A HUGE thank you ALL for your comments, points and questions. I am very sorry it’s taken me a while to answer, but I’ve been mulling things over as well as working “12hr” shifts... and I also today had an email from the MD of the dealership (company?) so watch this space
To answer people – Trying to do it in order…
I think that the brake pads on any vehicle, particularly one with no brake wear warning system, should be expected to last a full service interval with ease. Not everyone who buys a motorcycle can be expected to be able to inspect brake pads and assess the remaining life. This should be able to be coped with within the annual or 6k mile service visits. If 3K is normal for brake pad replacement, then a 3K service visit should be specified as braking performance is critical to safety.
Agreed… Unless you’re a submariner – and then I’d be forced to argue simply because I was surface fleet! LOL
My 2017 GSA is at 9,300 miles and I use my rear brakes dragging ALL THE TIME, for slowriding etc.
They still have a lot of life left.
What the hell you doing to yours?
Errr… Nothing that I know of – That’s the problem and your bike IS NOT dirty. See the state of mine in the photo!
He's probably doing nothing ...could be the dealer pulling a fast one, there could be plenty of life left in the Pads
I would like to think not – they’re a very well respected dealers
Post a picture of your rear pads. I have 25,000klms on my bike and both front/rear pads have lots of life left in them
See photos below
My bike has 12K on it, and its still on the original pads and disc... and I do use them as its not an every day bike... when we go out is for a 'fun' run!!
I did however, play about with the rear caliper and bleed the rear brake as it was sticking on initally a bit (bought the bike at 9K)... the rear disc was getting hot even when not used so i knew it was rubing... the rear pedal was also going down a lot when pushed before braking....
Bled the system, took the caliper off and cleaned everything (pushed back pistons etc)... and its fine now.... pedal is higher and works ok... no rubbing any more.
I'd expect pads to last 15K or more... no way should they be down on the miles you are doing.. It is a linked system so you do use your back when applying the front... but unless your 30 stone or more, there is no way they should go down this quick...
did they do the brake fluid.. think thats how mine got the air in.. they didn't do it right
Mine is a “day to day” bike (it’s my only bike and I generally use it to commute to ambulance shifts… But I do tend to give it some beans when going most places!
I too would expect the pads to last longer – the basis behind my complaint to the dealer. I realise (as I have stressed to the dealer) understand that it’s a linked system. So was the system on my Pan European – so it’s not a new concept to me and I never had this problem with my Pan! I’m currently 20 Stone (and descending – bariatric surgery on Tuesday!!) One can only presume that brake fluid is that put in at build? The bike has been on the road since March 2017.
Myke Rocks
This is a perennial and ongoing complaint about BMW 1200 motorcycles. Yours would appear to be the worst yet…
BMW appear to have decided that Brake pads not fit for purpose on the rear are a way to take money from the gullible.
If it were me, I would be demanding that the brake pads last at least between their horrenously short service interval.
If I bought a new anything and the brake pads wore out before first service, I would demand replacements at manufacturers cost, and if refused, hand the damn thing back and ask for a refund.
I was aware of the corrosion complaints – not of the brakes. Sod’s law I’ve got the worst ones!
I think that the crux of my “argument” (AKA discussion) with the dealer is the length of time the damned things are lasting. “Handing the damned thing back” is going to be difficult as I have replaced numerous parts, had it “Hilltopped” etc!
EVskij
Hi Phil,
Sorry to hear your troubles.
My GSA is likely to be from same dealer as yours, since March last year my bike has covered just under 11k miles and has original pads all round. However I was told last time round that rears will need changing at 12k service. Might go with Brembo pads due to silly OEM cost.
There has to be something else. Question is, do you get going hard with plenty GSAP action? What riding mode do you run it in most of the time? I am not sure how system works but I understand that Traction Control works (detection) through ABS system, allot of hard acceleration in say Rain or Road mode would cause TC to kick in (anti wheelie) via rear brake. Perhaps you not realising and resting your foot on the brake ever so slightly causing it to drag?
