Tag Archives: DP Brakes

DP Brake Pads | Gear Review

DP Brakes pad review
DP Brakes were the first to develop sintered brake pads for motorcycle use, and now sintered pads are used in nearly all OEM specifications.

Having bought my first Triumph Bonneville in 1960, I must say that my 2006 version has some notable upgrades. Like the brakes, with single discs on both wheels. Honda did it first with its CB750 in 1969, and then everybody followed suit.  

My 2006 Bonnie has fixed brake discs, and when changing tires a couple of months ago, I noticed the pads on the sliding calipers needed replacing. There are fancier (and more complicated) braking systems, but I’m happy with what the Bonnie has.  

A call to DP Brakes in Lancaster, New York, got me two new sets in the mail. The packages warned, “Brake pads should be fitted by experienced mechanics,” which leaves me out. I decided that my local technician, Herb, should do the job. Better to have an expert do the job than for me to do it inexpertly. If you really want to know more about your motorcycle’s brakes, I recommend getting a Haynes manual.  

DP Brake Pads
The author’s 2006 Triumph Bonneville has single-disc brakes front and rear.

Motorcycle brake pads mostly use the sinter (great Scrabble word!) process, which means taking a powdered mix of various metals and compacting it, then using the right amount of heat and pressure to create the pad. Done right, this increases things like tensile strength in the pads. DP says it was the first company to use this sintering method, and OEMs now use sintered pads on virtually all their motorcycles. 

Heat is the main problem in braking. Squeeze the front brake lever, or use your foot on the rear pedal, and the fluid pushes the little pistons behind the pads against the spinning disc. If you are going fast down a steep hill and approaching a tight curve, the pads slow the disc and transform kinetic energy into heat. Fortunately, in normal riding, all that heat escapes into the air and the pad compound is quickly good for the next braking event.  

DP Brake Pads
Fitted to the author’s Triumph Bonneville, the DP brake pads provided swift, smooth braking and excellent lever action.

There is a break-in period for brake pads, with relatively gentle use advised for the first 150 miles. After that, I took the Bonnie out on a twisty section of local road around here, nicknamed Rossi’s Driveway, and was quite satisfied with the swift, smooth slowing down, providing excellent lever action and sensitive pedal operation, even when pretending there was an emergency with a couple of very fast stops on my non-ABS bike.  

There was no chance to try them out in the rain here in drought-stricken California, but since they are manufactured in the United Kingdom, a nation noted for its many rainy days and wet roads, I figure that DP knows what it is doing. MSRP for the front DP118 pads is $48.95, and for the rear DP411 pads is $37.95.

For more information visit: dp-brakes.com

The post DP Brake Pads | Gear Review first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com

DP Brakes Achieve Impressive Results in North American Road Racing

DP Brakes X-Race Pads

From Press Release:

DP Brakes, the leader in sintered braking technology, are proud to have finished impressively in Road Racing throughout North America. The following are how we ended up:

Moto America
Twins Cup
1st Rocco Landers

Liqui Moly Junior Cup
1st Rocco Landers

Canadian CSBK
Pro Superbike
1st Jordan Szoke

Edmonton EMRA
Expert Superbike
1st Ryan Boddy

“All of our competitors are racing with our High Performance RDP X-Race Titanium brake pads. Results prove that we have a compound available to be competitive with all other brands and even show an upgrade over those. The superb initial response, incredible feel and fade free performance puts us at the top of the charts”, stated Larry Mills, President of DP Brakes and Clutches North America. 

Mills added, “Not only will riders experience all those features, but also receive the DP Brakes long reputation of no brake dust and quiet performance. We are truly honored to be part of their program for 2020 and wish them tremendous success in 2021. Their constant feedback will enable DP Brakes to be on the leading edge of sintered metal brake pad technology and further our growth in the Road Racing Market”.

RDP X-Race Titanium Brake pads are available exclusively through Parts Canada and Parts Unlimited, in North America.

For more information, visit: dp-brakes.com

DP Brakes X-Race Pads

The post DP Brakes Achieve Impressive Results in North American Road Racing first appeared on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com