Are 22-year-old brake lines unsafe?

Subject pretty much highlights the question...bike is a 1984 KZ700 with 13,000 miles. I am hesitant to mess with the brakes because they still perform really well with almost too much stopping power. The metal parts on the lines are rusted though.

I really just want a safe vehicle, i sometimes have passengers whom i'd rather not kill b/c of brake failure.

Thanks
-J

If you are concerned then only a replacement will make you happy.

I, on the other hand, feel fine using my hoses from 1978. But my metal ends are not rusty, and the rubber is not cracked. How safe am I really? :whistle:

I'm mostly concerned about sudden catastrophic failure at high speed with little or no warning. Will there be symptoms before the lines give out?

I'm concerned b/c there is little margin for error on a motorcycle. I don't have much money to spend on this so I need to be selective on what I replace...my rubber is not showing any deterioration yet, just rust on the metal parts.

I couldn't imagine a catastrophic failure of a brake hose that exhibited no signs of failure such as cracking up to that point. That assumes of course that the bike has been ridden enough lately to cause the hoses to start cracking if they're going to.
The answer is to check the condition of the tires and hoses often on any recently resurrected bike. At least till you feel you know the bike well.

KZCSI

masospaghetti wrote:

I'm mostly concerned about sudden catastrophic failure at high speed with little or no warning. Will there be symptoms before the lines give out?

Well, they won't fail just going down the street - they'll fail when that soccer mom pulls a louie and forces you to toss out both anchors with everything you've got.

And that's the problem.

You can visually inspect them, you can wiggle and shake them, you can test them to the limits of common sense in the driveway or on an empty street. But you'll never develop the kinds of pressures a brake line will see in an emergency until you're in an emergency.

So the question becomes - is that the time you want to find out?

If you have the slightest doubt about them - replace 'em. Cheap peace of mind at the price.

If there's anything more important than being able to go fast when you want to - it's being able to stop when you NEED to...

My guess is you have never lost your brakes. Otherwise this question would be moot.
Death's name is reported to be Mort. Mort says "keep the old lines!".

Same as ...My tires are all chequed up! Should I still ride on them?
Sure! But please allow us to take out a million dollar life insurance policy on you before your next ride.

Or ...My tires are Old Flintstones (apologies to Firestone) do you think they will last?
They MIGHT last! You MIGHT too! Repeat #2's answer...

20 people might say "NO!". 3 people might say "Hell yes! I been riding on steel & canvas for 3 years!", but it's the 1 or 2 who CAN'T answer you that SHOULD be listened to.

I wonder about a 22 year old condom?

maso,

I know I didn't want to take a chance on the 30 uear old lines on my 400. I bought new fittings and stainless lines from J&P and Dennis Kirk, it only cost me about $50 altogether, and I feel much safer.

George

I think you know the answer to this question already.

georgeha wrote:

maso,

I know I didn't want to take a chance on the 30 uear old lines on my 400. I bought new fittings and stainless lines from J&P and Dennis Kirk, it only cost me about $50 altogether, and I feel much safer.

George

$50 !! I'm not doubting you but that seems very low, how did you pull it off? I need to check into this, I thought replacing the front lines and fittings would cost much more... for that money I wouldn't hesitate to replace everything.

I feel perfectly safe with 30 yr old lines on all my bikes. I've never in my life heard of a brakeline exploding causing an accident, even in magazines where you have to read and devide everything they say by 10 generally. Expect $300 or more to replace lines if you go Kawasaki, or maybe aftermarket would be cheaper? Now that "Would" worry me.

RonKZ650 wrote:

I feel perfectly safe with 30 yr old lines on all my bikes.

That's cool. If you trust 'em that's peachy

I've never in my life heard of a brakeline exploding causing an accident, even in magazines where you have to read and devide everything they say by 10 generally.

Of course they do. They blow all the time - especially on rattletrap beater cars from the 70's and early 80's - that co-incidentally use the same type of ribbed neoprene hose found on 70's Kaws and Hardleys with hydraulic shoe-type rear brakes.

I've personally seen one of those blow on a bike - my brother was on a '72 Super Glide when it happened. Right into a guardrail.

I've seen Shade-Tree Mfg., Inc. steel lines, kinked at the factory fail.

I've seen a bad run of braided steel aftermarket lines get recalled for popping like party balloons.

If you're depending on magazines for comprehensive information ans advice on all things safety related, you're missing a LOT.

Expect $300 or more to replace lines if you go Kawasaki, or maybe aftermarket would be cheaper? Now that "Would" worry me.

Okay.

Likely as not, a 30 year old brake line won't fail.
But $300's worth of road rash is a spot about the size of a quarter.

It's really just a matter of peace of mind.

I'll just put it into percentage. Take all 30 yr old motorcycles currently riding the streets and all 30 yr old motorcycles that were involved in an accident. What percentage was caused by brakeline failure? No way to tell, but my guess would be far less than .01% Much more important things to worry about than this.