Handlebar and brake line question

[Barbarosa]

I am working on a 1979F and have a question about handlebar height and brake hoses. The PO had installed 2 braided lines from the front brake master cylinder directly to the calipers bypassing the splitter block. In the process of changing back to regular brake lines I found the stock upper line from splitter to master cylinder I am using is around 3” too short. The bars on the 79F are not buckhorn style and directly match up to a set of standard bars I have, but when compared side by side the bars on the 79F are a good 2” taller. The stock brake line I have is appx. 16” and I need another 3 or so inches to fit right. I am not sure if the bars on the 79F are xs11, but they look the same only taller. Are there significantly “taller” bars on some xs11s?

[DiverRay]

People have changed bars, as you know know. I would go to a SS line, 3" over length of stock. If you are putting on "stock" lines, how old are they!?!? ANYTHING over 5 years old should NOT be used, as the rubber will be breaking down. Yes, a lot of bikes still have the old hoses on them, but none of mine did/do, as I value my life and stopping ability.

[Barbarosa]

No, actually I do not know now but thanks for the safety lesson. Will try the KISS way to ask this time. Does anyone know if there are different lengths of upper brake lines for the various XS models. The one I have is 16" and it's too short.

[IanDMacDonald]

I think the Venturer bars are taller to allow for the bigger tank. Why are you switching back to "regular" lines? Getting rid of that splitter is not the worst idea.

I use Techna-Fit for my lines. Cheap, and they work.

[Barbarosa]

The braided lines on it were a bit short and positioned the master cylinder too far forward on the bars. I’m planning to use them on drag bars for another xs11 so I got a splitter and lines that are supposed to be from a 1980 Standard to replace them. It is possible that the bars have been replaced on this 79F but I am not familiar with options and thought the taller bars might be about clearances and longer lines were supplied. Thanks for the info, maybe the 79F took a spill and got a Venturer bar transplant.

[jetmechmarty]

I would recommend you buy the lines in the length you need and assemble them yourself. I bought my lines and fittings from Z1 Enterprises, but you can purchase braided stainless lines from many places.

I do not recommend deleting the splitter. The reason being that it adds length to the line. Less is better. This is even more critical if you're using the standard rubber lines.

[TopCatGr58]

Point for discussion

Hey Marty,

It's winter here literally with the Blizzard of 2017 for Virginia, so not much to do but sit around and think/talk.

Okay, I'm not a hydraulics expert, but want to discuss the less lines vs more. Now IF he is using the OEM Vinyl lines, then yeah, I agree due to the tendency of the lines to expand under pressure, and 2 separate lines allows more total surface area for expansion, less braking pressure vs. the single to splitter 2 lines setup.

BUT, with SS lines, they don't expand, and the amount of brake fluid pumped through to the calipers to activate them will be the same, whether it goes out through 1 line and then splits into 2 at the fender, OR..if it's split at the MC with the dual outlet longer brake line bolt, once the lines are bled, the same amount of fluid will be required/ pushed thru with the same amount of lever action, so having the 2 long lines shouldn't be a problem...IMHO.

Any oppositional points?? Just wanted to provide info about when it could be okay to use 2 long lines vs. the splitter/3 lines setup.

T.C.

[jetmechmarty]

TC,

You are mostly correct. Stainless flex lines don't expand as much as the OEM type lines. It's just good practice to keep the length of the lines to a minimum. More line equates to more expansion and friction. Will running two lines from the master cause an accident? No. Due to the nature of my training and business, I like to stick with standard practices. In this case the difference in performance of the two setups is negligible.

[motoman]

Hey Marty,

It's winter here literally with the Blizzard of 2017 for Virginia, so not much to do but sit around and think/talk.

Okay, I'm not a hydraulics expert, but want to discuss the less lines vs more. Now IF he is using the OEM Vinyl lines, then yeah, I agree due to the tendency of the lines to expand under pressure, and 2 separate lines allows more total surface area for expansion, less braking pressure vs. the single to splitter 2 lines setup.

BUT, with SS lines, they don't expand, and the amount of brake fluid pumped through to the calipers to activate them will be the same, whether it goes out through 1 line and then splits into 2 at the fender, OR..if it's split at the MC with the dual outlet longer brake line bolt, once the lines are bled, the same amount of fluid will be required/ pushed thru with the same amount of lever action, so having the 2 long lines shouldn't be a problem...IMHO.

Any oppositional points?? Just wanted to provide info about when it could be okay to use 2 long lines vs. the splitter/3 lines setup.

T.C.

Having been certified, and designed and built hydraulic sytems, which involved pressures and volumes, you are exactly correct T.C.! Pressures are the same, even having different traveling distances. A lot more formulas are involved for added differences(pressures/volumes,etc.), but with scenario involved in this particular case, your response T.C. is spot-on.