Brake rub

About 200miles on my X now and the pads are still rubbing the rotor, I can hear them .... shh shh shh shh as I drive down the road. Should I bleed them? What can I do to remedy this annoyance?

At the risk of sounding like a tool, you're sure your right foot isn't dragging the pedal, right? I ask because I had to significantly adjust the pedal on my R. the way it came from the dealer there was no way to rest my foot normally on the right footpeg without putting some pressure on the pedal. I didn't even know it was happening until I came to a stop sign on the first long ride, wondered why the rear brake was fading so bad, and hey, what's that smell? I still have a nice purplish-hued rear rotor to remind me of that... If that's not the case, check to make sure the pads aren't hanging up on the slider pins and can retract normally (assuming you didn't already).

If it's the rear brake only making a noise, it's possible the caliper pins are too dry. Friend of mine had this happen on his relatively new WR. His bike was squeaking, grinding metal because things weren't right. Thought it was a wheel bearing at first.
If the slots cut in the discs have really sharp edges, from an incomplete burr removal, it could also make this sound. Eventually the shoes will wear away that very fine lip of steel.
Good luck

Just how hard?
Can the wheel easily be spun with the wheel off the ground, or is there a very noticable amount of drag?

Greasing the slide pins is a very good idea, even on a brand new bike. :)

mine did this too. it is the caliper pins. i rode on the beach with mine and saltwater really messed them up. take them off and make them smooth with sand paper the use water proof grease and reinstall

When new they are tight, and with use should free up. Since the rear brake isn't used as heavily it stays tight longer. Don't get them so hot they glaze but make a bunch of stops and see if that doesn't help

Thanks guys, Its seems to be getting better with time but I will try greasing the pins. Oh and it is the front not the rear if that makes any difference..

mine rubs on the front too, I can hear it when I'm pushing the bike around. I'll have a closer look at the caliper this weekend and figure out what's going on. Thought it was just my imagination at first.. but now that others mention the same problem, maybe not.

Had a look today, my bike is pretty much fresh off the showroom floor with 200 miles on it. Front brake was making rubbing noises so I pulled the caliper. The two slider pins with boots on them had a bit of grease, but not exactly a generous helping (maybe they are trying to save $ at the yamaha plant?) I packed them full and closed them back up. The exposed lower pin holding the pads was bone dry, so I threw some grease on there as well. Put it all back together, and low and behold she still rubs. It's just the design of the slider boots, when the pads are new, they are spread apart from each other more than normal. The rubber boot that is supposed to keep the pins greased puts a little put of pressure on the pin itself, pushing the pads against the rotor slightly, causing the rubbing.

I would check the grease on all 3 pins in the caliper. If they have grease, don't worry about the noise, it can't be helped.

You're right - some rubbing is normal.
The only thing that pulls the brake pads and pistons back away from the rotor when you let go of the brake lever is the flexing of the caliper piston seals.

You pull the brake lever, the piston moves a few thousandths of an inch, and the seals flex with the piston movement.
You let go of the lever, and the seals relax and pull the piston back a few thousandths.

On some bikes, the swooshing noise while wheeling the bike around is very noticable.

Greasing the slide pins periodically is excellent and something that's required.
The dry pad retaining pin needs no grease since it just holds the pads from falling out and is not sealed from dirt, anyway. :)

YZEtc wrote:

You're right - some rubbing is normal.
The only thing that pulls the brake pads and pistons back away from the rotor when you let go of the brake lever is the flexing of the caliper piston seals.

You pull the brake lever, the piston moves a few thousandths of an inch, and the seals flex with the piston movement.
You let go of the lever, and the seals relax and pull the piston back a few thousandths.

On some bikes, the swooshing noise while wheeling the bike around is very noticable.

Greasing the slide pins periodically is excellent and something that's required.
The dry pad retaining pin needs no grease since it just holds the pads from falling out and is not sealed from dirt, anyway. :)

+1!
Mine make a rubbing noise, mostly front wheel, but the rotor doesn't glow red hot or fry, so I think its OK. I haven't bothered greasing the pins, as my X doesn't go off-road very much....

I have around 2,000 miles on my wr250R, and I noticed last weekend I was getting noise from the brakes. After a long stretch of highway I coasted to a stop. I checked the rotors and found that the rear was almost too hot to touch. I'm going to take them apart and check it out.

Caliper pins. The rear caliper pins on my WRR require cleaning and greasing every so often or the brakes really will start to drag and heat up the rotor.

I'm new to DIY Brakes. Could anyone explain/ pictures of the caliper pins. Do you mean the Pots?