Stopping is overrated.

Andrew came over on Friday night to help me (translation: do all the work) put new tires on the Ninja, as well as do an oil change and give the bike a general once-over.

He declared the bike in good running condition and we swapped out the tires for some pretty Bridgestone BT45s, yum.  The rear in particular had been getting hard and square so I was looking forward to having new tires on.

Gratuitous bike-on-lift shot:

Everything was looking pretty good…chain and sprockets are in fine shape, brake fluid was the right color, no warts or tumors where there shouldn’t be.

And then we found the brake pads.

For the non-mechanics in the audience, I’ll give you a hint: that’s not what they’re supposed to look like.  That white scratch where the pad bracket is being rubbed? That’s supposed to be brake pad there.  Not bracket.

Yeah, I’m going to go ahead and call that brake pad done. It’s kicked the bucket; it’s shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible.  This is an ex-brake pad.

So, I have used the powers of the internet to order new brake pads and Andrew will swing on back over in a week or so and install them.  We’ll bleed the brakes then too, just for fun, and will install the stainless steel front line I have for the bike, too.

Here’s hoping the little Ninja and I are shortly both able to ride at the same time!