Honda MSX125 Grom 2013-2018
9 Brake system
Brake pad wear check
1 Each brake pad has wear indicators in the form of grooves in the friction material. The wear indicators
should be plainly visible by looking up at the lower end of the front caliper, and at the back of the rear caliper,
but note that an accumulation of road dirt and brake dust could make them difficult to see (see
illustrations) .
9.1a View front brake pad wear at this
point…
9.1b …looking for the wear indicator
grooves (arrowed) - caliper removed for
clarity
9.1c Rear brake pad wear indicator
grooves (arrowed)
2 If the pads are worn to the beginning of the grooves, they must be replaced with new ones (see Chapter 5
). Note that some after-market pads may use different indicators to those on the original equipment.
3 If the indicators are difficult to see, the amount of friction material remaining is easily visible, and it will be
obvious when the pads need replacing. Honda do not specify a minimum thickness for the friction material,
but anything less than 1 mm should be considered excessively worn.
4 Also check for different amounts of wear in each pad in its caliper, which means that the caliper may not
be sliding on its bracket, and for uneven wear across each brake pad in the front caliper, which is indicative
of a sticking or seized piston. If found, the caliper must be checked, cleaned and if necessary overhauled
(see Chapter 5 ).
5 If the pads are dirty or if you are in doubt as to the amount of friction material remaining, remove them for
inspection (see Chapter 5 ). If the pads are excessively worn, also check the brake discs (see Chapter 5 ).
Brake system check
6 A routine general check of the brake system will ensure that any problems are discovered and remedied
before the rider’s safety is jeopardised.
7 Check the brake pads for wear (see above) and make sure the fluid level in each reservoir is correct (see
Pre-ride checks ).
8 Check the brake lever and pedal pivots for sloppy or rough action, excessive play, bends, and other
damage. Replace any damaged parts with new ones (see Chapter 5 ). Clean and lubricate the lever and pedal
pivots if their action is stiff or rough ( Section 18 ). If the lever or pedal is spongy, bleed the brakes (see
Chapter 5 ).
9 Look for leaks at the hose and pipe connections and check for cracks in the hoses, pipes and unions
(see illustration) . If leakage or cracked or damaged hoses are found, replace the hoses with new ones (see
Chapter 5 ). Make sure all brake hose and pipe fasteners are tight. Similarly check for any signs of fluid
leakage from the caliper and master cylinder – overhaul will be necessary if found.
9.9 Check all hoses, pipes and unions for
cracks and leaks
10 Make sure the brake light comes on when the front brake lever is pulled in. The front brake light switch,
mounted on the underside of the master cylinder, is not adjustable. If it fails to operate properly, check it (see
Chapter 7 ).
11 Make sure the brake light comes on just before the rear brake takes effect. The rear brake light switch is
mounted behind the right-hand footrest bracket. If adjustment is necessary, hold the switch body and turn
the adjuster ring until the brake light is activated when required – do not turn the switch itself (see
illustration) . If the brake light comes on too late or not at all, turn the ring clockwise so the switch is drawn
up out of its bracket. If the brake light comes on too soon or is permanently on, turn the ring anti-clockwise
so the switch is drawn down into the bracket. If the switch doesn’t operate the brake light, check it (see
Chapter 7 ).
9.11 Rear brake light switch (A) and
adjuster ring (B)
12 The height of the rear brake pedal can be adjusted slightly to suit the rider’s preference if required - refer
to Chapter 5, Section 9 for details. Adjust the rear brake light switch after adjusting the pedal height (see
Step 11).
Brake fluid change
13 The brake fluid should be changed every two years (see Chapter 5 ). Make sure that all the old fluid is
pumped from the hydraulic system and that the level in the fluid reservoir is checked and the brakes tested
before riding the motorcycle.
© 2019 Haynes Manuals, Inc. Contact us
