Stainless steel brake lines upgrade: Difference between revisions

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*New brake fluid (about time anyway, isn't it?)

*New brake pads (while you're there...)

"Just the front?!?" you ask? ~~Well, here~~ are ~~some opinions~~:

Here's why SS is better: The rubber lines expand with pressure. The SS lines don't (at least nowhere near as much). When you squeeze the brake lever on a stock line, some of that energy goes into expanding the rubber, instead of squeezing the brake pads together. With the SS line, that energy is no longer wasted. The end result is a brake that feels crisper and more definite. It makes the system feel much more precise and high-quality, with a greater sense of control.

"Just the front?" you ask? Opinions are somewhat divided:

*[https://www.ninja250.org/Jim%20Race Jim Race]: Yes, since the majority of your braking power comes from the front anyway.... Although, if you like matching sparkly bits, go whole hog and do the rear as well. Most of the manufacturers these days have colored covers to match your bike's color. Think first about how the extra stopping power out back will affect your riding.

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Line 19:

*[https://www.ninja250.org/Wes Wes]: When you have rear SS lines, you have a direct connection between your foot and the brake pads. It's like a rod. When you have rubber lines, they flex outward as you apply pressure, on a slight time delay. So, it's like a rod on a spring. The older the rubber lines, the springier they are. SS lines give you ''control''.

*[https://www.ninja250.org/~~agradzki agradzki~~] I ~~have HH sintered pads~~ on ~~the rear~~ and ~~I haven~~'t ~~even locked up the~~ rear ~~yet (despite epic braking power) because you can~~ feel the ~~wheel speed in your hand~~ and ~~foot so easily! With the rubber lines there would be NO FEEDBACK until you started fishtailing!~~

*[https://www.ninja250.org/IanJ IanJ]: I installed SS lines both front and rear on my first bike, and liked it, but didn't really notice much difference in rear feel. It was better, but not a lot better. On my second bike, I opted to skip the SS rear line and haven't regretted it.

A generally ignored part of the service schedule is that OEM brake lines should be replaced every four years. So, if your bike is more than three years old, this should be part of your scheduled maintenance. ~~The price is nearly the same, and with stainless you get a much better product. Board recommendation~~ for life expectancy on stainless lines is five years.

*[https://www.ninja250.org/agradzki agradzki]: I have HH sintered pads on the rear and I haven't even locked up the rear yet (despite epic braking power) because you can feel the wheel speed in your hand and foot so easily. With the rubber lines there would be ''no'' feedback until you started fishtailing.

*[https://www.ninja250.org/BrianM BrianM]: In the past when I used SS rear lines, I had to bleed air ''into'' the system to get the rear ''less'' touchy. Before doing that, I'd encounter situations where I'd lock the tire. Since I use the rear brake quite a bit, having the rear wheel lock up with very little foot movement was a headache and resulted in less smoothness, not more.

==Brake lines need to be replaced anyway...==

A generally ignored part of the service schedule is that OEM brake lines should be replaced every four years. So, if your bike is more than three years old, this should be part of your scheduled maintenance. Recommendation for life expectancy on stainless lines is five years.

[http://cyclebrakes.com/ Cycle Brakes] is a good place to start. They have a lot of info on their site, different colors to choose from, and they carry all sorts of brake-related stuff.

All three of the top brands ([http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer], [http://www.spieglerusa.com/cfm/brakelines.cfm Spiegler], [http://www.goodridge.net/usa/motorcycle.htm Goodridge]) are, for most bikes, equally good. However, ~~as of July 2007~~ only Galfer ~~has~~ a kit for the EX250~~; with~~ Goodridge you'd have to use a universal line. This is generally not recommended. Spiegler claims to have a kit, but theirs is far from plug-and-play. It involves bending some of the fittings, and we don't like it because of that. Safety-related items should work right out of the box.

All three of the top brands ([http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer], [http://www.spieglerusa.com/cfm/brakelines.cfm Spiegler], [http://www.goodridge.net/usa/motorcycle.htm Goodridge]) are, for most bikes, equally good. However, last time we checked only Galfer had a kit for the EX250. With Goodridge you'd have to use a universal line. This is generally not recommended. Spiegler claims to have a kit, but theirs is far from plug-and-play. It involves bending some of the fittings, and we don't like it because of that. Safety-related items should work right out of the box.

