and the very hot rotor are in continuous, static contact with pressure applied and no way to cool down. This creates a buildup of brake material creating a hump right there. Now every time that hump comes around there is increased friction on that isolated spot so it gets hotter than the rest of the rotor and more brake material buildup is deposited. This sets up a vicious cycle. Over time you'll get the classic pulsation on the brake peddle and wobble in the front end when you apply the brakes (especially if you apply them hard).
This malady will act just like a warped rotor so the symptoms are the same. And they can't be fixed so the remedy is also the same. This is probably why, even those who know better, simply call it a warped rotor instead of trying to set the record straight. The customer usually doesn't care to hear all the technical data. They just want it fixed and they want to know long it will take and how much it will cost. Not getting on anyone here. It's just the way it is.
I sell a fair amount of EBC rotors to Spyder customers. And to my surprise, The lions share go to F3 owners. I would have thought the RT, a heavier machine, many times ridden 2-up, heavily loaded and towing a trailer, would be harder on the brakes. And I am pretty sure there are a lot more RT's than there are F3's out there. But I digress.
I have had several F3 owners call saying they have replaced their front rotors twice with OEM, BRP parts. And they were again in need of replacements! So they were looking into the EBC products.
Of course I can't guarantee that the EBC rotors will never go bad. But I have to say that, so far, not one has failed. And this from several riders that had already gone through 2 sets in fairly short order. I think that is pretty good performance.
Oh! And the best part is. The EBC rotors stop better and cost about 1/2 the price of the OEM rotors. So it's not all bad news when your OEM rotors go belly-up!
