Braking systems on a motorcycle are one of the most important systems incorporated into these machines. Brake pads are one of the consumable items in this system on your bike that will need regular replacement. But how long can you expect a set of brake pads to last on your bike, and how can you make them last longer?
Here’s how long motorcycle brake pads last on average:
The average life motorcycle brake pads last are about 20 000 miles or approximately 32 000km. This figure will vary depending on the brake pads’ compound, how you ride, the conditions you ride in, and how you brake. I have had brake pads last for 30,000 miles. The best way to check your brake pad wear is by visual inspection and should be checked regularly.
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Because brake pads on a motorcycle are a consumable product, some factors affect how quickly they wear and, therefore, how long they will last. Some of these factors are outside of your control and are down to the brake pads’ manufacture. However, some aspects are in your direct control that will affect how long the brake pads last, and I will discuss this further within this article.
What Are The Average Lifespan Of Motorcycle Brake Pads?
Asking how long motorcycle brake pads last is a very loaded question that is not easy to answer. Many variables affect these components’ lifespan. It is almost impossible to give a pinpoint figure. The best that can be done is to provide general estimates (or average) and manufacturer expectations, but these are subjective and may not match your experience.
I personally have had brake pads on some of the motorcycles I have owned last much longer than the average amount of time I would have expected them to last, and some a shorter amount of time.
Why is this the case with motorcycle brake pads? If we discuss the factors that can potentially affect the brake pads’ life, you will understand why this is the case.
Your experience could be that you will get 20 000 miles out of your front brake pads and up to 40 000 miles out of the rear brake pads. I have personally found this to be the case.
The number of miles a set of brake pads will last will also be determined by the composition of the brake pads, the brand, and your riding and braking habits.
By the way, if you click HERE, it will take you to Amazon, where you can view the motorcycle brake pads I use. They come in all different sizes, fit the majority of motorcycles, and are long-lasting.
What Factors Effect Brake Pad Lifespan?
There are several external factors that affect how long a set of brake pads will last on a motorcycle other than the pads’ materials.
Here are the factors:
- Quality of materials used. The quality and hardness of the brake pads’ manufacture material will affect how long the brakes last and how effective the brakes are in stopping the motorcycle.
- The type of riding you do on your bike. City riding, especially in traffic, is heavy on brakes. When I ride in traffic, I have two fingers of my throttle hand over the front brake lever to activate the brakes fast. The frequency of using the brakes in traffic and the aggressive manner in which you apply the brakes in traffic will cause your brake pads to wear more quickly.
- The size and weight of your motorcycle. Large, heavy bikes have more inertia, which requires more stopping power to arrest their forward momentum. This extra weight adds additional stress to the brake pads, which causes them to wear out faster on large bikes.
- The speed of your bike. Fast bikes get up to a higher speed much quicker than slower bikes and require hard braking to enable them to stop more effectively when traveling fast. Slowing the motorcycle down from a higher speed wears the brake pads more quickly
- Your riding habits. Using your bike for tricks and antics on the road, such as creating doughnuts on a tarred road, for example, (Not Recommended), will not only wear out your tires faster but your brake pads as well.
Glossary terms explained
The bite is defined as the initial aggressiveness of the grip when the brakes are first applied.
Fade resistance is defined as the grip drop-off of the pad under severe braking.
Disc / Rotor Life is defined as the amount of wear that the pad causes on the disc or rotor when the brakes are activated.
Ceramic brake pads may seem to have the best overall performance, but the limiting factor with these brake pads is that they are costly when compared to the other types of brake pads. They are also made from a softer compound, which results in them wearing out quicker than other types of compound brake pads.
Do Front And Back Brake Pads Last The Same Amount Of Time?
Front and back brake pads are usually made from the same material and generally have the same durability.
Bike riders will favor either the rear brakes or the front brakes, depending on the riding conditions. For example, when I commuted every day to work on my Honda CB1000, I found that I relied more heavily on the front brakes than the rear brakes.
Front and rear brake pads do not usually last the same amount of time. Most riders will not replace the front and rear brake pads together. This is less to do with the brake pads and more to do with a motorcyclist’s riding habits.
This will lead to one set of brake pads wearing out faster on the end that you favor rather than the other.
It is not necessary to change front and rear brake pads at the same time. It is only necessary to change the pads if the pads’ wear is sufficient to warrant a change.
How to check if motorcycle brake pads need replacing
Many people are under the misconception that they should wait until the brake pads start to make a noise before they require changing.
This is a dangerous and potentially costly practice. If left too long, the worn-down brake pads could scratch or score the brake disc or rotor, which will require replacement. Allowing this to happen can be an expensive mistake to make.
Considering that brake pads are cheaper than brake discs, it does not make sense to wait till this point and take the risk.
Worn brakes are also not safe, and you don’t want to find yourself in an emergency where you need to hit the brakes hard, and they are not in good condition. This could result in the brake pads failing to stop your motorcycle and place you in danger.
The best method for determining if the brake pads need to be changed is to perform a visual inspection of the brake pads.
So, how do you check to see if motorcycle brake pads need replacing?
Depending on the motorcycle, you will be able to see if the brake pads need to be changed visually, and this is normally achieved without any dismantling of the brake assembly. There are usually inspection ports for this purpose, and shining a small torch into this port will allow you to see how worn the brake pads are.
Conclusion
The length of time your brake pads will last is determined by how often your ride your motorcycle, how you ride, and the conditions you ride in. The amount of miles that your brake pads will last is a different metric depending on the brake pads’ compound and your riding habits.
This crucial component of your motorcycle needs to be kept in optimal operating condition at all times. The alternative could have dire consequences for you as a rider. When selecting brake pads, choose the best brake pads for the money that you can afford.
Committing extra money to the purchase of better quality brake pads, in my opinion, is a worthwhile exercise for any motorcycle rider.
If you click HERE, it will take you to Amazon, where you can view the motorcycle brake pads I use. They come in all different sizes, fit the majority of motorcycles, and are long-lasting.
Happy Riding!
