How many miles do you get on front brake?

[Boscoporp]

I have a 2003 GW Trike and I am starting to hear sounds from my front brakes. I have a Motor Trike conversion and I have about 20,000 miles on the brakes.

Is that a norm for front brakes?

[dirtdobber]

I am unable to offer any advice on the front tire. My trike is still new with very low mileage but I can say my 1800 VTX brakes needs changing around 23,000 to 25,000 miles, about the same on my Ultra Classic.

[Gorilla]

I have a 2003 GW Trike and I am starting to hear sounds from my front brakes. I have a Motor Trike conversion and I have about 20,000 miles on the brakes.

Is that a norm for front brakes?

Stan I think you are ready for a pad change. 20K on a trike is probably good depending on your use of the front brakes.

[Boscoporp]

Yes, I agree i took it to UNB CUSTOMS out in Denver and he is putting new brake pads on it! Back wheel brakes are good!

[Eagle Man]

I've got 50K on my CSC kit now and the front and rear brakes are still around 40%. Gold Wing bikes have a linked brake system, so I basically use the front and rear brakes together, using a bit more pedal pressure on the rear, since while applying the rear brakes, the left front caliper is activated as well.

I had 70K miles on my '08 when I had it triked @ the CSC plant in VA, and the brakes, front and rear still passed inspection, but I had the front pads changed, since I was getting new brakes on the rear with the conversion.

120K+ miles on my bike/trike now, and have yet to drop a ten spot on any non-maintenance repair parts.

'08 GL1800 CSC Cobra XL
Eagle Man

[John Luciano]

They are so easy to change and pads are cheap enough. I do mine every 25,000 u will find one side wears more than the other if you still have linked brakes. They use one front disk and the back when applying rear brakes. The other front brake caliper is used only when the front lever is used and added to the opposite front caliper. ( 2 front calipers work with lever, one front caliper and both rear with the foot pedal)

[JaysGone]

"2 front calipers work with lever, one front caliper and both rear with the foot pedal"

Guys is this true of all GW trike conversions??
Ive put 15K on my trike this year and if it were a 2 wheeler I would be taking a look at the front pads shortly.
Im more of a rear braker then front.
Old bad habit from back in the 70s when for a few years my chopper had no front brakes.
I apply the rear first, then add fronts as needed.
I have a Motor Trike kit and hadn't seen that anywhere.
Im not even sure after a year if the TPS is active in the front.

One reply is all I need I think.
Thanks don't want to hijack and or start a new thread yet.

[John Luciano]

So jack up the front of the trike so you can spin the front wheel and apply the rear brake.

[07BlueCSC]

I have a 2003 GW Trike and I am starting to hear sounds from my front brakes. I have a Motor Trike conversion and I have about 20,000 miles on the brakes.

Is that a norm for front brakes?

If you are hearing a different sound from the front brakes, you may have already damaged the ROTORS.

[FrostBite]

I got just over 30,000 on my first set.

[turboman1354]

About 28-32 k is about average on a gold wing trike

[Shimpy]

Today I just had my fluids changed and was told my front pads were still 50% good. That's with 26,600 miles on the trike with 8,500 of it being on 2 wheels. Since triking I use only rear brakes unless the front are needed for quick stops. The reason I do this is the rear automotive type brakes will last way longer than the front pads. They said my rear pads were 85% good. I used to use my fronts for everystop on 2 wheels. The trike shop said they recommend people that trike should get used to braking different on a trike.

[msocko3]

The trike shop said they recommend people that trike should get used to braking different on a trike.

I brake the same on 3 wheels as I do on 2 wheels, never saw a reason too change.

[Konrad]

I brake the same on 3 wheels as I do on 2 wheels, never saw a reason too change.

I triked my 2006 at 12,000 miles and now have 42,000 miles. Just had a complete checkup two months ago and was told everything was OK - brakes included. So that's about 30,000 miles with no change in braking habits. I still use both.

[msocko3]

I triked my 2006 at 12,000 miles and now have 42,000 miles. Just had a complete checkup two months ago and was told everything was OK - brakes included. So that's about 30,000 miles with no change in braking habits. I still use both.

[The Captain]

"2 front calipers work with lever, one front caliper and both rear with the foot pedal"

Guys is this true of all GW trike conversions??
Ive put 15K on my trike this year and if it were a 2 wheeler I would be taking a look at the front pads shortly.
Im more of a rear braker then front.
Old bad habit from back in the 70s when for a few years my chopper had no front brakes.
I apply the rear first, then add fronts as needed.
I have a Motor Trike kit and hadn't seen that anywhere.
Im not even sure after a year if the TPS is active in the front.

One reply is all I need I think.
Thanks don't want to hijack and or start a new thread yet.

No. It's not true on Roadsmith trikes. The brakes are no longer linked after the conversion. If you had the ABS option, that is also disconnected.

[Eagle Man]

I'm with msocko3 on the use of brakes. I've got 51K miles on my CSC kit now and the brakes all around are still 40% or better.

I put new pads on front at the time I had the coversion installed. I had my 08 GL converted @ 70K miles and the front pads still passed inspection.

I'v really gotten to like the linked ABS brakes on my wing.

'08 GL1800 CSC Cobra XL
Eagle Man

[jaxbobg]

My trike has linked braking, and the last time I checked the pads, they were 35% or better. I have 37,000 miles on an LT that was converted out of the crate. I'm guessing that you could get 50,000 easily.

My neighbor just changed his Honda brake pads last month, easy job, no problem, think he only paid about $30 for dual front pads. He has about 60,000 on his bike. I'm thinking about changing mine next time the trike is down for maintenance this winter.

[07BlueCSC]

I must be really hard on FRONT BRAKES. I had to replace the left rotor at 18,000 miles because the pad was gone and the rotor was scored. Pads are CHEAP, rotors are expensive.

I have TWO complete front wheels, so I always have a new tire ready to go. The PILOT ACTIV tires are good for about
16 to 20,000 miles, so I change Brake pads at that time. (CSC, ABS/Linked Brakes)

The LEFT pads seem to wear faster than the RIGHT side.

[Eagle Man]

Blue CSC

The Goldwings brakes are linked and the reason your left front is wearing out so quickly, is that if you primarily use the rear brakes, you activate the left front brake only and 30% of your braking power is accomplished by the left front caliper, hence the accelerated wear.

If your conversion has disabled the OEM braked link, then something else is at play, methinks.

Eagle Man