Flexible Honing for Motorcycle Brake Rotors

Flexible Honing for Motorcycle Brake Rotors

The Flex-Hone® for Rotors from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) provides the ideal cross-hatch surface finish for new and re-turned motorcycle brake rotors. Without this uniform pattern of peaks and valleys, burrs on front disc rotors can cause brake noise, rotor warping, and excessive wear. By removing fragments of ripped, torn, or folded metal, flexible honing for rotors eliminates surface irregularities and produces a high-quality plateau finish for a better ride.

Brake Rotors, Brake Pads, and Brake Noise
Motorcycle brakes are known to make noise during bed-in, when new disc pads begin to match the geometry of brake rotors. Some squeaking and squealing is normal at first, but worn rotors will cause even high-quality brake pads to continue to “chatter”. By smoothing the brake-rotor surface profile and reducing surface finish roughness (Ra), the Flex-Hone® for Rotors lowers the harmonic vibrations that cause these annoying, high-pitched squeaks and squeals.

Front Disc Rotor Warp or Pad Buildup?
When a user named madmortimer sought advice at Ducati Forums, the Australian owner of a 2002 748 was convinced he needed to replace his motorbike’s dual disc front brakes. After learning that new brake rotors could cost close to $1000, the motorcyclist listened to slower-than-you, a fellow Ducati owner who recommended the “rotor hone routine”.  Although madmortimer suspected “front disc rotor warp”, slower-than-you suggested “pad buildup” as the cause of “pulsing at lower speeds”.

Honing Ducati Motorcycle Brake Rotors
Instead of sending motorcycle brake rotors to a machine shop or replacing them outright, slower-than-you advised flexible honing and brake rotor cleaning. “If you have a drill press, it’s relatively easy,” he said of using the Flex-Hone® for Rotors. “You can manually rotate the table, but I motorized it to rotate at 30 rpm”. The photo above (top left) shows the Flex-Hone® for Rotors tool with its abrasive nylon globules. 

After the using Flex-Hone® for rotors to produce a non-directional plateau finish, slower-than-you cleaned the honed rotors – in a dishwasher! Although madmortimer opted for brake-and-clutch cleaner instead, the Ducati biker reported that all is well with his honed motorcycle brake rotors. “I’m still bedding them in,” he noted, “but the pulsing has ceased”.