Front brake disk tapping (New Honda Vision 110)

[Bingo]

Dont know how else to describe it. Last couple of days I noticed a tap tap tap tap from the front wheel which of course increases with speed. Put the bike on the stand and spin the front wheel and sure enough there is a bit of a slight scrape every revolution. However if you brake hard it goes off for a while. It was fairly pronounced last night but this morning hardly noticeable. Presumably its worse when the disk is hot? Maybe they expand.

Bike is new this year, just had its 600 mile service a week or so ago and we are away with it in the motorhome. Its now on about 850 miles. Brakes are working fine. There was a suggestion on FB that Ive maybe warped a disk but then it doesnt happen all the time.

Im in deepest Devon right now heading into Cornwall. No Honda Dealers nearby. Does it need looking at or will it work its self out if its just something caught? Ill be home in four weeks and my nearest dealer is Teesside Honda. Not sure how Honda Warranty works but I presume if a disk is warped or needs adjusting it will be covered? Bought the bike from Padgetts in Batley Yorkshire.

[MrGrumpy]

Hmmm. This could be warped brake disk.....I've had several brand new disks that have been warped! BUT normally you can feel the warping through the brake lever. A sort of pulsing feel. So I feel that this might be something else - maybe a pad isn't quite in the right place or a stone or something got stuck in the caliper somehow? Obviously brakes are moderately important - can you find a M/C shop somewhere down there and ask them to give it quick check? Probably won't take them a minute to work out what's wrong.If it is a warped disk, this can probably wait until you get back and argue the toss with Vertu. They should be covered. In my own experiences of warped disks, they were replaced immediately (only in one case, with one that was equally warped! Never too keen on EBC after that).
I'm sure a proper expert will be along in a moment to advise you!

[Bingo]

Cheers. Brakes feel fine and smooth although there is a bit more travel on the leavers than the old vision. It's not been as bad today. I can still hear it now and again but it's much fainter. Will see how it goes and maybe see if I can get it looked at on our travels.

[Data]

Are there any score marks on either side of the disc Bingo, where something may be contacting it? Sometimes a small stone or flint can imbed itself between pad & disc. The pads are quite soft when new. Or, you may have a sticking piston in the caliper causing a pad to contact the disc. It's worth checking the disc is correctly tightened on the rotor. If it's a floating disc it's possible the disc has become stuck in an out of true position causing it to catch somewhere. Needs to be looked at. Hope you are enjoying your trip.

[Bingo]

Are there any score marks on either side of the disc Bingo, where something may be contacting it? Sometimes a small stone or flint can imbed itself between pad & disc. The pads are quite soft when new. Or, you may have a sticking piston in the caliper causing a pad to contact the disc. It's worth checking the disc is correctly tightened on the rotor. If it's a floating disc it's possible the disc has become stuck in an out of true position causing it to catch somewhere. Needs to be looked at. Hope you are enjoying your trip.

Thanks. Ill have a look but there was nothing obvious to me when I span it round yesterday. Ill see if I can take some photos. I did wonder after breaking hard if the brake was maybe sticking a bit but not sure. At the 600 mile service I also asked if they checked the brakes as I felt they had a lot more travel than when I first got the bike and they said they would / did.

[Bingo]

Took some pics. Everything seems solid, nothing loose I can feel or see. Spinning the wheel you can just hear it catch every revolution. It was worse yesterday. I guess I could contact Padgetts and see what they say. Not had the best of experiences with them so far though.

[roadster]

The small stone theory is definitely something which has happened to me. It wasn't in the pads but lodged in the calliper so that it lightly touched the rim of the disk, and of course would be worse when the disc warmed up. Softened tar can produce these bits which stick quite persistently.

[Data]

Not sure if your front disc is a floating disc or not. If it is you can take hold of it top and bottom and gently rock it too and fro feeling a very slight movement as the disc moves on it's mounts. It has a sprung steel washer with a shouldered bolt that allows some minor movement. Sometimes one of those mounts sticks and has the effect of making the disc run slightly out of true. A quick tug on the top and bottom of the disc, as if you are checking for wheel bearing movement, can produce a result and reset the disc. You need to do this all the way around the disc.

[Bingo]

Thanks again. I did try and rive the disk last night when I took the pictures but it doesn't move. It's been ok today. Still a faint tapping. Could have easily got grit or something in it. Been down a lot of gravelly gritty roads.

[Data]

Floating discs don't move very much, it's an almost imperceptible amount of movement and you have to exert quite a bit of pressure on the disc when pushing & pulling on it. If you do that again all the way around the disc you may find the noise goes away completely. Or, it might just go away on its own anyway. Either way, do as you are doing Bingo. Keep an eye (or ear) on it! Let us know how it pans out.