Brakes; Brake Pads - BMW C 650 GT Rider's Manual

twisting, fairly hilly roads, avoid-
6
ing highways if possible.
Have the first inspection carried
66
out after 300 - 750 mls (500 -
1,200 km).

Brake pads

New brake pads must be run in
before they achieve their opti-
mum friction force. This initial
z
reduction in braking efficiency
can be compensated for by ex-
erting greater pressure on the
brake levers.
New brake pads can extend
stopping distance by a sig-
nificant margin.
Brake early.
Tires
New tires have a smooth sur-
face. This must be roughened by
riding in a restrained manner at
various heel angles until the tires
are run in. This running in proce-
dure is essential if the tires are to
achieve maximum grip.
New tires do not provide
full tire traction. Accident
hazards exist in particular on wet
roads and at extreme angles.
Always think well ahead and
avoid extreme angles.

Brakes

How do you achieve
the shortest stopping
distances?
During braking the load distri-
bution changes dynamically be-
tween the front and the rear
wheel. The heavier you brake,
the greater the weight transfer
to the front wheel. Increases in
the load on an individual wheel
are accompanied by a rise in the
effective braking force that the
wheel can provide.
To achieve the shortest possi-
ble braking distance, the front
brake must be applied quickly
and with progressively greater
levels of force. This procedure
provides ideal exploitation of
the extra weight transfer to the
front wheel. With the frequently
instructed "forced braking," in
which the brake pressure is gen-
erated as quickly as possible and
with great force, dynamic load
distribution lags behind the pro-
gressive increases in deceleration
rate and the braking force cannot
be completely transferred to the
road surface. The front wheel
can lock up.
Locking up of the front wheel is
prevented by the BMW Motorrad
ABS.