Those of you running stainless steel brake lines?
 

Any regrets? or No looking back? I've considered doing the swap when I change these brake pads, just looking for the good, bad, and ugly you have experienced thus far? I've never run them before....

Tried mine out for the first time today. I didnt get the sudden "BOOM NOW YOUR NOT GOING 60 MPH ANY MORE" bite i was expecting, but i did seem to be stopping a lot sooner than i was used to. I'd say it cut my braking distance down by at least 10ft at 40mph, and i havent even really put any pressure on em yet, still breaking them in.

I'm in the "no regrets, never going back" category. All my bikes run SS lines.

They don't make a huge difference in stopping power over good (read new) stock lines, but they are a hell of a lot more consistent and really help with brake fade, which is great if you do any track time or aggressive street riding.

I don't have them on my current bike but have used them on all of my bikes prior to this one for the past 20 years. No regrets, work great, last a long time. Stopping power not so different. The difference is consistent, stable and predictable braking that you don't know you don't have now. They are especially noticeable if your lines are a few years old.

Yea once you have your pads in you'll notice a difference I'm certain.

SS lines FTW! Every bike I've owned since '95 has had them.

Tigger what pads you running on your bike?

Mine came stock with them. :idk:

Got 'em on the niner and I love 'em. One thing I would have done differently if I had been the one putting them on would be to grind the little stop on the caliper that keeps the line from rotating enough that the line wouldn't rub my front fender. They only touch for about 1/8", but that was enough to start rubbing into the fender and they made an impression that is not noticeable unless you look realllllly hard. I'm just anal about shit like that though. I figure if it doesn't touch, it can rub a hole in anything. :D

Stainless lines offer a significant increase in consistency. That's the long and short of it.

ebs hh

They work good in the rain/wet?

Mine came with them too....

If fact all of them did.

Mine too.

every bike I have had had them.

I've got Kevlar on mine. Biggest difference I've seen was putting my Galfer HH pads on. Brakes much harder, and i like it a ton.

Oh yea, they are great pads. I believe there are better pads out there but for the money and over all, I like the EBS brakes the best. I've used Ferodo, Galfer, Dunlopad, Vesrah and SBK in the past. Dunlopad and Ferodo have a HUGE initial hit but I believe (and this is in the past, mind you) that they faded on me a bit. Plus Dunlopad was a bear to break in and had a tendency to squeak/squeal if they were done wrong.

A lot of the guys down here who go to the track regularly run the vesrah pads that are like 200 bucks a set. They seem to love them, even for the money.

I have them on the GSXR and the KTM, and I would never look back. Very happy with them.

I had them on a couple EX500's and LOVED em. want a set for my ZX1000. they just make the brake feel SO much more even and generally more constant. its a night and day difference, no doubt in my mind.

ok, did you guys get the bike specific kits or did you go with the assemble yourself kits (straight hoses and you screw the ends on)?

Yea even I'm not that cheap! I get the bike specific kit.

If you plan on keeping a new bike for awhile
or
You picked up an older bike
or
You're taking it to the track
or
You do a lot of commuting in traffic

SS brake lines are a no brainer.
Relatively cheap, easy to install.


On the other hand, most bikes right out the box don't need em and brake just fine.

The aprilia came stock with them and the SV has the stock rubber lines. Each serve a purpose.

rubber is only good for tires and condoms IMO. I dont want it on my brake lines. ESPECIALLY when the brake lines are 24 years old.

Bike Specific kit.

I think most of the sport bike 600/750/1000 have some steel portions in the lines. My 07 600rr stock brakes are awesome....even when hauling the bike down from 140mph. I think SS lines wouldn't make a difference.

It would have to. Less flex in the lines means more response.

Aren't you an engineer??

You guys do realize that SS lines prevent fading more than initial bite, right?

I agree, the rubber expands more when it is heated.

But, responsiveness has to be improved. Everything has a modulus of deformation. Rubber is much higher than SS. Therefore, stainless will have less energy being loss to expansion meaning your initial bite should happen quicker.

It might be a milli second, but it has to work that way.

I think the lines are all steel actually. And yes you are correct, but they don't need anymore bite or the front end is gonna lock up.

right right, initial friction is improved more by chging ur pads. The SS lines prevent expansion in the lines.

I put steel lines on 2 bikes and 2 cars, and noticed no improvement at all.

IMO, the rotors, pads, and master cylinder design makes much more of a difference.

That's why I love this little guy.

http://www.mgcycle.com/images/atrex/30666900.jpg