KTM Motorcycles Brake Pads get ‘shim treatment’ for their brake pads which are expensive by Rs.100 over the past
KTM and Bajaj too, are known for updating their motorcycles in some way or the other after listening to customer feedback and criticism when it comes to the performance and improving niggles. KTM did it in 2015 when it introduced 2015 KTM Duke 390 with various small changes such as new slipper clutch, vibrations minimized due to new rubber mountings, spark plug gap and other bits when it comes finishing the rough edges of the motorcycle.
2016 saw KTM RC 390 coming with slipper clutch along with the same updates for them KTM Duke 390. For the RC though we did not get the same exhaust canister and ride by wire throttle that the Europeans get because the motorcycle already meets Indian emission norms easily. After many changes since the launch and couple of recalls as well, KTM seems to focusing on things that matter the most. The brakes on the 390, specially, do not have feel, feedback or ‘initial’ bite that the bike should have.
Seems like KTM is set to solve this issue by getting new brake pads for 390 as well as the 200. The new brake pads which Bajaj/KTM are calling “Front Brake pads with shim’ have been silently introduced in spare shops of KTM across Mumbai. The brake pads definitely have seen a price increase by around Rs. 130 or so over the past brake pads that. Our long-term Duke 390 recently went for a brake pad change and those costed us Rs. 220-230. The money over the previous one seem to be worth it on paper as they tend to offer niggle free brakes with these pads.
So what is shim? They are and it helps in reducing vibrations and makes the brakes more silent. All of this is achieved by dampening material bonded to the pad assembly in the first place. Shims make things thicker and so obviously, the contact with the disc is fatter, better and consistent and that should make things, on paper, such as bite from the brake and feedback on the lever stronger.
These help controlling NVH and temperature of the disc and pad, which are a quite a bit sore point for the current KTM bikes. This includes our long term bike, which keeps squeaking and doesn’t give a powerful initial bite. Shims are things present on both sides of the pad to protect from rattling and help reduce NVH.
KTM had another option of providing shims separately. However human error has been seen in this scenario several times where the technician can forget to install and hence KTM found the best solution to combine it in the brake pad itself. We urge KTM to make and send the list of changes done over the past official by them to clarify its our consumers and clear the air on rumors as well.
