Front brake noise....

[stlheadake]

I JUST got my bike back from the stealer.  He replaced my warped rotors under warranty because they were roast!  I MIGHT have 100 miles on it since I got it back, and have thoroughly enjoyed the smoothness of the brakes.  THEN on the way home tonight, running 70 MPH in traffic, my lane started slowing hard.  I grabbed a quick handful of front and rear brakes to avoid tragedy.  You know how when you grab the brakes you can hear the pads on the rotors?  I could hear it then it got louder.  Crisis averted. 

However, as soon as I was off the brakes and back on the gas, I can still hear the pads on the rotor.  I ride 10 miles home, and check the front wheel.  Sure enough, it is dragging.  It won't spin freely.  As it spins you can hear the pads on the rotor.  This is EXACTLY what caused my last set of rotors to warp.  It's like the pads won't release.  WTH?  Anybody have any suggestions?  I'm going to take it back, but I am questioning what they are going to tell me?

[Steve Bell]

Take your front brake lever off and see if the pads still drag. My stock Kawasaki brake lever preloaded the master cylinder piston enough that I felt the brake could be applied slightly with the lever all the way out so I drilled the recessed hole in the lever deeper so there was zero preload when the lever is installed. No brake dragging anymore.

[VirginiaJim]

Call the dealer and tell them what's happening.  More than likely they'll want it back.

[Pokey]

Mine did that after a really hard episode of braking, but went away eventually on its own.

[VirginiaJim]

Noise is one thing, dragging brakes is quite another.  Dragging will heat up the rotor and possibly warp it.  I hate to say this but they may have warped again.  Oh my...     

[Mad River Marc]

My fronts for some reason will groan LOUD if I have to brake really hard (No pulsing or other noise etc)

I've checked my pads and they have plenty of meat on them so it's not the wear indicator...I just live with it since the brakes work fine.. (Well as fine as this stupid linked brake system can work IMHO )

[Son of Pappy]

My fronts for some reason will groan LOUD if I have to brake really hard (No pulsing or other noise etc)

I've checked my pads and they have plenty of meat on them so it's not the wear indicator...I just live with it since the brakes work fine.. (Well as fine as this stupid linked brake system can work IMHO )

Check your bearings.  Put her on the center stand and block up the front, try to move wheel side to side.  Yours sound like mine.  New bearings, and walla, no noise.

[stlheadake]

Sorry guys, I've been away and not able to get to the computer.  The other night when I posted my wheel would spin but only about 3/4 of a turn.  It was too late to talk to the stealer.  The next morning I rode to work and guess what?  Yeah, it was fine.  Rode like a champ.  No noise, no drag.  The issue IS the drag.

  I'm going to try the drilling out the lever method mentioned by Steve Bell

Take your front brake lever off and see if the pads still drag. My stock Kawasaki brake lever preloaded the master cylinder piston enough that I felt the brake could be applied slightly with the lever all the way out so I drilled the recessed hole in the lever deeper so there was zero preload when the lever is installed. No brake dragging anymore.

But honestly, I have been looking for an excuse to replace those levers with some folding levers that look really trick.  They will surely make me faster!  If they don't maybe the brakes will stop dragging, and THAT will make me faster!