Modern Vespa

To take out the worn out brake pads(needed it for reference) of the Handbrake and leave it void while using the bike? I know that I won't be engaging the handbrake for this period of time. I was at the bike shop for a new tire and rear brakes. The mechanics there reckons it is okay without any pads and I rode home without em'.

As usual, thanks in advance for the respond.

if you accidently touch the brake you'll be buying new rotors and possibly new calipers. Don't ride it till you get new pads.

+1 OAD, not to mention the safety aspects of the situation.

Do you mean the parking/emergency brake?

It's perfectly OK, but I'd put some gaffer tape over the handle to remind me.

If you did use the handle, the mechanically propelled pistons wouldn't reach the disc anyway.

The pads only wear when you've run for a while with the handbrake on - normally they should last the life of the bike. However the friction material is very thin and very soft, so even a little abuse can cause lots of wear. Yes, I've had to replace mine once.

Jim I can't believe you say its OK. this is a safety issue and while it could be done in case of an emergency you should NOT ride a scooter/motorcycle unless it is good working order period.

In what way is the presence or otherwise of a working parking brake a safety issue?

I always thought a parking brake was just that.....a "parking brake" and not an emergency brake. I certainly would not use a parking brake as an emergency brake nor would I think of it as such. If my "parking brake" was not functioning for any reason I would just put my 500 on the center stand but never use it in a riding type condition. Let me know if I am wrong.

That's roughly how I see it.

I think OAD may have missed the 'handbrake' bit of the OP - no-one 'accidently' touches that, or even deliberately touches it while in motion.

It's certainly not an 'emergency' brake, and that term for cars seems only to be used by those in N.A. - elsewhere it's known as a handbrake in cars, or if used only when parking (as in the case on the MP3) parking brake seems more appropriate.

yup I missed that it is the parking brake.

Jim has a point in duct taping the lever in the down postion till you get it properly repaired.

Yep - though taping down the handle does nothing apart from remind you it won't work, so not to rely on it.

Yes. The parking brake.

I haven't been using the hand/parking brake since more than a year ago as I always forgot to disengage it before moving. That was why there wasn't any pads left on it.
Once again, thanks for all the replies.

And sometimes we actually ALL arrive at the same conclusion eventually.

Just goes to show you>>>>>> Great minds think differently.

It actually goes to show folk should read the question before answering it - as applicable to childhood exams as to questions on these forums - and yes, I've been guilty of not reading properly myself in the past.

I think this one was more a problem of how we are separated by a common language. I've reread a dozen times and was not sure which brake until OP replied.