Choosing brake pads comes down to four things: a pad that fits your calliper, a compound that suits your riding, bedding the pads in properly, and knowing when the old ones are finished.
Organic, sintered and semi-sintered pads
The compound is the friction material bonded to the pad's steel backing plate. It decides how the brake feels, how it copes with heat and water, and how fast it wears.
Organic
Organic pads, sometimes called resin pads, use fibres and fillers in a resin binder. They are quiet, progressive, work well from cold and are gentle on discs, but they wear faster and can fade under repeated hard braking. They suit scooters, small commuters, older bikes and many rear brakes. Some discs are designed for organic pads only, so if your handbook says organic, stick with it.
Sintered
Sintered pads are made from metal particles, often copper based, fused under heat and pressure. They handle high temperatures, keep their bite in the wet and generally last longer, making them the usual choice for modern road bikes, motocross and enduro, where mud, water and sand punish softer compounds. They can be harder on discs and noisier, and the disc must be suitable for sintered pads.
Semi-sintered
Semi-sintered pads, sometimes sold as semi-metallic, blend metal content with an organic binder. They sit in the middle: more heat tolerance and wet bite than organic, with less disc wear than full sintered.
If in doubt, fit the same type of pad the bike left the factory with.
The pads we stock
We list 187 brake pad products from seven brands, plus 8 pad pin sets. Here is how each brand names its compound:
| Brand | Listings | Compound, as the maker names it |
|---|---|---|
| Tecnium | 80 | 60 sintered metal, 20 organic |
| Galfer | 41 | Not named; Galfer states its compounds are ECE R90 approved |
| DP | 35 | 25 Standard (sintered), 10 SDP Pro-MX (off-road) |
| RFX | 23 | 17 Pro (sintered copper), 6 Race (sintered carbon ceramic) |
| ProX | 4 | Sintered (two are 10 piece bulk packs) |
| Braking | 3 | Sintered metal, off-road |
| Hi Level | 1 | Not named |
Browse them all in our brake pad collection.
Front and rear pads
On a road bike the front brake does most of the stopping, because weight shifts forward as you slow. Front and rear pads are almost always different shapes, so check the position before you order. Most of our Tecnium, RFX, ProX and Braking pads state front or rear in the title.
- Pads are normally sold as a set for one calliper, so twin front discs usually need two sets. Check the listing.
- A few pads fit both ends of certain bikes, such as the RFX Pro FXBP 50100.
- Off-road, mud and grit wear pads quickly at both ends, so check them before every ride.
- Bikes with drum brakes take brake shoes rather than pads.
Finding the right pad for your bike
- Pick your make, model and year in the bike finder, or browse parts by model.
- Use our motorcycle brake pad chart, which covers more than 1,800 models across 70 makes, then open the pad to see its full fitment table.
- Have an EBC number from your old pads or a parts list? Look it up on our EBC brake pad cross-reference, which covers 149 of our pads. Equivalent pads share the same shape and fitting, though the compound can differ.
- Confirm your exact year, as callipers sometimes change partway through a model's life.
For example, these pads are all listed for the KTM 250 SX-F from 2006 to 2025. Where the EBC number matches, choose by compound:
| Position | Pad | Compound | EBC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | RFX Pro FXBP 50700 | Sintered copper | FA181 |
| Front | DP Standard DP617 | Sintered | FA181 |
| Front | DP SDP Pro-MX SDP617 | HH rated, off-road | FA181 |
| Front | Braking 746CM46 | Sintered metal | Not listed |
| Rear | RFX Pro FXBP 51000 | Sintered copper | FA368 |
| Rear | DP Standard DP935 | Sintered | FA368 |
| Rear | DP SDP Pro-MX SDP935 | HH rated, off-road | FA368 |
Fitting and bedding in new pads
If you are not confident working on brakes, have a qualified mechanic fit them. Otherwise, follow your service manual alongside these standard steps:
- Clean the calliper and disc with brake cleaner such as Motorex Powerbrake Clean or Aztec Brake and Parts Cleaner, keeping oil, grease and fluid off the friction surfaces.
- Replace the brake disc if it is badly scored, warped or below the minimum thickness stamped on it.
- Clean or replace corroded pad pins; we stock Hi Level, RFX and All Balls Racing pin sets.
- Pushing the pistons back raises the reservoir level, so make sure it does not overflow.
- Pump the lever or pedal until it is firm before you ride.
- Bed the pads in: somewhere safe, away from traffic, make several gentle to moderate stops from moderate speed, building pressure gradually without locking the wheel.
- Expect braking to improve over the first few rides, and follow the pad maker's instructions.
When to replace your pads
- Wear indicator groove: many pads have a groove in the friction material. Once it has worn away, replace them.
- Minimum thickness: your service manual gives the wear limit. If you cannot find it, a common rule of thumb is to replace pads with around 2 mm of friction material left. Never run them down to the backing plate.
- Grinding or scraping usually means metal on metal, which damages the disc fast. Stop and check.
- If one pad is much thinner than the other, the calliper may be sticking; see our calliper repair range.
- Pads soaked in oil or brake fluid must be replaced, after fixing the leak.
Always replace both pads in a calliper together, and on twin disc bikes do both front callipers at once.
Need a hand?
Email sales@apexpowersports.co.uk with your make, model, year and old pad number if you have it, and we will help find the right set. UK Next Day delivery is £7.99, free on orders of £100 or more; see delivery and returns.