GPZ brake pads and rear shoes

[m i k e]

Right i'm currently looking at buying new front disc pads and new rear shoes for the crappy drum brake, i'm looking at some EBC ones on mandp.com but there's so many to choose from! I was wondering whether anyone knows of any to get for it, as it's confusing the crap out of me!

The possibilities:

Front Disc Pads:

FA230R Front Brake Pads
FA258R Front Brake Pads
FA256HH Front Brake Pads
FA283HH Front Brake Pads
FA119R Front Brake Pads
FA128R Front Brake Pads
FA349R Front Brake Pads
FA105R Front Brake Pads

Rear Brake Shoes:

H3 series shoes (example: H315G Brake Shoes at £19.99)
K7 Series brake (example: K710G Brake Shoes at £22.99)

Cheers,

Mike
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Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Guest]

What bike?

What year?

[m i k e]

Oops!

1987 GPZ 500s is the bike, sorry about that!

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Guest]

I see what you mean, their site lists hundreds of pads and shoes when you enter your bike details.

I've got an old M & P catalogue that uses their parts codes - front pads Kevlar are EBC4129 and HH's are EBC4129HH (surprisingly )

Can't find a way of matching those numbers ot the EBC product codes unfortunately, looks like a trip to the local bike shop.

[m i k e]

Yup so i'm a bit stuck! Thanks for your help anyway though mate, Hopefully the trusty oracle can shed some light on the case! I'm in no rush for the parts as it is because the bike's off road!

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Scooby]

I can have a look at work tomorrow for you if you like.
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A big enough hammer fixes anything!

[m i k e]

If you can mate, that's be bloody brilliant as there isn't any local bike shops around me

Cheers mate!

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Scooby]

Ok will do. I can look in the data book and get the part number you see. Anything special about the bike? Is it an import or anything like that? It probably doesn't make a difference, but better safe than sorry.
____________________
A big enough hammer fixes anything!

[m i k e]

Yeah I know what you mean but as far as I know nope, if it helps there's pictures in my profile. It's an 1987 GPZ 500 S (A1 model). Thats about it really I think

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Kickstart]

Hi

Old paper M&P catalogue lists your bike as having EBC4129 pads (or put an HH at the end for the sintered ones). This is their old part number which was partly the suppliers code so the EBC code will be FA129. The back shoes are K706 I think.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[m i k e]

Keith you've gone and done it again, that was just what I wanted to hear and i'm pretty sure I remember seeing those model numbers on mandp.com! Sintered pads? Are these better I don't have a clue what sintered means

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[Guest]

[stinkwheel]

Get sintered pads!, they will wear out your disc a little more quickly but pattern front discs are pretty cheap, they make the brakes a lot more responsive and are not affected by the wet.

The drum brake on the GPZ500 is much better than the rear disc, the disc ones spit out pads as there is nothing to hold them in properly, they don't work very well and replacement discs are 140 quid!! Having owned both, the drum is definatley better.

If you have not already done so, I recommend that you order a braided steel brake line for the front disc brake when you order the pads (about 15-20 quid). The difference this makes to the feel and efficiency of the brakes makes it the best modification you could do to that bike, second comes progressive fork springs then getting phosphor bronze bushes and grease nipples fitted to the uni-trak casting.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[m i k e]

Right I guess I'll be giving MandP a ring soon then for some sintered pads, the braided hoses I already have Then I lost you after the words 'best modification you could do to that bike..'

Thanks again for all your help guys!

Mike
____________________
Bom Chicka WAHHH WAHHHHHHH!

[stinkwheel]

Progressive fork springs: These replace the standard springs in the front forks. Progressive springs are wound so the coils get tighter along its length. This means that the front suspension gets 'progressivley' stiffer the more it is compressed and stops the bike nosediving under braking. Made a marked improvement to the handling too.

Unitrak bushes: If you put your GPZ on the mainstand, then standing behind it get hold of the back wheel in both hands and pull it upwards, you will find there is quite a lot of free play before you start compressing the suspension. This is the case with all GPZs and is due to wear in some plastic bushes in the unitrak casting (the bit that the rear shock bolts on to), an MOT tester COULD fail your bike for this. The only way to fix it is to replace the bushes with new ones (45 quid!) which will be worn again within 500 miles. Most people just live with it and it doesn't seem to affect the handling.

I have a friend who is handy with a lathe who made me new bushes out of phosphor bronze (self lubricating metal) and put grease nipples in the casting so I can lubricate the bushes without stripping the bike. This is how it should have been made in the first place.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Kickstart]