Feel can often be about pad material, too hard and it feels wooden. Organic is normally the best for feel but suffers with dust and quick wear and of course brake fade if used very hard. Sintered are good but can be hard on the discs, still a dust problem though. I'm going to try some carbon pads next, got them on my 1300 and they are great, almost no dust, stop like hell and are kinder to the disc than sintered.
Have you bedded the pads in and removed the old bedding from the disc surface? Makes a hell of a difference if done correctly.
I always thought that brake pad material should match the brake disc material as Odd job stated sintered brake pads can be hard on discs.
On my modern bike ( Triumph 1050 ) the brakes are extremely good as you would expect from a modern bike but I have heard of people using non standard brake pads to give even better performance under heavy braking , unfortunately this has created excessive heat and caused the brakes discs to warp .
Now this is probably not the case on the older bikes because the braking force at the disc is not as great so heat produced is less than a modern machine but personally I would not fit non standard brake pads to my old Honda for fear of damaging the discs .
Please see this information from a brake manufacturer Ferodo :-
Brake pads must match the disc (rotor) material and type to ensure optimal performance, prevent premature wear, and avoid noise. Matching the friction material to the disc ensures proper "bedding-in" and effective heat management, as mismatched components can cause uneven rotor wear or brake failure.
Ferodo
Ferodo
+2
Key Considerations for Matching Brake Pads and Discs:
Material Compatibility:
Steel Rotors: Standard, high-carbon steel discs are compatible with organic, semi-metallic, and ceramic pads.
Ceramic Pads: Ideal for daily driving, providing quiet, low-dust, and durable performance.
Semi-Metallic/Sintered Pads: Best for high-performance, heavy-duty, or racing applications, offering superior heat management, though they may be louder.
Carbon/Ceramic Discs: Require specialized pads; standard steel-compatible pads will not work.
Performance Matching: If you have high-performance, vented discs, you should use matching high-performance pads to handle increased heat, rather than base-level organic pads.
System Integrity: It is recommended to replace brake pads and discs as a matched system to avoid premature wear and brake pulsation.
Quality Standards: While brands can differ, ensure pads meet required safety standards (like ECE R90) for compatibility.
Ferodo
Ferodo
+6
For most street vehicles, matching the manufacturer's original equipment (OE) material recommendation is the safest approach for balanced performance.
Would be interested in what the more experienced people in the group think , I have as I said not deviated from the standard pads for fear of causing damage to discs so my comments are not based on personal experience.
It would however be interesting to fit sintered pads to my bike along with a compatible discs.
