I've not had much luck with aftermarket pads and shoes in the past. They've either eaten or warped rotors, had short life, or both. None have outlived the original O.E.M., though some have seemed to "grab" better. Maybe someone else has found "the Kind".
It's kinda like when you buy those "lifetime" brake pads for your car. In the case of the auto parts store the reason they can guaranty them for life is because their sintered metal content is sufficient to last that long, but odds are you'll eat 3 rotors as a result.
I've used Galfer, EBC, and others, all of which were on bikes other than TW's. Most of these are compounded for different purposes, Galfer uses color to designate these. Most of them are harder than O.E.M.
I'm told there are different versions of EBC's, and one of them approximates the O.E.M. Some say they actually make pads for several O.E.M.'s. I have no idea if this is really so, or how they're differntiated
Case in point: I bought a spotlessly maintained Concourse awhile back. Rode it hard, braked it hard during the test ride, no issues. I even looked at the pads, which were reasonably new O.E.M.'s. I paid the man, returned a day later to pick up the bike.
I brought it home, did all thed maintenence and went over everything, then left on an Iron Butt ride. I never bothered to recheck the pads. Half way to Albuquerque, both front brake rotors warped.
I called the P.O., who was a great guy, to see WTH was up with the warped rotors. It turns out the night before I picked up the bike, he did me a "favor". He had purchased some Kevlar pads, but had never put them on the bike. So, knowing what I intended to do with the bike, he changed them, believing they were superior, just to be nice. 600 bucks in new rotors.
Just my .02.