Possibly the same dealer – though not the same branch (thank you for - like me – not naming. I AM trying to maintain cordiality with the dealer) TBH, I’d almost expect to change some pads – certainly rear – at 12K. With the Honda, I stuck to OEM because a) they weren’t overly expensive b) consensus of the collective was that OEM actually worked better!
Yes, I go quite hard and use GSAP a lot. Dynamic mostly unless its torrential rain (with chip fitted) I’m not sure that I hit the throttle so hard that the front wheel would want to lift – therefore the TCS shouldn’t be activating the rear brake (I hope) No, not dragging my foot on the brake – after the 2nd pad change, I had people check for brake lights… “you brake less than we do” was the reply.
You going to post some pictures?
Yeah, sorry… Like I said – shifts
My 2013 GS ate its rear pads in less than 3K miles and I replaced them with red Brembo ones. If I remember correctly, part of the issue is down to the way the semi-linked brakes operate. Using the front brake lever applies the rear brake before the front ones. Light pressure on the front brake lever only applies the rear without the front being applied. So if you habitually brake early, using only a light application, as you might do in an urban environment, you're using only the rear brake. However, none of that applies to me as I live in a rural setting, don't comfort brake and ride pretty hard and yet the rear pads were trashed at about 2.5K miles....
Sounds too much like mine!
I was thinking this as well, especially about resting your foot on the brake pedal without knowing? - also that there could be air in the front brake so the rear is doing a lot more of the work than it should as the front is slowing you less due to sponginess?
Being on your 3rd set of pads in under 9k miles is not normal - going through pads quicker than tyres is defiantly not right, same for the rear disk.
All I can suggest is that given the circumstances you ask them to totally dismantle, clean, and service the front and rear brakes, fit the new disk and pads at cost, and see where you go from there. This should be covered by warranty ideally, and I understand they may feel you have your foot on the brake but don't want to call you on it as it cannot be proven, but either way - something is not right.
That’s along the lines of what I was thinking… Although having funded all those pads (at retail) plus fitting and the rear caliper cleaning…
They can come follow me on any ride to see the way I ride to see there’s no brake lights – so no rear brake activation…
I recomend that you keep your relationship with your dealer as amicable as poss, dont go public with this as it can backfire. Be firm but not arsey about it, shouty emails just annoy people and lose any good will and put them on the defensive
Brake pads and discs should last at least the service interval, if not, the vehicle becomes unsafe due to a design fault, it should be a warranty issue.
I’m trying to keep to that – ergo the “no dealer name” in my post. I am being as careful as poss – given how pissed off I’m getting, I’m surprising myself. I’m not answering communications immediately with words/phrases that could be construed as inflammatory. My thoughts (and others thoughts about the ideal longevity of disks/pads)
2016 gs rear pads changed at 17000 miles,still had a bit to go tbh as well
I wish!
Did you have the position of the brake pedal adjusted?
It’s a part of the bike that is stock… I have the pedal on the lower of it’s 2 settings (the GSA with the “flip-down” bit on the brake pedal) ie the bit not flipped down. But, like I say, I have probably only used the rear brake pedal a couple of dozen times on the 14 months I’ve been riding it.
....altho he stated 'I'm led to believe..' I'd have thought he would have found out exactly how the system worked before replying. Pretty unprofessional.
I hadn’t picked up on that before you pointed it out. Am now in comms with the MD of the dealership and that is in my arsenal. Thank you!
+1 to this.. has someone been messing with the rear brake adjustment screw?.. at rest, there must be a gap (think its 1mm) between the pedal arm and frame... if not then it can cause the rear brake to rub
I’m unsure as to who could have tampered with it or when… The only place the bike has been for work is the dealer in question and it’s rarely parked anywhere away from my supervision.
…Your either dragging the back brake with your foot position and not realising, the caliper is not retracting properly or the valves in the ABS are not working properly.
It can only be one of those three things.
Not dragging foot as previously described… as to the other two – one would HOPE that the dealers technicians could determine these points!