semi-floating brake rotors

[rider123]

I took a look for you on my bike and the discs are totally identical including the bolt holes. I didn't realize how thick the internal part of the rim was. The only marking I could find on the discs is on the carrier with a "4.5mm", which I'm assuming is the bolts to bolt the carrier to the wheel. However I have a generation2 bike and your gen1 so maybe the brakes or wheels are different. From just a manufacturing cost perspective, I don't think they would double the production costs of producing 2 sets of rotors when it would be simple to redesign the rim to take one disc on either side just by flipping around the disc. I guess you'll find out soon enough!

If you put the discs back to back and the holes line up you'll know.

[coolrider]

NO, I'm talking about the drilled "lightening" holes on the outer rotor surface as you see in this pic on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180760655270?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648

Notice on the earlier Bandits that there is a direction pattern different between right and left rotors where most rotors don't have including later Bandits?
Otherwise the rotors look identical between earlier Bandit front left and right side. Maybe they go faster?!!

[rider123]

Oh you meant the ventilation holes. Sorry hahahah. The reason they look different is when you flip them over on the other side they will "point the other way". Bandits all have ventilated disc brakes to bleed off heat and save weight, the hole pointing patterns don't matter really. Mine are different because when the disc is flipped around to be used for the other side the vents will point the other way. Don't worry about that it doesn't affect the braking only the cooling and weight, as long as the numbers of holes and patterns are the same your good. I'll take a double check in a sec on my smoke break and look for you.

If they both pointed in the same direction then you would definatly have a left and right disc. But since they only affect heat dissipation and weight and not braking power it doesn't really matter.

[rider123]

Yep defiantly the same discs however on the other side the holes are "mirrored". Just think in your minds eye what the hole pattern would look like if mounted on the other side and you'll find that the discs are identical on my bike. Or you could use a mirror on the other side and compare, you'll see they are the same.

The only reason to create a left and right is for aesthetics. My hole pattern is not in nice lines like yours but almost look more random but they are definitely pointing "the wrong way" on one side than the other hence they are the same disc.

These are my rotors:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-GSF1200S-GSF-BANDIT-1200-FRONT-BRAKE-ROTORS-DISCS-/200632927814

As you can see the cooling holes look more "random" but if you look closely you can see a pattern and they are definitely "reversed" on the one side when mounted instead of going the same direction. Now I have a GEN2 Bandit which supposedly has slightly better brakes than the GEN1 so maybe in addition to the new 6 pot calipers they threw in slightly different discs instead of just a different hole pattern?

As you can see the carrier(gold center bit) is identical and there is no "left" or "right" markings on them as they can be mounted on either side. Same with the ones your looking at. My guess is that Suzuki dumped the aesthetics to save money in manufacturing as the hole pattern is so busy you'd never know they were "reversed" without looking closely. In fact its so busy it's hard to tell %100 definitively without removing the discs but I'm fairly certain.

If you can get a matched set of rotors for $68(bidding went up) than thats just icing on the cake! In fact if you were really picky and you only say got 2 "left" or 2 "right" rotors you could drill out the "buttons" on one of them and turn the disc around and re-button and create a "left" or "right". Whether the holes point "forward" or "back" doesn't matter. For aesthetics sake I would maybe reproduce what the rear holes are doing to keep the nice lines on those discs in sync for looks. But if you accidentally point the front disc holes "forward" and the rear holes are "back" don't worry your discs won't fail or anything.

[coolrider]

Replacement set of rotors off a '98 Bandit 1200 are now on. Nice and tight and rotor surface is smooth. Will test ride soon.

[rider123]

Nice! You didn't have to tweak your "buttons"?