Will new OEM rubber brake lines be better the old?

[Guest]

I've just completely rebuilt the front brakes on my '80 750. MC piston kit right down to the pistons & seals and I'm still getting a mushy lever after fresh fluid.

I've read that these stock rubber lines degrade after a while (mine have a '79 date code) and the convention is to replace them with braided lines.

This is all fine and dandy but what if you want to keep your bike 100% OE? Do these lines rot on the shelf, too? Anyone know what the most recent date code is on a pair of lines from Suzuki?

[Nessism]

I don't know about the most recent date code, but I wouldn't be afraid of using new old stock OEM hoses. I'd get some for my bike but they don't sell all the pieces anymore. Since they don't, my preference is to make new lines from Earl's parts.

[bwringer]

Are you going to ride it or put it in a museum?

If you can still get OEM brake lines, buy a set and put them on a shelf. Install them when your riding days are done and the bike is headed to the Barber Museum.

Until then, install a good set of stainless brake lines. Get them with a black cover and from 10 feet away, you won't know that they're not stock. And honestly, no one cares about that degree of originality anyway...

If you're worried about passing some sort of inspection, you can't build your own -- you can get a set of DOT-approved (or TUV, or whatever the agency is in your corner of the planet) stainless lines made. The main difference is that they're crimped rather than screwed together.

[oblique]

Does anyone make a 3 line kit that would reuse the balancer? Perhaps with factory-looking banjo fittings?

I really like the look of the spring coils on the factory lines and feel like anything modern would throw off the classic feel of the bike. The bike is in really good shape for its age as its been sitting unridden in a garage for many years so, yes, I want to ride a museum exhibit.