Hi All,

I am in the process of figuring out the brake line routing for the street tracker project. Forks have been lowered 2 inches, superbike bars. I was thinking of using a 90 degree bend fitting at the master cylinder end and running the line straight across the front, over the headlight then down. Any opinions? See the pics.

Thanks,

john in Kalifornia

The brake line will move up and down constantly with the movement of the front wheel.  The stock system has a steel mount with a rubber bushing at the fender, then a smooth 90 degree curve and a steel mount and rubber bushing at the bottom of the triple tree.  This system allows the movement to occur in the bend....the wheel can bounce up and down and the brake line just flexes to take up the movement - and because it is under the forks you never notice it.

In the routing you are proposing the brake line will need to be mounted to the lower fork like the original - and the brake line will need to slide up/down along the upper fork tube and mount - as the flex in the brake like will need to occur where the line is parallel with the handlebars.  You should make some form of guide to hold the brake line and allow it so slide up and down....and keep it from rubbing on things.

My dirt bike in the 70's ran a brake cable with the routing you are proposing - and it had a smooth guide fastened to the front number plate that held the cable so it would not catch on anything when the forks compressed.  These brakes were cable operated, and on occasion someone would not route the cable well and when the forks compressed fully - the cable would catch or hook on something.....then as the forks came back up from being compressed the cable would get pulled and it would apply the front brake!  That was most likely a real surprise to the rider.

I think you definitely need a bracket at the top of the lower fork leg, near the fender mount or the rubber boot.  You have to take the strain off the fittings and the hose where it mounts to the caliper.

If you don't want a fender, all you need to do is make a bracket that bolts into the holes where the fender used to mount.

From my own experience....one or two summer showers is all that is required to convince you that a front fender is a wonderful thing.

Dave,

That's just what I needed, thanks. Sent you a PM.

Brake line arrived, in a small package, all coiled up. Hung it from a rafter in the garage with a drill press vise for weight overnight to straighten it out. Looks like it will work out, just long enough. Too short if I was using the stock non shortened forks.

John in Kalifornia