BMW Motorcycle Brake Pads

BMW Motorcycle Brake Pads

Maintaining your BMW motorcycles brake pads is one of the most important maintenance tasks that comes with motorcycle ownership. If you decide to undertake the task of checking and replacing your motorcycles brake pads yourself, the first step is to read the service manual for your particular motorcycle's make and model to get an idea of the unique characteristics of your machine. Provided that you have a good understanding of how a motorcycle's braking system works, there is no reason why you can't save yourself the time and money that would come from having a motorcycle mechanic check and replace your BMW motorcycle brake pads on a regular basis.

It is important to check the thickness of your brake pads often, rather than waiting until the pads have worn down to such an extent that the pad material is gone and little more than the metal backing of the pad is in contact with the brake rotors. Individual motorcycles will vary, but typically brake pads need to be changed when the pad has worn down to between 1mm and 3mm.

With so many different types of BMW motorcycles on the market, it makes sense that there are just as many types of BMW motorcycle brake pads to choose from. Organic brake pads are made from a soft compound and are known to be gentle on brake discs. As such, organic BMW motorcycle brake pads are best suited for basic off-road riding, road-registered dirt bikes, road bikes and scooters. Kevlar brake pads are the next step up for front BMW motorcycle brake pads and rear BMW motorcycle brake pads and are best suited for high-powered sports bikes, ATVs that will be used for basic off-road riding, dirt bikes, as well as scooters.

For those who need advanced braking when using road bikes, ride dirt bikes or ATVs in sandy, muddy or wet conditions, taking long road trips on cruisers, or who otherwise need advanced braking for a high-powered sports bike, the next level of BMW motorcycle brake pads are required. For these kinds of heavy uses, brake pads that can withstand greater heat than organic or Kevlar pads are necessary.