Starfire’s Composite Motorcycle Brakes Excel During Testing

One of the world’s foremost motorcycle racers Jason DiSalvo, tested Starfire’s new ceramic composite brakes rating then “12 on a scale of one to ten” following a three day track evaluation.

The testing was undertaken using a 2004 Yamaha YZF-R1 motorbike equipped with the company’s Starblade composite brake rotors. The new generation ceramic composite brake rotor and pad combination exhibited “very consistent and predictable” modulation and control with a “feel” that was superior to conventional steel rotors or other types of ceramic rotors that Mr. DiSalvo has tested. .

This result marks a significant milestone in Starfire’s development of a new generation of composite brake technology for motorcycles, passenger vehicles, light trucks, aircraft and other platforms. These braking applications are demanding higher performance friction materials to address weight, wear, performance and cost requirements.

Starfire also reported an 8% per axle improvement in SUV city fuel economy, as measured by an independent lab, through its light weight composite brake technology which are based on carbon fibres with a silicon carbide ceramic matrix.

Fuel-efficiency benefits are due in large part to reduced weight with the STARBrake rotors for a Chevy Tahoe weigh only 25% of standard rotors. Starfire add that lighter brakes also contribute to better and safer handling, with the brakes exhibiting no fade with life expectancy of the brakes to last the life of the vehicle, bringing added environmental benefits, as this reduces the amount of dust particles emitted in the environment.

Richard Saburro, Starfire’s President and CEO, observed that, “These results validate the benefits of our unique advanced-ceramics technologies in transportation. We are now preparing to enter production and sales of motorcycle rotors to begin in the first quarter of 2005.”

Starfire Systems, based in New York, develops and manufactures high performance products and materials made from silicon carbide advanced ceramics, enabled by the company’s ceramic-forming polymers and composite components.

Publication Date: 11/02/2005

WWW Link: http://www.starfiresystems.com

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