Rear Brake Not Smooth
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 687
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From: Texas
Rear Brake Not Smooth
I have a 2012 Ultra Limited with about 5500 miles. I have noticed that the rear brake shutters or vibrates a bit. I have not noticed this at higher speeds but to isolate it, I have approached a few stops using only the rear brake. It is not dramatic but definately there. I'm thinking maybe a warped rotor and I have heard of guys with new bikes having warped rotors. Has anybody else experienced this or have a thought on possible causes?
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Do you feel it in the rear brake lever? Kinda like a pulsing? Do you have ABS do you think it could be the ABS kicking in? My front rotors are warped, I feel it pulsing in the brake handle and it doesn't come to a nice smooth stop. Its my own fault, I got new rims and polished rotors and nobody said anything about needing the right pads so I rode all the way to Sturgis and back from San Diego with sqeaking brakes, when I got back I finally figured out I needed to change them to a composite, switched to Lyndall pads and no more sqeak but the damage was done. Now switching to floating rotor. Good luck!
Chop
Chop
Last edited by porkchopsd; Dec 21, 2012 at 09:43 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 590
Likes: 3
From: NH
I just went through the same thing on my 09 RKC with Brembo brakes. I was experiencing a slight shimmer when slowing down so I decided to change out the front rotors and replace the brake pads. While doing the front I also decided to change the pads in the rear and as I was checking them I noticed that the rear caliper did not have the screen. After further inspection found a small rock wedged in between the pad and the rotor which was probably causing the shimmer. I first thought that I somehow lost the screen but I looked up the parts breakdown and the Moco does not include one on the rear caliper for what ever reason. Hope this helps, good luck.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
From: Texas
Do you feel it in the rear brake lever? Kinda like a pulsing? Do you have ABS do you think it could be the ABS kicking in? My front rotors are warped, I feel it pulsing in the brake handle and it doesn't come to a nice smooth stop. Its my own fault, I got new rims and polished rotors and nobody said anything about needing the right pads so I rode all the way to Sturgis and back from San Diego with sqeaking brakes, when I got back I finally figured out I needed to change them to a composite, switched to Lyndall pads and no more sqeak but the damage was done. Now switching to floating rotor. Good luck!
Chop
Chop
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 473
Likes: 5
From: Grays Creek, NC
I have a 2012 Ultra Limited with about 5500 miles. I have noticed that the rear brake shutters or vibrates a bit. I have not noticed this at higher speeds but to isolate it, I have approached a few stops using only the rear brake. It is not dramatic but definately there. I'm thinking maybe a warped rotor......
Happens when ONLY using rear brake at low speed.
Is a bit worse with a passenger.
Does not happen when also using front brake.
I found it when playing around with the ABS. I was intentionally only using the rear brake to get the feel of where ABS would kick in.
While I don't have a good answer for you, I have read somewhere (no facts to back this up) that it is a harmonic vibration in the frame.
As it does not happen with normal braking (using both front and rear brakes) or during low speed maneuvers (friction zone & dragging rear brake) I don't worry about it. It only happens when coming to a stop using the rear brake only.
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From: earth
If you have had your tire changed by someone else, they may have removed the rotor depending on their tire machine, make sure it was re-installed properly; same bolt hole position on the hub and torqued correctly.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 316
Likes: 3
From: Under a bridge
I know exactly what you mean. It's a vibration felt through the frame of the bike, not through the brake pedal.
Happens when ONLY using rear brake at low speed.
Is a bit worse with a passenger.
Does not happen when also using front brake.
I found it when playing around with the ABS. I was intentionally only using the rear brake to get the feel of where ABS would kick in.
While I don't have a good answer for you, I have read somewhere (no facts to back this up) that it is a harmonic vibration in the frame.
As it does not happen with normal braking (using both front and rear brakes) or during low speed maneuvers (friction zone & dragging rear brake) I don't worry about it. It only happens when coming to a stop using the rear brake only.
Happens when ONLY using rear brake at low speed.
Is a bit worse with a passenger.
Does not happen when also using front brake.
I found it when playing around with the ABS. I was intentionally only using the rear brake to get the feel of where ABS would kick in.
While I don't have a good answer for you, I have read somewhere (no facts to back this up) that it is a harmonic vibration in the frame.
As it does not happen with normal braking (using both front and rear brakes) or during low speed maneuvers (friction zone & dragging rear brake) I don't worry about it. It only happens when coming to a stop using the rear brake only.
The symptoms described by you and the OP are most likely from a warped rotor. That's exactly how it feels on a bike and also how it feels in a car. It can fade slightly with time but won't go away, on a bike, without replacing the rotor.
Edit: The rear brake isn't designed to stop the bike alone. Using the rear brake only could easily cause it to overheat under normal conditions. Threshold braking using only the rear brake will definitely overheat the rotor.
Last edited by Sparky73; Dec 22, 2012 at 02:54 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 416
Likes: 24
From: Dubuque, IA USA
I have a 2012 Ultra Limited with about 5500 miles. I have noticed that the rear brake shutters or vibrates a bit. I have not noticed this at higher speeds but to isolate it, I have approached a few stops using only the rear brake. It is not dramatic but definately there. I'm thinking maybe a warped rotor and I have heard of guys with new bikes having warped rotors. Has anybody else experienced this or have a thought on possible causes?