I bought a 81 XJ650 Maxim project

[TajMan]

locksmith got it open for me with the key I already had!
Tank is rusted BAD! rusted cap lock explains things..
I have Oxalic Acid (wood bleach), cleaning rust..
It cleaned the rust on the chrome carb tops well, look new now.
I have 3 out of 4 carbs finished cleaned really well now..

I see the lines flex just barely when I pull the brake handle.
I can buy new brake lines from Yamaha dealer? anywhere else?
Should I remove brake pads and push-out caliper-piston first? I could clean that all out and re-assemble.

[TajMan]

Gas tank sealer on its way from KBS coatings.
The tank had started to rust just bad enough that a pinhole leak had begun at the rear/bottom of the tank on one side.

[jetmechmarty]

Tajman,

Brake lines can be sourced reasonably from Z1 Enterprises or any number of usual suspects.

If you want the old XJ to do "stoppies" (or the best its capable of) contact Michael "Mercury" Morse www.vintagebrake.com He has everything you need without breaking the bank.

[TajMan]

Tajman,

Brake lines can be sourced reasonably from Z1 Enterprises or any number of usual suspects.

Thanks for the tip.

On the Z1 website there, they have brake line like :
'Brake Hose 103 Series, Black Coat 39'' With Chrome Swivels'
I'm thinking about 39" will be good for the entire front brake line length, but they also say:
'Goodridge Brake Hose Black Coat 39'' With Chrome Swivels. Length is JUST the length of the hose. Remember to add Banjo(s) / adapter(s) length when calculating total length'

Do I need banjo adapters that they also have to adapt to my XJ650 bike? 10mm banjo bolt?
That puts the price around $25 + $9 + $10 + shipping, not horrible.

[jetmechmarty]

Do I need banjo adapters that they also have to adapt to my XJ650 bike? 10mm banjo bolt?
That puts the price around $25 + $9 + $10 + shipping, not horrible.

You will need banjo fittings at the proper angle. You will have one banjo fitting at each end of the hose. That adds about 3 inches to the overall length.

I suspect you can reuse your banjo bolts. Inspect them for damage or corrosion. You will need to replace the copper washers or anneal the old ones.

"In the cases of copper, steel, silver, and brass this process is performed by substantially heating the material (generally until glowing) for a while and allowing it to cool. Unlike ferrous metals—which must be cooled slowly to anneal—copper, silver[1] and brass can be cooled slowly in air or quickly by quenching in water. In this fashion the metal is softened and prepared for further work such as shaping, stamping, or forming." from WIKIPEDIA