'''Galfer part #s'''

As of 2012, [http://www.venhill.co.uk/ Venhill], a British company, has started selling Ninja 250 kits for the F and J series. We've only had a couple people use them, but they like them and have good things to say about their US distributor's customer service. See them at [http://www.venhillusa.com Venhill Website].

'''Galfer part numbers'''

On [http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer site] pdf:

Line 36:

Line 46:

*front: FK003D249-1

*rear: FK003D249-R

*Front/rear kit ~~(saves money)~~: COMBOD249-1F-1R

*Front & rear kit: COMBOD249-1F-1R

The manufacturers generally sell through dealers. Contact your local dealer, or use a search engine to find out who sells them online~~. There are other makers out there, too, so poke around~~. eBay has dealers who carry parts ~~as well~~. You can also get ss lines made up from a reputable local hot rod/speed shop.

'''[http://www.venhillusa.com Venhill Website] - [http://stores.ebay.com/venhilldirect Venhill Ebay Store] part numbers'''

*front: KAW-2006FC

*rear: KAW-2006RC

*front & rear kit: KAW-2006FRC

Venhill photos

[[image:venhill 1.jpg|130px]]

[[image:venhill 2-2.jpg|75px]]

The manufacturers generally sell through dealers (except Venhill). Contact your local dealer, or use a search engine to find out who sells them online. eBay has dealers who carry Galfer parts. You can also get ss lines made up from a reputable local hot rod or speed shop.

One thing to make sure and look for is that the line has a plastic covering over the steel braid. Without this, you run the risk of lines cutting through fenders, radiators, or even tires. Most suppliers have this taken care of; in fact, you'll probably be trying to decide what color your covering will be. Just make sure that the line comes with one before you order.

~~Price~~ is ~~usually pretty cheap, somewhere in~~ the ~~US$50-60 range up front~~, ~~slightly less for~~ the ~~rear~~. Plus, you'll have the pleasure of knowing your braking ~~systems~~ (and hence, your safety) ~~are~~ up to snuff. Even better? You can easily do the upgrade yourself with simple hand tools.

The price of stainless lines is roughly the same (sometimes cheaper) as rubber lines and fittings (on the OEM diagram, you have to buy the banjo bolts and washers separately). Plus, you'll have the pleasure of knowing your braking system (and hence, your safety) is up to snuff. Even better? You can easily do the upgrade yourself with simple hand tools.

Why not? Be the first on your block!

Line 118:

Line 140:

====Installation suggestion====

If you look at your new lines and it seems that they may rub in places, pull the rubber tube and spring off the old line and put it over the new one. ~~You~~ may want to use something like WD40 to slide it off and on. ~~If this doesn~~'t ~~work~~, ~~just use something else in~~ the ~~places that need it~~.

If you look at your new lines and it seems that they may rub in places, pull the rubber tube (front) and spring (front & rear) off the old line and put it over the new one. For the tube part, you may want to use something like WD40 to slide it off and on. The spring won't fit over the banjo bolt, so you have to finesse it on. Get it started on the line, then hold the line and twist the spring, as shown with the demonstration pen at right.

[[image:846824.jpg|150px]]

[[image:100_0592-2.jpg|150px]]

Look at your new line and decide for yourself if it is rubbing anywhere. If you see potential chafing, you should put something on there to chafe instead of your line. ~~A little electrical~~ tape ~~works, but doesn~~'t ~~last a long time~~. Rubber tubing is better. A flexible ~~square~~ of rubber or plastic can be wrapped around the spot that is rubbing and held in place with zip ties. Spiral wrap is a good choice, too.

If this doesn't work, just use something else in the places that need it. Look at your new line and decide for yourself if it's rubbing anywhere. If you see potential chafing, you should put something on there to chafe instead of your line. Electrical tape isn't really right for the job. Rubber tubing is better. 3/8" fuel line, sliced lengthwise, has been suggested. A flexible piece of rubber or plastic can be wrapped around the spot that is rubbing and held in place with zip ties. Spiral wrap is a good choice, too.

