Need new Brakes pads Sir...Eh what ?

[Essex Boy]

Just had my shiny green GTR serviced for it's first proper service. Should have been 3,750 miles I know but still got it in at 4,400 miles.

Bought her in March and had the first service done at 732 miles. So she is 3 months old and 4,400 miles old. Only riding has been on the A12 into London, so 30 miles per day dual carriageway, and 30 miles a day suburban/urban commute. So using the brakes for say 2,000 miles.

Front pads worn down to the metal literally. No meat, no marker, nothing left.

Kawasaki service guy says "Well your brakes were exceptionally dirty". "From commuting says I ? Urh, don't think so, especially when I wash the bike and brakes to clear salt etc every week".

So they are going to be sent to Kawasaki for a request of refund on the 90 quid for the new ones.

Anybody else on here got through front pads in such record time ?

Essex Boy

[100milesaway]

Just had mine out today, I would say they are about half worn, if that. The bike has done 10,550. Me thinks you must be last of the demon late brakers.

[Essex Boy]

Hee Hee   Wish that I was 100, but sadly this was just a regular 4,000 miles of commute. Either the brakes have been held binding on, although I didn't feel any obvious binding, or the pad material was made of Shi*e. Soft Shi*e at that.
EB

[Essex Boy]

Just read that MJJ was disappointed that his GTR needed 2 sets of pads in 22,500 miles and tried to get a warranty claim. What about fuggin 4,000 miles Mr Kawasaki.

[O.C.]

Blimey, if Kawasaki provide replacement brake pads for your bike that would be a first, even afetr such a relatively short time

They are serviceable items after all

[Mogster]

yup... Kawasaki GTR brakes are shocking... just back from a 1300 mile trip and dispite having new pads and discs via a warrenty claim. they overheated/faded etc when used hard and now make a terrible noise under hard braking... 

[Boomer]

OEM pads lasted 25k miles. Still had 3mm left when replaced.
EBC HH pads that replaced them lasted 22k miles. Had about 2mm left when replaced.
Currently on Ferodo HH pads. Have 2k miles on them and they seem OK.
Do need new front discs though as mine are down to 4.2 and 4.1mm.
Still no warpage or juddering under braking.

4k miles for a set of pads is crap. Those pads were definately defective.
Kawasaki just buy them in from another manufacturer and lately they do seem to be sourcing stuff from the lowest bidder.

[BigAlan]

I had my disks and pads changed a few weeks ago, so far so good, stops like a good un, but the vibration from 2500rpm is still there leading to numb hands, Mr K is being kept informed and one day soon i hope to announce a cure to my problems, a tourer at the moment this bike is not.

Alan

[O.C.]

This vibration problem really is quite strange. As I'v said before my original 2008 GTR never had any vibes at all, even with the Acropovic can fitted, BUT when I exchanged that bike for a 2010 model the vibes were very evident, I also transfered the Acro can onto that machine, I have to say that the suspension on the 2010 bike was very 'choppy' as well.

My current 2011 bike basically has no vibe problems, although on one occasion whilst returning from Cornwall last Saturday I did experience some vibration at about 65 - 75mph but it didn't last long and it wasn't really too bad.

I recall talk of balance shafts within the engine and the suggestion that they might be responsible for the vibes.

Its a bit of a mystery 

[BigAlan]

Balance shafts out of balance perhaps? I am not a mechanical bike person simply an old got who rides it with numb hands.

One day soon hopefully they will sort it.

Alan

[Rusty]

No ... had new front pads on at the 12000 mile service .....

[1ka]

My first set went after around 5000.  You might want to check your discs for warpage and wheel bearings, as I believe these contribute to the pad wear problem.  I had these replaced later too.

[Essex Boy]

Thanks IKA but this was my first service at 4,400 miles on a bike 3 months out of the showroom. So warpage, wheel bearings etal should all be fine.

Just cheap pads I reckon....

Come on Mr K give me my money back please....

EB

[Mogster]

Thanks IKA but this was my first service at 4,400 miles on a bike 3 months out of the showroom. So warpage, wheel bearings etal should all be fine.

Just cheap pads I reckon....

Come on Mr K give me my money back please....

EB

Check out some of the other posts dood, some of us are seeing disc warping and bearing failure on some models at the 5k mark..... these are all being replaced under warranty... 

[Gonome]

Don't know what others think but all this talk of problems experienced after very short periods of time on bikes costing upwards of £13k is really putting me off changing my 57 plate for a new model. I am aware that most problems are being sorted under warranty, but to me they should never have happened in the first place. If they do occur in the quantities reflected by the number of posts on this forum there should be a general recall of all relevant models by Kawasaki so that effected parts can be changed. Just fixing the bikes that are experiencing problems is simply not good enough and smacks of very poor after sales servicing.