Motorcycle Brake Rotors

Motorcycle Brake rotors are like snowflakes, each one with a unique pattern. Then again, if you consider the effects of brake rotors falling from the sky, you can see the analogy about stops there. Still, amidst all these different options, it’s not uncommon to feel a little uncertain as to what you are actually looking for in a brake disc. If this sounds like you, keep reading. We’ll do our best to shed some light on the selection at hand.

The first thing to know is the difference between floating and fixed discs. Fixed discs are any of the rotors you see that are made of just one piece of metal. The rotors that are two different pieces of metal are what we call floating rotors. They have the same stainless-steel outer band, but they have an aluminum inner circle.

Floating motorcycle brake discs bring a couple benefits to the table; they are lighter, and they allow for heat expansion in the rotor, which helps to avoid warping. Where your average fixed disc will warp because it can’t expand properly, a floating disc will simply expand around itss aluminum core and then shrink back once it has cooled again.

Of course, to even see this benefit, you need to be on your brakes hard enough for them to become super-hot. So, if you consider yourself a casual or leisurely rider, you might be just fine with a fixed brake rotor.

One other point to mention is the designs cut into the rotors. While the patterns do make them attractive to look at, their primary function is to assist in cooling the rotor and pad faster. They also help make it a little bit lighter too. As far as which pattern you think might be best for you, well, it’s entirely subjective. You might as well find one that will look nice on your ride!

We hope we’ve helped to answer some questions you might have had, and we look forward to getting you back on your bike as soon as we can. Thank you for shopping at Dennis Kirk.