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Sportster Brake Pads

7K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  Tobacco Road 
#1 ·
Is there a good alternative to the OEM pads?

I've always had good luck with the OEM pads, but the prices are starting to get steep. ($43 for one caliper!) Is there a good, economical alternative to OEM?
 
#5 ·
I've heard that sintered pads wear the rotors excessively and need to be heated to work properly. Of course this was not from a source that I would bet on.

There are very inexpensive kevlar/carbon pads available, but what I've read about those is that they don't provide very good stopping power. Of course, again consider the source.

What type are the OEM pads? Ceramic? The OEM pads do not wear the rotor at all in my experience and provide exceptional stopping power.
 
#6 ·
Sintered (metallic) pads give the best over-all stopping in most conditions. I've always heard that they can cause slightly more wear on the rotor then organic pads, but I've never noticed anything along those lines. I guess if you had chrome or polished rotors they would make a noticeable difference. The're solid performers and usually fool-proof.

Harley OEM pads were sintered types the last time I installed any.

Organic pads are supposed to be easier on your rotors, generate less brake heat, but generally don't last as long and sometimes don't stop as well in the rain. There's several different types of organics, with kevlar being one, but I couldn't say exactly what the differences are between the different types. I know that some do use metal in them as well as the other non-metallic ingredients.


I've never used the ceramic pads.
 
#8 ·
If it costs more but isn't any better then I'd say it was too expensive. Lyndall has a good Internet reputation, but I've never used them. I don't think I've ever seen any either, that I know of.

I don't know who makes the OEM pads though. I was in a dealership yesterday afternoon and I did ask, and the OEM pads haven't changed and are still sintered metal.
 
#9 ·
I was in a dealership yesterday afternoon and I did ask, and the OEM pads haven't changed and are still sintered metal.
Thanks for checking into that. Complaints such as, "Sintered pads destroyed my rotors after 1000 miles" seemed a bit out there. I figured I would check further into it before avoiding them. That opens up my options quite a bit.

Compared to car pads, which are virtually identical in design but are larger and use more raw material, motorcycle pads are extremely high priced. A set of four car pads can be bought for less than $20. They want about $90 or more for a set of 4 motorcycle pads. That's a huge profit margin considering it probably costs them no more than $5 to manufacture them.
 
#10 ·
How many miles have you got to need new brakes Dods? I ask because I have never had to do that on any bike I've ridden. One with 66k another with 63k and yet another with 44k. Maybe I just get rid of them too soon. I do use engine braking more than the actual brakes too. The 66k bike I thought I was hard with though as that's the bike I ran with the BMW riders who thought they could out run a Harley tractor. Those brakes still looked good when I sold it. So I'm just wondering how many miles it takes before it's needed.
 
#11 ·
I've got about 34,000 on these brakes. The front brakes are still fine, but the rear pads are starting to get thin. I do use the brakes quite a bit, since I only lightly engine brake by habit. I also drag the rear brake quite often while practicing slow speed maneuvers.
 
#12 ·
Not dis'ing Dods. I truly understand dragging the rear brake. That is the only time I even touch it. Well that and gravel. For all I know the rear brake was shot on the ones I sold. I honestly never looked because I don't depend on the rear except slow stuff.
 
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