Are your brakes taking more and more pressure to stop? Can't remember the last time you purchased new pads? Do I sound like a cracked up sales man? Probably, but that's not the point. As a first thread I wanted to outline my thought process in making the move to upgrade my brakes.
1) Evaluate what you NEED: It's pretty safe to assume if you have enough doubt in your mind to question "do I need new pads?" it's time for some new pads. Examine your rotors closely, grooves are sweet at the disco, but should have no place on your rotors. If you notice deep groves and substantial wear, it could be time for a fresh pair. Generally good rotors will last years, but if you have any doubt, have them inspected as they are VERY costly.
2) Determine what you WANT: See another bike rocking some slick braided brake lines? Have an eye on those radical Galfer Vee rotors? Go for it! The only limit is your pocketbook (and brands that support your whip of course)
3) Get the good stuff: Remember kiddies, if you wanna go fast, you gotta stop fast. This is the law. If you feel confident in your brakes, you will push yourself harder, and will notice the direct effect of confidence developing skill. Your brake job can be as simple as a pair of pads, all the way to as extensive and budget busting as you want it to be.
Crunch time: I noticed the brakes on my second hand 01' CBR929RR were fading in a bad way, and as a daily "grocery getter" (lol) I put this off way too long. After pooling my lunch money around I made up my mind on what I NEEDED.
-New Pads (EBC HH Sintered)
-New Rotors (EBC XC rotors)
-Fluid Flush (not optional)
Next I had the big bad decision making ahead of me, do I cheap out and slap crap on my ride? If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I went straight for the biggest name in street brakes: EBC brakes. Now I could do a whole write up on the company and the technology that went into my brakes, and if I get enough interest I will, but I spent a week just watching "How it's made - EBC" and reading up on the company. I wanted a product from a company that stands by it's product, a company that paid engineers to develop it's products, spends the time on R&D, and doesn't cheap out on materials.
Technology: You may hear me mention "Sintered", this is a manufacturing process that is used to compress metal into a more dense, long-lasting form. The company super-heats the metal brake pad and compresses it under immense weight without getting the pads so hot they melt. This forms a highly dense, long lasting and unbelievably strong stopping pad using precision technology, and if you don't think that's some cool sh!t get out of my thread.
Installation: I personally live in an apartment building where the opportunity to work on my bike is impossible. Luckily there is a local sport bike shop I trust, Adrenaline Motorsports, Victoria, BC, and they are ALL fireblade fans. The process involves: Taking the wheels off, installing the new rotors to the wheels (follow your torque specs people), tossing in your new pads, buttoning everything up and flushing/bleeding your brake fluid and gingerly taking her out for a test ride. REMEMBER! new brakes need to bed in properly, this can take anywhere between 5 and 25 full stops, just remember unbedded brakes can brake worse than old brakes so ensure you play it safe until the feel becomes natural. After 2.5 hours of labor and some shop supplies my installation bill came out to around $250.
In the interest of cold hard $$$ my brake costs were:
EBC XC Front Rotors (pair): $400
EBC XC Rear Rotors: $140
EBC HH Sintered Pads (front pair): $66
EBC HH Sintered Pads (rear): $33
Labor: $250
All and all out the door: $890 for a fully brand new updated system I can trust with my life, and i do!
All parts were purchased from Motorcycle Parts, for Custom Motorcycle & ATVs | BikeBandit.com and I am a return customer, amazing suply, helpful website WITH OEM DIAGRAMS hnng, and quick shipping. All said and done, I would personally recommend EBC brakes for their amazing quality and unrivaled stopping power per dollar, and a huge shout out to Bike Bandit who provide a wicked site to help guys like me piece together a second hand bike and make it their own.
I hope this has helped you commit to a new set of stoppers, and while I may brag on about EBC and co. please do not feel pressured to go with this brand. Make your own decision, read rider reviews, but most importantly, DO YOUR RESEARCH before trusting something with your life.
1) Evaluate what you NEED: It's pretty safe to assume if you have enough doubt in your mind to question "do I need new pads?" it's time for some new pads. Examine your rotors closely, grooves are sweet at the disco, but should have no place on your rotors. If you notice deep groves and substantial wear, it could be time for a fresh pair. Generally good rotors will last years, but if you have any doubt, have them inspected as they are VERY costly.
2) Determine what you WANT: See another bike rocking some slick braided brake lines? Have an eye on those radical Galfer Vee rotors? Go for it! The only limit is your pocketbook (and brands that support your whip of course)
3) Get the good stuff: Remember kiddies, if you wanna go fast, you gotta stop fast. This is the law. If you feel confident in your brakes, you will push yourself harder, and will notice the direct effect of confidence developing skill. Your brake job can be as simple as a pair of pads, all the way to as extensive and budget busting as you want it to be.
Crunch time: I noticed the brakes on my second hand 01' CBR929RR were fading in a bad way, and as a daily "grocery getter" (lol) I put this off way too long. After pooling my lunch money around I made up my mind on what I NEEDED.
-New Pads (EBC HH Sintered)
-New Rotors (EBC XC rotors)
-Fluid Flush (not optional)
Next I had the big bad decision making ahead of me, do I cheap out and slap crap on my ride? If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I went straight for the biggest name in street brakes: EBC brakes. Now I could do a whole write up on the company and the technology that went into my brakes, and if I get enough interest I will, but I spent a week just watching "How it's made - EBC" and reading up on the company. I wanted a product from a company that stands by it's product, a company that paid engineers to develop it's products, spends the time on R&D, and doesn't cheap out on materials.
Technology: You may hear me mention "Sintered", this is a manufacturing process that is used to compress metal into a more dense, long-lasting form. The company super-heats the metal brake pad and compresses it under immense weight without getting the pads so hot they melt. This forms a highly dense, long lasting and unbelievably strong stopping pad using precision technology, and if you don't think that's some cool sh!t get out of my thread.
Installation: I personally live in an apartment building where the opportunity to work on my bike is impossible. Luckily there is a local sport bike shop I trust, Adrenaline Motorsports, Victoria, BC, and they are ALL fireblade fans. The process involves: Taking the wheels off, installing the new rotors to the wheels (follow your torque specs people), tossing in your new pads, buttoning everything up and flushing/bleeding your brake fluid and gingerly taking her out for a test ride. REMEMBER! new brakes need to bed in properly, this can take anywhere between 5 and 25 full stops, just remember unbedded brakes can brake worse than old brakes so ensure you play it safe until the feel becomes natural. After 2.5 hours of labor and some shop supplies my installation bill came out to around $250.
In the interest of cold hard $$$ my brake costs were:
EBC XC Front Rotors (pair): $400
EBC XC Rear Rotors: $140
EBC HH Sintered Pads (front pair): $66
EBC HH Sintered Pads (rear): $33
Labor: $250
All and all out the door: $890 for a fully brand new updated system I can trust with my life, and i do!
All parts were purchased from Motorcycle Parts, for Custom Motorcycle & ATVs | BikeBandit.com and I am a return customer, amazing suply, helpful website WITH OEM DIAGRAMS hnng, and quick shipping. All said and done, I would personally recommend EBC brakes for their amazing quality and unrivaled stopping power per dollar, and a huge shout out to Bike Bandit who provide a wicked site to help guys like me piece together a second hand bike and make it their own.
I hope this has helped you commit to a new set of stoppers, and while I may brag on about EBC and co. please do not feel pressured to go with this brand. Make your own decision, read rider reviews, but most importantly, DO YOUR RESEARCH before trusting something with your life.