Young Version — August 1999

But Type MA II clearly ignores those concerns and pursues circuit performance alone. It is restricted to semi-slick and slick tires. Many people now take S tires (semi-slicks) to circuits and mountain roads. Their grip is much stronger than that of ordinary radials, and it's surprisingly common for the brakes to fade before the tires do. Drivers who've tried many different pads…

Many of you have probably asked experienced drivers, ‘Which brake pads work best?’ You can control braking freely from the initial pedal touch to deep into the stroke. I tested and reported on it at my home course, Nihonkai Maze Circuit. In a word, Type MA has a very even, predictable braking feel. Take care on the first lap while the pads and rotors are cold; once warmed thoroughly, braking power and pedal feel remain unchanged even through about ten attack laps. It begins to bite earlier than expected, and unlike many pads that require a hard pedal push before you can modulate them, this one gives a broad, controllable range from initial application to deep in the stroke. That makes it reassuring in the wet and lets you attack confidently at Maze, where many corners require braking while turning. It also matches S tires well, as expected from a dedicated design; neither the pad nor tire overwhelms the other. But with street tires and Type MA, the tires will likely lose grip and lock first. That can be dangerous, so use these pads only with S tires or slicks! (Fujoshi Komagata)