In your message dated: Wed, 30 May 2001 22:13:51 EDT,
The pithy ruminations from Ken Swartz on
<Re: brake lever/brake lines> were:
=> That's really with this brake line stuff? The question I have with all the
=> bikes I've owned I can't recall any Ducati, BMW, HD and Yamaha stating that
=> brake lines should be replaced every two years. You can bet that if the HD
You need to check more closely. My BMW (R1100RSA) specified a 2 (or was it 3)
year replacement cycle for the brake lines. I suspect that virtually every
vehicle has a similar schedule. I suspect that virtually no one--no shop and no
individual--really follows the schedule.
=> crowd saw this in print many would do it no questions asked and would be very
=> well known of. I know of 30 year old HD's and other brands around that have
=> not had brake line problems or replacement schedules. So why is it on this
=> Yamaha that it is "recommended"? I have not heard of any other type of Yamaha
=> bikes having this. Or do all the people that own other types of bikes don't
=> notice or don't care or it isn't needed. If it isn't needed so what. Could
=> it be that Yamaha knew of the ABS problem and started this brake line stuff
=> to cover their butts with some excuses that if you didn't do it then they
=> wouldn't fix the HU. If brake lines are so bad then they should be replacing
=> them. How many out there have been riding for nearly 100,000 miles on a GTS
=> been doing so without having brake line failure? Have you folks been
=> replacing them? Where they really bad? Is this a real problem or just a
=> Yamaha parts marketing ploy? Has anybody that has real good contacts with
=> Yamaha tech people really pressed the question on this service schedule?
It's not a question of a "failure" or the parts being "so bad". There are three
things that I can think of immediately that would prompt this kind of
recommended replacement schedule:
rubber expands. expanding brake lines give poor performance. as
the lines get older, they may expand more.
UV and oxidation affect rubber, making it hard and brittle
the rubber brake lines allow a small amount of air (and water vapor)
transfer. over time, this will lead to contaminated brake fluid
Remember, if the lines & seals & brake parts were "perfect" in any vehicle (if
it was truly a closed system), you'd never need to add or change brake fluid.
Mark
=>
=> KS
=>
Mark Bergman Biker, IATSE #1 Stagehand, Rock Climber, Unix mechanic
'94 Yamaha GTS1000A
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