Front Rotors?

Klurejr

Klurejr

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Ever since the day I purchased my 02 FZ1 with 16k on the clock the front brakes have vibrated under heavy braking.

After a few thousand miles I changed the front pads.

The vibration did not change.

I have not really worried too much about it because I mostly take it easy and never need to brake real hard.

Today I got my chain replaced at the shop and the guy was giving me a really hard time about the front rotors saying they were warped and that caused the vibration and that is was a major safety issue and that I should address it right away.

So I started looking for rotors and found this:

EBC XC-Series Contour Rotors - BikeBandit.com

$222.00 PER rotor? Does that sound right? Seems super expensive to me.

Should the Rotors have been warped by 16k, or did perhaps the previous owners of this bike abuse it some? I use my bike for commuting, so I literally do very little braking, mostly straight line cruising. I really take it pretty easy in general, no super hard acceleration, no super hard braking, no super hard cornering.

I did search around a bit and found that some people bought some cheaper ones on eBay, but that sounds like a bad idea, others mentioned buying used OEM's from people, is that a good option?
 
I'm currently struggling with warped rotors on my 919 as well. It's very annoying and the first time I've encountered this on my own bike. I have been trying my luck with eBay OEM rotors which are MUCH more inexpensive. I have had great luck in the past with other bikes and saved hundreds over buying new aftermarket ones.

I recently bought a set of used OEM rotors off eBay for $30 but one of them is warped as well. I only paid $30 for the pair but I've had to go and find myself another rotor and hope it takes care of the issue. If it doesn't, I may invest in a new pair. Maybe.

And yes, rotors really ARE that expensive. It's insane how much they cost & the OEM ones are even more expensive. A used pair off eBay will be much more cost effective and the chances of finding a solid are pretty high I think.
 
I think so. The best thing I can suggest is to find an eBay seller that is operating out of a scrap yard/motorcycle salvage business. Email them and ask them to test & verify the rotor is straight and true with a runout gauge or whatever it's called.

I've had good success all but once (but they were dirt cheap and not verifiable) and you do save a lot. You're also getting OEM quality rotors.

Another suggestion is to cross-reference the FZ1 rotors to see what other bikes they were used on, like the R1. The more common the bike, the easier to find a good pair & the cheaper they will be.
 
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So I went through my brake spreadsheet from EBC and I found that the gen one FZ1 uses EBC: MD2074X

This is also used by:

97-07 YZF600
99-02 R6
06-09 R6S
97 YZF1000 Thunderace
98-03 R1
04-09 XVS1000 Silverado & Classic

I have always found that if the EBC parts are the same, the OEM parts are the same as well.
 
before replacing your rotors try sand paper. vigourously sand the working surface on both sides of both rotors. Often what is mistaken for warped rotors is brake pad material that has bonded to the rotor. The gen1 rotors are not prone to warpage unless struck by a foreign object. Now if you have a kawasaki go ahead and stock up on spare rotors.:stirpot:
 
Klurejr said:
Ever since the day I purchased my 02 FZ1 with 16k on the clock the front brakes have vibrated under heavy braking.

After a few thousand miles I changed the front pads.

The vibration did not change.

I have not really worried too much about it because I mostly take it easy and never need to brake real hard.

Today I got my chain replaced at the shop and the guy was giving me a really hard time about the front rotors saying they were warped and that caused the vibration and that is was a major safety issue and that I should address it right away.

So I started looking for rotors and found this:

EBC XC-Series Contour Rotors - BikeBandit.com

$222.00 PER rotor? Does that sound right? Seems super expensive to me.

Should the Rotors have been warped by 16k, or did perhaps the previous owners of this bike abuse it some? I use my bike for commuting, so I literally do very little braking, mostly straight line cruising. I really take it pretty easy in general, no super hard acceleration, no super hard braking, no super hard cornering.

I did search around a bit and found that some people bought some cheaper ones on eBay, but that sounds like a bad idea, others mentioned buying used OEM's from people, is that a good option?
Click to expand...

I've bought and sold motorcycle parts on ebay for awhile and here's a few suggestions. 1) make sure that there is a 14 day or more return policy on any part you purchase on ebay. 2) test/check the part as soon as you receive it so there is time to return it with the return period. 3) if there is a problem with the part (does not work, warped rotor, etc.) you can always file a claim with ebay. But try to resolve the problem with the seller first. If you do file a claim somethings the seller will try to intimidate you. For example telling you have to withdraw the claim before they can reimburse your money. NOT! If you have any questions call ebay and ask them how the process works. 4) Sometimes the seller will list the mileage of the bike the part came off. 5) look closely at the photos in the listing. You can zoom the photos and look very closely at it. 6) Go to a website that has new OEM parts and check the price. Expect to pay half price or less on ebay for a used part.

You can always check craigslist for parts too. Local craigslist gives you a the opportunity to look before you buy. But once you buy it there is usually no recourse. You can search all of craigslist too. I've purchased from afar and had the part mailed to me. Make sure you pay with paypal using ONLY the Sent Money > Purchase option to be covered by paypal buyer protection. If you use Sent Money > Personal option you WILL NOT be covered by paypal buyer protection.

