TRACK TESTED
EBC Pad and Rotor Upgrades for Track BikesK3 Chris OnwilerPage 3
continued... Once our Fizzer’s calipers were spic and span, it was finally time to do the gratifying part of the job and install those gleaming new EBC wave rotors! This is as easy as removing the wheels, unbolting the old discs and replacing them with the new ones. Needless to say, we used thread locking compound and the factory recommended torque specifications when reinstalling the rotors. Brake discs aren’t something you want to have coming loose at speed. With the old rotors off, we were shocked to compare their weight to the new EBC pieces. Each front rotor weighed a staggering 12 ounces less than the piece it replaced, with the rear rotor saving an additional 11 ounces over stock. That’s a bunch of weight removed from the place where it can benefit handling, acceleration and braking the most.
With the job completed, it was time to step back and admire our new brakes. Ah, they were just lovely. The wavy edges, sparkling gold carriers and abundant cooling holes really added a modern, high-tech edge to our old racer. Some might see this bling brake swap as the motorcycling equivalent of putting huge chrome 22 inch wheels on an old Chevy but keep in mind that aside from the aesthetic, this modification reduces weight and increases our machine’s performance. If the EBC rotors look simply stunning, that’s merely a bonus. (We’d never admit to vanity….) OK, enough admiring. Time for a test ri de! A decade ago, EBC HH pads were the racer’s best choice. Better compounds have since been developed but the HH formula is still widely sold because it works so well as a street/track pad. In traffic, unlike most dedicated racing pads, these offer a somewhat gentle and user friendly initial bite and work well whether they’re hot or cold. In a high performance environment, while they’re no longer on the cutting edge of brake technology, the HH pads still give all the stopping performance that most riders have the talent to use. The pound and a half of unsprung, reciprocating mass that EBC’s X-Discs had shaved off the nose of our little Yamaha translated into noticeably quicker turn-in and side-to-side transitions. It wasn’t as easy to judge the effect the rear disc had on our bike’s braking and handling. The rear system had been more or less non-functional before this project so we can report a 100% improvement without a trace of dishonesty. Putting away our tools at the end of the day, we had to admit that EBC’s point had been proven. They truly do offer upgraded rotors and pads for practically any bike that was originally equipped with disc brakes.
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