You've probably got a point re warranty, I doubt they would contribute to a failure if fitted correctly but if they could they would try to wiggle out of paying out on a claim. My warranty runs out at the end of the year,(the blade will be 4 years old then) probs fit the lines after then. The current flexi ones aren't causing any probs but interested to see whether they provide any improvement. I've read threads of members reporting better performance with braided lines some have had them on for a long time with no issues.
Might be worth reading the article in this month's Fast Bike (technical section) regarding braided hoses on a C-ABS bike. Their opinion is they are a waste of money.
I read that too, I think that they might be right, it is in lamens terms a brake by wire system, so what we think we put into the brakes the computer turns into what it thinks it should be, i dont think you will notice a difference. If the lines are worn out however it makes sense to do it as even if they make no lever feel or braking feel difference the materials used are superior and will last longer. Just my opinion of course.
That's the basis of me upgrading to braided, the lines have suffered nearly 4 years of punishment. Its more of a replacement of a consumable item. .
What Fast Bikes and others are forgetting is that (as always) the 'Devil is in the detail'! 'Performance' may well not be improved in outright braking but control and feed back will be. The C-ABS computer does directly control the amount of fluid pressure that is exerted to the pistons but by the same token also reacts to 'line pressure' feedback from the calipers. If old, soggy rubber lines give variable psi pressure feedback to the C-ABS modulator then the inbuilt ECU will react/compensate accordingly and relay this resultant calculation back to the lever. Eliminating this 'non linear variable' given by rubber hoses can only be a positive thing IMHO.
Sinewave, While your explanation makes some sense, after studying the schematics of the the system, I don't think there is anything in the system that could "relay this resultant calculation back to the lever". From what I can tell, the "stroke simulator" is a completely "passive" apparatus which reacts to pressure generated by the master cylinder to give some "feel" to the lever. While the system can detect the pressure between the power modulator and the callipers via a pressure transducer, I don't think it has the complexity required to "feed this info back" to the lever. I think that you're giving Honda too much credit. This is the problem with Honda's version of ABS - it completely eliminates any form of "true" feedback.
True amnesia, but by the same token we already have 'feel & feedback' at the lever with the standard hoses so this is being 'calculated and relayed' from somewhere isn't it? I'd love to be able to confirm for sure as I have a full HEL braided kit sat in my Garage waiting to be fitted but until I can organise fitment and a full bleed I'll have to wait.
Sinewave, Believe me, I'm no expert on this, but I'm not so sure anyone actually is! My read on things is that when you squeeze the lever, you push fluid into a "dead end" circuit - which ends in the "stroke simulator" (which is just some sort of squishy rubber thing that "feels" like actual brake callipers would). There is a pressure transducer in the circuit which measures how hard you press on the lever which tells the computer how much fluid to send to the callipers via the pump (power modulator). I guess with SS lines in this portion of the circuit you would achieve the same pressure at the transducer with less squeeze of the lever so you would need less lever squeeze for a given amount of braking. The part that I'm not sure about is the value of SS lines between the modulator and the callipers. I'm not sure how the computer "knows" how much fluid to send out. With SS lines, you may actually stop faster, or the computer may generate a constant pressure in these lines by way of feedback from a separate pressure transducer in this part. If that's the case then It may not matter what kind of lines you have in this portion. Bear in mind, this is all guesswork Amnesia
