Why is my Hornet's front end squeaking?

Q. I have just upgraded from my trusty CBR125 to a 2004 Hornet 600, in very good conditionjust under 11,000 miles and a brilliant bike in itself. I have just had a new tyre and pads put on the front, however, I have recently noticed a high-pitched squeaking from the front end when moving forward.

I’m not sure whether it’s the brakes or something else, and it only does this when going forward, not back.

It doesn’t make a difference if I have the brake on slightly or not, I can’t hear if it I’m going faster because I have a loud exhaust. I know the brakes make a kind off low-pitched buzzing sound when being used normally and my CBR125 used to do the same and I never had a problem with them.

I have already done around 500 miles on the new pads so I don’t think it would be the pads bedding in. Maybe they are binding?
Nc30netherton, MCN forums
 
A. If the front noise stops when you pull the brakes on hard while riding, that would be a sure-fire indicator that it’s pad related. And after 500 miles the pad material should have ‘mated’ up to the ridges and contours of the discs and settled down. You can check for binding by going for a run on a quiet, straight road.

Get up to about 30mph, and then brake to a halt using the rear brake only. There should be no heat build-up in the front discs because they haven’t been used, check them carefully with moistened fingertips just in case.

Were the pads fitted original equipment? And did the caliper pistons get cleaned up at the same time? If it is a ‘singing’ noise that would indicate that the pads are slightly touching the discs, and it’s possible that aftermarket pads might have slightly different dimensions which are enough for them to ‘hang up’ in the calipers.

The pad material can also interact with the disc metal differently. Finally, check if the anti-chatter springs got refitted properly.