XB9SX brake pads

[MotoRico]

I enjoyed a Kawasaki demo day last week and it made the Buell show it's age. I pretty much have ridden only my Buell since I bought it in 2009. The thing I want to change most at the moment is the brake feel. After having dual discs up front on the demo, I miss that stopping feel and power. I figured the first and easiest thing to change would be brake pads.

Which are the best for the ZTL brakes?

A ZTL2 upgrade isn't out of consideration, but I figured I would start small.

 

[kz6fittycent]

My plan is to have 2 bikes or follow Cooter's math for owning bikes.

B=M+1 : where M = the number of bikes you already own.

 

[34nineteen]

I enjoyed a Kawasaki demo day last week and it made the Buell show it's age. I pretty much have ridden only my Buell since I bought it in 2009. The thing I want to change most at the moment is the brake feel. After having dual discs up front on the demo, I miss that stopping feel and power. I figured the first and easiest thing to change would be brake pads.

Which are the best for the ZTL brakes?

A ZTL2 upgrade isn't out of consideration, but I figured I would start small.

I like the ZTL caliper and stock brake pads, but some of the others who do track days and push their bikes harder, such as outthere and CoOter run aftermarket pads with a more aggressive friction material. I think EBC HH pads, but they will likely chime in when they hear its happy hour.

 

[Cooter]

Its happy hour!
Buell stock brakes can be very, very, good. I would take the time to maintain them properly before changing anything. Take the rotor off, clean the rotor (scotchbrite and brake cleaner wash the old pad material off BOTH sides) and hardware, then reinstall using just a little anti seize on the springs and square bushings, blue loctite the bolts. The manual says replace the bolts, but IMO they're ok. Put on a new set of pads. EBC HH pads are the go-to to good street brakes and make sure to BED THEM properly.
Some details here:
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?48151-EBR-Racing-front-rotor-install-instructions

If thats still not good enough, EBC makes their HH series pads in an EPFA "trackday" compound that has a bunch more initial bite. Slightly more expensive, but they made a HUGE difference (better) and I thought they were perfect for the street and mimicked the action of most new bikes and the standard-massive-brakes they have.

Brembo also makes affordable extreme duty pads in 2 different compounds . You can see the graph of temp/bite on their website. I'm running the track (not race) compound now and like them even better than the EBC EPFA.

Next step would be to bolt on a ZTL-2 caliper and 19mm (3/4") master cylinder. The calipers can be had for cheap these days (I have one for sale if you like) and the master cylinders can be either a conventional Buell (08-up XB (non city-X) or 1125) or go full radial style (EBR). Both bolt on. Same brake line and everything.

But honestly just maintaining yours and add a new set of pads should be all you need even if theres some material left, you hate them and who knows what they are?

Bartender!:very_drunk:

 

[Niklos]

With ZTL1, I really like the Carbone Lorraine A3+, SBK5 is better but a lot more expensive.
With ZTL2... Well, I have stock pads right now but I bought some EBC HH EPFA I need to try.

the master cylinders can be either a conventional Buell (08-up XB (non city-X) or 1125) or go full radial style (EBR). :

Why not from a City-X ? I mean, Doesn't the XB12SX City-X have the right master cylinder ? I thought every master cylinder from 08-UP 1200cc XB (non 986cc) or 1125 was fine ?

 

[Cooter]

Without getting into the semantics of rare models...
The size of the brake master cylinder has to match the size of the brake caliper.



For fitting a ZTL-2 upgrade, aftermarket 19mm masters that fit 7/8" bars are easy to come by. I'd recommend staying away from cheap-o ones.

 

[34nineteen]

Cooter is also the master of the level of the coefficient of friction stock plastic vs carbon fiber body parts have against asphalt . :black_eyed:

 

[Cooter]

I'm not sure if I'm crying because that's hilarious, or I'm just crying:sorrow:?





and it's not the sliding that gets me, it's when something catches and it starts to cartwheel

 

[cvc]

been there hard to see which side is up in a spin, espically end over end wondering if the bike is going to catch up or not :-(

 

[Cooter]

I'm no Cooter-arquez, but have been every X Y Z axis in everything from cars, trucks, a sandrail, streetbikes, countless dirtbikes... and you're right cvc, the scariest moment is if that heavy, metal, pointy thing you just launched... catches you

Petersons mag Off Road Adventure 2014:

I'm still so sad about that truck. I wouldn't say it had an easy life, but an extreme one, haha. Stripped it and got just enough $$ from "mixed scrap" to buy a mid-sized bottle of Jack Daniels from the liquor store next to the recyclers. It didn't last long

1998:

2012:

Sorry for the de-rail. Choo! Choo!

 

[34nineteen]

I'm no Cooter-arquez, but have been every X Y Z axis in everything from cars, trucks, a sandrail, streetbikes, countless dirtbikes... and you're right cvc, the scariest moment is if that heavy, metal, pointy thing you just launched... catches you

Petersons mag Off Road Adventure 2014:

I'm still so sad about that truck. I wouldn't say it had an easy life, but an extreme one, haha. Stripped it and got just enough $$ from "mixed scrap" to buy a mid-sized bottle of Jack Daniels from the liquor store next to the recyclers. It didn't last long



Sorry for the de-rail. Choo! Choo!

Great video! Glad you and your buddy weren't hurt, but sucks about the truck. I used to do the rock crawling thing back in the later 90's-early 2000's but I was too paranoid of hurting anything. I would have cried if mine would have rolled like yours.

I bought a lot of stuff from these guys back in the day.