Brake pads choice? Who uses what? Reviews

I am about to do my brakes, 2002 VFR, I am looking at the obvious, EBC and Galfer. What have others used and liked? Other brands?

[image: View Post]PACIFICMAN, on 26 February 2010 - 05:08 PM, said:

I am about to do my brakes, 2002 VFR, I am looking at the obvious, EBC and Galfer. What have others used and liked? Other brands?
I only use Honda brake pads.They are more than adequate for street use,they last,and after 60000 km. my discs still look like new.I checked them with a micrometer and wear was minimal.

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 12:54 PM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.

^^^^ http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/+1.gif ^^^^

IMO, unless your doing some track time where you are really looking for much more fade resistance to handle the braking needs at the track, it's just best to stay with OEM Honda pads which perform very well as are much kinder to disc surfaces than most aftermarket pads. I tried aftermarket (EBC) pads before on my previous bike and just ended up severely scoring and glazing my discs in a short time (even though they were supposedly the less aggressive "street compound" without really realizing any braking improvement to make it worth the expense and accelerated wear on my discs....if it ain't broke,don't "fix" it!

Beck
95 VFR

Not that it matters, because you prolly caint get'm in Mrka, but up until the last pad change, I always used SBS, because that's what my 'bike guy' stocked. However, he quit his business, and the bike shop I went to fitted Ferodo without asking me what I thought. I must say, they worked very well once bedded in, and cleaned up the surface of the disks very nicely, so they must be more abrasive than the SBS pads were. The disk surface looks very even and flat now. :fing02:
Given the choice, I probably would've given the EBC's a shot.

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"

How are the EBC's in the wet?

[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 26 February 2010 - 09:28 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"
x5

Very good pads, wet or dry

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:25 PM, said:

[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 26 February 2010 - 09:28 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"
x5

Very good pads, wet or dry

Are you guys running HH front and back? Or just up front?

Front and Back

Galfer sintered HH. Wet or dry there is nothing finer.

So, HH grade, Galfer vs EBC vs OEM. Hmmmm.

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:57 PM, said:

Front and Back


X2. Never really thought of not running the same pads, nor would I ever. Then again, I have never mixed tires as well.

i guess im the odd one out wont use EBC HH again. much better in dry conditions.OEM are better in wet conditions by quite a bit.
FYI EBC are cheaper than OEM

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 27 February 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:57 PM, said:

Front and Back


X2. Never really thought of not running the same pads, nor would I ever. Then again, I have never mixed tires as well.


I'm coming from a Katana forum and it doesn't have linked brakes. The general train of thought was since the HH are grabbier it was better to run them up front, and run stock pads in the rear so as not to increase the chance of locking the rear wheel under hard braking.

[image: View Post]woobie, on 26 February 2010 - 10:51 PM, said:

Are you guys running HH front and back? Or just up front?

I only use my rear brake for sitting still on a hill.

I have Dunlop brake pads. My mechanic sworn up and down they were best, even used them in his drag bikes. If they good enough to stop him from those kinda speeds there good enough for me.

Front OEM ONLY , because the F.Right and F.Left pads are DIFFERENT .!!!!

I mean dif. code and dif PRICE .

06456-MCC-006 , Front R
06455-MCC-006 , Front L

FR is 3$ more than the FL .

VFR 800 Vtech is the ONLY Honda moto that uses Dif pads for the front wheel . This is because the Front caliper are different ( the right middle piston is smaler than the left middle piston )

As far as I Know ebc,ferodo,brembo sel the SAME pad for FR and FL .

[image: View Post]lazkal, on 27 February 2010 - 01:28 PM, said:

Front OEM ONLY , because the F.Right and F.Left pads are DIFFERENT .!!!!

I mean dif. code and dif PRICE .

06456-MCC-006 , Front R
06455-MCC-006 , Front L

FR is 3$ more than the FL .

