Galfer Oversize Waver Rotor Kit Review – KLR 650 Test
Galfer recently released an over-sized rotor front brake kit for the 2008-2014 Kawasaki KLR650. The kit consists of Galfer’s proprietary wave design disc, Galfer brake pads, an extension mounting bracket, and a braided steel brake line.
The disc is 320 mm in diameter, 40mm larger than the stock disc, which increases the stopping power by about 12 percent (braking power and disc diameter are related by the classic physics torque equation: Torque = Force X radius).
Though Galfer’s disc is larger than the stock disc, its design minimizes weight while providing an effectively larger area to reduce heat density. In turn, by reducing the heat density, brake fading is minimized -, especially at hot temperatures.
Installing the brake kit requires a moderate level of mechanical skills, a means to safely elevate the motorcycle’s front wheel, socket and box wrenches, brake bleeding kit, patience, and about one unhurried hour. The kit does not come with instructions, but anyone with moderate mechanical skills can easily understand what’s needed to change a brake disc, install the extension bracket, braided brake hose, and bleed out any air trapped in the front brake system.
When a major maintenance point arrived for my 2011 KLR650m we installed Galfer’s Wave rotor kit. The Galfer disc’s hole pattern is a one-for-one match with the stock disc holes, which made mounting the new disc fairly straightforward.
Adding the extension bracket was also simple, but when we finished installing the kit we discovered that the extension bracket’s mounting bolt heads were lightly rubbing against the disc. To eliminate this interference a set of spacer washers were required, which we fortunately had in our garage. One warranty-related item – Galfer clearly states that its warranty will be voided if any other brake pads besides its own are used.
As for braking improvements, I have felt a noticeably firmer and more controlled grip when applying the brakes in stop-and-go traffic. I have also purposely applied only the front brake on the aggressive side when coming to stops, and found that the pads bite firmly without being overbearing or grabby; in other words, the bike’s front end did not sharply compress. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to test the braking performance differences between the stock setup and Galfer’s Wave rotor kit in hot weather due to an unusually cool winter and spring in my area.
In spite of the very minor annoyance of having to improvise the installation process, I am satisfied with Galfer’s oversize front brake kit. Coming to full stops at intersections, quick stops in stop-and-go commuter traffic, and controlled slowdowns for turns requires less effort on the front brake lever versus the stock rotor. Additionally, I consider Galfer’s kit a great value since the kit is less than the OEM rotor and pads and an improvement in braking performance over the stock setup.
Galfer Oversize Wave Rotor Kit Specs:
• Kevlar compound brake pads
• Steel-braided brake line
• Relocation bracket and necessary mounting hardware.
• MSRP $289
For additional information, visit Galfer USA.