While you're at it, take a look at the rest of the cables/hoses/wires on your bike. Look for places where something rubs, and either re-route or add chafe padding.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 *New brake fluid (about time anyway, isn't it?)
 *New brake pads (while you're there...)
-"Just the front?!?" you ask? Well, here are some opinions:
+Here's why SS is better: The rubber lines expand with pressure. The SS lines don't (at least nowhere near as much). When you squeeze the brake lever on a stock line, some of that energy goes into expanding the rubber, instead of squeezing the brake pads together. With the SS line, that energy is no longer wasted. The end result is a brake that feels crisper and more definite. It makes the system feel much more precise and high-quality, with a greater sense of control.
+"Just the front?" you ask? Opinions are somewhat divided:
 *[https://www.ninja250.org/Jim%20Race Jim Race]: Yes, since the majority of your braking power comes from the front anyway.... Although, if you like matching sparkly bits, go whole hog and do the rear as well. Most of the manufacturers these days have colored covers to match your bike's color. Think first about how the extra stopping power out back will affect your riding.
@@ Line 17: / Line 19: @@
 *[https://www.ninja250.org/Wes Wes]: When you have rear SS lines, you have a direct connection between your foot and the brake pads. It's like a rod. When you have rubber lines, they flex outward as you apply pressure, on a slight time delay. So, it's like a rod on a spring. The older the rubber lines, the springier they are. SS lines give you ''control''.
-*[https://www.ninja250.org/agradzki agradzki] I have HH sintered pads on the rear and I haven't even locked up the rear yet (despite epic braking power) because you can feel the wheel speed in your hand and foot so easily! With the rubber lines there would be NO FEEDBACK until you started fishtailing!
+*[https://www.ninja250.org/IanJ IanJ]: I installed SS lines both front and rear on my first bike, and liked it, but didn't really notice much difference in rear feel.  It was better, but not a lot better.  On my second bike, I opted to skip the SS rear line and haven't regretted it.
-A generally ignored part of the service schedule is that OEM brake lines should be replaced every four years. So, if your bike is more than three years old, this should be part of your scheduled maintenance. The price is nearly the same, and with stainless you get a much better product. Board recommendation for life expectancy on stainless lines is five years.
+*[https://www.ninja250.org/agradzki agradzki]: I have HH sintered pads on the rear and I haven't even locked up the rear yet (despite epic braking power) because you can feel the wheel speed in your hand and foot so easily. With the rubber lines there would be ''no'' feedback until you started fishtailing.
+*[https://www.ninja250.org/BrianM BrianM]: In the past when I used SS rear lines, I had to bleed air ''into'' the system to get the rear ''less'' touchy. Before doing that, I'd encounter situations where I'd lock the tire. Since I use the rear brake quite a bit, having the rear wheel lock up with very little foot movement was a headache and resulted in less smoothness, not more.
+==Brake lines need to be replaced anyway...==
+A generally ignored part of the service schedule is that OEM brake lines should be replaced every four years. So, if your bike is more than three years old, this should be part of your scheduled maintenance. Recommendation for life expectancy on stainless lines is five years.
 [http://cyclebrakes.com/ Cycle Brakes] is a good place to start. They have a lot of info on their site, different colors to choose from, and they carry all sorts of brake-related stuff.
-All three of the top brands ([http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer], [http://www.spieglerusa.com/cfm/brakelines.cfm Spiegler], [http://www.goodridge.net/usa/motorcycle.htm Goodridge]) are, for most bikes, equally good. However, as of July 2007 only Galfer has a kit for the EX250; with Goodridge you'd have to use a universal line. This is generally not recommended. Spiegler claims to have a kit, but theirs is far from plug-and-play. It involves bending some of the fittings, and we don't like it because of that. Safety-related items should work right out of the box.
+All three of the top brands ([http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer], [http://www.spieglerusa.com/cfm/brakelines.cfm Spiegler], [http://www.goodridge.net/usa/motorcycle.htm Goodridge]) are, for most bikes, equally good. However, last time we checked only Galfer had a kit for the EX250. With Goodridge you'd have to use a universal line. This is generally not recommended. Spiegler claims to have a kit, but theirs is far from plug-and-play. It involves bending some of the fittings, and we don't like it because of that. Safety-related items should work right out of the box.
