Top 12 Best-Selling Brake Pads: Part 1

Customized Motorcycle

Brakes are an important piece of equipment for motorcycles and one component that is indispensable is the brake pads. There are many characteristics to look for when choosing a brake pad, such as:

- Durability, life
- Effectiveness (braking power)
- Controllability
- Rain performance
- Price, cost

Let's take a closer look!

Why are there so many types of brake pads?

Resin? Metal? Semi-metallic? Sintered?

The words used to describe brake pads may be unfamiliar, or even if they are, there are probably a lot of people who aren't exactly sure what kind of pads each are. Don't worry about the various names though, there are still just two major types of brake pads: resin and metal. (*Excluding carbon brakes)

Some words that are used to refer to the resin type are:

- Semi-metallic
- Non-asbestos
- Organic
- Non-fade

Some words that are used to refer to the metal type are:

- Full-metallic
- Metallic
- Sintered

You will often see or hear these words.

Overview and Features of Brake Pads

Resin Type Pads
The main raw material used in resin pads is aramid fiber. They are generally composed of fibrous material, fillers, phenolic resin, metallic material, carbon, ceramic material, lubricants, and abrasives. These materials are then hardened with resin.

One of the characteristics of resin pads is that they are not limited by the rotor material and are effective from low temperatures.

Metal Type Pads
The main raw material used in metal pads is powdered metal (mainly copper). They are generally composed of copper, tin, carbon, ceramic material, lubricants, and abrasives. These materials are then hardened by heating (this is the sintering process).

Metal brake pads are more suitable for racing and sports riding because they are much more effective at high temperatures than resin brake pads and can withstand high loads with little change in performance in the rain.

How should I choose a brake pad?

This is the hard part, choosing the right brake pad!

Even if there are graphs and other comparisons, it is difficult to get an idea of what they will be like just from the data and performance comparisons vary from brand to brand.

What to look for when selecting brake pads!

-For those who just commute, ride around town, or go touring, don't need strong braking power and want to choose an inexpensive option

For commuting motorcycles (mopeds and scooters) and small displacement motorcycles that do not require high brake potency, you can choose one that is balanced in terms of durability and price.

-Price and durability are not a concern! For those who want to enjoy the "strongest" potency

Those who want to feel the joy of braking can find a pad that suits their riding style by choosing one with excellent potency and control.

(The author uses the former for his commuting bike and the latter for touring and sports riding.)

What is the final deciding factor?

Many people make their final decision based on reviews from people who have used them. So, here we will introduce the Top 12 along with descriptions. You can be assured that all of the types that ranked in are very popular and have been used by many riders. Feel free to check out the ones that pique your interest, and you should be able to find the one that best suits your needs and budget. Of course, compatible models are listed on each product page, so be sure to check if they are compatible with your own bike!

Top 12 Best-selling Brake Pad Ranking

No.12 [ENDLESS] Racing Sintered Pad PRO2

Their Super Hybrid Sintered Pads were called "over-spec," but by taking the super wear resistance and putting it towards braking power, the Racing Sintered PRO was created and has been well received for its outstanding control and excellent balance of braking power. The Racing Sintered PRO 2, which evolved from this model, maintains the control and ease of handling of its predecessor, but has increased overall potency, allowing it to demonstrate superior performance on the street as well. With a price range of around 12,000 JPY, we recommend these for those who want to really enjoy braking.

No.11 [Brembo] Brake Pads

When it comes to brakes, Brembo is the name of the game. Although pricey, you can tell how reliable they are based on how often they are used in races. The reason Brembo is this low in the ranking is probably because many of the top-rankers are more universal and less expensive. The type that made it into the ranking here are in the price range of 5,000 to 8,000 JPY, but their racing pads (which didn't make it in) are more expensive, ranging from 16,000 to 27,000 JPY. We recommend these for those seeking reliability and proven performance.

No.10 [METALLICO] Spec 3 Brake Pads

Relatively less expensive than Brembo, which ranked in above. METALLICO brake pads are highly durable, and have a track record of finishing the Suzuka 8-hour Endurance Race without replacement. They also have a long life record of 20,000km on the street. They are an all-rounder type that combine race specs with durability. The price range is around 10,000 JPY, so we also recommend these for those who want to enjoy braking.

No.9 [Vesrah] Metal Pad Sintered Brake Pads

Seventh place goes to Vesrah's VD-JL pad series. 12th and 10th place were for racing and priced over 10,000 JPY, but the VD-JL pad series is in the 5000 JPY range, for a significant price drop. The VD-JL pad series is designed for street riding rather than racing. Therefore, the performance does not deteriorate even in the rain, and the disc rotor gets damaged less, resulting in a long life expectancy. Since the pads exhibit high braking force at high temperatures, it is recommended to refrain from hard braking immediately after starting out or to heat up the pads before sports riding. The price range is from 5,000 to 6,000 JPY, and they are recommended for those who want to use them for sports riding and touring rather than for racing.

No.8 [RK JAPAN] Mega Alloy X Brake Pad

In eighth place is a pad from RK, a well-known chain brand. The concept is "sintered for high performance and control in all situations". The aggressiveness in contacting with the rotor has not been improved, but the overall performance, control in both went and dry conditions, and durability have. The degree of performance improvement is such that they can be enjoyed both on the racetrack and on the street. The price range is from 4,000 to 6,000 JPY, so we recommend them for the same people as above.

No. 7 [SBS] Street Excel Sinter

SBS brake pads can be identified at a glance by the distinctive logos that show what they should be used for.

The type that ranked in here is designed with street riding in mind. Priced between 3,000 and 6,000 JPY, this is a must-try for those who are particular about their brakes!

No. 6 [SBS] Street Ceramic

In 6th place we also have some SBS street-use brake pads! These pads are even more designed with street use in mind than the ones in 7th place. By keeping performance level to the bare minimum they are made more affordable, with a price tag of around 3,000 JPY.

SBS brake pads are also used by Webike Team Norick Yamaha. We recommend this brand for their reliability and proven performance used by racing teams!

The TOP 5 will be introduced in Part 2 of this article! We hope you look forward to it!

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