Brake Question: OEM vs. Aftermarket

[Bob O'Bryan]

Hello again, I looked at the front pads on my "new" 1998 ST1100, and they are going to need to be replaced in the near future. OEM's will run about $90. Looking at the various websites, it seems that really good aftermarket pads can be had for about half that. BikeBandit carries Bike Master brakes, which appear to get great reviews. The Motorcycle Superstore carries them as well. I'm going to have to buy the official shop manual soon so I can learn more, but are the brakes Sintered on the ST? Semi-metallic? Organic/Kevlar? Something else? I know you shouldn't put sintered brakes on a bikes not designed to use them. In any case, I'm going through my new bike and finding things that need to be replaced, and looking for some thoughts on whether to suck it up and go OEM, or whether the aftermarkets will do just fine.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your responses so far!

Bob.

 

[dwalby]

Hello again, I looked at the front pads on my "new" 1998 ST1100, and they are going to need to be replaced in the near future. OEM's will run about $90. Looking at the various websites, it seems that really good aftermarket pads can be had for about half that. BikeBandit carries Bike Master brakes, which appear to get great reviews. The Motorcycle Superstore carries them as well. I'm going to have to buy the official shop manual soon so I can learn more, but are the brakes Sintered on the ST? Semi-metallic? Organic/Kevlar? Something else? I know you shouldn't put sintered brakes on a bikes not designed to use them. In any case, I'm going through my new bike and finding things that need to be replaced, and looking for some thoughts on whether to suck it up and go OEM, or whether the aftermarkets will do just fine.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your responses so far!

Bob.

The stock pads are HH rated and made by Nissin, so whatever you do make sure you get pads that are HH rated or you'll notice a decrease in braking power. Not sure what the exact composition of the OEM pads is, or if it really matters that you get an exact match if you go aftermarket.

I believe there are EBC pads that fit the ST, but are GG rated, so stay away from those (not sure if they make them anymore, but years ago they did). The EBC part you want is FA142HH, which will save you some $$$ from the OEM pads and should work just as well. In the past I've also used Galfer pads, which only came in a superbike/race compound. Those stopped well after you heated them up in the twisties, but for general street riding they weren't as good as the EBCs in terms of stopping power when they were cold. And by cold I mean not up to race temperatures, I ride in SoCal, so I never see actual 'cold' weather. Also, my data is a bit old, I don't change pads as often as I once did, so there may be some newer options (like you mention) that are worth considering as well. The last time I used the EBCs I was happy with them, I'm waiting for my Galfers to finally wear out and then I'm going back to the EBCs once again.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I've always used the stock pads and never had a rotor problem. I have heard of issues of rotor wear when using some after market pads. Try Service Honda and see what kind of price they have on their Honda pads.

 

[ST1100Y]

I've always used the stock pads and never had a rotor problem.

+1... and what I like the most? In the steep, twisty terrain of the European alps it doesn't matter if you brake hard for the 1st... the 5th... or the 25th hairpin, cold or F_ing hot: there just aren't any performance issues with the OEM material...

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

+2 OEM pads. Try another parts source than Bandit.

John

 

[Bob O'Bryan]

Thanks guys......looks like I'll just spring for the OEM's and be happy!

 

[Brant]

Thanks guys......looks like I'll just spring for the OEM's and be happy!

That you will.......good choice!. Actually the ONLY aftermarket pads that will NOT get ate up by the rotors like a cheese shredder are the EBC TT series. Have those on the rear of mine as the dealer was out of the Honda rorors. Those particular EBC pads are the ONLY aftermarket ones the dealer will stock, and was the one who clued me in that the Honda rotors are super hard and eat up EVERY other aftermarket cept for the TT series EBC pads. Just a tibit of info for future referance should a dealer be out of the Honda pads.

 

[BuddingGeezer]

I run EBC HH sintered pads on the front. Over 100K miles on the original rotors and they mic at the top of spec.

 

[Locust Cutter]

Well this is fortuitous as I just discovered that my "new" '93 ST needs pads front and back and was about to consult the manual about the sintered vs non question as well as whether the EBC brakes would work. Thanks!

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

I've run the EBC HH on the rear a few times as to what I could get right away... OEM or EBC both lasted about the same, didn't notice much diff between the two other that one seemed a bit more dirty ( dusty residue from pads )... but at my old age I can't remember which one it was. Major diff was OEM rears are thicker than EBCs ( ebc are the same for front or rear ).

As to the fronts, just used OEMs

 

[Al Gully]

Major diff was OEM rears are thicker than EBCs ( ebc are the same for front or rear )

Last year, EBC started to make a thicker pad for the rear, just put on a set this summer and love them. Can't comment on OEM pads as I have never bought them. EBC pads front and rear are $33 from keel brothers. I think they are the vendors of the year 4 times in a row on here.
You can't go wrong with those guys.
Also, I think it is hog wash when I here EBC wears out rotors. Mic'd mine after 50,000 miles and they are still like brand new!!

