Rear Brake Pads

[Angus]

Just getting ready to replace the rear brake pads for the first time. Was looking on ebay for pads and see there are various types available. EBC HH and also semi sintered and various others. Which ones should I go for?

[Rixington43]

Personal choice on brake pad compounds I think.
General info;
GG are organic pads, good consistent behaviour in wet and dry but less outright stopping power. Low disc wear as the pad is softer.
V Type, New semi-sintered compound, supposed to be a balance between power and control. Popular on heavy cruisers and tourers.
HH, sintered metallic pads, most powerful and able to run very hot but some find them grabby and a bit unpredictable in the wet, they also wear your discs out faster.

My bike came with HH pads front and rear but I found them overly grabby, they unsettled the front a bit and the rear was like an on/off switch, I was fairly newly back to riding though so my skills were lacking. I now run V Type front and GG rear which I'm happy with, if I need more stopping power than that then I've braked too late ;)
See what you've got in there now as a starting point and decide if you want more or less stopping power than you have already. I do like the feel of a less aggressive compound in the rear brake though, it's made slow speed control easier.

[Upt North]

I haven't changed Pads on my recently acquired 650 yet but on the Pan it's OEM every time. The manufacturers generally get it right in my opinion and experience,  why mess with something that works well anyway.
If the pads in are original and you're not happy with them, then try others.
The OEM in my 650 work just has they should.
Sorry for my ignorance, but does your Strom have ABS, my thought would be the last thing you want is more braking effort if it isn't so equipped.
Upt'North.

[Rixington43]

I guess the answer to "Why mess with OEM" is the hilarious markup on parts they definitely don't make themselves.
OEM pads for my Vee will set me back near enough triple what EBC will. A bearing I can buy for £4.40 set me back £22 from Suzuki.
Don't get me wrong, a reputable brand is a must for critical components and it's worth seeing if you can figure out what the OEM pads are compound wise before choosing your option but frankly I could buy all 3 and experiment for the price of OEM.
Agreed on ABS, HH pads in the back with no ABS can be a bit fighty hence why I changed.

* Not saying don't buy OEM, it's always the safest option but the cost implication will matter more to some than others.

[dav]

I have a 21 650, ride two up all the time and found the factory fitted pads absolutely useless, the worst brakes I have had in 45 years of bike ownership, so fitted EBC HH, and what a vast improvement they are, not bothered about disc wear as they will get changed when required, I would rather have brakes that stop

[Upt North]

I hear what you're saying Dav, but are you saying that if you pulled and prodded the levers hard enough it wouldn't activate the ABS. If so that would surprise me.
And also probably make me look elsewhere for the problem.
Ultimately you can only stop as quickly as the grip of your tyres and the ABS doing its thing. I'm sure certain pads will offer greater retardation per effort at the lever but with increased lever pressure wouldn't it work out exactly the same?
Rixington, cost as always will be a factor for all. But when it comes to brakes?
Just my 2c FWIW.
Upt'North.

[pichulec]

I run EBC HH on front and back and very happy with them. Rear pads can lock up the wheel but I bear that in mind. Also I don't need to change them to often.

[Rixington43]

Absolutely agree John and I would never fit or advocate fitting pads from a brand I'd never heard of, or pads with no brand at all.
My issue with OEM pads is that Suzuki don't make them, same as they don't make bearings/seals etc. They'll just be buying in their pads from someone like Brembo, EBC, Bosch (or a Jap equivalent) anyway but putting an enormous mark up on them since that's a big part of how OEMs make their money.
I'm not knocking buying OEM, like I say it's the safest bet for fitment/compatibility etc. I just don't think you actually get anything in terms of performance or safety for the 300% increase in price.

[dav]

I hear what you're saying Dav, but are you saying that if you pulled and prodded the levers hard enough it wouldn't activate the ABS. If so that would surprise me.
And also probably make me look elsewhere for the problem.

 Be Surprised, as I said the brakes were rubbish on my 21 reg 650, No it wouldn't activate the ABS TWO UP, on tarmac, It did Solo, which is not good enough for me.  I Don't have a Problem elsewhere as the brakes Now Stop a bike with two people on at very near it's all up weight, far quicker than they did before. The ABS now works, both solo and pillion. EBC HH are on a different planet from original oem cheap pads, I also put it down to cheap Tokico calipers, as I am used to ST1300's and other bikes with Nissin and Brembo calipers, that stop, with oem pads, so in a way I have uprated the pads to compensate for cheaper calipers, I had also binned the newish A40 tyres they come with as they were rock hard and made the ride uncomfortably hard, I put road based tyres on, which also made a massive difference to the bikes comfort and handling

[Cartejo5]

Which road tyres did you have fitted?

[dav]

 I have fitted the A41, good wall strength for our weight, two up but not to stiff and both tyres dual compound, unlike the A40, they have made the difference I was looking for, very Happy with them, Not been impressed with Michelin two up on another bike rear tyre wall to soft and moves on sharp change of direction, and they seem to get punctures easily.

[Angus]

Which road tyres did you have fitted?

I fitted the Metzeller Tourance Next which are a vast improvement on the original tyres.