Question regarding brake lines on known bike.

[Garagamus]

Some of you already know the XS I'm working on was owned by a former member, (Simon), out here in Medicine Hat. My question, since I can't find anything in his old posts, is about his brake lines, more specifically if he ever mentioned getting braided s/s lines for it? My buddy that bought Simon's ZZR, (and the reason I even have his XS), was given a bunch of random parts with the ZZR including a full set of braided lines. My friend just tried installing them and found that they don't fit at all (too long). He thinks they may be for my bike. They seem too long for the front on the XS, but not if they connect at the resevoir and eliminate the OEM splitter. (it does come with a dual hole bolt to connect both lines...is this a valid setup?)

[natemoen]

Yup, some people do run the front lines straight to the master cylinder. So that is a perfectly acceptable setup.

[jetmechmarty]

Some people set them up that way to eliminate the splitter. IMHO, that is not the preferred method. Splitting at the master cylinder adds line to the system, over 2 feet of it. Stainless is supposed to expand less than the OEM line, but it still isn't perfect. I'm sticking with the OEM set-up as I see no issue with the splitter on the lower tree and less line is better than more.

[IanDMacDonald]

And, I think it looks super-goofy to see two lines coming off the M/C with no boot covering it. I don't know anything about metallurgy, but I wonder if it's okay to leave a double banjo exposed vertical to the elements with no coverage . . .

[Garagamus]

I figured that since they were free and do seem to be sized to fit without the splitter, I may as well give them a try. The bike is pretty well stripped down as a café racer so the aesthetics of the double line coming straight off the M/C may or may not look decent, (could always try a protective boot made from the plasti-dip used for coating tool handles). My bike is still rocking the original rubber lines...as good as they still look, I'm sure they are not long for this world.

[jetmechmarty]

My bike is still rocking the original rubber lines...as good as they still look, I'm sure they are not long for this world.

The service manual called for replacement every four years. I wouldn't worry about the boot.

[Garagamus]

actually...the little rubber ring on the line at the boot saying what type of brake fluid to use and the date of mfg. is still there....09/1977. I would imagine the lines produced for the new 1978 models ran into the new 81 models as well...it got 37 years of use out of them, can't complain.