I need new brake pads. Anything recommended?

[remy]

It's time for me to put on new front brake pads on my M695. Does anyone have any recommendations?

EBC Sintered?
Ferodo Platinum?
Ferodo XR Array Cooling?

Thanks for your input.

[ltnuke]

I'm in the same boat.  Hopefully someone will make some good recommendations

[Slide Panda]

Don't get sintered unless you're planning on getting new rotors more often than you'd like.  Great for race applications, but sintered pads eat up rotors faster than you'd like

The Platinums have gotten universally good reviews

Some details on pads
http://www.sportbikesolutions.com/sintered_vs_organic.htm

[remy]

Don't get sintered unless you're planning on getting new rotors more often than you'd like.  Great for race applications, but sintered pads eat up rotors faster than you'd like

The Platinums have gotten universally good reviews

Some details on pads
http://www.sportbikesolutions.com/sintered_vs_organic.htm

Great info! Thanks a ton.

[remy]

It sounds like high quality sintered pads (that have better cooling) might actually be the way to go for me. I ride streets mostly (commute/tour) with only occasional track days. Can anyone back this up, or am I way off in my analysis? Would the Platinum organic pads work better for my application?

[Qfactor]

I have been using ebc sintered for street/track days. I'm on my second set of those and OEM rotors @ 19K mi... But I replace brake parts more often than I really need to ( I still had a good 6K on my first pads/ rotors).

they are great pads for aggressive street and occasional track.

just my FHE, may not apply for everyone.

Q

[moto]

CARBONE LORRAINE Brake Pads: 2 Pin

[CairnsDuc]

I just put the Ferodo Sintered on the front and the Ferodo Platinum on the Rear of my S2R 800, I ordered some Platinums for the front from Ca Cycleworks, but Chris from Cycleworks sent me an Email advising against the Platinums for the front, He did say the Platinums would work but he is not a big fan of the OEM Brembo's on the front of the S2R800/695 so he suggested put on the Sintered.

I put them on on Sunday, The braking experience is a lot better than the OEM pads, The front is now just Awesome, It might be a bit harder on the disc, But such is life.
I've always hated the rear brake, it now has a lot more feel and stopping power, it's not as good as I would like, but a lot better than OEM.

Overall the braking power and feel is much better, I can highly recommend the Ferodo's

[remy]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I figure I'll get EBC for the front and down the line when I need to I'll get the Platinum's for the rear.   

[ltnuke]

Is it easy to replace the brake pads yourself?  Need any special tools?  Any how-to guides?

[venomousr1993]

EBC HH sintered pads....though it may wear the rotor faster, I really haven't noticed  and have used them on my last three bikes.  Wear and tear on brake parts is fine with me as long as I can stop well.   As far as skill level, if you can change your oil, you can easily change your pads...and it is not as messy imo.

[CairnsDuc]

The fronts were very easy, did them in 5 mins per side, the rear was a pregnant dog! Access is not easy if you can't the wheel off, but I got the caliper off towards the swing arm side, removing the pin was also a pregnant dog, slip off the little E clip and tap the pin out from what I read.

2 hours later and I'm going insane, I checked the caliper for any extra clips because that pin would not budge, but after reading here there is a little pressure clip that makes the pin very hard to remove, I assume to stop the pin sliding out if the E clip falls off, I got the pin about 3 mm out and then used a flat blade screwdriver under the lip of the pin to remove/slide it out (being very gentle so as to not damage the caliper or the pin)
Pads dropped out with the small metal piece, popped in new pads and metal tab piece, reinstalled pin and reinstalled caliper.

Took them out and bedded the pads in, crowd goes wild! 

[Alex]

Just to inject some pessimism: I had the EBCs last time, and my rotors wore out pretty fast. I had them professionally replaced with brand new galfer wave rotors and ferodo platinum pads about a year ago, and now I already have some pulsing/warping.  I hate brakes.

I guess the lesson is that it matters more how carefully you wear them in and use them than it does which compound you choose.

[dlearl476]

I guess the lesson is that it matters more how carefully you wear them in and use them than it does which compound you choose.

Bedding in the brakes is very important as it causes a thin layer of pad material to be deposited on the rotor rotor surface so that braking is pad wearing on pad material, not pad abrasively contacting rotor.

Lot's of "how-to's" on the interweb machine.

edit: here's one I stole from a thread over in tech.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml

[ghosthound]

The fronts were very easy, did them in 5 mins per side, the rear was a pregnant dog! Access is not easy if you can't the wheel off, but I got the caliper off towards the swing arm side, removing the pin was also a pregnant dog, slip off the little E clip and tap the pin out from what I read.

2 hours later and I'm going insane, I checked the caliper for any extra clips because that pin would not budge, but after reading here there is a little pressure clip that makes the pin very hard to remove, I assume to stop the pin sliding out if the E clip falls off, I got the pin about 3 mm out and then used a flat blade screwdriver under the lip of the pin to remove/slide it out (being very gentle so as to not damage the caliper or the pin)
Pads dropped out with the small metal piece, popped in new pads and metal tab piece, reinstalled pin and reinstalled caliper.

Took them out and bedded the pads in, crowd goes wild! 

.... so i tried searching for a write up on how to remove the rear pads and there were too many unrelated posts to sort through.  I figured eh, it should be fairly straight forward.

I go out to my garage and start by removing the c clip on the inner side of the caliper.  Then i push... nothing... i push harder.. still nothing.  Finally i end up taking the caliper off, take a look and to my amazement.. i see nothing.  (i guess i didnt look hard enough) i try wiggling the pads while pushing on the pins and still nothing.  I figure its just corroded on there so i end up rebolting the caliper back on and take a  hammer with a punch and force it through.  After several hits, it barely budges.  After more persistent "tapping" it slides through and i find bits of a metal ring around the other end of the pin   

Now my question is... do i need to replace that retainer that i completely destroyed or will i be ok only using the one on the outside of the caliper?  Obviously having that extra clip on the inside is good to have but i feel its unnecessary.

Other question, how do you force the pistons back without removing the caliper?? I tried before i removed the caliper and it was nearly impossible. 

Lastly, sorry for bumping such an old thread but this forum search is horrible.