[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Torino

ceramic brake pads

Ceramic Brake Pads are a PITA, I've ridden a friends D390 with Cermamic Pads installed, though it improved braking it makes quite a bit of noise(the opposite of what was expected), which isn't much of a concern IMHO but recently other enthusiasts from the regional biking chapter have reported complaints of the pads disintegrating.

Oh, and they do eat away your rotors.

So do use with caution.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

[Torino]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Ceramic Brake Pads are a PITA, I've ridden a friends D390 with Cermamic Pads installed, though it improved braking it makes quite a bit of noise(the opposite of what was expected), which isn't much of a concern IMHO but recently other enthusiasts from the regional biking chapter have reported complaints of the pads disintegrating.

Oh, and they do eat away your rotors.

So do use with caution.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

Thanks for the insight Ashwin. IIRC the stock Brembo brake pads on the Interceptor are sintered ones so these ceramic pads should actually have lesser wear on the rotor compared to stock, unless if we are comparing with the organic ones.

Ceramic brake pads are supposed to be the quietest of brake pads out there so I'm guessing the braking noise in the D390 was due to the brake pads trying to set on the worn out rotors? Talking of braking noise, the Interceptor squeals most of the time with the stock set up. Disintegrating brake pads is shocking indeed! isn't it strange for brake pads to disintegrate, be it ceramic or any other type for that matter, unless the pads are of poor quality, exposed to toxic substance like brake fluid or extreme heat which is unlikely unless it happened in a racing circuit. What do you think? Could you please give more details on the brake pads in the D390 and the disintegrated ones, like brand and how old were they?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Torino

What do you think? Could you please give more details on the brake pads in the D390 and the disintegrated ones, like brand and how old were they?

Dug up the messages and also contacted the enthusiast for more details.

The reference was to Vesrah Pads that were sold at a 44% off price at 999/-.

One of the users reported that it started disintegrating from the edges once he started using them, reason for reinspecting the pads was due to a noticeable increase in brake noise and scraping sound from the brakes.

Since he had purchased them offline from a retailer at Kochi they offered him replacement pads from Brembo.

He didn't take any pictures as everything happened in a very short span of time.

So do proceed with caution.

As I always say: "East or West, Stock is Best"

Regards,
A.P.

[bf1983]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

As I always say: "East or West, Stock is Best"

Regards,
A.P.

I don't know anything about ceramic brake pads so not commenting on that but at least in bikes I don't think that statement holds true at all. Most bikes in India come with horrible stock lighting. The interceptor stock light is nothing to write home about and lots of people buy aux lighting or upgrade the stock bulb to get better illumination.

Similarly many bikes have bad stock tyres. The Interceptor comes with pirelli phantom tyres which was have a very short life span. So when they wear out its a good idea to change them. They aren't even as good as regular pirelli phantom tyres as its been proven the stock tyres that Pirelli makes for RE aren't as good as the same branded tyres you can buy outside.

Again I don't know about the brakes but stock is not always a good thing as there are multiple reasons the manufacturer could have gone down that road including cost cutting or due to government regulations etc.

[CarManMotorcycl]

Originally Posted by Torino

Came across these Vesrah ceramic brake pads for the Interceptor 650 sold at an offer price of Rs 999.

Attachment 2005938

Front:
Attachment 2005936

Rear:
Attachment 2005937

May I know the reason on why you went for ceramic brake pads instead of the sintered ones? Ceramic brake pads are generally used in superbikes, they have a low impact on rotor wear and are very good at absorbing heat, but the main thing is ceramic pads rarely reach the optimal operating temperature to make full use of it and it is not recommended for everyday riding. I suggest you use the stock Brembo pads or EBCs sintered brake pads.

[Torino]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

...

So do proceed with caution.

Regards,
A.P.

Thanks A.P. for the heads up. Let me believe that as a one off case and proceed with caution.

As I always say: "East or West, Stock is Best"

Fair enough, unless you know what you are doing.
On a lighter note, its funny when you say this after filling your bikes with diesel engine oil

Originally Posted by CarManMotorcycl

May I know the reason on why you went for ceramic brake pads instead of the sintered ones?

Honestly, I couldn't resist the Made in Japan tag and the price so did a quick research on the company and ceramic brakes and placed the order. I believe there isn't going to be any day night difference in performance between ceramic and sintered pads on a regular daily use. Why do you say ceramic brakes are not recommended for everyday riding? Am I missing something?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by CarManMotorcycl

Ceramic brake pads are generally used in superbikes, they have a low impact on rotor wear and are very good at absorbing heat, but the main thing is ceramic pads rarely reach the optimal operating temperature to make full use of it and it is not recommended for everyday riding.

