1. Dirty calipers and worn pads There are only a few miles left in this Hornet's front pads. They need changing sharpish, and the caliper could do with a spruce up too.2. Loosen the pad retaining pin. They can be pretty tight , so do

the calipers up is useful maintenance in its own right, even if the pads don't need changing. Some bikes - and some Yamahas in particular - suffer from seizing brakes if left neglected, especially through salty winter months. But a word of warning: as with all

.Step 1The first thing to do is have a look at how the pads are fitted into the calipers.Get the camera out and take a few reminder shots. Once you’re happy that you know where everything fits, leave the caliper in situ, bolted to the fork leg, and remove

surface where the heat is generated is out in the open, the disc and caliper are simpler lumps of metal that suffer less from heat distortion and because brake pads are small, chunky, square-ish things, much higher pressures can be applied to them than

as the caliper, cover up any paintwork. Once you’re happy it’s virtually impossible to spill any fluid on your paint, put the kettle on.Step 2Remove the hoses from any guides, leaving the banjo joints as the last thing to be undone. Undo the banjo joints one

1 Use a Vernier gauge - or 'very near' gauge, as wry workshop types refer to them, to measure disc and rim runout. A small amount of runout - 2mm for discs, 4mm for wheels - should be okay, more isn't.2 Check lockstops for damage. If the front end

1. Loosen everything before putting your bike up on paddock stands. It's more stable like this and you're less likely to tip the thing over on its side.2. Up on a stand and calipers tied out of the way. And no, we're not daft. The R6's spindle

.motrax.co.uk). You'll also need a fairly large socket to undo the rear wheel spindle nut (and maybe a special tool if you've got a single-sided swingarm Ducati or Triumph), something to undo the front calipers, a torque wrench (in an ideal world) and a spot of grease

. These hoses are the same double-line arrangement as standard3. Remove all the fittings holding the standard hoses in place. Undo the hoses at the caliper, putting their ends in a container before undoing the opposite ends4. Tidy as you go, cleaning up any

a slippery residue, even after hosing off. Ride carefully for the first few miles after cleaning.3 Let the de-greaser soak in for a bit (the instructions will tell you how long) then hose off. Give the calipers a good squirting to ensure the pads