Brake "Wave" Rotors

Many of the current wave rotor designs are downright stupid and border on the comic. For most applications, this is merely a trend that will pass. Note how many pro Rally, Formula One, or IRL cars that are using wave rotors, NONE. Some applications, where unsprung weight is absolutely precious, could consider their use (125 GP). People will say that they cool down quicker. That's fine, but they never point out that they heat up just as quick. This is a very bad thing if you have prolonged breaking sections on rides. They will say that they 'brake' better, that just can't be true. All modern break rotors have adequate drilling and material use, plus they will have more surface area to work with. This claim must be related to the fact that when someone is installing expensive wave rotors, they end up working on other parts of the brake system that does improve performance, like fresh fluid, new pads, lines, or master cylinder. For sport bikes the weight issue is the only real way to look at these, but they come with the disadvantages usually associated with ELS (Expensive Lightweight Shit). (If you ride in real East Coast swamp conditions, these can provide a mud cleaning advantage, but you have to see some serous mud for this to be true)

PVM Racing has about the best example of these rotors available for street bikes. If you do not NEED wave rotors, do not get them. A round rotor with a simple "porsche" drilling will work much better for far longer. Many riders never use the rear brake. If you are one of these riders, you should try to get the lightest rotor possible in the rear. TCM Motorcycle Products has a service for drilling out stock rear rotors to make them light. At $75 this is a major reduction in unsprung weight for very little money.