Life of brake pads

**Colapop** · 25th April 2007, 21:34

How long do brake pads last?
I need to change mine - not a problem. I've been advised that I should look at kevlar pads instead of cinder ones. What's the difference in;
Longevity,
Performance,
Cost...

and any other things I should know about brake pads...

**Madness** · 25th April 2007, 21:39

Originally Posted by Colapop

and any other things I should know about pads...

The ones with the wings are best.

**Colapop** · 25th April 2007, 21:42

obviously speaking from experience...

**Paul in NZ** · 25th April 2007, 21:43

Originally Posted by Colapop

How long do brake pads last?
I need to change mine - not a problem. I've been advised that I should look at kevlar pads instead of cinder ones. What's the difference in;
Longevity,
Performance,
Cost...

and any other things I should know about pads...

Yes - no such things as cindered ones unless you set fire to yours,,, Sintered (sp) ones you knob....

ie 0nes with metal embedded in em... (I'm drunkish OK)

Once asbestos was banned they had limited choices so they bunged in all sorts of abrasive shit. Presumably kevlar ones won't wear out the disks so fast? Fucked if I know as I don't have anything made of anything so poofy as kevlar...

**riffer** · 26th April 2007, 08:43

Okay, I'll wade in.

I'm using scintered pads in my RF900. Goldfren ones.

I've been told the Nissin calipers don't like them. And for some reason they make the bike shudder when used between 75-85 km/hr - but at no other speed. They never did that before I put them in.

Also they're bloody hard on the rotors. I'll be going back to kevlar next change.

**imdying** · 26th April 2007, 09:17

Pad life is relative to usage. Use them hard and often, you'll root them in a track day. Some guys will do a mountain pass hardly ever touching the brakes, some fly into corners with the slipper clutch working over time. You see what I'm getting at. There's a lot to be said for factory pads, they're designed to work with the composition of metal your disc was made out of, I would at least price them up (that much is free!). A lot of the pads available in NZ are pretty average, the flash ones are expensive, OE is a good compromise (well duh).

**Paul in NZ** · 26th April 2007, 09:34

Originally Posted by riffer

Okay, I'll wade in.

I'm using scintered pads in my RF900. Goldfren ones.

I've been told the Nissin calipers don't like them. And for some reason they make the bike shudder when used between 75-85 km/hr - but at no other speed. They never did that before I put them in.

Also they're bloody hard on the rotors. I'll be going back to kevlar next change.

I doubt it's the pad material that affects the calipers unless it's soft ones that bung up the works with brake dust. However - whats important is having pads that match your disc material. Stainless, cast iron, chromed (yes - believe it or not) all come in different types and a harsh pad on a soft disc will wear the disc quickly...

The scintered / sintered (whatever) pads were part of the answer to getting disc equipped bikes to stop in the wet without the dreaded 'delay' along with slots grooves, holes and all manner of things like floating calipers, discs etc.

On old munters like me Guzzi - NOTHING floats and the discs are cast iron but since it's as slow as a wet week in Invercargill thats not a problem BUT scintered / sintered pads do make it stop a bit better.....

**Blackbird** · 26th April 2007, 09:42

Originally Posted by imdying

Pad life is relative to usage. Use them hard and often, you'll root them in a track day. Some guys will do a mountain pass hardly ever touching the brakes, some fly into corners with the slipper clutch working over time. You see what I'm getting at. There's a lot to be said for factory pads, they're designed to work with the composition of metal your disc was made out of, I would at least price them up (that much is free!). A lot of the pads available in NZ are pretty average, the flash ones are expensive, OE is a good compromise (well duh).

I'll second those wise words! There was a similar recent discusion on the UK Blackbird site and I was staggered to see the difference in distances achieved. Some people got as little as 12000 km and some better than 40000 km. I use "stock" SBS pads sourced from the Honda dealer. I changed my last set at 34000km and the current set look like they'll last a pretty much identical distance.

**James Deuce** · 26th April 2007, 09:43

Well I'm using Metal Gear Kevlar pads that came with the new Metal Gear front discs and the pads are fucking horrible. They've taken 1200 kms to bed in and they still flutter from time to time which is probably what Riffer is noticing. When I first tried them they actually felt worse than the warped disk I replaced. Carefully setting up the disks to achieve minimum run out didn't change things much so I agreed to give it a bit of time to see if the problem "went" away. It has mostly.

I won't touch Kevlar (organic) pads ever again.

**imdying** · 26th April 2007, 10:15

Originally Posted by Jim2

I won't touch Kevlar (organic) pads ever again.

Considering the vast range of types and qualities of organic pads, if I were you I would just avoid that brand. They're perfect for many applications.

**James Deuce** · 26th April 2007, 10:16

Scintered pads give better braking power and better wet weather performance. Organics are hopeless in the wet.

**Cajun** · 26th April 2007, 10:24

i have played with few brands over the years, and i stick with ebc HH sinster pads, i have heard storys of them eating disks quick than other pads, but really if rather have something that i trust that i like that know stopps me fast and quickly with, and siafice a bit of disk life,
normally get 25,000kms out a set on the front.

**Max Preload** · 29th April 2007, 13:53

Anyone used those 'Premier' pads that the dealers push? (I tend to avoid any products with names like 'super' and 'ultra' in them, and 'premier' qualifies in that respect).

**Edbear** · 29th April 2007, 14:06

Being a cheapskate and easy on brakes, I was planning on replacing the GSX-F pads with stock, but I sold the bike and have a new bike now so shouldn't have to worry for a while.

Our Nissan Pulsar, bought new in March '99, has now done 140,000km and I have replaced the front pads once. Still original rears. I suppose I won't get the same out of the bike, but we'll see how she goes...