Motorcycle brakes are an important part of your ride.

Here you can find out just how motorcycle brakes work, how to check them and most important, how to change them. Everyone seems to have their idea of the best brake pad/rotor combo etc and that's great. When riding a bike you should be aware of your brakes. We'll stick to the basics here and get you what you need to know.

First off I'm sure most of us remember our first bicycle that had front brakes on it. We jumped on them, went out and went to grab the front brake on a curve, hit the sand and down we went.

Same thing applies here. When applying motorcycle brakes make sure you equalize the brake pressures front and rear or even favor on the rear more than the front. I apply rears first and then ease on the front brakes. This seems to work for me best.

Everyone is going to ride differently and so brakes will wear down differently. Most brake pads have indicator grooves on them to let you know when they need to be replaced. Make sure to do this cause if you wear the brakes to metal you will need new rotors and that can be a big hit on your wallet.

First thing's first here. ALWAYS check your bike's maintenance manual before performing maintenance on your bike. I certainly do not know every single bike and cannot be responsible for the information on your specific bike. It's your responsibility to make sure that the maintenance is done right.

When checking brakes it would be best to at least remove the wheels. Most brake set ups are difficult to get to unless the wheel is off. You can peek in and check the wear at this point or I take it that next step and just remove the pads and give them a good once over.

On the Honda Goldwing, unscrew the lower retaining pin, remove it, and the pads should drop free. Check the overall condition of the pads, wear indicators etc. Also look at the calipers. I use a toothbrush and make sure to clean out all the brake dust.

Once clean then everything can go back together. Whether the brakes are new or you are putting the old ones bake in, make sure to apply a small amount of grease on the areas that contact the caliper. For the Goldwing, this would be the upper "tab" on the brake pad and also the retaining pin.

Make sure everything is tight and reinstalled properly then take it for a quick test drive. Always wear your protective gear and run the bike around the block once or twice to ensure everything is in good order.

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