Stainless brake & clutch Lines

[admin]

Heres the question :

"Inspired by this thread I ordered a brake master cylinder kit for a GL1200 DE/DG but I've got a 85/86 Interstate and it won't fit. What do the letters AE/AF/AG/AH and DE/DG mean ?"

AE=built in Ohio for U.K. AF=built in Ohio for France AG=built in Ohio for Germany AH= ...not sure, maybe Holland I guess? DE=I'm guessing here, LTD built for Europe, DG=guessing again, LTD built for Germany

[tonyc57]

Great stuff admin. I had a hunch the answer was going to be along those lines - it looks like there were infact 3 with a 'D' prefix the DE, DF and DH.

Add in this :
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/honda_gl_1200_dx_gold_wing_1986.php">http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/honda_ ... g_1986.php</a><!-- m -->
and it makes 4 !!!

As you say they must in some way be the Euro way of designating the LTDs and SEi models.
The clincher will be if someone can confirm that those two had different sized brake master cylinders to Interstates and Aspencades.

[admin]

As far as I know all 1200's had the same braking equipment from 84-87. Only differences I know were in carbs, fuel injection and pollution controls and the other differences occured in lighting depending on country shipped to. The other variation was the 1984 model which had different digital dash, mirrors, rear wheel, fuel tank, pulse generators, alternator and gear ratios among other things.

[tonyc57]

Its interesting that on Trickys 'Front Master Brake Master Cylinder' thread in the middle diagram attachment under 'Service Limits' it gives two measurements. One for Standard (whatever that means) and one for Interstates and Aspencades.
Doesnt this indicate more than one master cylinder for 1200s ?

[admin]

Thanks, you may right as I never included the Standard model as I thought we were discussing Aspy's and Interstates only and that's why nothing is ever written in stone around here. So much to learn and remember that it boggles the mind. :lol: BTW, Standard= a Gold Wing with no fairing, bags and trunk, essentially a naked Gold Wing.

[tonyc57]

I've found photos and a spec of the two different pistons/kits.

This ones the one I need:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.stuff4bikes.co.uk/front-brake-master-cylinder-repair-kit-honda-gl1200-aeafagah-84-88-22481-p.asp">http://www.stuff4bikes.co.uk/front-brak ... 2481-p.asp</a><!-- m -->

This is the one I've got:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.stuff4bikes.co.uk/front-brake-master-cylinder-repair-kit-honda-gl1200-dedg-gwing-84-87-22745-p.asp">http://www.stuff4bikes.co.uk/front-brak ... 2745-p.asp</a><!-- m -->

Theres quite a difference !

The suppliers being very good and has offered to source the one I need or refund me . They asked me to find out if their stock was correctly labelled which it obviously is although I'm still not totally clear which the DE/DF/DG bikes are. B-(

[admin]

Why don't you just give your bike's serial number to the vendor and let them figure it out for you. They would have more insight on this than you or I.

[tonyc57]

The people I bought from are a cheap-jack internet outfit - they're asking actually asking me for help on this !
( poor fools hock: )

[admin]

Sounds like you need to download some Honda manuals and do some research on your bike's V.I.N.

[robdavspa]

I am looking at all this stainless braided brake line info and wonder if installing them helps the 'mushy' feel I am experincing on my 1984 ASP. The rubber hoses on this bike are 27 years old. Are any of you guys that have converted to the new hoses able to say definitively that it makes the brakes firm under the pedal and hand lever?? A considereble bit of money to spend if it does not help. I have rebuilt all calipers and the rear master cylinder and still have mushy brakes. Sowing down brakes as opposed to stopping brakes. Good on wet roads I suppose but not in an emergensy stop on dry pavement. I don't remember my 1982 GL having this problem nor my 1984 I owned in the early '90s. PLease advise.
Bob

[wingandaprayer]

I am looking at all this stainless braided brake line info and wonder if installing them helps the 'mushy' feel I am experincing on my 1984 ASP. The rubber hoses on this bike are 27 years old. Are any of you guys that have converted to the new hoses able to say definitively that it makes the brakes firm under the pedal and hand lever?? A considereble bit of money to spend if it does not help. I have rebuilt all calipers and the rear master cylinder and still have mushy brakes. Sowing down brakes as opposed to stopping brakes. Good on wet roads I suppose but not in an emergensy stop on dry pavement. I don't remember my 1982 GL having this problem nor my 1984 I owned in the early '90s. PLease advise.
Bob

Here is my chance for a public thank you to Vic. :YMHUG:

Our bike had original lines when it came to us. I learned about stainless kits being available reading Vic's (admin) post on the subject. I have a braking practice area I use to brush up my (limited but improving) skills after winter etc. or I'll do some practice when safe on the road (Yes, I "practice" riding my bikes...) I was very pleased with the difference. With the old mushy lines, in a full on "emergency" stop I could transfer weight to the front tire with the front brake as you do, then gradually go to full on brakes - the front brake handle would come right back to the bar, and the pedal would sink. At this point you were coming to a fairly rapid stop...but..it's wasn't a good feeling on those 2nd gear downhill hairpins on the Mt Baker Highway, 2 up... these are big heavy bikes when you are loaded for the road...
In 3 or 4 stops like this - the fade became quite apparent...
After the stainless lines went on, full on stops are achieved using 2 fingers on the front lever, and gentle foot pressure on the pedal...with a huge difference in "feel" under braking ... riding briskly on a twisty road is fun...

I did nothing else when I installed the line kit except flush and change the fluid. I had changed fluid the previous year when we got the bike and it made zero difference alone to the braking performance.

I read a statistic someplace that in 85% of injury or fatal motorcycle crashes on public roads, the motorcycle collides with something in front of it... so it made sense to me the first spend on "upgrades" on our Wing was for improved braking performance before any other equipment/gimcracks/tunes/lites/hitches/farkles.

Having the brakes working properly has saved me from a mishap on 2 occasions for sure (vehicles coming off side streets and roads with cell phones not allowing driver's head to turn far enough to look at me...) It's awesome when you can haul the Wing down in a split second without that "Is this thing going to stop sometime today??" feeling...

Thanks again Vic.

[robdavspa]

Wing&aprayer, Thanks for your excellent reply. Your situation sounds exactly like mine. Mushy brake action despite all the bleeding I could do.
Bob

[admin]

You're most welcome wing&aprayer and I couldn't have said it any better myself. Good brakes are extremely important on these heavy bikes and if you can only afford one upgrade to your bike then make it a priority to change the old rubber brake hose on your Wing to stainless steel brake hose. Your life may depend on it.

[robdavspa]

Tricky, Where is Phillip located? I e-mailed him last week to get a set of SS lines and got no response.
Bob

[admin]

Could be summer vacation time possibly. Phillip is located close to Tricky's place which is near to Brantford, Ontario.