Got ceramic brake pads for Honda CB350RS: Cost & initial observations

The stock brake pads are the organic type. Organic brake pads are made from organic materials, offer silent operation but tend to wear out faster.

BHPian Mr.Sleeper recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Brake Pad Upgrades

Most media reviews say the CB twins offer a very good breaking performance with a good initial bite and a very progressive feel. Even owners would agree that during the initial phase of ownership at least, the brakes perform really well. However, the decline in performance over time is very noticeable. By around 5,000 km the brakes just didn't feel as sharp as they used to. Initially I thought it was because of me getting used to the bike and the braking feel. But by around 7,000 km there were strange noises from the front brakes. Checked it out and found that the front brake pads had c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y worn out.

Left: Rear Pads Right: Front Pads

I understand this photo might suggest I'm a negligent owner, allowing the problem to worsen to this extent. I too agree that a timely inspection should have been done. However, I never expected parts which usually have a life-span of 10-15k kms , that too from a Honda Bike, to fail so early.

According to my research, the stock brake pads are the organic type. Organic brake pads are made from organic materials, and offer silent operation but tend to wear out faster. The short lifespan of these brake pads suggests they might not be well-suited for use on a heavy motorcycle. Decided to not cheap out on brake parts and Installed Vesrah Ceramic Brake Pads at both the front and rear.

Model No: SD-156/2

Price: Rs.1300 for each set, Labor Rs.300, Total Rs.2900

Workshop: LRL Motors, Kochi (Satisfactory Workmanship)

Changes Noticed:

• The Ceramic Pads definitely offer more braking bite.
• The brake pad life and build quality are really good. I recently inspected the brake pads at 11k and it was all fine.
• The braking feel isn't progressive enough. It starts off a bit numb and then offers a strong bite.
• The brake pads perform better once they heat up.

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