How can I tell if my brakes are seized?

[arcdef]

read about this being fairly common so just want to ask a simple question then hide from embarrassment!

how do you tell if the brakes are seized? will they be snapped full on or jsut slightly?? and im guessing they wont work atall if they are seized??

[dizzyblonde]

when you move your bike around you'll be able to hear them grinding on your discs..kind of make a crrrrrrrrhhhhhh noise..and it can be pretty hard to move the bike...Mine were so ceased on Suzy last year I had to hit the calipers with a rubber mallet to free them up....I don't recommend it
However the brakes still worked when I was riding

[arcdef]

what are the consequences of it not being sorted? just increased wear? and how easy is it to sort out?

[dizzyblonde]

you really need to have them serviced, there gets a build up of crap that stops the pistons working properly, your pads wear out quicker and you can warp your discs.
I've done it myself before, but its so long since I've done it, a man who can would have to point me in the right direction again. Its not a terribly hard job to do

[arcdef]

fair enough, how much would i be looking at to get them serviced on average anyway?

[kwak zzr]

just remove the calipers and clean them up with a brake cleaner, work the pistons in and out and re grease then fit back to bike, i did my old zzr6, bike was hard to push but did ride (very badly)

[dizzyblonde]

dunno, YC does mine..or should I say YC shoves a pair of calipers at me and then tells me what to do, then shows me how to bleed the system of air( if you do the fluid too) ....I don't go to a garage to have it done..too expensive.
It would be cheaper still if Im Indoors would do it

[arcdef]

oh ok, the bike i went to look at made the noise you described so ill either have to bargain more or get them to sort it!! wasnt too bad but defiantly made enough noise for me to notice!

[kwak zzr]

pads will rest on the disks and you will hear them when pushing the bike around.

[dizzyblonde]

TBH mine make a slight noise now, but they are due a bit of a clean up. Just ask em when the last time they had the brakes serviced

[arcdef]

pads will rest on the disks and you will hear them when pushing the bike around.

Oh so i should be able to hear something? Thats ok then i will mention it and see what they say though!

[yorkie_chris]

You will usually be able to hear pads even if they're not siezed

Test I do is to spin the wheel with it off the ground, significant resistance is not good.

[vardypeeps]

Yeah I was just about to say that I serviced my brakes recent but the bike has been sat for a week due to the chain snapping and a little rust has built up on the discs which when I move the bike makes the noise above. After checking my wheel for resistance like chris said above all seems fine they just need a little clean and a good run out on the road to get em working tip top.

[Stig]

If they are seized you will either not be able to stop or not be able to go.

Hope that helps.

[yorkie_chris]

Or maybe you'll be able to do both but it'll knacker the discs.

[arcdef]

well in the small space i moved it both front and rear brakes worked with the smallest use so they do work and i can move but will pay more attention next time i go view it

quick OT question but is there and storage space under the pillion seat? i know there is in the pointy version but what about the round one?

cheers guys

[yorkie_chris]

Yes there is