hot rotor

[jkhomes]

While taking a break coming down a steep mountain tight twisty pass this weekend (on my 08 R1200R), I noticed something on the edge of my rear rotor that alarmed me. I was using a technique of dragging the rear break and applying a small amount of maintenance throttle to keep the suspension stable through the turns. I don't know if this had anything to do with it or not.

There seems to be a dotted line of hot spots along the edge of the rotor. Since they brakes don't touch the edge, it is hard for me to understand how this might have happened. I have ABS, but not traction control. For sure I am going to keep an eye on it. Any one else seen this?

[David R]

I don't use drag brake or "trail braking" much because I am afraid of cooking the FD. It works and does stabilize the bike. That is heat coming out of your rotor. Probably not bad for the rotor, but how much of that heat goes into the diff?

I do trail brake a little on my 2011 chain drive Versys.

David

[ammolab]

I don't use drag brake or "trail braking" much because I am afraid of cooking the FD. It works and does stabilize the bike. That is heat coming out of your rotor. Probably not bad for the rotor, but how much of that heat goes into the diff?

I do trail brake a little on my 2011 chain drive Versys.

David

I would think at speed little to no rotor heat would find its way to the rear end of a R1200R.

[jkhomes]

I am not the least bit worried about heat from the brakes getting to the driveshaft. I am very worried about the heat causing the brake pads to fracture, disc to warp, damage the calipers, etc.

It was an extreme situation with steep downhill on a tight twisty highway and not a situation I ride in regularly. Evidently no one else has seen this same scenario on the disc edge. If so, please chime in!

[Marty2]

I had the same scenario (but not as bad) on my 06 RT. I could also smell brakes by the time I reached the bottom of the descent. I had attacked that downhill rather vigorously. That was 2 years ago with no ill after effects.

[David R]

The caliper was hanging up a little on my /6. It cracked at every hole on the outside. I bought a new rotor.

I think you will be fine. Its the rotors job to take the heat.

David

[jkhomes]

Thanks guys. That is exactly the type of response I was hoping for.

[Steve in VT]

The rear brake on my '07 was heating up after even short rides until I serviced the caliper mounts. Not as hot as yours, but definitely warm, and I didn't think I was using the back brake. I was, of course, or the bike was, every time I used the front brake.

The caliper was hanging up a little on my /6. It cracked at every hole on the outside. I bought a new rotor.

I think you will be fine. Its the rotors job to take the heat.

David

I agree with David, rotors can get hot. If yours is warped (enough to see) or cracked, it's toast. Otherwise, you're fine.

Steve

[mogu83]

JK - I don't think anyone asked. What kind of mileage are you getting out of your rear brake pads??

In the early days of the R1200R a few of us were experiencing high wear on the rear pads. After a bunch of back and forth it came down to two things.
1. Those of us (like me) that were not used to the linked ABS brakes were using both the front brake and also pushing on the rear brake peddle. This resulted in over brakinging the rear wheel causing excessive pad wear and heat buildup in the rotor.
2. A drop of oil under the rubber bellows that covers the pin that the caliper slides on seems to allow the caliper to release faster after you use the brakes and prevents the rear brake from dragging.

[Steve in VT]

I was using a technique of dragging the rear break and applying a small amount of maintenance throttle to keep the suspension stable through the turns.

Saturday afternoon I was getting in a late-season ride, not heading anywhere in particular, toddling down some Vermont back roads, when I saw a pair of sport-tourers cross an intersection ahead of me. Having nothing better to do, I caught up with them, and the three of us made quick work of ten miles of country road into Brandon. I couldn't I.D. the bikes, but I was pretty sure both of them were twins. They headed for Rt. 73 over Brandon gap, a road I know well, so I joined in the fun.

Long story short, the back rider waved me by, and I and the leader played chase-me-over-the-hill until he stopped at Rt. 100 and I got a good look at my nemesis, a Ducati 1200 Multistrada. Well ridden, if I do say so myself. His wife rolled up on another Duck (an ST3?) and we stopped long enough to admire each other's rides, and remark on the good roads and fine weather.

That transit was probably as fast as I've ever run that particular road, and while I wasn't scared at the time (too busy), I probably should have been. Actually, I was scared once; when I felt the back end stepping out as I downshifted going into a hard right-hander with my foot on the rear brake. I hadn't matched the RPM's to the speed (F##KING touchy throttle!), and even with ABS, the back wheel hopped a couple times.

Maybe it would have happened even with my foot off the brake, but the extra friction surely didn't help.

Thanks to excellent suspension, good tires, and clean, dry pavement, I'm still around to tell the tale. But I'll sure as hell keep my foot off the brake the next time I tangle with a Ducati.

Here's a video of the road I shot a few years ago. It's been paved since then.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOxx_xIs ... MQxsfV-QcQ

Steve