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Which brake pads give longest life (hard use & 02)

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Routa 
#1 ·
I'm looking for pads that will give me longer life than the stock pads. I've only used stock so far and the oe set lasted 9000miles but got maybe 2000miles from my last set, and I'm braking harder all the time. This is for track use and mine's a 2002 model.

So which pad gives more life than stock and is still good for hard braking? Don't know anything about feel since I've only used stock pads and they were okay for me.

I did use the search function but longevity didn't seem to be on anyones mind when it comes to brake pads. Bunch of perfomance freaks[:eek:)]
 
#3 ·
Heh, I guess so, what I mean is that longer pad life is preferrable to great feel or hard bite. But fading or touring pads I don't want. So out of performance oriented pads, which give longer life.

SBS? No. But I will

Hmm, that would be the SBS 686 DC compound, not the RS. If longevity was desired. Must check if anyones used them. Thanks.
 
#5 ·
Hmm, but EBC markets their HH sintered pads with: Boasting the highest "HH" friction rating and a lifetime which is the envy of our competition..." Damn this, one says something, another says the opposite, and marketing claim anything. How's a noob to know what's what.

As I understand it sintered pads last longer, right?

A racer told me he tried SBS racing pads and got all of friday practice and saturday qualifying out of them so that's not good life. They have the DC - dual carbon compound which they promote as longer lasting, rotor friendly race pads, then they have the HS sintered pads and the RS "highest level roadracing" pads, which I think is what the local racer used. So that would leave me with either the sintered or the dualcarbon pads. They don't say anything about longevity for the sintered HS pads, seems like standard replacement pads. Any thoughts/experiences with these?

Longer life vs. better power. Hmm, certainly don't need more power than the stock pads, I'm perfectly satisfied with their perfomance. I do want longer life though. Those 2000 miles my last pads lasted were mixed street and track use and as my braking is only going to get harder and I'm moving away from the street more and more, the life expectancy of stock pads don't really look good. And at 70€/set, that's another expense I would like to minimize.

So which pads give more life than stock but still decent performance? Any suggestions? I know Rob Lee suggested PFC Compound 95 but that's a soft compound, right? So short life span as well?
 
#6 ·
Looks like you're gonna just have to try em' all! In regards to material to use, stay with either sintered metal or carbon compound pads. Organic pads work best with ductile iron rotors and in a much smaller, yet hotter temperature range.

Oh and before I forget, RedFinn, what the hell is your avatar supposed to be?!!?!
 
#7 ·
Lol, that's me when I got my bike about a year ago. Slightly modded, grin, eyes, hairline and inverted colors. I think I dropped the ears a bit too, but I can't remember for sure.





Yeah, maybe I'm just going to pick one type of brake pad and try it.
 
#9 ·
Anyone who owns a Ninja ZX-6R should be grinning like you RedFinn - I sure do every time I mount my mine![:p]

I'm also looking for the same thing in front brake pads as you. Sport Rider magazine rates DP pads very high in their latest issue. Who's tried or uses those?

BTW - how long should the rear pads last?[?]
 
#11 ·
Originally posted by Strong Bad

Nothing like inverted colours.
For someone who mods maybe one picture every 5 years, it's a must:D
Photoshop makes that stuff so easy these days.

The same racer who told me he wore out his SBS race pads said that the GFA marked EBC sintered HH pads lasted quite long on his yami. Might not be that nice on the street though. But these are the exact kit pads you were talking about StrongBad? GFA ones?

Oh, selecting brake pads IS indeed impossible. Just trial and error I guess.
 
#12 ·
I'm using the EBC HH kit pads. They're pretty good on the street and better on the track. It's really important to bed them in correctly. They don't last too long. Maybe a couple thousand. Insofar I like them a lot and probably won't switch over until someone gives me a different set or brand to try! [:p]
 
#13 ·
Originally posted by RedFinn

got maybe 2000miles from my last set, and I'm braking harder all the time. This is for track use and mine's a 2002 model.
Don't brake so much! [:p]. Heh... But really, 2000 miles and the front brake pads were worn out? I got much more mileage out of Kawasaki stock pads with my -00 ZX-6R and as you know, my riding includes quite a bit of track riding.

Many guys that are racing ZX-6R:s and ZX-9R:s say, that they use -98 ZX-9R:s stock pads. They say that those pads bite better. Well, I have no experience about those and no idea about the mileage you could get with them eather... But many guys have recommended them to me. I was going to test them but as you know, I can't anymore.

Originally posted by RedFinn

So which pad gives more life than stock and is still good for hard braking?
Well, as the others said, it's one or another. You can't have tyres that grip like race slicks and have the longevity of Michelin Macadams =)

Originally posted by RedFinn

Don't know anything about feel since I've only used stock pads and they were okay for me.
Well, I too was very satisfied about the brakes of my bike at my first and second riding season. Then I got a little more speed at track and they didn't feel so wonderfull anymore. Then I tested -03 CBR 600RR and -03 ZX-6R and now they feel like crap =)
 
#14 ·
Originally posted by _6R_
Well, I too was very satisfied about the brakes of my bike at my first and second riding season. Then I got a little more speed at track and they didn't feel so wonderfull anymore. Then I tested -03 CBR 600RR and -03 ZX-6R and now they feel like crap =)
From my (very limited) experience with your late bike (R.I.P [:M89]) the stopping power in -00 brakes is all right but the feel is wooden compared to -03 6r stoppers... cbr6rr stoppers are good stuff too.
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by Routa

Originally posted by _6R_
Well, I too was very satisfied about the brakes of my bike at my first and second riding season. Then I got a little more speed at track and they didn't feel so wonderfull anymore. Then I tested -03 CBR 600RR and -03 ZX-6R and now they feel like crap =)
From my (very limited) experience with your late bike (R.I.P [:M89]) the stopping power in -00 brakes is all right but the feel is wooden compared to -03 6r stoppers... cbr6rr stoppers are good stuff too.
Well, when the tacho is showing nearly 260kp/h at Motopark Raceways "back straights" end and you start to brake, the stopping power is not that awesome anymore. The same story at the very slow chicane before the "main straight", where you have plenty of speed and you have to get rid of it almost completely.

Especially last time, when the brake pads were pretty worn, I had to squeeze the brake lever pretty hard on those places and when you have to squeeze so hard, the feeling is bad too.

Well, gotta get me a new bike with some radial caliper stuff [:p]
 
#16 ·
Originally posted by _6R_
Well, when the tacho is showing nearly 260kp/h at Motopark Raceways "back straights" end and you start to brake, the stopping power is not that awesome anymore.
...
Well, gotta get me a new bike with some radial caliper stuff [:p]
Yup, that's what I meant with the very limited experiences :) The speed hasn't been nowhere near 260 kp/h when I've tried your bike...

And btw. I have no complaints on my bikes brakes in the places you mentioned so I guess the radial's (with a -03/-04 zx-6r attached to them) are the way to go ;)
 
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