stock rubber brake hoses vs stainless?

[GSX1000E]

I so disagree with this statement. I went to the SS lines and have the best feel of my brakes I have ever had. I can modulate the brakes much better then I ever could with the old rubber lines that came on my bike. I kept saying to myself why did I wait so long to convert.

Modern FF or GG pads to replace the ancient factory EE pads will do that all by itself. On one of my bikes, I replaced the lines with SS, and just like Flyboy, noticed absolutely no improvement.
Perhaps it is more like a placebo and many of those that changed them out want to believe that they made a great improvement and are trying to justify the expenditure?
As for changing the stock rubber hoses even every 4 years, how many of you that HAD to change your hoses on your bikes have bothered to change the front hoses on your cars/trucks that REALLY wear out due to constant steering flexing??? :-\\\

 

[Guest]

And you have had this bike from new?
Just asking.

That's what my signature says right?

 

[Guest]

Modern FF or GG pads to replace the ancient factory EE pads will do that all by itself. On one of my bikes, I replaced the lines with SS, and just like Flyboy, noticed absolutely no improvement.
Perhaps it is more like a placebo and many of those that changed them out want to believe that they made a great improvement and are trying to justify the expenditure?
As for changing the stock rubber hoses even every 4 years, how many of you that HAD to change your hoses on your bikes have bothered to change the front hoses on your cars/trucks that REALLY wear out due to constant steering flexing??? :-\\\

You can believe what you want, I'm not trying to justify anything. I DID feel a difference and that's all I'm gonna say. And yes I have even replaced my front brake hoses on my 34 yr/old truck.

 

[Flyboy]

Thank you, the prosecution rests, no further questions 'mlord.

 

[tkent02]

Meh, I'll stick with braided lines, because I like 'em, they last forever and they're cheaper.

 

[JTGS850GL]

You can believe what you want, I'm not trying to justify anything. I DID feel a difference and that's all I'm gonna say. And yes I have even replaced my front brake hoses on my 34 yr/old truck.

I would have to agree that the difference in feel with SS hoses is mostly a placebo effect. Look cool, must be better.

I wouldn't doubt that you felt a difference when replacing older hoses. Performance degradation over time is rarely perceptible until you return back to the original condition. The only true comparison would be to replace NEW rubber hoses with SS hoses and see if there is a notable difference. Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

 

[Flyboy]

Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

I know some people that drive like that.

 

[Brendan W]

I wouldn't doubt that you felt a difference when replacing older hoses. Performance degradation over time is rarely perceptible until you return back to the original condition. The only true comparison would be to replace NEW rubber hoses with SS hoses and see if there is a notable difference. Of course you'd have to do the test blindfolded for it to be a true test.

Or replace old SS with new rubber. How would modern rubbers compare to 1980s? One of my front braids is a bit short for my liking. Did the whole braid thing get traction because rubber was inferior back then?

 

[tkent02]

It still is.

 

[GSXR7ED]

Wow, what a way to screw up a simple question. So what if there's placebo affect...I'm the one riding the bike.

I replaced my single brake line with a braided line and love it. Of course, I did an MC and caliper rebuild so I really feel the difference.

OP, my suggestion is...do what you want for a set up. My recommendation is braided.


Ed

 

[Guest]

I purchased ss lines from Spiegler very nice stuff work great last forever sure they cost more but why not have better when it comes to brakes.

 

[tkent02]

Ducati, KTM, BMW, Aprillia and the others must just use them for the placebo effect. Husaberg uses them because they don't work. MV Augusta uses them because ???

Because they all love ****ing away profits to put placebos on their motorcycles.
Uh huh.

Makes more sense that the industry is going that way because they work better, last longer and are cheaper to make.

 

[Grimly]

Another opinion.

Braided lines are braided to prevent expansion under pressure, good for the race track. Non braided lines expand a tiny bit under pressure.
This means ... Braided lines have more "feel" but no modulating effect, this can be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view.
An example: panic braking in an emergency with braided timed in milliseconds - you apply full braking force to the front and all is good, then the wheel hits a bump, your fingers remain clamped round the lever. The extra forces caused by the bump initiate a lock up of the front wheel and unless you have superman reflexes (i don't) now you go down.
In the same situation with non braided lines there is a tiny amount of "give" in the system which is enough to absorb the milliseconds of extra pressure caused by that bump, this prevents the wheel locking which is a good thing.

IMHO putting braided lines on old bikes like these just makes the brakes feel wooden by amplifying their inherent lack of feel and power compared to more modern machines. Sticking with rubber lines gives a nicer feel at the levers and helps in hard braking situations.

Which is why I never put braided lines on the rear of my bikes - especially with the GS's propensity to lock the rear at the drop of a jaywalking pedestrian, I didn't need any extra tendency for that.
Otoh, the braided fronts are worth their weight in dried fruit.

 

[kochic]

I have braided line on my gs1000, I even have one line for each front caliper, no T or union.I bought the fittings and around 12ft of hose and made them myself.
Marc

 

[wymple]

I have braided line on my gs1000, I even have one line for each front caliper, no T or union.I bought the fittings and around 12ft of hose and made them myself.
Marc

I'll bite. How does one master cylinder feed 2 front lines without a T or a union? Does it not split SOMEWHERE?

 

[tkent02]

Which is why I never put braided lines on the rear of my bikes - especially with the GS's propensity to lock the rear at the drop of a jaywalking pedestrian, I didn't need any extra tendency for that.
Otoh, the braided fronts are worth their weight in dried fruit.

After owning and riding hundreds of GSes of different sizes, never heard of a propensity to lock the rear wheel.
Must be a technique thing.

I'll bite. How does one master cylinder feed 2 front lines without a T or a union? Does it not split SOMEWHERE?

Put the double banjo at the master cylinder.

 

[srg]

I'll bite. How does one master cylinder feed 2 front lines without a T or a union? Does it not split SOMEWHERE?

Use a longer banjo bolt and put both of the brake line ends on to the same MC connection.

This image might help:
http://www.spieglerusa.com/media/useruploads/images/spiegler_brake_line_routing.jpg

 

[Nessism]

I'll bite. How does one master cylinder feed 2 front lines without a T or a union? Does it not split SOMEWHERE?

Use a long banjo bolt, similar to the one holding two lines onto the splitter attached to the lower steering stem.

 

[rudeman]

And you have had this bike from new?
Just asking.

I've had my 1000ST from brand new and it did make a difference when I switched to braided lines back in 1983. I even went with DOT 5 silicone-based brake fluid. Totally pleased with my decision; would do it again.

 

[bwringer]

Lots of new bikes have stock brakes that could stand improvement. Many V-Strom owners, for instance, replace their rubber lines with braided stainless very early in the bike's life. Everyone reports an improvement in feel. It doesn't suddenly turn the brakes into race-quality units or anything, but it is a noticeable and needed improvement on such a heavy and large motorcycle; you can, of course, squeeze the lever just as hard either way, but the stainless braided lines take some of the "slop" or "flex" out of the system.

That said, I also replaced the hydraulic clutch line on my Vee with a stainless line, mainly to gain the benefit of far longer life. Plus it looked cool. The V-Strom factory maintenance manual requires replacing all brake and hydraulic lines every four years, which is completely ridiculous.