DP Brake pad.(Gear)

We take stopping pretty seriously at Rider magazine. Although the brakes on most of the bikes from the major manufacturers are at least good if not excellent nowadays, there's often still room for improvement. For example, when we tested the 2003 Kawasaki Z1000, we noted that: "Stopping power is plenty strong, and modulation is fine; just not quite state-of-the-art powerful." That is, until we installed DP brake pads.

British-made DP Brakes (formerly Dunlopad) offers, a wide selection of aftermarket brake products for many on-road and off-road motorcycles, and even ATVs and snowmobiles. After hearing our lament, the folks at DP's outpost in the American colonies FedExed us a full set of their brake pads for the Z1000--a top-line HH+ set for the front and standard compound set for the back, as recommended. Suggested retail price is $39.95 for each front set (two required) and $35 for the rear.

The HH+ versions have the highest friction rating and bite the rotors like a hungry shark on a scuba diver's leg. (A premium standard compound is also available for most applications, in case you're afraid of sharks.)

Installation only took us about 20 minutes for all three calipers (front and rear). After a short break-in period to allow the pads to bed in, the difference was definitely noticeable. Although the original brakes were above average, the HH+ pads still managed to reduce lever effort and provided a strong, ...