When it comes it motorcycle maintenance, you should try and identify any potential issues as quickly as possible. This is especially the case for the brakes as the last thing you want when you’re travelling at speed is brake failure.
Although there are worse things that can happen to your bikes, you should be aware of any damage to your brakes and mitigate any risk if you ride your motorcycle frequently. In this blog post, we’ll explain what a pitted brake disc is and how to approach repairing your motorcycle.
What is a Pitted Brake Disc?
A pitted brake disc is when your brake discs develop small grooves or ‘pits’ on the surface that can be quite deep and affect the both the effectiveness and longevity of the brake disc.
Although brake discs are designed to be highly resistant to damage, pitted brake discs are a fairly common problem for motorcycles because they can be caused by a variety of factors. The causes of pitted brake discs are:
- Overheating – heat causes metal to expand and this in turn causes the brake disc to crack and develop pits on the surface
- Corrosion – this is type of oxidation caused by wet conditions so the level of exposure to moisture will determine how quickly rust turns into ‘pits’. Sea water is notorious for causing pitted brake disk as salt speeds up corrosion.
- General Wear and Tear – over time, rust build-up and regular usage of the brakes can cause your brake discs to develop grooves
How to tell if you have pitted brake discs
Although it’s not very easy to spot a pitted brake disc, there are thankfully a few tell-tale signs that your brake disc may be damaged.
With motorcycles, it’s slightly hard to identify pitted brake discs without having a look as modern cars now come with four brake discs which makes it easier to identify a potential problem when driving.
Here are some common signs that you might have pitted brake discs:
- Squealing or grinding brakes
- Motorcycle shakes when braking
- Motorcycle doesn’t handle as well or accelerate as much
- An increase in stopping distance
How to repair pitted brake discs
Unfortunately, you cannot repair pitted brake discs in the traditional sense. Once the damage is done, the discs will continue to deteriorate over time, and it is recommended that you replace the brake discs.
You can however prevent your brake discs from developing rust which will help prevent pits from developing and is the best solution for making sure your brake disks don’t get damaged.
How to avoid pitted brake discs
Avoiding pitted brake discs is more a matter of maintenance and careful riding. Although rusting of brake discs is inevitable, you can still limit the level of exposure to moisture and do regular maintenance that should help prevent rust from developing and subsequently avoid pitted brake discs.
Here are a few ways you can prevent pitted brake discs:
Don’t leave your motorcycle idle – vehicles are designed to be used frequently and can experience high levels of wear and tear if they are left idle and not used regularly. Using your motorcycle once a week for half an hour or more can help prevent the build-up of surface rust.
- Avoid bad weather – as mentioned earlier; rain, snow and other factors like salt can speed up the corrosion process. Bad weather therefore speeds up the development of pitted brake discs. Similarly, try and protect your motorcycle when not in use by keeping it covered and shielded from the elements.
- Maintain your motorcycle – the best way to avoid pitted brake discs is to regular checks of your brake discs and make sure there are no rust problems. Take it in for servicing now and again to get a professional opinion and make sure everything is working as it should.
- Clean your motorcycle – a key part of maintaining your motorcycle is keeping it clean and this is particularly important for preventing pitted brake discs because it helps reduce the exposure to moisture and build-up of surface rust.
We recommend using our multi-use motorcycle spray which is not effective for cleaning and lubricating but it also provides a protective layer which protects the brake discs from moisture and prevents rust build-up. As it is a multi-use spray, it’s a great product to have in your arsenal of maintenance supplies because it can be used for a wide range of things.
Will my Motorcycle’s pitted brake discs affect my MOT?
This is not a straightforward question as it depends on how badly the brake discs are pitted and how much this will affect the performance or safety of the motorcycle. Most of the time, pitted brake discs will be noted but the motorcycle will still pass it’s MOT and you may just be advised to change the brake discs soon.
According to the government guidance on MOT inspections for motorcycles, “A brake disc or drum must be significantly worn before rejection is justified.”
Maintaining your motorcycle with reliable products
As experts in motorcycle maintenance products, we have a wide range of effective and reliable products that can help you take care of your motorcycle better and make sure it’s in top shape.
From motorcycle lube and to motorcycle cleaning products and useful motorcycle tools, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to prevent pitted brake discs and keep your motorcycle in great working order so you don’t have to worry about brake failure and other problems that could be potentially disastrous.
Read more:
> The Ultimate Guide to protecting your motorcycle in the winter