When Ducati designs a brake system it has to balance a number of opposing variables. I mentioned some of them in an earlier post.
http://ducatisportingclub.com/contro...d.php?tid=5300 In particular, their OEM brake pads offer good wear characteristics (reasonable replacement interval with not too much brake dust) along with a safe initial “bite” behavior along with a reasonably good “feel” in both dry and wet weather conditions.
When you change to an aftermarket brake pad you have an opportunity to change the initial braking behavior and modulation characteristics to more suit your needs and preference. So yes, there will be a difference. Overall stopping power stays pretty much the same, so with any pad you can still stand the bike on its nose from 70 mph. If you have to do it repeatedly, say on the track, then the extreme temperature characteristics also becomes part of the pad selection trade-off.
With 11,000 miles on your pads you certainly can afford to use a softer pad to reduce the vague lever feel you describe. But the 11,000 miles also suggests to me that you do mostly light braking on the street. So keep in mind that performance pads are generally designed for improved performance under track conditions and may not have the safest behavior, say during a panic stop at street speeds in the rain. The performance characteristics of different aftermarket pads are different depending on the speed that you’re braking down from.
No matter which pad you choose you’ll accommodate to its peculiar behavior just like you did with the OEM pads. This is probably the main reason why your brakes don’t “feel as sharp as they used to.”
It’s hard to know where to begin choosing different pads but keep in mind when you hear recommendations from others, that your stainless steel rotors will behave differently if they’re using cast iron rotors which have a higher coefficient of friction and wear.
In general, people think most popular aftermarket pads are better because they are formulated to provide more initial bite. Same overall braking power at street speeds mind you, just a higher initial decceleation when you pull the lever. In my view, Ducati OEM pads are better suited for the street since in a panic stop they’re less likely to lock up. Your milage may vary ...
Shazaam!
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