Yrah Bra.....SS lines are the bomb!


sti491

Member
So I get a GREAT DEAL on triple black (lines, banjo's and bolts) custom length front & rear lines from Galfer. Sandro there is a really good guy. He helped me a bunch.

Instal not too hard, bleeding was tedious for both front and rear. Used new Motul fluid. Bike is 2012 always garaged, 4,500 miles, 2,000 of those by me in the past several months. My rear stock brake was always a bit suspect, seemingly not staying adjusted, feeling a bit soft. It worked though. The front brakes were fine, or so I thought.

Once they are on and bled, the lever & pedal are NOTICEABLY firmer. From doing this job I suspect my rear brake had a little air in it before. Oh, and they look great too! See pics. I will post up my stock lines for sale cheap, if any one is interested. One note: the front fluid was black. The rear looked amber brand new color. Maybe the front gets that much hotter? There was a surprising difference in color.

So first ride was with my son on his SV 650 for a 50 min ride while he was on lunch break. Brake feel and firmness was mo-better from the get go. I had an "event" on this ride though, which was fun in retro-spect, but pretty crazy when it happened. Self-induced, of course! AKA I screwed up after making a change to my bike...

So it's later in the ride, on county roads. We are boarderline getting him back on time. Jake rides faster than me in corners. Often I find myself catching up on straighter parts, but that can actually be a bit dangerous because as I approach him going faster, not slowed yet, then he makes an unexpected turn causing me to grab brake pretty hard & banging downshifts. I have bailed on several turn-offs like that before riding with him, rather than attempt a too high speed/too sharp corner. He is very nice and just waits for me up the road.

Sooooo, that's exactly what happened yesterday, but with a new exhilarating and dangerous twist: I was going a bit fast catching up to my son on a 2 lane country road with good smooth pavement (maybe 60-70mph), when he suddenly took a right turn-off I didn’t expect. I grabbed both brakes hard, using quick but gradually harder brake technique as I have always done. But this time I proceeded to immediately lock up the rear tire, then bailing on the turn as I was a bit sideways. I pulled into a country store/gas station at the corner where a Harley biker was parked who saw both bikes: Jake barreling around the corner MotoGP style and me, er, trying to keep it upright, squealing rear tire and hoping to tell stories another day. He gave me the thumbs up and I could see his smile under his helmet!

Several things struck me about this experience:
1. This was my first slide/skid on this bike. As it all happened in milliseconds I'm sure, by the time I reacted and intuitively picked the time to let off the rear brake, I had laid down at least 10ft of rubber (new Metzelers with proper air pressure just checked before the ride). My bike is loud. The rear tire skidding is louder!. I was surprised how loud it was even inside my helmet with ear plugs on.

2. Always have an awareness of your surroundings for a potential safer bailout areas. I actually read a pretty good book about that. Although this happened very quickly and I no way expected it, because it would not have happed with my old stock rear brake set up (and won't again as I get used to the new brake feel),... it seemed like slow motion and went something like this:
a. Why is Jake turning there?
b. I'm going too fast
c. Grab front brake and do quick progressive hard squeeze, same with rear, at same time.
d. Just a bit before the part where I'd turn in, but not quite leaned over where I would have let off the rear and trail braked the front a bit, the rear very unexpectedly locks up
e. My brain says, "forget the turn-off following Jake, go straight instead", as the rear end is starting to slide out from under me like it wanted to go into the corner on it's side
f. Like a slow motion movie I scan my options: country store gas station on that very corner, smallish parking area I could run off into, but covered with sand by the two vintage 1950's pumps. No traffic coming (thankfully), a big Road Glide with the rider on it just sitting there watching, easy to run into... don't look at him!
g. So the bike straightens up after I let the rear brake off. I slowly enter the side of the store/station staying off the sand, by the biker because it took me longer to stop. Stopped for a moment reflecting on my good fortune. Did a U-turn past the biker who nodded and gave a thumbs up.
h. Took off a bit slower with adrenaline pumping, realizing my rear brake never did work quite right. Now I have front & rear more serious binders working 100%... take it easy and get used to that new feel!

I'll be a little more respectful on my new found brake ability. We are taking a 3 hour round trip to Wilksboro today, to do a foothills curvey loop on Brushy Mountain road. There will be an hour ride on 421, a 4 lane highway. I hardly ever ride on highways, so this will be something different for me. Looking forward to the twisties once we get there though!

If you are on the fence about SS line upgrade, jump off the fence and DO IT! MotoSport and Galfer have SS color clear coat front and rear lines on sale right now for $89. Can't beat that!

I keep running this over and over in my mind like an instant replay. It's a vivid memory still. What I could have done differently, better, more appropriately for my own safety and other motorists around me? I think the best answer would be, don't go that fast in the first place. My best moves once in the pickle were not fixating on Jake's bike or the other parked biker, and trying to find a safe place to land, concentrating how to do that upright.

What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger... I hope in this case smarter!
 

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vcdstroyr

Member
I had a moment like that with my rear brake after I installed the rear SS line. I learned to be easy on the rear brake. It takes practice to not mash the rear brake. The brake fluid is supposed to be changed every 2-3 years. I'm guessing that since the bike is a 2012 with only 4500 miles that the fluid was never changed in the past 6 years. Which reminds me that I need to change out my fuild.

Keep it shiny side up.
 

MrFrzZ

New Member
its funny when we have those "pucker" moments that our brain's black box kicks on and we can think back on what we thought, or thought we thought sometimes.

Glad you made it out without any incident!!

Hope you guys had a good ride today.
 

sti491

Member
I believe you are right!


I had a moment like that with my rear brake after I installed the rear SS line. I learned to be easy on the rear brake. It takes practice to not mash the rear brake. The brake fluid is supposed to be changed every 2-3 years. I'm guessing that since the bike is a 2012 with only 4500 miles that the fluid was never changed in the past 6 years. Which reminds me that I need to change out my fuild.

Keep it shiny side up.
 

sti491

Member
Put 200 miles on the bikes today! I'll post up about it tomorrow. Fun day. No incidents! I'm tired!


its funny when we have those "pucker" moments that our brain's black box kicks on and we can think back on what we thought, or thought we thought sometimes.

Glad you made it out without any incident!!

Hope you guys had a good ride today.
 

MrFrzZ

New Member
Put 200 miles on the bikes today! I'll post up about it tomorrow. Fun day. No incidents! I'm tired!
sounds good. I made a video yesterday, but the audio was terrible... trying to get everything set up, but I need to figure out my audio and get a good mount for the chin of my helmet.
 

sti491

Member
I am about done spending $$$$$$$ on my bike, but one thing I would like to get is a small camera lens bike cam with front & rear capability. It would be fun to see the vids, be able capture dumb-a*s driver moments and other cool moments you want to save, and also have evidence if anyone runs into me.

Look forward to seeing your vid!

sounds good. I made a video yesterday, but the audio was terrible... trying to get everything set up, but I need to figure out my audio and get a good mount for the chin of my helmet.
 

pandyman

New Member
Out of interest did you get custom length or just pay for the custom so you could have black?
 

sti491

Member
I got custom length because I have Rox 1"up and 1" back handle bar risers. I've had 3 back surgeries and can't lean forward comfortably for long periods, so I need a more upright riding position. Plus, I raised the seat 1.5" due to my long legs (6'3" tall).

If I remember right the only extra charge at Galfer for color change is the banjo bolts, which was +$20. The lines, other fittings and length change is no extra charge.

The only problem from buying directly from Galfer is they will charge you shipping, where other retailers you can usually get shipping included.


Out of interest did you get custom length or just pay for the custom so you could have black?
 


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