Happy Medium Brake Pads?

[Valkorado]

Well, the Bullet needs new brake pads again.  Honda is proud of their pads.  Are they really so magical that nobody has come up with a decent generic yet?  Some of the eBay sets are scary cheap.  I know stopping is important, and rotors also aren't inexpensive.  Before I go guinea pigging, I thought I'd check if anyone has found happy medium with a brand of pads that won't break the bank and don't grind the rotors into dust.

[Valkorado]

Sixity!

For over 100,000 miles on various bikes.

Thanks!  I've seen them advertised at very reasonable prices. 

Checked again.  Looks like they make sintered (N6), organic (Q6) and ceramic (C6) pads.  It sounds like the ceramics have minimal rotor wear and low noise, and have good performance both cold and hot.  Which have you been using?

[h13man]

OEM, about 20,000 mi. per set up front so far.


https://www.servicehonda.com/oemparts/p/honda/06455-mv4-405/pad-set-fr

[98valk]

06435-MBY-671  thicker so last longer.   Just installed them 1k miles ago in front.
must remove the heat shields to install on the front.

whatever u get always use sintered bronze pads with a HH friction rating, the highest for stopping power, OEM pads are rated as such.

https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,93000.0.html

https://safebraking.com/what-is-a-sintered-brake-pad/
Sinter brake pads are used for motorcycle and off-highway uses. These pads have excellent high- and low-temperature friction levels. But, they can be noisy. These pads typically have a copper colored backing plate. The sintering process requires a lot of copper to make a brake pad. Some sintered friction materials have up 30% copper by weight.

Motorcycle are exempt from the California and Washington State Better Brake Law that limits the copper and other environmentally damaging ingredients. If the law was applied to motorcycles, sintered brake pads would no longer be used by motorcycle manufacturers or sold by the aftermarket.

[hubcapsc]

I like OEMs... I got a set of what I could get in Colorado, and they squeeked so bad I replaced them
with OEMs when I got home.

I think OEMs probably aren't magic and that any good pads made out of the same
kind of stuff would probably be fine...

-Mike

[WintrSol]

I have EBC FA142V pads, and they seem pretty solid.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/EBP-FA142V/applications/make/honda/model/gl1500ct-valkyrie-tour

[RNFWP]

I have EBC FA142V pads, and they seem pretty solid.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/EBP-FA142V/applications/make/honda/model/gl1500ct-valkyrie-tour

I put a set of EBC on the rear once. I don't remember the model #. They worked well.
Not initially, but eventually they developed a bee like buzzing sound. I was happy to replace them when the time came.

[RonW]

Fortunately, rotor material is harder than the pad's backing plate. Of course thinner pads will run hotter which isn't good.

[WintrSol]

I have EBC FA142V pads, and they seem pretty solid.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/EBP-FA142V/applications/make/honda/model/gl1500ct-valkyrie-tour

I put a set of EBC on the rear once. I don't remember the model #. They worked well.
Not initially, but eventually they developed a bee like buzzing sound. I was happy to replace them when the time came.

EBC brake pads have a recommended break-in, so they work well when new.

[mello dude]

Running KapskoMoto pads.. no complaint thus far..
https://www.kapscomoto.com/ca/catalogsearch/result/?q=Honda+Valkyrie

[Valkorado]

Just to update, I threw on a couple pairs of Sixity ceramics in front.  They feel great, and are really quiet.

[98valk]

Just to update, I threw on a couple pairs of Sixity ceramics in front.  They feel great, and are really quiet.

why would u use pads that provide less stopping power than OEM?

https://www.sixity.com/brake-pad-selection-guide

[Jims99]

My experience is oem pads are the way to go. Ive tried the ebc pads on two different bike and went back to oem within a few months. Just don't have the stopping power. I may try sinter pads and see how they do.

[98valk]

My experience is oem pads are the way to go. Ive tried the ebc pads on two different bike and went back to oem within a few months. Just don't have the stopping power. I may try sinter pads and see how they do.

OEM are sintered bronze.

[hubcapsc]

why would u use pads that provide less stopping power than OEM?


I can't speak for Valkorado, but: They feel great, and are really quiet.

I ride an 1800 Valkyrie with dangerously ineffective OEM brakes (according
to some magazine), but I don't mind it because they feel great and are quiet  ...

-Mike

[h13man]

0-60 stopping distance with OEM on a standard 97' F6, 107 ft. 98' Tourer 114 ft. and the 99' Interstate @ 116 ft. I'd say a 750+ lb. bike doing this is like wow. In the top 5 of all bikes in 97' if my memory serves me right. 

[Valkorado]

why would u use pads that provide less stopping power than OEM?


I can't speak for Valkorado, but: They feel great, and are really quiet.

I ride an 1800 Valkyrie with dangerously ineffective OEM brakes (according
to some magazine), but I don't mind it because they feel great and are quiet  ...

-Mike

Just living on the edge.  Why would u ride a motorcycle?