Originally Posted by Torino

Why do you say ceramic brakes are not recommended for everyday riding?

Answer to this question is in the quote above highlighted in bold.

Ceramic pads will work at their best when they heat up and then the braking performance improves.

During regular City driving, they'll never heat up that much for it to work as required so you may not feel any improvement in braking. Also IIRC, brake dust is higher in ceramic pads (I may be wrong too).

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by Torino

Thanks A.P. for the heads up. Let me believe that as a one off case and proceed with caution.

Indeed in all probability.

The D390 which I rode belongs to a high mileage user(I have more faith in high mileage users, they have enough experience to back their claims) who clocked 17k km's within 6 months of ownership of the motorcycle, and he hasn't reported any concerns with the ceramic pads, but yeah he has only been able to put about 1~2k km's on the ceramic pads due to the lock-down.

In fact when asking his opinion he also promised to get a pair for my P220, guess this conversation has struck my curiosity. Plus I anyways get about 10k km's out of my 200/- pads, since Ceramics promise more life on the pad life front I'm more curious, plus my rotor costs around 1k, so I'm not bothered much about its life.

In the spirit of complete disclosure, he's part owner of a premium workshop in TVM and they are retailers of Vesrah, but I can vouch for them being more enthusiasts than entrepreneurs.

On a lighter note, its funny when you say this after filling your bikes with diesel engine oil

I thought Hypocrisy was part of the Indian Experience.

Jokes apart, there are enthusiasts here(on Tbhp) who run Diesel oils in their Super and Hyper bikes, a little search and you'd find a post or two.

The principle remains the same, you can even use HP's Lal Ghoda provided you do not extend drain intervals.

Speaking of which, here's a fellow enthusiast from WB who rode down to KL to see me when I was recovering from a mishap(5 years ago), his motorcycle(Bajaj Platina 125) had about 1,16,000+ km's on the odo and he was on stock internals albeit with considerable piston slap, he rode the same motorcycle back to WB, with pillion and luggage onboard.



Fun fact here is that the motor in question has only run on Lal Ghoda, even to this day, and that motorcycle has criss-cross'd the country on several occasions, without breaking a sweat on the engine front.

If not already obvious anything below 150cc's tours at interstate speeds at 10,000+ RPM's for hours at end i.e makes competition use look like child's play in comparison.

Many more examples out there but trust me, not worth the time of day debating something that has been debated to death and then some more, if interested to know more, do hit international forums and you'd see Shell Rotella being used by many even on competition machines(High intensity use where Oil Change is measured in Hours, not KM's), in the Indian market the same is replaced by Shell Rimula a popular HDEO among motorcycle users here for the same reasons.



Photo from Sivanga's ownership experience of his N650R on xBhp.

P.S. Sorry to have deviated from the point, simply put knowing better from clocking hard miles makes all the difference in consumable preferences, best example being the guys out there claiming DOT 5 brake fluid offers better feedback and braking power than DOT 4 brake fluid, again something which would prove the opposite when backed by practical experience.

Cheers!
A.P.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Torino

Came across these Vesrah ceramic brake pads for the Interceptor 650 sold at an offer price of Rs 999 (link).

Torino, do keep us updated on the feedback from these new Vesrah brake pads. I too havent really heard a lot about them until recently. The usual one stop shop, Hitchcocks Motorcycles, sells Ferodo Platinum Series pads which are double the cost of the discounted Vesrahs. EBC has Double H Sintered pads as well but they cost nearly three times what you paid. If the Vesrah offers better braking performance than the stock pads and offers a decent life, the deal you got will be quite good!

Originally Posted by Torino

On a lighter note, its funny when you say this after filling your bikes with diesel engine oil

Old proverb - Do as I say, not as I do

[Torino]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

During regular City driving, they'll never heat up that much for it to work as required so you may not feel any improvement in braking. Also IIRC, brake dust is higher in ceramic pads (I may be wrong too).

Hi Anurag! Yes I'm aware of that and ceramic brakes are a step below sintered pads when it comes to actual braking performance and by how much is something I couldn't find out from user experience so I assumed it to be 'manageable' and there is one way to find out, to buy and see it for myself. If it is 'manageable' then I don't mind continuing with these ceramic pads since they last longer, less rotor wear, costs 60% less than stock pads and yes 'Made in Japan'. If it is not 'manageable' then it is back to stock brembo and continue the search. Regarding brake dust, ceramic pads produce the least amount of brake dust and due to its color it is also less visible.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

.. he hasn't reported any concerns with the ceramic pads, but yeah he has only been able to put about 1~2k km's on the ceramic pads due to the lock-down. In fact when asking his opinion he also promised to get a pair for my P220, guess this conversation has struck my curiosity.

