Brake pads, what to get

talkToTheHat · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Karma :

I'm not far off needing new brake pads for my 535. She's a 1992 so the fitting is FA136, there is not much choice. EBC HH are not available.

known availability:

EBC FA136 (Organic/aramid)
Ferodo FDB591P Plantinum (organic)

and via eBay
Brembo 'blue' (carbon ceramic)
Kyoto (organic)
Carbon Lorraine Reflex (sintered)
Galfer HH (only HH pads I can find)
Vesrah (organic)
Armstong (organic)
edit: Goldfren AD (carbon ceramic, S3 or S33 compounds do not appear to be available)

I really liked the feel of the goldfren AD (ceramic carbon I think) on my GZ, felt really confident with them and never locked the front outside of finding the limits of emergency stop on private land, better than the ferodo platinums they replaced. Hated the Kyoto pads I put on the first GZ, no feel, worse than ferodo platinums.

My riding is mostly urban by requirement, often in the rain, with much exploring of local back roads if i have a free half hour, and some longer trips, usually with heavy luggage.

From the state of my front tyre it's safe to say I'm exploring a good deal of what my brakes can do.

So... Ferodo are the safe bet, but tempted by the brembos.

Anyone have any relevant thoughts?
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Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

There's not much in it. Goldfren HH pads work well and are cheap, not sure how long they last though. They seem to start off quite thin.

Cheap organic pads (vesrah/kyoto) are often shit. You get what you pay for.

talkToTheHat · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Karma :

Are the goldrfen HH pads the S3 / S33 branded items? After much searching all I can find are the 'AD' in my fitting, which is the least sporty.
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nowhere.elysium · The Pork Lord Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

XV535... and you're worried about brake pad feel?

Keep drinking that kool-aid! Wink

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stevo as b4 · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Karma :

Something HH rated and sintered is ideal. I'd choose a well known brand of pads and not some cheap as possible ones.

I've always to a point found sintered pads to give a sharper initial bite, and stronger braking until you get them too hot! I would say that it does not matter what your bike is, you want the best strongest braking you can get, and things like pad noise or disc wear rates should for the majority of bikers not come into it.

If your only concerned with preserving a set of discs for as long as possible then your priorities are wrong unless good brakes is not something you need or feel are important.

talkToTheHat · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Karma :

I'm sorry I don't fit the cruiser riding stereotype by bolting decorative shiny things onto my bike in order to make it less fast.

Strangely I want my slow old bike to stop in a controlled a manner as possible in the minimum possible distance.

I asked on here because I have not found anything that marked HH that fits the 87->95 model years' front calliper from a brand whose reputation I know.
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nowhere.elysium · The Pork Lord Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :

Why not do the obvious thing and stick with the brand and type of pads that you've had a good experience of, then? The reason you can't find HH rated pads for your bike is that they're designed for bikes that have a much higher power to weight ratio than your virago. You don't have to worry about bleeding off ~120mph in short order, so you don't need HH rated pads. GG should be more than sufficient, and I believe that the goldfren AD pads you've found are to that spec.
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MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

talkToTheHat · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Karma :

Strangely, I know a little bit about vehicle dynamics and braking systems. May have paid some attention to those bits whilst I at that end of the faculty of engineering. They were actually interesting.

What I don't have is a decent knowledge of the real world performance of commercial friction compounds. Yes, I've put fresh pads on both the Suzuki GZ125s I've owned, disliked one set, liked the other. When I started the topic I couldn't find Goldfren AD pads to fit.

It's tempting to get my hands on the 1996 onwards twin-pot calliper, as replacement discs are cheaper. Not sure on whether they changed the fork lowers or wheel centres at the same time so some research required. Then everything becomes available.

Given that I appear to prefer carbon-ceramic over EBC and Ferodo organics and the budget organics can be ruled out, how about I try a simpler question:

Goldfren AD or Brembo 09
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jimspeed · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Karma :

Caliper upgrade possible? maybe off something more sporty which would have more choice of pads?
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Conzar · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Jun 2012 Karma :

INB4
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barrkel · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

Sintered pads eat brake discs. Just buy some bog standard EBCs & bed 'em in nicely & they will stop you wayyy beyond the capability of your tyre in all situations & last longer than the others. Look after your discs by not buying abrasive pads or its a catch 22 moneypit - worn discs make worn pads real quick, like two weeks quick...
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evoboy · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Karma :

Slacker24seve... · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 May 2010 Karma :

Bunny Lingus · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Apr 2014 Karma :

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

Armstrong HH pads for me. Thumbs Up

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talkToTheHat · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Karma :

The 1996 onwards XV has a different disk and a twin-pot calliper. Not sure if that's all I need to swap. A much better selection of pads including EBC HH and Goldfren S3/S33 pads are available. Is that a v-max I see? I think the right hand calliper is I think the same part.

A venhill brake line and a thorough service of the calliper did a lot for the brake feel, as did servicing the forks. Almost everything I do in terms of planned maintenance makes the bike feel less vague. That has to be a step in the right direction.

Goldfren AD available locally for pocket change, will see if they brighten my day. Will research the 96 front end swap.
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