Hope this helps.
 
I'm with Stretch on this.

Usually warped rotors will pulse not vibrate. And it usually take more than .005 runout in a rotor to feel the pulsing. All to often people mistake microscopic brake pad material build up on the rotor for warped rotors. This is true of motorcycles as well as cars. Than start throwing excessive time and money at the problem.

The only way to check rotor warpage is with a indicator setup to measure runout of the rotor. It a little tricky to check rotor runout because you have to find a way to mount your indicator setup solid with the wheel slightly off the ground. I usually use a 0 - 1" travel indicator on a mag base. Sometimes I use a heavy chunk of steel on the ground with the bars turned fully one direction. Sometimes I have duck taped the mag base to the forks.

If I was you I would get some 220 or 320 grit sandpaper or even better 220 or 320 emery cloth and rough up all braking surfaces including rotors and pads than give it a try before buying new rotors and replacing them. Also be sure and wipe off all the grit after doing so.
 
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Ricochet said:
I'm with Stretch on this.

Usually warped rotors will pulse not vibrate. And it usually take more than .005 runout in a rotor to feel the pulsing. All to often people mistake microscopic brake pad material build up on the rotor for warped rotors. This is true of motorcycles as well as cars. Than start throwing excessive time and money at the problem.

The only way to check rotor warpage is with a indicator setup to measure runout of the rotor. It a little tricky to check rotor runout because you have to find a way to mount your indicator setup solid with the wheel slightly off the ground. I usually use a 0 - 1" travel indicator on a mag base. Sometimes I use a heavy chunk of steel on the ground with the bars turned fully one direction. Sometimes I have duck taped the mag base to the forks.

If I was you I would get some 220 or 320 grit sandpaper or even better 220 or 320 emery cloth and rough up all braking surfaces including rotors and pads than give it a try before buying new rotors and replacing them. Also be sure and wipe off all the grit after doing so.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, worth trying before I start spending so much money, especially for something that is not super old.
 
Klurejr said:
Ever since the day I purchased my 02 FZ1 with 16k on the clock the front brakes have vibrated under heavy braking.

After a few thousand miles I changed the front pads.

The vibration did not change.

I have not really worried too much about it because I mostly take it easy and never need to brake real hard.

Today I got my chain replaced at the shop and the guy was giving me a really hard time about the front rotors saying they were warped and that caused the vibration and that is was a major safety issue and that I should address it right away.

So I started looking for rotors and found this:

EBC XC-Series Contour Rotors - BikeBandit.com

$222.00 PER rotor? Does that sound right? Seems super expensive to me.

Should the Rotors have been warped by 16k, or did perhaps the previous owners of this bike abuse it some? I use my bike for commuting, so I literally do very little braking, mostly straight line cruising. I really take it pretty easy in general, no super hard acceleration, no super hard braking, no super hard cornering.

I did search around a bit and found that some people bought some cheaper ones on eBay, but that sounds like a bad idea, others mentioned buying used OEM's from people, is that a good option?
Click to expand...

I ran into the reality of high priced rotors on my 01 Suzuki Intruder LC 1500. I was shocked. Seems like the rear one was about $225.00 and I could not locate any in salvage yards.

I assume your mechanic put a gauge on the rotors to measure run out and determined they could not be turned ?? (It's possible no one will turn motorcycle rotors). Being warped at 16,000 miles does not necessarily mean the bike was abused. Are they discolored? Blued??

Nothing wrong with used OEMs a long as putting a gauge on them shows them to be true and they are not scored or discolored.

If the vibration has been happening for a long time and staying the same, I doubt I would call it a major safety issue, but I know I would not live with a vibration when I use my brakes.
 
Klurejr said:
Ever since the day I purchased my 02 FZ1 with 16k on the clock the front brakes have vibrated under heavy braking.

After a few thousand miles I changed the front pads.

The vibration did not change.

I have not really worried too much about it because I mostly take it easy and never need to brake real hard.

Today I got my chain replaced at the shop and the guy was giving me a really hard time about the front rotors saying they were warped and that caused the vibration and that is was a major safety issue and that I should address it right away.

So I started looking for rotors and found this:

EBC XC-Series Contour Rotors - BikeBandit.com

$222.00 PER rotor? Does that sound right? Seems super expensive to me.

Should the Rotors have been warped by 16k, or did perhaps the previous owners of this bike abuse it some? I use my bike for commuting, so I literally do very little braking, mostly straight line cruising. I really take it pretty easy in general, no super hard acceleration, no super hard braking, no super hard cornering.

I did search around a bit and found that some people bought some cheaper ones on eBay, but that sounds like a bad idea, others mentioned buying used OEM's from people, is that a good option?
Click to expand...

I ran into the reality of high priced rotors on my 01 Suzuki Intruder LC 1500. I was shocked. Seems like the rear one was about $225.00 and I could not locate any in salvage yards.

