Dec 2006 ATV Brakes Review

Whether your customers use their ATVs for pleasure or for work, no one wants to be caught with a faulty pair of brakes. Certain weather conditions can wear down brakes faster than others and it is your job to make sure your customers are well supplied throughout the year. We have contacted a number of the industry's leading brake companies to find out their latest in this month's Market Report.

The Front and Rear Wave Rotors from Braking-Sunstar offer excellent performance in muddy conditions, explains spokesperson Mike Ivers. He adds, this is due to the constant pad cleaning that the wave profile provides. The rotors also reportedly feature better heat dissipation due to the non-round profile, more wrap resistance than a round disc and an increase in braking power and feel, states Ivers. Dealers should push their customers to upgrade their rotors and pads because better stopping performance is just as important as a boost in horsepower, he concludes.

The latest ATV brake product line from Carbone Lorraine features offroad precision cut brake rotors, states representative Irene Keller. “Now customers who purchase Carbone Lorraine ATV brake pads can order rotors from us at the same time,” she explains. The company also reportedly offers a brake and rotor match set to improve braking power and feel. Keller tells us the company has noticed an increase in both the introduction of larger ATVs and more aggressive riders, which has resulted in increased demand for braking systems that can meet the challenge. Brake sales are about the same as last year, she divulges, but they can change from year to year depending on weather conditions. “In wet years, with lots of rain, the mud tends to chew up brakes more than in dryer seasons,” she said. Retailers need to be sure they keep fast moving items in stock so they don't lose out on the customers who are of the 'want it now' mentality, advises Keller.

“Due to the overwhelming success of our Standard DP Brake Pads there really has not been a need to produce a new material,” states Larry Mills, President of DP Brakes and Clutches, North America. However, the company is constantly researching and testing various compounds to cater to the needs of the new heavier and faster ATVs. DP Brake pads feature 2- to 3-times the life over other brake pads (even stock pads) no brake noise, ceramic baking on backplate to reduce heat to the brake fluid and eliminating brake fade, plus no excessive wear on the rotor, according to Mills. He tells us the company also offers a couple new displays, which are free of charge with certain buying levels and are available through Parts Unlimited. “Sales are still strong, but not increasing as they were 2-3 years ago,” he says. Dealer/retailers need to know that DP Brakes offers a brake pad that will be an improvement over the stock pads, states Mills. “With all our features and benefits, DP will give the rider satisfaction, especially the durability and no brake squeal that you might not get with other manufacturers,” he explains.

Andy Freeman, CEO of EBC Brakes, tells us their newest product is the ATV Sport Brake rotor. The rotors are made from heat-treated carbon steel for a perfect combination of toughness and durability, informs Freeman. Sales for ATV replacement parts are up over 2005, he adds. “There is no clear seasonality in ATV parts although, with our heavy focus on Winter Dating through our distributors, our sales are always good in the winter,” explains Freeman. Dealers can take advantage of this by keeping a larger inventory in the winter and paying in the summer to capitalize on every sale out there, he concluds.

Michael Jones of Motorcycle Stuff has noticed an increase in riders interested in better brake performance, especially in the sport ATV segment. The latest Ferodo brake products provide the same performance characteristics as their previous products, but now with 30 percent longer life, states Jones. “This pushes the envelop even further, offering a single compound that provides both high performance as well as extended wear,” he explains. ATV pad sales continue to grow, Jones tells us. He advises dealers to make inventory easier by stocking one compound for all of their customers.

The most recent addition to Galfer Braking System's product line is the T block for their ATV front brake lines, informs US Operations Vice President Alessandro Milesi. The new T block is designed to receive three hoses, one from the top and one from each of the calipers, explains Milesi. The brake lines connect to the block using an “airquipped” banjo, which swivels, allowing for an easy and clean installation, a great fit and finish, plus the added value of providing easy replacement if the rider suffers a crash and breaks a hose, he adds. Galfer's ATV sales reportedly are up 12 percent from 2005. “As a general rule we might not always be the cheapest, but we can guarantee the best quality and service with no excuses,” Milesi informs dealer/retailers.

Goodridge USA offers a new range of bolt-on stainless braided brakelines with upgraded stiffener and applications updated through 2007, explained Motorcycle Division Sales Manager Dale Berg. The brakelines feature increased stopping power and durability when compared to OEM brakelines and are covered by the Goodridge “Guaranteed Forever” warranty, informed Berg. He said Goodridge has had more requests from consumers for custom brake lines so they can add more bling to their ATVs. The company's ATV brake product sales are up for the year, which is attributed to the growing popularity of ATVs, Berg added. He reminds dealers to always buy brake products from a reputable distributor like Parts Unlimited, Tucker Rocky and Motorcycle Stuff because they do product testing, require their vendors to provide product liability insurance, offer technical support and warranty their products.

“The push for cost reduction and improved quality remains an on-going trend,” stated Cory Geho for HB Performance Systems. The company's latest are the Lightning caliper and Cyclone handlebar master cylinder, he said. The light weight 1 1/4 inch bore caliper features dual square seal grooves designed for consistent piston retraction and high knock back resistance, explained Geho. He added, the Cyclone is offered with 1/2 inch, 9/16 inch, 5/8 inch and 11/16 inch piston sizes and is black with a silver lever which can be modified for smaller hands. ATV brake sales for the company are about the same to slightly down, due to higher dealer inventories leading to flat or slightly less OEM builds compared to 2005, divulged Geho.

Larry Hunter of KFP Magnum Pads tells us the company's newest ATV brake product is a new compound 2005, which offers high coefficient of friction. He has noticed a trend where riders want to stop with a low amount of effort. ATV brake sales, he tells us, are up this year due to them being a recreational growth area. Dealers should remember that riders want racing grade materials, Hunter concludes.

The Magnum rear brake pads for the Yamaha Rhino are the latest products from Magnum Distributing, explained owner Mike Teagan. These full metallic pads are offered below the cost of most competitors' cheap semi metallic pads, he added. Teagan has noticed the trend of newer ATVs using thicker brake pads, which do not wear out as quickly as older models. He reminded dealers to know what conditions their customers face to determine whether they need a full-metallic or severe-duty brake pad.

The P+Extreme pad product line is engineered with a robust sintered copper alloy composition, informed Performance Plus Brakes' COO Flinn Flexer. He continued, “The pads offer optimal stopping power in even the harshest conditions - mud, dirt, rain, you name it.” Performance Plus Brakes has noticed a trend where more sophisticated friction technologies are generating greater stopping power without sacrificing feel and control. All ATV braking product sales are up this year, divulged Flexer. “Most ATV riders are going to chose a sintered pad. However, a high quality organic pad like our P+Elite line can provide more than enough stopping power with exceptional feel for most types of riders and without the sintered price tag,” Flexer stated for dealer/retailers.

Sales Director Tim Hansen of Streamline Performance Braking tells us their newest product is the Floater Series Brake Rotors. The 2-piece design allows the outer disc to expand and contract at elevated braking temperatures, where standard 1-piece designs could warp, explains Hansen. He continues, the Floater Series Rotors are laser cut, heat treated, high grade stainless steel outer disc and billet aluminum center hub fastened together using their tech five rivets. Streamline's sales are up over the year prior's, Hansen concludes.

A lot of factors contribute to the life span of your customer's brakes. To ensure they aren't caught lacking, make sure both you and your customers know which brakes work best in their chosen condition, whether it be recreational or race oriented. We hope this look into the latest ATV brakes was beneficial and be sure to read our report on ATV tires and wheels, elsewhere in this issue.