VFR 800 Vtech is the ONLY Honda moto that uses Dif pads for the front wheel . This is because the Front caliper are different ( the right middle piston is smaler than the left middle piston )

As far as I Know ebc,ferodo,brembo sel the SAME pad for FR and FL .
???
I installed the same pads front and rear and have not had any issues.
Not sure if you're right on the pads being different.
May wana doublecheck that.

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:25 PM, said:

[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 26 February 2010 - 09:28 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"
x5

Very good pads, wet or dry

X 6

I have never used anything better... :fing02:

I spoke with the dealer regarding this subject. Apparently the right and left factory pads are different (heat pads, spring plates, spacers, etc...), however, the "architecture" of all the calipers is the same. This allows aftermarket suppliers to use the same application all around the bike.

[image: View Post]PACIFICMAN, on 27 February 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

I spoke with the dealer regarding this subject. Apparently the right and left factory pads are different (heat pads, spring plates, spacers, etc...), however, the "architecture" of all the calipers is the same. This allows aftermarket suppliers to use the same application all around the bike.
The front calipers ARE different .
Aftermarket suppliers sell the same pads to CBR 1100 XX and to VFR 800 Vtech .

1100 XX
Front Left :06455-MAT-E21
Front Right:06455-MAT-E21 . The same .

800 Vt
Front Left : 06455-MCC-006 . The same as 1100 XX
Front Right: 06456-MCC-006 .Different !!!

I believe that there is a reason for this extra code .

When I said "architecture" I did not mean the 3 calipers are exactly the same in every way. Earlier it was pointed out that there is some difference in piston size for instance. What I meant was that the units are the same in hard points, grooves, shape, etc. Honda pads take the specific differences into account. But clearly the EBCs, Galfers, etc. function as well, if not better, than OEM, despite using the same pads in all calipers (on the VFR).

Hey All, Secondary question, Do you all change the pins as called for? Or is that bunk? How about the O ring on the end? Mine seemed fine when I took them out. I assume Honda calls for the R&R because they are such soft metal. Any thoughts?

[image: View Post]PACIFICMAN, on 27 February 2010 - 02:26 PM, said:

Hey All, Secondary question, Do you all change the pins as called for? Or is that bunk? How about the O ring on the end? Mine seemed fine when I took them out. I assume Honda calls for the R&R because they are such soft metal. Any thoughts?

My guess is "liability." I have always reused mine on every motorcycle Ive ever owned as they all have been in great condition.

Flash

me too

Don't forget to clean and grease the slider pins.

I use Permatex synthetic brake grease on them.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RASG8WZ2L._SL500_AA280_.jpg

http://www.permatex....otive/20353.pdf

[image: View Post]fastrc46, on 27 February 2010 - 02:35 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:25 PM, said:

[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 26 February 2010 - 09:28 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"
x5

Very good pads, wet or dry

X 6

I have never used anything better... :fing02:

X 7 :fing02:

[image: View Post]enzed_viffer, on 27 February 2010 - 07:34 AM, said:

Not that it matters, because you prolly caint get'm in Mrka, but up until the last pad change, I always used SBS, because that's what my 'bike guy' stocked. However, he quit his business, and the bike shop I went to fitted Ferodo without asking me what I thought. I must say, they worked very well once bedded in, and cleaned up the surface of the disks very nicely, so they must be more abrasive than the SBS pads were. The disk surface looks very even and flat now. :fing02:
Given the choice, I probably would've given the EBC's a shot.

Blargh! I had Ferodo pads once, and they sucked on my '02! Terrible feel at the lever and no bite at all. I'm much more comfortable with the SBS pads, and really can't complain about them.

I changed out my stock pads for EBC HH rated pads and cannot believe the difference. Much less lever action required to actuate the brakes. I left the rear stock pads in for less bias.

