I'm just now going through the nightmare of trying to find a set of brake pads for my 650. I called over 15 dealers in 3 states including dealers in Charleston WV and Cincinnati and no one had a set of brakes. A dealer in Jackson OH called EBC while I was there and they now have them available to ship. They ordered several sets for stock which I'm hoping arrived today. They priced them at about $36 per side compared to $48/side from Kawasaki. I would have paid $100/side Saturday to keep from missing the big ride.I heard that PrairiePuppy found a set in Lancaster OH that was the only set in the entire state. That is not a joke either.

I am writing this to give everyone a heads up that if you think your pads are close to needing replaced you better go ahead and get a set now. It cost me a day of riding this weekend.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img] My 650 has about 950 miles of hard riding and the pads were into the steel to give you a gauge to go by. If any dealers are listening you guys need to get these in stock.

 

Partsman2, did you try Erlandson Performance? I just went on their site and saw that they have them there. They have what they call the "Bigfoot Extreme Application Pads." $31.95 a side.

 

partsman2-- I went thru this SAME $hit, too. Last July. I posted here, and on ATV Time about the scarcness of the pads. Many suppliers LIST them but couldn't get them last summer. So, in your search, make sure they STOCK check the pads for you! I THINK that the distibutors are now getting their stock of pads in by now. Check EBC's distributors, and Erlandson. I found 1 side in Dayton ohio, and the other in Upper Sandusky, Oh. OPPOSITE ends of the state! Paid $100/set, or $25/ea. pad! Drove 125 miles the get 'em. How 's that for the NEED to ride! Good luck! If you don't find any there, I'll give you the number for Thiel's Wheels(Kaw, HD,Yam, Hon. dealer)in Upper Sandusky OH. They ordered 2 add'l. sets in, when they got mine.

 

The dealer in Jackson called EBC while I was there. EBC had them in stock and were shipping them that day which was Wednesday, Nov. 27th. I would have had them ship them overnight had I known no one else would have them. I thought for sure that the big dealers in the big cities would have them in stock but I was wrong. Due to the holiday UPS didn't deliver regular freight on Friday and the dealer is closed on Mondays so I'm hoping to get them today. I told all the dealers that I talked to that they need to get these in stock so hopefully they listened. If these don't come through I'll pursue the options you all mentioned. Thanks for the advice.

 

Got my brake pads today. $33.95 per side for the EBC Carbon pads. There was a difference from the originals in that the backing plate was made different and the factory shims would not fit. I installed the pads without it. I will hopefully be able to test drive tomorrow evening. Don't think there will be any problem.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

partsman2-- Keep me posted, I'll be ready for frt. pads again by the end of winter, I would imagine.

 

trx450 - Was able to do limited test today up and down my driveway. Brakes worked fine. I'll do the big test this weekend. EBC says to allow about 250 miles for the pads to completely seat in. Sounds like a lot of seat in time.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

250 miles to seat in? I only got 700 out of my first set!!??!!??
The stock ones work GREAT, BUT cost $25.00 PER PAD !!!!!!!!!

 

I got the heavey duty pads, people say it stops slower, but I don't use my brakes often. I get about 8 thousand km out of them.