Kinked beads

[Grumpy Goat]

One thing I do before replacing pads is remove some brake fluid if the fluid is at the max line. With the thicker new pads the fluid may be overfilled causing a leak or making a mess the next time you remove the reservoir cover.

My BMW manual tells you to remove the speed sensor when removing the left caliper but I never had to do that when changing tires.

Yes, I knew about the technique of removing some brake fluid but since I was in there recently (for the fluid change) I figured I had the room in the reservoir.

As for the speed sensor - it is pretty close to the ABS ring and since it is only a small screw I rather play it safe and remove it. I certainly don't want to risk giving BMW any more money than I have to.

At first I was surprised your front pads are so thin, but I'm guessing commuting uses more brakes.
I went out and looked at my front pads with a mirror and they look pretty thick.
My rear pads look thicker than yours but I still plan to replace them before the trip.

Maybe it's all in my head but I swear brakes don't feel as good once they are half worn.

Yes, commuting does use more brakes and also riding style. It appears that I sometimes ride aggressively(-ish) and that would also suggest more brake wear.

The lever is a tad higher with the new pads in place which is nice. Still squishy compared to the S1000R though. They stop well enough. I did about 5 hard brakings from close to 60 while on the "bedding-in" run, and they felt great again today when I took it out to warm up the final drive prior to changing the FD oil. I also changed out the drain plug for one with a stronger magnet (Dimple) bought from Beemer Boneyard.