 

[dwalby]

Also, I think it is hog wash when I here EBC wears out rotors. Mic'd mine after 50,000 miles and they are still like brand new!!

I seem to recall many years ago, back in the mid-80s or so, where EBC had a problem with rotor damage. Not sure if they were just wearing excessively or actually damaging the rotor, but I remember them even using the phrase "no rotor damage" on some later products. In those days I was running SBS pads on my bikes, so I never used EBC until after that era had passed. I have used EBCs on my ST and haven't noticed any abnormal wear from them. Its hard to say what's normal wear on rotors anyway. If you tour 20-30k miles/yr on freeways and other roads where you don't brake much, you could have 150k on your rotors and they could be like new. I use my ST for commuting mostly and after 97k miles mine are getting very close to the service limit. The bike I commuted on before that wore out its rotors after 100k miles as well, so that's not really a shock to me, and in that era I had a 3-4x longer commute as well so the percentage of the time I was on the brakes was much less than it is now.

 

[Bob O'Bryan]

The stock pads are HH rated and made by Nissin, so whatever you do make sure you get pads that are HH rated or you'll notice a decrease in braking power. Not sure what the exact composition of the OEM pads is, or if it really matters that you get an exact match if you go aftermarket.

I believe there are EBC pads that fit the ST, but are GG rated, so stay away from those (not sure if they make them anymore, but years ago they did). The EBC part you want is FA142HH, which will save you some $$$ from the OEM pads and should work just as well. In the past I've also used Galfer pads, which only came in a superbike/race compound. Those stopped well after you heated them up in the twisties, but for general street riding they weren't as good as the EBCs in terms of stopping power when they were cold. And by cold I mean not up to race temperatures, I ride in SoCal, so I never see actual 'cold' weather. Also, my data is a bit old, I don't change pads as often as I once did, so there may be some newer options (like you mention) that are worth considering as well. The last time I used the EBCs I was happy with them, I'm waiting for my Galfers to finally wear out and then I'm going back to the EBCs once again.

Well, I said that I was going to go OEM, and called the local Honda dealer, and the parts desk carries the EBC FA142 Organic pads, and would have to order OEM pads. Interesting, I thought. I asked whether the ST uses organic or sintered pads, and was told it can use either. It's just a different feel says he. So, the follow-up question is: Sintered or non sintered? My primary concerns are 1) adequate braking power and 2) no damage to the rotors. I live in the Detroit area (yeah, I know) and not a lot of canyon carving to be had in the flat mid-west. Also, the ST isn't exactly a racetrack kind of bike, so the reviews on brakes I see from the crotch rocket jockey's on-line aren't really what I'm looking for (no, I'm not looking to pull stoppies on my ST, thank you). The EBC part number for the sintered is the "HH" or "Double H", so I'm thinking that DWALBY is using the sintered (as is BuddingGeezer). From what I've read, the sintered really grab, and since I don't have an ABS bike I don't what the have a lock up. Has anyone experienced any sintered brake issues like that?

Thanks guys!

 

[st1300r]

I've used the HH on the 1300.
Dealer here stocked the EBC not oem.
You could always order the oem's on line. Prolly cheaper and faster then the dealer.

2 bros carries 1100 pads from ebc
http://www.discount-motorcycletires.com/brake_pads?b=1

 

[dwalby]

The EBC part number for the sintered is the "HH" or "Double H", so I'm thinking that DWALBY is using the sintered (as is BuddingGeezer). From what I've read, the sintered really grab, and since I don't have an ABS bike I don't what the have a lock up. Has anyone experienced any sintered brake issues like that?

What I was cautioning you against is if you go with the FA142 organics, I believe those are the ones that are only "GG" rated. They will give you less stopping power than the OEM pads, which are "HH" rated. The "HH" rated EBCs won't grab any harder than the "HH" OEM pads, they're the same friction rating. The only reason you'd want the FA142 organics is if you think you have too much stopping power now, and want something that has less power.

 

[DonMac]

DO NOT USE THE ORGANICS IF YOU WANT TO STOP!!! They don't have nearly the stopping power of the sintered. I say this from experience.

 

[Bob O'Bryan]

Thanks Don. I just didn't know if you could use sintered on the ST. As long as they don't damage the rotors, they seem to be the way to go.

 

[Bob O'Bryan]

Thanks DWALBY. I looked on multiple websites and there are so many different brake types out there, it just gets confusing. After all the advice I've seen I think I'll order the EBC sintered brake pads and change them out this weekend. Thanks again for the clarification, I appreciate everyone's responses!