Brake pads,...

Whats the general opinion of the best pads to get these days for a sports
bike? Not too bothered about longevity really, just plenty of feel and
stopping power.

 

Performance Friction. Expensive, tho.

I'm on Carbon Lorraine this year, after many on EBC HH

 

I had SBS recommended as an alternative to genuine kwaka ones. They were
border line scary so changed them for Cabon Lorraine and have stuck with
them. Lots of feel and initial bite with very little fade on my ZX9 and they
make a nice noise as well.

 

Carbone Lorraine (A3+ or SBK) are the mutts nuts.
Iain

 

Molly says...

EBC HH eat discs, never heard this said of Carbone Lorraine.

 

Didn't I read somewhere that they eat gixxer disks? It may have been
on here.

 

I find the best ones are whatever the shop's put in for me.

 

How much is expensive?

Is there an appreciable difference? I not had them (CL) before as they
didn't make them for old 2 pot P8 Brembos but I'm pretty sure they do a
set for the 4 pot Brembos.

 

Carbon Lorraine SBK3 front/RX rear...rock (tm Bear) ;-)

--
Petel .
02 M2 Buell.
C90-ZZR.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peteh1/website/index.html

 

About 36 quid *a side*

I think the CLs have a bit more feel. Mind you, we've changed back to
the OE master cylinder (from the AP Racing adjustable one) at the same
time, so I can't make a direct comparison.

 

OE Brembos are £23.50 for mine, £12.95 for EBC (again per side)

Do they chew cast discs? [1]

Where's the cheapest place to get CLs or am I just as well off getting
them from the local bike shop? How much is a reasonable price?


[1] This is important as Le Man I/II disc outers are made from
unobtanium. I got one NOS from Steve Wesson (his last) for £100 and
picked up a pair v. low mileage from ebay for £80. *result*

 

I've really no idea. I guess you'd be better off asking on the Guzzi
forums.

You can get them from Heine Gericke for approx £27 a side. But I'm
sure shopping around would be worth it - local tyre/brake/exhaust
place (ProTyre) quoted me 22 quid a side.

 

OK I got it the wrong way around cheers. I need new pads.

 

Carbon Lorraine it is then.

Cheers all.

 

sweller says...

I noticed a big difference on the ZZR1100. Loads more feel, they stopped
the bike better and were easier to control on the lever. In short they
made the ZZR's pitifully shite brakes almost acceptable.

The only downside I found was the SBK3 fronts didn't work immediately,
there was a split second where you couldn't feel them doing their job
and then they really came into action. Almost like they had to warm up
slightly before working. This wasn't a problem doing something like a
botafot where the brakes are used alot and don't really cool down, but
when I was doing lots of motorway miles it was disconcerting for the
first few weeks they were in. I soon got used to them though. I didn't
keep the ZZR long enough after I fitted them to work out what the wear
rate was like, but I wouldn't imagine they'd last too long tbh.

I've never gone for sports compound rear pads out of choice because I
don't like having a sharp rear brake. I don't use it much anyway. I
normally fit the cheapest available unless top quality ones are free.

 

Andy Bonwick says...

Not many people out there have EBC Pro-Lite discs, and dealers won't
tell you that the pads they're selling you will chew your standard discs
either. So you fit the HHs and a few thousand miles down the road you
need new discs. Dealer then sells you another set of standard discs and
a new set of HHs because they are always the best quality, and the wear
cycle starts again.

The majority of bikes out there have factory discs fitted, and EBC HH
pads will wreck those. If you want to throw even more money at EBC
products then go ahead, personally I wouldn't.

 

So tell me this, someone: as I've never been able to induce any sort
of fade or grabbiness in the gixxer's[1] OE brakes, despite much
trying, and think they're utterly superb, being able to hoist the back
end at will, would I notice any improvement from changing pads or
disks?

I can't see how I could, but would be interested in other opinions.


[1] The K3, with 4-pot calipers, not the earlier six pots.

 

I like them, and will be going that route when the ZRX needs new discs.
Your 9R's brakes were sublime last time I tried it.