Flash

[image: View Post]Interceptor1, on 28 February 2010 - 07:30 AM, said:

[image: View Post]fastrc46, on 27 February 2010 - 02:35 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Hoyle2001, on 26 February 2010 - 10:25 PM, said:

[image: View Post]marid2apterbilt, on 26 February 2010 - 09:28 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Gerrys02800, on 26 February 2010 - 05:13 PM, said:

[image: View Post]dutchinterceptor, on 26 February 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 26 February 2010 - 11:54 AM, said:

EBC HH. Nothing beats them.


Yep, what he said!

x3
x4

Great pads, If properly bled you can get the same performance as OEM "Using 1 finger on the lever"
x5

Very good pads, wet or dry

X 6

I have never used anything better... :fing02:

X 7 :fing02:

X8

Picked up a set of Gafler 3yrs ago at the bike show.
Put them on last year. They do me just fine.

[image: View Post]Rice, on 27 February 2010 - 01:00 PM, said:

[image: View Post]lazkal, on 27 February 2010 - 01:28 PM, said:

Front OEM ONLY , because the F.Right and F.Left pads are DIFFERENT .!!!!

I mean dif. code and dif PRICE .

06456-MCC-006 , Front R
06455-MCC-006 , Front L

FR is 3$ more than the FL .

VFR 800 Vtech is the ONLY Honda moto that uses Dif pads for the front wheel . This is because the Front caliper are different ( the right middle piston is smaler than the left middle piston )

As far as I Know ebc,ferodo,brembo sel the SAME pad for FR and FL .
???
I installed the same pads front and rear and have not had any issues.
Not sure if you're right on the pads being different.
May wana doublecheck that.

The OEM uses a specialized compositry pad differnce on front calipers, atleast for the abs models

Firstly, Thanks Everyone! I really appreciate the responses. After all the input here, and shopping around by price and availability, I decided to go with the OEM pads front and rear. Everything I looked at, including the OEM, were "HH" rated. All the aftermarket apps. use the same pads all around. The differences in the 3 sets of OEM, while slight (mostly, in the vibration / spring "cages"), seem appropriate and well engineered. My nearby dealer, Simi Valley Honda, matches Ron Ayers prices for me, so, I paid $40 per set, no shipping, +tax. They were at the dealer next day. The service department let me swap them on the apron of the garage and then rolled the bike in for a front and rear fluid flush and bleed (it had never been done by the PO, 16,000 miles). They did the clutch fluid as well, total $77. I thought this was a good deal. Also, I was leery of doing the brake fluid myself without a pressure / vacuum bleeder. The new pads work Very well, nice and quiet, plenty of grab and easy to modulate. My riding buddy loves the DP brand on his CRB954 and Superhawk (hard to get and costly). The majority on here seem to lean EBC (I intended to get these at first, but cost and availability helped sway me). I liked Galfer on my Kawasaki ZR-7S but only the "black" pads were available quickly (not an option for me on the VFR).

Nope, you're not alone.
Honestly, I didn't notice a dramatic difference between OEM and the EBC HH pads.
The EBC require more warm up and have created an annoying little squeak just before stopping.
I'm going to switch back to the OEM ones next set (probably by the end of the year) so we'll see if I'm missing something.

[image: View Post]jfviffer, on 27 February 2010 - 05:51 AM, said:

i guess im the odd one out wont use EBC HH again. much better in dry conditions.OEM are better in wet conditions by quite a bit.
FYI EBC are cheaper than OEM

FWIW, I'm soon to put on genuine Honda brake pads all the way around. They stop the bike and don't get used that much.

I do use that engine brake a lot though..... :fing02:

Doing my brakes this afternoon, my 13 year old son is with me for March break and I think its time he learns how to swing a wrench. The VFR could be his one day so he better learn to look after it.

Using OEM Honda parts, they worked fine the first 55,000km so why not stick with them. $100 for all 3 sets from my local dealer. Each set is a diffrent part number so make sure you only do one at a time. :warranty: