Failed MOT warped disc
Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators
-
- Pizza Delivery Rider
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:03 pm
Failed MOT warped disc
Hi,
My falco has failed an MOT with a warped disc. I've priced the internet for replacement and they come up with £180 each. Seems a bit steep for me.
Is this price I need to pay? Does anyone use anything else but the Brembo aprilia disc - Fowlers of Bristol said 'a disc ais a disc' suggesting I could use another make??
Any help would be appreciated.
Has anyone come across a problem where the headlight alignment is wrong - this failed the MOT as well.
cheers,
Alan
My falco has failed an MOT with a warped disc. I've priced the internet for replacement and they come up with £180 each. Seems a bit steep for me.
Is this price I need to pay? Does anyone use anything else but the Brembo aprilia disc - Fowlers of Bristol said 'a disc ais a disc' suggesting I could use another make??
Any help would be appreciated.
Has anyone come across a problem where the headlight alignment is wrong - this failed the MOT as well.
cheers,
Alan
- mangocrazy
- Admin
- Posts: 3944
- Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:24 pm
- Location: Sheffield, UK
- Tweaker
- Clubman Racer
- Posts: 372
- Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:10 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
- Main bike: BMW R1250RS
Chances are, the disc isn't warped but the buttons in the carrier are stuck. There are quite a few threads on here about how to clean them and clear the 'Warped disc' effect for the price of a bit of brake cleaner.
There's also a sticky at the head of this section, that Andy put up, about how to tell if you have the Euro headlight fitted.
There's also a sticky at the head of this section, that Andy put up, about how to tell if you have the Euro headlight fitted.
The ride is the reason ........ the destination is just the excuse.
Yep - with your headlight, fit some masking strips for the MOT (like you might if travelling to the continent .... but the other way round of course) - they can't fail your MOT if it's masked properly.
Then read the thread about the headlight and take it up with your dealer.
A good number of us have had the headlights replaced by Aprilia.
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=2015
Discs almost never warp though the same symptoms are seen regularly.
As has been said. the usual cause is that the buttons on the semi-floating discs stick. Easy enough to free up.
The easiest way is to stick a bolt through each of buttons (that connect the rotors to the carriers) in turn and tighten a nut down on it. That will allow you to rotate the bobbin while you spray liberally with brake cleaner. Worth doing this annually as a preventative measure in any case.
Failing that, it's probably pad deposition on the rotors - Paddy sorted his out by getting them bead blasted.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_wa ... disk.shtml
EDIT:
Oh, and by the way, Welcome !
Got so carried away with answering your questions that I overlooked the fact that you were due a greeting!

Then read the thread about the headlight and take it up with your dealer.
A good number of us have had the headlights replaced by Aprilia.
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=2015
Discs almost never warp though the same symptoms are seen regularly.
As has been said. the usual cause is that the buttons on the semi-floating discs stick. Easy enough to free up.
The easiest way is to stick a bolt through each of buttons (that connect the rotors to the carriers) in turn and tighten a nut down on it. That will allow you to rotate the bobbin while you spray liberally with brake cleaner. Worth doing this annually as a preventative measure in any case.
Failing that, it's probably pad deposition on the rotors - Paddy sorted his out by getting them bead blasted.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_wa ... disk.shtml
EDIT:
Oh, and by the way, Welcome !
Got so carried away with answering your questions that I overlooked the fact that you were due a greeting!

Last edited by D-Rider on Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein
-- Albert Einstein
- Firestarter
- Twisted Firestarter
- Posts: 1429
- Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:28 am
- Location: Northwich, Cheshire
- Falken
- SuperSport Racer
- Posts: 653
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:54 pm
- Location: Chesterfield Derbyshire

Hi Stokie, fitted some wavey discs to my Falco last December.
£125 each from Busters, they are EBC and i think they are a lot better than the originals.
They were the new Ebc with the square bobbins which they claim never warp.
Don't forget you will need some new pads as well, and let them bed in before going too mad.
Adventure before Dementia.
-
- Despatch Rider
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:18 pm
- Location: Hosham, West Sussex
Evening Stokie,
I've experienced the "warped" pulsing feeling thru' brake lever when grabbing a handful of front disc. Could not see any obvious warping so tried cheap option as recommended above by D-Rider and many other Forumers. ie. exercise buttons/bobbins whilst spraying with brake cleaner (I also used old toothbrush) After a mere 20 mins of elbow grease and test ride...HEY PRESTO....No more "warped" disc & no more pulsing.
Would be interested to know how MOT tester decided they were warped - unless visually obvious. If he rode it and experienced pulsing he could have assumed it to be warping,.......where as could well just gunged up buttons/bobbins as above.
Cheers, Al
I've experienced the "warped" pulsing feeling thru' brake lever when grabbing a handful of front disc. Could not see any obvious warping so tried cheap option as recommended above by D-Rider and many other Forumers. ie. exercise buttons/bobbins whilst spraying with brake cleaner (I also used old toothbrush) After a mere 20 mins of elbow grease and test ride...HEY PRESTO....No more "warped" disc & no more pulsing.
Would be interested to know how MOT tester decided they were warped - unless visually obvious. If he rode it and experienced pulsing he could have assumed it to be warping,.......where as could well just gunged up buttons/bobbins as above.
Cheers, Al
-
- Track Day Addict
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 1:10 pm
-
- Track Day Addict
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:58 pm
- Location: ESSEX
Testers now use a rolling road like cars but with only on set of rollers, much more accurate than the old spring balance. Also can check head bearings, wheel buckling, and the aformentioned disc warpage. The unit also weighs the front and back of the bike so you can see the bias. In my opinion a great bit of kit as you dont want to feck about with brakes on a 150mph bike.
"Aprilia is brilliant at combining Italian panache with Japanese-esque reliability and build quality. It's like dating a porn queen, except when you take her home she puts her hair up in a bun, dons her glasses and does your tax returns for you.”
-
- SuperSport Racer
- Posts: 477
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:08 pm
- Location: Near Chepstow!
- Falcomille
- Clubman Racer
- Posts: 338
- Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 4:12 pm
- Location: France - in the sun mate!
Scorpio..."Aprilia is brilliant at combining Italian panache with Japanese-esque reliability and build quality. It's like dating a porn queen, except when you take her home she puts her hair up in a bun, dons her glasses and does your tax returns for you.”
...but... does she still do the business after the tax returns????? We must be told!
...but... does she still do the business after the tax returns????? We must be told!