-'''Galfer part #s'''
+As of 2012, [http://www.venhill.co.uk/ Venhill], a British company, has started selling Ninja 250 kits for the F and J series. We've only had a couple people use them, but they like them and have good things to say about their US distributor's customer service. See them at [http://www.venhillusa.com Venhill Website].
+'''Galfer part numbers'''
 On [http://www.galferusa.com/ Galfer site] pdf:
@@ Line 36: / Line 46: @@
 *front: FK003D249-1
 *rear: FK003D249-R
-*Front/rear kit (saves money):  COMBOD249-1F-1R
+*Front & rear kit:  COMBOD249-1F-1R
-The manufacturers generally sell through dealers. Contact your local dealer, or use a search engine to find out who sells them online. There are other makers out there, too, so poke around. eBay has dealers who carry parts as well. You can also get ss lines made up from a reputable local hot rod/speed shop.
+'''[http://www.venhillusa.com Venhill Website] - [http://stores.ebay.com/venhilldirect Venhill Ebay Store] part numbers'''
+*front: KAW-2006FC
+*rear: KAW-2006RC
+*front & rear kit: KAW-2006FRC
+Venhill photos
+[[image:venhill 1.jpg|130px]]
+[[image:venhill 2-2.jpg|75px]]
+The manufacturers generally sell through dealers (except Venhill). Contact your local dealer, or use a search engine to find out who sells them online. eBay has dealers who carry Galfer parts. You can also get ss lines made up from a reputable local hot rod or speed shop.
 One thing to make sure and look for is that the line has a plastic covering over the steel braid. Without this, you run the risk of lines cutting through fenders, radiators, or even tires. Most suppliers have this taken care of; in fact, you'll probably be trying to decide what color your covering will be. Just make sure that the line comes with one before you order.
-Price is usually pretty cheap, somewhere in the US$50-60 range up front, slightly less for the rear. Plus, you'll have the pleasure of knowing your braking systems (and hence, your safety) are up to snuff. Even better? You can easily do the upgrade yourself with simple hand tools.
+The price of stainless lines is roughly the same (sometimes cheaper) as rubber lines and fittings (on the OEM diagram, you have to buy the banjo bolts and washers separately). Plus, you'll have the pleasure of knowing your braking system (and hence, your safety) is up to snuff. Even better? You can easily do the upgrade yourself with simple hand tools.
 Why not? Be the first on your block!
@@ Line 118: / Line 140: @@
 ====Installation suggestion====
-If you look at your new lines and it seems that they may rub in places, pull the rubber tube and spring off the old line and put it over the new one. You may want to use something like WD40 to slide it off and on. If this doesn't work, just use something else in the places that need it.
+If you look at your new lines and it seems that they may rub in places, pull the rubber tube (front) and spring (front & rear) off the old line and put it over the new one. For the tube part, you may want to use something like WD40 to slide it off and on. The spring won't fit over the banjo bolt, so you have to finesse it on. Get it started on the line, then hold the line and twist the spring, as shown with the demonstration pen at right.
+[[image:846824.jpg|150px]]
+[[image:100_0592-2.jpg|150px]]
-Look at your new line and decide for yourself if it is rubbing anywhere. If you see potential chafing, you should put something on there to chafe instead of your line. A little electrical tape works, but doesn't last a long time. Rubber tubing is better. A flexible square of rubber or plastic can be wrapped around the spot that is rubbing and held in place with zip ties. Spiral wrap is a good choice, too.
+If this doesn't work, just use something else in the places that need it. Look at your new line and decide for yourself if it's rubbing anywhere. If you see potential chafing, you should put something on there to chafe instead of your line. Electrical tape isn't really right for the job. Rubber tubing is better. 3/8" fuel line, sliced lengthwise, has been suggested. A flexible piece of rubber or plastic can be wrapped around the spot that is rubbing and held in place with zip ties. Spiral wrap is a good choice, too.
 While you're at it, take a look at the rest of the cables/hoses/wires on your bike. Look for places where something rubs, and either re-route or add chafe padding.