when to replace rotors?

I'm doing brake work on my '86, and it's at least getting new pads all around. I'm trying to decide what to do about the rotors.

The rotors seem nice and smooth, no gouging or warping. spec says 4mm, haven't mic'd them, but they look more like 5mm (will mic them, just to be safe).

There's material left on the pads, but the feel from the front is odd... A friend described it as wooden, and I feel like there's no real feedback as to how well they're biting into the pads. Much like old car brakes, really. Both my cars get more like this when they need new pads (run Hawk HPS in both cars). Bled the brakes recently, too.

I'm tempted to just replace the pads, 22yo rubber lines with steel braid, and the rotors but I want to go in bit at a time instead of dropping $550-600 on brakes.

Rotors are expensive ($150/ea for EBC pro-lites). Pads are $35/pair. Spiegler lines list for $110 front / $57 rear.

New front rotors: $300... steel lines, $110... hmmm I'd rather replace everything BUT the rotors, first.

Maybe I need to upgrade the bamboo to maple...

 

you might try a more aggressive pad compound ( stock pads are a little too hard for optimum stopping) , but simply replacing the lines with steel will actually transform the braking capability so much you won't believe it !

HH compound pads work great, and i noticed at least a 10% -15%increase in bite after i changed to them on my '86.

It always helps to do a periodic brake "tune-up" by removing pads, lightly sanding the surface with corse sandpaper to remove glazed surface, clean pads and rotors with brakeclean spray and sand rotors with medium paper.

your rotors are fine if you see no cracks anywhere and min thickness is maintained and they're not warped.

 

Try a radial master cylinder from a gsxr... can be had on ebay for +/- $50

 

Sorry, mate, no Suziki parts on a Honda.......
It voids the warranty.

 

warranty went a couple decades ago....

But yeah, radial master sounds intriguing, but I'm sure I can find one from a CBR.

anyway, probably going to order some EBC HH pads, and the Spiegler line kit. 22yo rubber that visibly swells/shifts/moves when you apply pressure to the pads probably can't be good, either.

I'm already dropping enough on the bike that a bit extra isn't going to kill me... :frown: And not stopping well just might.

current lineup:

1) new tires (Pirelli Sport Demons)
2) new wheel/steering stem bearings
3) new pads
4) new SS lines (we'll see how things are after the pads and a good flush, first).

bike hasn't been ridden since November, and it's getting sad that the weather is nice, and it's torn apart in the garage. My wife's hawk is keeping it company, and they're both slowly getting put back together.