Shigura users

I thought the Magura caliper required a thicker rotor

Did you bleed them with the reach wound all the way out?

I think Magura spec 2mm thick discs where the Icetech are 1.8.

Might have an influence on how much movement there is in the lever before the pads contact the disc.

I've never shigura'd but I'm considering the exact same setup as you so I'm interested.

MT5 callipers with XT Servowave levers here and no, not a long pull.  The Servowave does its thing and brings the pads in quick then ramp up the leverage.  I really didn’t enjoy the initial set up though, endless flick, flick, flick of the lever and tap, tap, tap of the lines.  I thought the supply of air bubbles would never end!  No problems since but only done the odd lever bleed.

I thought the Magura caliper required a thicker rotor

Magura rotors are 2.0mm rather than 1.8mm (assuming new rotors) but any problem would only appear as the pads wear right down

They are my all time favourite brake but can understand some not liking their abruptness

It may be rotor thickness.

I was hoping I could overfill them a touch and move them in that 0.2mm...

I might whip out pads and top up with the pistons out more than the bleed block allows

I was hoping I could overfill them a touch and move them in that 0.2mm…

That’s not how hydraulic brakes work. Once the pads make contact it should feel the same regardless unless you are pushing the limits on wear. What do you think happens when your pads wear by 0.2mm?  They don’t work like a cable brake that you’d have to turn an adjuster to take up the slack, the master cylinder just takes in a little fluid from the reservoir to fill the gap

I have the same set up as you but with SLX levers and centreline rotors. Same issue but it's only my light duties bike so I can't be arsed to sort it out.

I used to run the magura levers with the same discs so I don't think the thickness is an issue.

Cable tie your levers back to the bars overnight n see if that improves the feel.

Assuming you have bled properly, your problem is too much gap between pad and rotors.. you can either manually clamp one side of the pads to the caliper (needle nose pliers) whilst pumping the other side out a bit. Then swap pad sides and repeat. Sometimes need to be repeated a few times, but eventually you’ll walk the pads out on both sides enough to take up the slack. A bit of rubbing ok, as it will soon wear down. . Or… take wheel out, put a 1.5mm Allen key between pads (lengthways) squeeze lever so the pads come closer together. Release lever, take out Allen key. Pads should retract back enough just to squeeze in a rotor without excess rubbing, but with minimal lever throw. I’ve done one or both of the above for years and my brakes are awesome. Shigura included.

There's an easier way the get pistons out. Use 6links from and old chain, sit between pistons pull lever job done.
I use normal hope discs with mt7s and fancy mgura thicker discs on two other bikes. All are spot on. But I run magura levers and in 8 years have never had a problem, once I knew the special magura bleed dance.

what oil do you use?

Magura Royal blood.

I'd like to try Putoline HPXR or whatever it is people have recommended for easier Shimano bleeds but what I actually used was Shimano mineral oil.  Not for any performance reasons but because I decided I'd be more likely have a warranty type issue with a Shimano lever than a Magura caliper and I didn't want to have traces of the 'wrong' fluid if that situation arose.

XT levers and MT5 calipers here which do not behave as you describe. I think you have air in the system and need to bleed again. The bleed is a bit of a faff as described above, you have to work hard to get all those bubbles out!

The disc thickness means nothing as the pads will auto adjust on the first couple of lever pulls anyway.

I left a ziptie on the brake lever for a week.

It's now firm and BITES hard...my word!

So there is air in the system.

Indeed. So I opened the top bleed screw and topped up/allowed air out.