Brake pads

[stevierst]

Armstrong
Gold fren
Koyoto
Sbs

These brake pads seem too cheap! Has anyone got any good/bad feedback about them?

[Deefer666]

Armstrongs - cheap, very very cheap but so wooden 


SBS fitted to nearly all my bikes 

[His Dudeness]

I think you mean kyoto. My bike came with them when I got it. They were ok when dry but useless when they got wet. I'd intentionally ride with the front brake on to dry the disk and get some heat in the pads. They had absolutely no bite if they were wet.

[His Dudeness]

Also I've heard there's fake brake pads and chains on the internet so be careful where you buy them from.

[bigbluebear]

Got SBS race sintered on mine and find them to be really good, however I do have braided lines and brembo master cylinder

[Punkstig]

Ferodo's are my personal choice, best I've known in the wet

[richfzs]

Avoid Goldfren. Never used them myself, but the guy I use for servicing on the charity bikes has a box of them, that he has taken off customer's bikes, where they've done one of:-


a) lasted the grand total of 1000 miles
b) scared the customer shitless, including at least one accident
c) simply started to disintegrate.


Naturally, someone will now come along and say they've used them for years, and love them 

[JoeRock]

There's two types of Goldfren. Their standard red road pads, which are shite. They also do a high spec version, which according to a lot of the boys on zx9r.net really isn't too bad!

[darrsi]

Got SBS Ceramics on the rear.


Galfer on the front, did a complete caliper clean up earlier in the week, took them out and they still looked in great condition, no rust, flaking or anything.
They've worn evenly, and aren't aggressive on the discs at all. 


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Galfer-Semi-Metallic-Street-Front-Brake-Pads-Yamaha-FZS-600-1000-FZ6-FZ8-FZ1-/151375523636?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item233eaf2f34

[adeejaysdelight]

I have had Kyoto pads on the CBF 125 for a couple of years now. They are fine for that job, but then the bike is used for commuting and only weighs 119kg.


I fitted Gold Fren pads on the rear of the Fazer (EBC on the front). Again, they are fine for scrubbing off a little speed and stabilizing the bike, but I would not have them as my main source of stopping power. For an extra few quid you can have a reliable brand, tried and tested.

[Aegis Bearing Mel]

Gold Fren are more break pads than brake pads imho.
Always interesting when you have to try and kick down three gears and nearly lock up the back to slow enough for a set of lights as the front brakes don't.

I always went with EBC double H sintered pads, suited my tomfoolery nicely.

[stevierst]

Good to see that everyone's results are pretty much the same as my initial thoughts. 'they're cheap for a reason'.

I'm after a set for the rear of the r1 that aren't too harsh as I use quite a bit of back brake (>20mph and filtering mostly)
I'll probably stick with bendix MF and just not press the pedal as hard :P

[sadlonelygit]

i had goldfrens on my bmw and fazer.
only problems i had with them were when left over the winter on the fazer, first use in the spring saw pad part company with the backing plate

[Hedgetrimmer]

Good to see that everyone's results are pretty much the same as my initial thoughts. 'they're cheap for a reason'.

I'm after a set for the rear of the r1 that aren't too harsh as I use quite a bit of back brake (>20mph and filtering mostly)
I'll probably stick with bendix MF and just not press the pedal as hard :P

I made the mistake of letting my mechanic put EBC HHs in the back of mine, against my better judgement. Faaaaar too fierce! I may not even have dropped it the other day if I'd just had standards in there; the rear is way too fierce at the moment, locks at just the thought of using it. Always just put the standards in the back previously.

I think I'll be getting shot of them as soon as I'm fit to ride again.

[stevierst]

Its a good shout Nick, the r1 has a blue spot in the back, and it weighs Bugger all. A bit of a recipe for disaster really.

[Hedgetrimmer]

I don't really understand why all the 600 guys want to put the blue spot caliper on the back of their bikes. Ok, so I haven't ridden a 600 in a long while, and can't remember what the back brake is like, but even with standard pads, the blue spot is too much really; or at least, I find it to be. And that's on the heavier thou. Brilliant on the front though.

[stevierst]

Erm...... I've got an R1.

[darrsi]

I don't really understand why all the 600 guys want to put the blue spot caliper on the back of their bikes. Ok, so I haven't ridden a 600 in a long while, and can't remember what the back brake is like, but even with standard pads, the blue spot is too much really; or at least, I find it to be. And that's on the heavier thou. Brilliant on the front though.

I've deliberately stuck with my 600 caliper on the rear because of the things you say, you really don't need it locking up all the time, and as long as it's maintained regularly it's perfectly good enough for the job.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Erm...... I've got an R1.

Yeah, I know, was just making an observation about the 600s 

[Dead Eye]

I think one of the main reasons for putting the blue spot on the 600 is the easier maintenance of the caliper as well as its superior design - you just don't get the same issues with it.

Having said that, I've been thinking lately that the rear on my thou could do with being a bit sharper. The pads have probably got about 1/3 to 1/4 of the material left on them, but I'm not sure what they are. I have set of brand new EBC Organic pads to go in that came from the previous owner which I might put in on the coming weekend. I've used them before on my old red 600 and I remember them being pretty good.

Despite Organic pads creating more mess, they aren't as fierce with their initial bite. If I don't get on with them, then I'll be hunting down some SBS Ceramics

[Hedgetrimmer]

What makes you come to the conclusion your rear brake needs to be sharper Liam (he asks in a suspicious tone)?

I know some people get on ok with organics, but I'd heard a few stories about the pad material breaking apart. Then my mechanic, who obviously fits a lot of pads, confirmed this with his experience. Tempting to say he was the one who advised HHs on the back of mine, but then that was to address a specific problem I was having, and his theory seemed sound enough....sort of.

[chaz]

What about the genuine Yamaha pads? they don't seem that much more expensive and the ones in mine look as though I should get 50,000 miles out of them? they work ok and you at least have comeback if they fell apart, well as long as you survive?

[Hedgetrimmer]

I think that's what was in mine before my recent pad change chaz. Liked em a lot. Great feel, and as you say, just seemed to be lasting forever. Plenty of stopping power too. Guess I got impatient, as the guy who looks after mine only had EBCs in stock, although if I'd waited a bit, he could've got OEM. Wish I'd waited, as although the front EBCs have plenty of power, they seem to have less feel. Worried about what they'll do to my discs too, have found them to be a bit harsh in the past.

[unfazed]

I have always used HH  front and back on the 1000, but front only on the 600 as they are to severe on the back of the lighter 600.

I have the 1000 caliper on the rear of the 600 purely for cosmetic reasons. 

The 600 and 1000 share the same master cylinder and the 1000 caliper is less prone to seizing due to its design

[Mark YPVS]

I have Galfer in my R1 (5pw) and they stop well but lack feel ( for me as we all brake differently) i will be binning them in favour of EBC HH as i like the feel and bite they give ( London riding) so a sharp rear brake is important to me as i use it a lot for slow filtering, My Fazer 600 Foxeye had EBC front and rear and so has my YPVS, i think the pads a more down to how you ride ( like the tyre threads ) we all have a favourites  


Mark