Front Brake Pads

[Dgdecker]

New to me 2004 R1150R owner looking for advice regarding front brake pads. Bike has 26,500 miles on and front pads look “thin” to me. I can still see the wear indicator mark but can’t find a minimum thickness spec for this bike. What do y’all recommend for minimum thickness?
Second question, priced OEM pads and choked when I heard the price. Dealer parts guy suggested EBC as an excellent pad for reasonable $$. What brand/model/type pads do y’all suggest?
Thanks, Dave

[mdbenson]

Right on the EBC pads. I have used these for years and no problems.

[riceburner]

Personally, I prefer the OE BMW pads, they're thicker than the EBCs and I find they last longer, but then I do strange things with brakes on my bike ......

[UberZogster]

I like EBC and Galfer both. Pad compound is probably more of the question and really depends on how hard you ride. Galfer offers semi metallic which would be a good oem all around pad or the HH Sintered for a more performance oriented pad. In EBC you would be looking at the organic pads for OEM replacement and Double-H Sintered for spirited/performance pads.

[towerworker]

Does your '04 have ABS? If so regardless of which pad you choose remember that your front and rear brakes are linked when you pull the front lever. You don't need to use the rear brake pedal at all unless you only need rear braking. I didn't realize this on my first ABS BMW until I went thru two sets of rear pads and a rear rotor in 30K.

[Dgdecker]

Bike does not have ABS so that’s not at issue.

[riceburner]

New to me 2004 R1150R owner looking for advice regarding front brake pads. Bike has 26,500 miles on and front pads look “thin” to me. I can still see the wear indicator mark but can’t find a minimum thickness spec for this bike. What do y’all recommend for minimum thickness?
Thanks, Dave

If the indicator mark is a 'channel' cut in the friction surface, then as long as you can see it, you're above minimum thickness.

If it's a channel cut in the BACK of the friction material (ie a hole between the friction material and the backplate), then once the friction material has worn away and you can see the channel, then it's time to change them.

Basically - you're ok until the friction material has worn through....

Having said that, you'll get better braking from fresh pads either way: if in doubt, change 'em.

Oh - and also check your discs, new discs make a HUGE difference and (ime) these bikes seem to be prone to over-reduced braking efficiency due to thin discs, more so than other bikes for some reason I am yet to fathom.

MAKE SURE you get discs that are the correct thickness - some aftermarket discs are a little thin and so there's little point in buying them (ime).

[swamper]

The Galfer rotors and pads work well, much better than OEM stuff.

[AZBMWRIDER]

I put EBC HH pads front and rear and a great improvement in braking .
Looks like they will need replacement in the next 5,000 miles, for a life of 40,000 miles, so a bit less than OEM pads .
They also cost a lot less than OEM parts .