My Pikes Peak has Desmo Service this winter, and then I decided to upgrade the brakes. Discussed this with my Ducati mechanic, and landed on the following setup. Brembo T-Drive 330mm discs, with sbs Dual Carbon pads. Then brake hoses, and I wanted to get a setup with one hose for each caliper instead of two banjo couplings on the left side. It is so tight to get the left caliper off when changing wheels, so I wanted this solution. My mechanic said that he worked with HEL Performance, and ordered a custom setup for my Ducati. Once he started with Desmo Service, there was easy access to the ABS unit, where the brake hose is connected. The result was absolutely fantastic, and looks completely factory installed. I am really looking forward to having the break-in procedure of the carbon brake pads against the brake discs performed, and feeling the result of the upgrade? Calipers were ultrasonically cleaned, and out with pistons and gaskets I initially wanted a solution with 320mm discs, due to lack of space when disassembling the calipers. When I mentioned this to my mechanic, he looked at me like I was a total idiot, he he. We'll do it like this, he said, and took down a ready-made setup with brake hose for one of his race Ducatis
Pleased it works for you. Just for the record, your mechanic needs to get out more. IME, SBS 841RST sintered pads provide better performance from cold than the DC and the Brembo HPK 320mm discs I fitted to my V4S Panigale and have currently fitted to my Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak work really well (and are cheaper than ‘T’ drives) Andy
Thanks for the feedback Android853sp We had a discussion about the brake pads, and he said exactly what you're telling me. But this was actually my choice with carbon pads. If, against all odds, I'm not happy, I know what to change to. As you say, I could have chosen a cheaper solution, but then I thought, what the hell, I'll buy these, but they weren't cheap. They cost me 1000 pounds, including pads!
My understanding is carbon pads are for track use as they just don’t get up to operating temperature with road use and consequently won’t provide the friction levels of a sintered pad at that same, lower, operating temperature with virtually no stopping power when cold and wet.
My memory is telling me that once upon a time, there was a “dual” carbon pad for road bikes. My searches can’t find what I remember but definitely as of today, SBS only offer a DC (841DC for the M50 caliper) which is recommended for track use only. I still find it odd that SBS pads are still cheaper than the Brembo equivalent but SBS are owned by Brembo Andy
A dual carbon/ceramic compound I believe. I can find such dual compound pads listed on the Brembo site but not on the SBS site. Even then, Brembo state they’re not homologated for road use, they’re for track use only. SBS state in their sales blurb their dual carbon pads are for race use only.
I hate to be that person, but as we all get so excited about race exhausts invalidating insurance, does this not apply even more to things meant for stopping the bike, if they state race use only? Smart discs btw, I am surprised at the cost of T drive discs, I thought they were much dearer than they are, I looked for my bike out of interest.
