Braided Brake Lines - worthwhile and recommendations?

When my VFR lines need replacing I'll go braided. But I keep it well maintained with regular fluid flushes, lives in the garage that is participial air conditioned and I always park in the shade when about. So the lines are still in excellent shape on my "old" 09

 

I totally expect my opinion to be counter to what is posted on this site with regularity. Don't take it personally, of course, it might be a tad late for that.

 

I’m just changing mine over to HEL braided lines, bit of a fiddly job but nearly done. I’ll let you know if I notice a difference.

They do look nice and shiny!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

If you don't mind, how much were the lines?

 

£320 for the full set for linked ABS. It’s a fair few hoses.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks. I know there is a lot. Every time I have flushed the lines I have to go to the thread of bleeding procedures, its a lot more involved than any of my other bikes.

 

Yeah, I’m going to be studying that thread when I get to bleeding!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Bit of a before and after.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Wow, those are seriously gross fittings.

 

Yep! Bike was an unmarked police bike before I bought it, will have been ridden in wet salty winters. I’m going to service the front forks and get the lowers powder coated as they are a bit flaky as well!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Nice Job! Those old banjo bolts where beyond terrible, heinous comes to mind. I got HEL too, I liked them so much I bought another set for my other VFR even though it already had braided lines, (they where old and annoyed me!)

 

Just a little comment based upon a couple recent experiences with the HEL Performance USA Rep Moto-Heaven. I have had two very poor experiences with these folks. I won't go into the details, but use them at your own risk. I have started going directly to HEL Performance UK and have nothing but good things to say about them, their service, and their products. HEL also just released a nickle plated master cylinder in 16 and 19 mm versions. Haven't tried one, but they look the business. I don't see a switch for the brake light, like the Brembo RCS line, but that is easily rectified with a Goodrich pressure switch banjo bolt.

https://www.helperformance.com/hel-performance-master-cylinder

 

I have braided lines on my vfr and cbr600f4i. The cbr’s brakes are very good and the vfr is not far behind. The brake lines on my gsxr1000 are stock, and pretty crap even though I yearly take the calipers apart, clean and grease them. It wasn’t until I bought my cbr recently that I realized how bad the brakes on the gsxr were, and will be changing to braided.

I do believe that with regular sedate riding and not braking hard on a regular basis, the pads glaze up, and braking power is reduced.

 

Stock CBR brakes are very good, you have to be track riding pretty hard on fast tracks to even begin to get some fade, and thats not till near the end of a full session. But steel lines and better pads will make a difference when hauling the mail. I installed a Brembo rsc19 master on the CBR and have even better feel and modulation.

 

Sorry Jim,

Although I am sure you like the brakes on your CBR they are not as good as you believe...

From Wiki: CBR600F4i (2001-2006)
But stopping power still was not on par with other bikes in the class.

Your other bike is a RC36, the brakes on those are not even in the same league to the hyper-sport brakes fitted now.

Although there are plenty of bikes with far far worse brakes out there - yours are only in the not too bad camp.. Its a min 13 years old braking system...

 

I figured it best to just delete that last post of mine, LOL.

 

Ok...I'll say it for you...
Holy SHNikey gordyp, it appears my cat pissed on your wheels last time you stopped over!!
Awww, feels so much betta now

 

Lol, don’t worry, I can take it.

Yep, absolutely bogging, here’s a pic of the rear.....




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I have seen worse. If Toecutter was still hanging around here...he would have called you out already, hahahahahahahahaha

 

I've got some coming with my Speigler/LSL Superbike bar kit. Ever ride when it's really cold and your lines are hard? Theres a really solid, non mushy feeling to the brakes. I imagine thats closer to what braided lines feel. I'll find out soon enough I suppose.