I assume your mechanic put a gauge on the rotors to measure run out and determined they could not be turned ?? (It's possible no one will turn motorcycle rotors). Being warped at 16,000 miles does not necessarily mean the bike was abused. Are they discolored? Blued??

Nothing wrong with used OEMs a long as putting a gauge on them shows them to be true and they are not scored or discolored.

If the vibration has been happening for a long time and staying the same, I doubt I would call it a major safety issue, but I know I would not live with a vibration when I use my brakes.
 
I doubt its warped. When I bought my duc I didn't know the pads were almost toast. Duc doesn't put wear indicators on their pads. I ran em down to metal to metal (noticed a nice grinding) rotor was grooved to hell and pretty blue it never warped. They can be taken down in thickness but they are very hard material. The guy that did mine put it on some sort of grinder (never seen another like it) he said it took him almost 3 hours to get it down a few thousandths.
 
Klurejr said:
Thanks for the suggestion, worth trying before I start spending so much money, especially for something that is not super old.
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First rule of brake repair. DON'T SKIMP ON PARTS! AND DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

Just like your tires, buy as much as you can afford. Buying used tires and used brake parts for a motorcycle is asking for trouble. Your front brakes do 75-80% of the braking if you use both front and rear. I rarely use my back brake, so that makes it even more important for me. Rotors are designed to be mounted once on the wheel. Anytime you dismount the rotor it is prone to warping. Rotors and brake pads are quite happy living together as one. If you change your rotors out for new ones, you should buy new pads as well. Always replace the front rotors as a pair if you have two of them. On the FZ1, thats a given. Yes it will be $440.00, your life is worth more than $500.00. Why take the chance and buy used rotors?
You have no history on how they were treated. Looking at a rotor on the internet will not show you things like hair line cracks that can cause the rotor to fail under hard braking, heat checks can make the brakes hard to apply, overheated rotors may not always show signs of potential metal failure. You just get to find that out when you are flying down the road and a cage pulls out in front of you. Low mileage on the bike tells you nothing about how the bike was ridden and how the brakes were abused or used.
:chat:
 
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brentinpdx said:
If you can not afford to fix your motorcycles safety equipment as it should be fixed... maybe you should sell it and drive a car instead.
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Cars are more expensive to repair :p

I know it seems like a cool thing to be all high and mighty and smug but motorcycles are simple two wheeled machines, nothing more. They aren't exclusive for special people who only buy the best quality, most expensive parts.

If you want to be pedantic, how can you be sure your $500 set of new rotors were cared for when they left the factory? Have you seen what workers do to parts & pallets? They could have been crushed by a forklift, dropped from a shelf and rattled to death on the flight over. Are they still in pristine quality?

Unless you forge your own brake discs, you can't ensure they are of the most supreme quality. If you're not willing to do that, you may as well just sell your bike and get a car instead
 
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I say check the calipers first, once I took my vmax to a shop, had tire change and rear brake pads replaced after that the rear brake started pulsating :( I went back to the shop they said the rotor is not warped, I stopped using that shop but still thought I need a new rotor so I bought one and replaced it myself but the pulsation remained :looseit: for a while I avoided using the rear brakes until a friend suggested to inspect the caliper, I took the caliper out, cleaned it good & discovered a tiny nick that was interfering with the piston movement so I smoothed it out, apparently the shop mechanic was ham handed when pushing back the pistons to install the new pads :(.
I would inspect the caliper first before buying a rotor, you can also take the rotor out and check it in a bike shop to see if its warped.
 
brentinpdx said:
Your front brakes do 75-80% of the braking if you use both front and rear. I rarely use my back brake, so that makes it even more important for me.
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My front brakes might do 50% of the braking on any given day. I am a commuter and have no need for super hard braking, even when I approach traffic that has pulled out fast I have yet to need to mash on the brakes super hard. Part of that comes from paying attention to my environment and safe following distances, and not speeding everywhere I go.
 
RE:

I REFUSE to use Bike Bandit anymore. They messed up one of my orders a while back and it never fully got resolved. Also for OEM parts they are up to 25% more expensive than other dealers. Screw them..
For OEM Rotors $123.86 each check: 2004 Yamaha FZ-1 (FZS1S) Front Brake Caliper | Yamaha Sports Plaza

I usually shop around through multiple dealers for OEM Parts. With the economy the way it is, most are happy for your business and some even price match. I usually get an additional 10% off using my Military discount. It pays to shop around.
Good Luck!
 
Unfortunately, for some of us, money is always an issue when looking for parts. It is for me and I always look for something I can afford, and a set of 400 dollar rotors is not one of them. While I'm sure that ALL OF US would love to have the best of the best for our bikes or cars, sometimes it's not possible. So if I can't afford 400 dollars for a set of rotors I should sell my bike and stay in the cage??? I almost NEVER get upset at any post here on the site but unfortunately the previous comment really did it for me. Sometimes if we don't have anything constructive to offer we should just not say anything. Let's try and think before we write!:looseit:
 
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