Good to know this

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Jokes apart, there are enthusiasts here(on Tbhp) who run Diesel oils in their Super and Hyper bikes, a little search and you'd find a post or two.

Interesting, will check them.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Torino, do keep us updated on the feedback from these new Vesrah brake pads. I too havent really heard a lot about them until recently.

Old proverb - Do as I say, not as I do

Sure Neil, will keep posted. Honestly I'm not expecting these to perform better than or even on par with the stock brakes but if they put in a above average performance then they should be a decent option.

Old proverb.

[Torino]

Replaced the stock brake pads with the Vesrah ceramic pads and went for couple of spins, the first impression was good, I couldn't find any considerable difference in braking between the stock sintered pads and these ceramic pads. The test ride route was limited to a 3km straight devoid of traffic but with several intersections to slowdown and pick up pace again. It was sometime around 3pm and most parts of the road was empty hence took the opportunity to do some brake test from 80kmph. The brakes felt a bit soft at the levers, the brake bite wasn't that sharp but the stopping distance felt similar to stock. That said, only a longer, more exhaustive and real world test after the lockdown will give a definitive result. Until then I will continue to run the bike with these ceramic pads and see how it goes.

During this lockdown I ride the bike once a week to check its running and to buy essentials but I did this brake swap after starting the bike for almost 10 days and during the test ride I noticed the Engine Check light was ON and restarting the bike didn't make it go away but the bike was functioning normal. Took the bike back home and looked for any visible wire damage due to rats, working of all electricals, checked both the spark plugs, checked the air filter condition and viola the Engine Check light was gone. I think the Engine Check popped up cause the air filter got clogged and me removing and refitting it made the engine breathe better and the light went OFF? The current ODO reads 10400kms and air filter needs replacement at 10000kms.

One thing I don't like in the Interceptor is its weight and thats something I will never get used to and this thought is always running in the back of my mind. So I was staring at the bike trying to remove anything unnecessary to reduce weight and this saree guard support caught my attention, well every gram counts for me.

The stock Brembo sintered pads leave quite a lot of brake dust. Thats how it looks after a good amount of wiping.


Thats the 10400 kms old rear stock sintered pads alongside the brand new ceramic pads. By the looks of it the ceramic pads should last a lifetime!


Front brake pads: 2000 kms old stock Brembo sintered pads vs the new Vesrah ceremic pads.


Rear brake pads: 10400 kms old stock Brembo sintered pads vs the new Vesrah ceremic pads.


Checked the condition of the air filter. Time to replace.


Have to get rid of the front number plate's plastic frame.


Weight reduction, every gram counts!

[surjaonwheelz]

Originally Posted by Torino

One thing I don't like in the Interceptor is its weight and thats something I will never get used to and this thought is always running in the back of my mind. So I was staring at the bike trying to remove anything unnecessary to reduce weight and this saree guard support caught my attention, well every gram counts for me.

Checked the condition of the air filter. Time to replace.

Have to get rid of the front number plate's plastic frame.

Weight reduction, every gram counts!

Things to remove:
- Front & Rear muflaps (black part)
- Rear grab handle (one behind the seat)
- Stock mufflers (install a lighter one)
- Main-stand (install swing-arm spools)
- Stock indicators & tail light (install small round ones)
- Stock battery (install Li ion battery)
- Saree guard
- Stock RVMs (install bar end mirrors)

I wish I could take out the above and weigh the total reduction in kilograms. But for every gram there is a cost involved!

Regarding the filter change have you thought of removing the stock snorkel filter cover and installing brackets to let in direct air in a straight path to the filter? I'm referring to the stock filter cover removal only.
part

--surjaonwheelz

[FettyG]

Hi guys,
I've recently bought an Int 650 and I'm still breaking in the engine. I decided to run through all the gears a couple of times and I'm getting false neutrals while moving from 5th to 6th gear. Has anyone faced this? I'm using the same pressure to move from 5th to 6th as I am using when moving between the other lower gears. It's happened thrice so far. Is it possible that I'm not clicking the level strong enough?

[Torino]

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Things to remove:
- Front & Rear muflaps (black part)
- Rear grab handle (one behind the seat)
- Stock mufflers (install a lighter one)
- Main-stand (install swing-arm spools)
- Stock indicators & tail light (install small round ones)
- Stock battery (install Li ion battery)
- Saree guard
- Stock RVMs (install bar end mirrors)

I wish I could take out the above and weigh the total reduction in kilograms. But for every gram there is a cost involved!

