Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Question about brake pads

I need new brake pads. So I was wondering what everyone uses. Is there something better than the stock pads? I was just gonna order a pair from british-customs or newbonniville. What should I look for in a pad? What should it be made of or not made of?

And what kind of rotors is everyone using? I need to replace my rear rotor as well.

Thanks for any help.

I use ebc hh sintered on both my tiger and ba. So far so good.

New bonneville,bikebandit,local bike shop,just about anywhere really.

I buy organic off Ebay, they are way less expensive and don't kill the rotor like sintered,semimetalic,or ceramic will.

In fact I just paid $19.78 with free shipping for a set of front and rear together. Was for the BA not Speedy so I will need a 2nd set for my front but I don't need the front right now so I'll just set that set aside for now. At $19.78 it is cheaper than buying just the rear from a vendor anyway.

or try Kevlar off eBay

IBC brake they last and stop ya as good as it gets.

At what point can I expect the sintered to kill my rotors I wander? That's all that ever been on my tiger [45 thousand miles] and the ba [21 thousand miles]. That's a combined mileage of 66 thousand miles with all original rotors on both bikes.

Why do you think they "grip" so much better? CAUSE THEY "GRIP" THAT ROTOR!

I used "NASCAR Brute Strength" pads on my GMC 1500 once, till that one set dissolved my rotors.

Organic pads for that GMC, $20 for lifetime guaranty. Rotors, $165 with no guaranty.

Yes, the pads wear out twice as fast (if not three times faster), but the rotors lasted 2-3 times longer.

Both would activate the "anti-lock" system, so what's the point, I'm NOT on the track.

Either will lock up your front wheel as well, so what's the point, I'm NOT on the track.

Im not sure how that answers my question.My rotors are no where near worn after yrs of sintered pads and the sintered pads last a very long while.

Your right!

I missed the point. The rotors on the Tiger will disintegrate @ 134,762 miles, while the ones on the America will go at 93,762.

Notice the one thing in common, the 762.

Weird, ain't it? But it's a fact.

Lmao erle!

Yeah, SOMETIMES I run out of things to say.

And though I DO believe the better the stopping capacity of the pads, the quicker they wear the rotors, I DO use Sintered pads on my bikes.

I believe it's a "middle ground" compromise.

I've tried both, and can't tell much difference. I wonder sometimes if one provides any better "feel" than the other, but being that I can't remember what I have on now, I can't say which it would be.

Same rotors, 95K miles, no problems with wear on any of the three. I purchased new front pads about 4 years ago, but apparently quit using the front brakes as I can't seem to wear out the ones on there now enough to justify putting in the new pads. They just collect dust on the shelf in my garage....

I replaced front and rear brakes before 20K miles, if I remember right, but have used less and less brake ever since...yes, I have changed front and rear brakes since then, but it has been a while. I may be on my 3rd, maybe 4th set of rear pads (I did change them last year with a rear tire swap), but I believe I'm still trying to wear out the 2nd set of front pads. At over 95K miles. It is mostly flat around here, of course, but I ride as fast as I can get away with.

Heck I even had warped front rotors way back when, and they apparently trued themselves, a I left them alone and they are fine now.

Nope!

Even a TOTAL lack of knowledge about a subject DOESN'T STOP ME from participating in the fray.

Thanks for the info guys. So many choices.

Does anybody know if a 2013 or a 2010 Rear brake rotor will fit on a 2007 Speedi? (2013-2010, Speedi too) I found one on ebay for $35. It would be a whole lot cheaper than $205 off of another site for a new one.

Answered my own question. 2013 does fit on a 2007. Yeah me!
$35 for a newish rear brake rotor instead of $208. Thanks ebay.

So I have my new rotor and brake pads on my rear wheel. Is it normal for the rotor to be hot after being parked for 10 minutes. It was a 22 mile ride from home to work, averaging about 65 to 70 mph.

I didn't need to touch my brake line or bleed any fluid to put the brake pads on. Do I need to bleed my brakes because they are new? I can smell the new brake pads, or is there a breaking in point?

Thanks for any help on this fellows.

Hot? I don't know. They ARE in continuous contact, so yes, they WILL be hot. But for how long, I can't say.

BUT SMELL!?? I don't think so. Just lift the tire off the ground, and see if it rotates freely (SOMEWHAT freely). If not, something's wrong.


By the way, I never have to bleed my brakes JUST because I replace the pads.

Just lucky I guess.

Cool, thanks Erle. I was pretty sure everything was ok.

I didn't think I need to bleed the brakes. I'm glad I don't have to do that.