FJRiders.com

It's not a problem to replace them, I'd leave it until you need new pads.... the problem with stripping out the originals usually is after a couple of pad changes and not using a nice crisp 5mm fully seated. Anti-seize on the tapered seat a good idea.

Mine aren’t stripped, but they’ve gotten rusty. I’ve cleaned them up a few times in the past, but it’s time to replace them all. I’m surprised I didn’t have a stroke when I saw the price of the OEM part, glad I found this thread. Thanks raYzerman!

I never cease to be amazed at how Japanese and German "engineers" will change a component at every opportunity. Bugged the heck out of me how Honda changed brake and clutch levers on CRF450 every few years, and didn't use the same controls on CRF250. This in no small part contributed to the success of KTM who (for a long time) used exactly the same clutch lever and brake lever on everything 125cc to 570cc year after year. Also used to make me sad to see perfectly good 1 and 2 year old motorcycles (and sometimes new leftovers) get parted because they were worth more in parts than whole. But this supply of quality used parts increases the utility of that model of motorcycle to those who want to keep their's running.

My local Beta dealer stocks a handful of OE levers and known aftermarket "upgrades" but has given up trying to fit the Japanese dirtbikes. Too many times has ordered a supposedly correct lever only to find it doesn't fit. Stocks a few and if one fits then great! Otherwise he resists ordering for brands he doesn't sell.

So here we have Nissin using a completely different pin, and probably different pad outlines too. One for Honda another for Yamaha. Why? I can imagine it would be useful to change the shape of pad backing plate to keep idiots from installing pads with grossly different friction characteristics. But the caliper pins?