The mudflaps and saree guard were removed on the day when I brought the bike home after delivery, in just few days I had to get the front mud flap back on after noticing the amount of dirt and muck setting on my feet and the engine area . There are two things in your list which I want to get my hands on but stopping myself due to simple reasons. Firstly the aftermarket exhausts, I've ridded multiple RE650s with AEW, RRP and Powerage exhausts with DB killers and all of them were just too loud for my ears after 3000 rpm. I wish these guys made one with stock exhaust like sound with less weight. Secondly a Li-ion battery from a reputed manufacturer in India so that it is easily available locally with proper warranty. I couldn't find even a single review about Li-ion batteries used in bikes in India. I came across this link with some bunch of Li-ion batteries. Could you share some links to other Li-ion batteries and reviews if you have?

Originally Posted by surjaonwheelz

Regarding the filter change have you thought of removing the stock snorkel filter cover and installing brackets to let in direct air in a straight path to the filter? I'm referring to the stock filter cover removal only.
[url="https://www.bikenbiker.com/collections/interceptor-650/products/re-interceptor-continental-gt-650-dna-air-filter-stage-2-cover-the-bikings"]part[/URL
--surjaonwheelz

Yes. Quite a few in the RE 650 whatsapp group have done this snorkel delete mod with some of them just cutting the top cover off with hacksaw blade. I've ridden one Interceptor with this mod along with aftermarket exhaust and I must say the engine felt so free revving with significantly lesser engine braking. I just noticed your post with this mod done in your bike. Like you have mentioned, I am worried about the water and more than usual amount of dust entering the airfilter for which you need to change the airfilter much sooner than the recommended 10k kms interval but it should be ok since the stock airfilter costs just Rs 329, will follow your posts and your long term feedback.

Originally Posted by FettyG

Hi guys,
I've recently bought an Int 650 and I'm still breaking in the engine. I decided to run through all the gears a couple of times and I'm getting false neutrals
while moving from 5th to 6th gear. Has anyone faced this? I'm using the same pressure to move from 5th to 6th as I am using when moving between the other lower gears. It's happened thrice so far.

Originally Posted by FettyG

Is it possible that I'm not clicking the level strong enough?

I'd say yes if you ask me. How many kms have you clocked so far? how often you get false neutrals? I think its just matter of time before you get used to the gear lever feel and get rid of those false neutrals. Also I dont think anyone has reported facing this issue past the run-in period. I faced few false neutrals between 1 & 2 during the run-in period mainly because of me trying to get used to the gear lever.

[Torino]

Circa Feb 2020. Obviously, being a retro styled motorcycle with upright seating posture the wind blast is a standard issue past 110kmph and sometimes begins around 90kmph with headwind, in both cases I had to hold on scarily tight to the handlebars to stop myself from flying off the motorcycle. Though for me the windblast was only an occasional issue since my usage is limited within the city for daily office commute, it is evident during the Sunday breakfast rides on the East Coast Road. I casually started to find out the list of compatible windshields available in the market for the Interceptor and I thought the ones form Puig and Givi were on the expensive side and felt the Himalayans’ was a bit small to serve its purpose. Sometime in March I came to know about the upcoming bolt-on windshield for the Interceptor from Carbon Racing Inc. The reviews for carbon racings' products were generally good so waited few more weeks to see the final design and pricing and quickly preordered one some time back in April since it was cheap at Rs2430 including the mounts and shipping. Received the package sometime only in the first week of July due to lockdown.

The polycarbonate windshield itself feels nice and sturdy though not as big as I expected which is a good thing. My only gripe about the windshield is that everything looks wavy when you see through it, but I think that’s all I can expect for Rs 999 (cost of only the windshield). Fixed it over the last weekend and it took close to 1.5 hrs but was happy to see that even the fasteners were of decent quality and how everything fell in place during the installation process. The installation process is pretty straight forward and once fixed the windshield looks apt for the Interceptor from every angle. The setup allows you to adjust the windshield angle so as to guide the wind a bit higher if you are a tall rider. On the move there is no sign of buzz or vibration at various speeds upto 150kmph. Now coming to the wind protection part, the usual sense of urgency and drama past the 100kmph mark is well under control and now I can comfortably cruise between 100 to 130 kmph above which I could feel a bit of a sputter below my arms and on top of the helmet. For the cost this windshield serves its purpose pretty well while looking good at the same time.

Around 10400kms the Engine Check light started to appear randomly. With no idea why I started to check for loose electrical connections, damaged wires, spark plug condition and airfilter. Removing and refitting the old airfilter which is already due for replacement seemed to have sorted the engine check light issue only to reappear after few days, soon got myself a new airfilter from the RE spares counter for Rs329 and put the check light to rest for good. The current odo reads 11100 kms, will replace the engine oil at 12000 kms since I am personally following the 6000kms oil change interval.















Everything looks wavy when looked through the windshield


Duly replaced the air filter which was 10400kms old. Got it from RE spares for Rs329.