cOoTeR Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Ok so I'm due to change out my brake fluid and it has been suggested to me to put on steel braided lines at this time. I primarily ride on the road and rarely make it out to the track. Are the braided lines worth it? I understand they take the squishyness out of your brakes but does it increase stopping power? Thanks guys and gals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedogg624 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 stopping power comes with pads. feel comes with lines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheech Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 stopping power comes with pads. feel comes with lines.Bingo. Braided lines stop the squishy feel you get when you clamp down on the lever. New pads (depending on type) actually stop you faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 So its just a feel type thing and doesn't really improve the ride? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheech Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 So its just a feel type thing and doesn't really improve the ride?If you're looking to improve the ride you should be looking at forks, suspension, and tires, not brakes. Besides the feel, braided lines are better at keeping moisture out of the lines and last longer than the OEM. Apart from that, the lever feel, and the fact that they look better, that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolWhip Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Mine came stock with braided lines... and when I say stock I mean "who knows what the guy before me did to it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 If you're looking to improve the ride you should be looking at forks, suspension, and tires, not brakes. Besides the feel, braided lines are better at keeping moisture out of the lines and last longer than the OEM. Apart from that, the lever feel, and the fact that they look better, that's about it.I ment like the overall ride experience, guess I shoulda specified. So you think they are worth the money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaNick Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I have Galfer braided clutch, brake, and rear brake lines. I noticed one time down in KY that on my stock lines they were getting a bit mushy at times, but didn't after I went steel. Around here I really don't use them hard enough to need them, but in KY I did. I don't need the clutch line, but I just wanted an all around match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InyaAzz Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 You're not going to find one peer vetted study where braided brake lines gave you a noticeable improvement in stopping power on the street. Everyone always says "Man, I installed some braided lines and it's night and day better than OEM". Well, what they failed to mention is that they ALSO had to BLEED the lines...that's where the difference came from. They will also stop expansion as compared to cheap OEM rubber.They look good...so if you like the look and/or feel as Cheech mentioned....go for it. But you can get great brake performance from a new pair of rubber lines and a proper bleeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InyaAzz Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I have Galfer braided clutch, brake, and rear brake lines. I noticed one time down in KY that on my stock lines they were getting a bit mushy at times, but didn't after I went steel. Around here I really don't use them hard enough to need them, but in KY I did. I don't need the clutch line, but I just wanted an all around match.Had the same problem with the 06 ZX10. It ended up being the caliper. Not saying that's what your problem was..but I noticed on the street after a few minutes of hard braking in the twisties that I would start to get a lot of fade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Buy good lines though don't go for the $19 ebay specials Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohdaho Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 This may not apply to your 07, but rubber hoses typical should be replaced (according to the service manual on my bike) in 5 years or so. Rubber hoses arent meant to last a (long) lifetime on a bike esp with the corrosive brake fluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wht_scorpion Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 They work nice. Then upgrade pads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedogg624 Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 lines are really meant for track purpose. if you were to compare rubber lines vs ss lines for a lap or so they'd be identical in feel. where the ss lines shine through is those last laps of a race or the last few sessions of your trackday when you're burying your bike into the corner on the brakes - rubber lines will make you pucker a bit because they are expanding from the fluid getting hot. ss lines will be a consistent feel all day long. it became popular with the street crowd (as most items do for street bikes) because they saw their favorite racer had them on his bike and had to have them. this also raises a debate about fluid and boiling point. but if you're just doing normal basic street with minor track use i'd say dot 4 or 5.1 would suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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