The performance of the compounds, which are very different from one another, can be described using two main parameters: efficiency and wear.
Efficiency (in other words, how much the pad brakes): this is expressed through the average friction coefficient and the stability of the friction measured at the main elements that characterize braking (speed, deceleration and temperature). This is detected through specific tests on the bench and on the vehicle.
Wear: this is expressed as the quantity of worn friction material (in mm of thickness or in volume) with respect to the number of braking operations executed (bench) or miles driven (vehicle). Efficiency and wear are generally correlated: the more efficient a compound is, the quicker it will wear.
The other aspect to take into consideration has to do with variations of the friction coefficient depending on the operating temperature. In fact, not all the compounds have the same efficiency at all temperatures. For example, the track compounds have a very high hot friction coefficient, but only after they reach temperatures like 660°F – 840°F can they be considered to have reached normal operating temperature.
Street compounds, on the other hand, are designed to work best at medium/low temperatures, more specifically around 570°F. So the latter, if used on the track and therefore excessively stressed, will suffer from the “fading” effect, in other words, deterioration of the friction coefficient: beyond a certain temperature, they will tend to lose efficiency.
Conversely, if you use Racing compounds on the street (and therefore with cold discs), the grip will not be very good and your braking distance may be a bit longer. The intermediate compounds are naturally a compromise between the situations described above. They will provide good performance in all conditions, although they will not excel at the two far ends of the operating temperature range.
Therefore, before choosing the right pad, you need to think about how you use your bike and ask yourself what you want to get out of your new brake pads.
Brembo has structured its range of pads into five macro categories based on the use and type of the vehicle they will be used on: from Racing (for track use) to Road (for everyday street riding), from Off-Road to Scooter (no explanations necessary) all the way to Genuine (pads with the same material chosen by the bike manufacturer and developed for that specific application).
Within each category there are two to four alternatives, depending on the machining processes the various models are subjected to and the friction material that is used: the main division is between sintered and organic pads.
SCOOTERS
Brembo pads for scooters (2 and 3-wheelers) guarantee long life and operating stability in all conditions of use. They have been designed specifically for this type of vehicle, use in the city and the typical braking that comes with that, which is different than a bike.