Hi, All

I bought a pair of 1" up and 1" back risers to find out that on the ABS models, the hydraulic brake line is too short.

The dealer where I bought the Wee doesn't know anything, and has no idea as to what I should do.

Is there a brake line extension that I can buy, or can I get a longer line somewhere?

Thanks!


SJ

SVRacingParts.com is commonly referred to here.

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Pat- 2007 DL650A was ridden to all 48 contiguous states. 2012 DL650A is just getting started.
Nicknames for posting ease on my part, Vee = all DL1000s. Wee = 2004-2011 DL650s. Glee = 2012+ DL650s

Thanks a lot, Pat! We need to get you an award or something for being StromTroppers' most valuable member!

I have been considering risers as well for my 08 ABS.

Is the brake line the only restriction (every thing else is long enough)?

Yes, it appears that the only hang-up is the hydraulic line on the ABS models. That is, with my 1" up and 1" back risers. I understand that there are longer risers available that I'm sure would require far more than a longer brake line.

It looks as though the longer brake line will cost $59, and the risers were $104. After buying them from TwistedThrottle, I saw risers on eBay for $44.

I'm going to order the longer line to proceed with the project, and I'll keep you posted with the progress and the result.

I just installed a GenMar up/back riser and the longer line with the upper bleeder recommend by Blair from SVRacingparts.com. He is great to work with and the install went smoothly. I painted the riser as per another inmate here with krylon Nickle Satin spray paint from WalMart and it blends perfectly with the triple clamp. I had to clip the zip ties on the wiring bundles on the Hbar and replace them a little farther outboard. The whole affair looks OEM and is much more comfortable for this little old fat man to manage.

Okay, although it took a while (work keeps getting in the way), the one-up and one-back risers are installed, the longer hydraulic line is now in place-- and the brakes have been bled very effectively (thanks to Blair at svracingparts.com). As I might have mentioned, the risers cost $104 from Twisted Throttle. And shortly after purchasing them, I saw risers on eBay for $44. I called the company and asked if they used Chinese metal or something, and they made it clear that their risers are 100% American made, and are of high quality. I do like the complex curves of the TT risers, and didn't want to wait for the others, so I stuck with what I had... plus, the eBay risers looked very boxy. I like the bike much better with the risers, but the hydraulic line on my ABS model was tight and resting on metal... so I felt that in time, I'd lose my brakes if I didn't get a longer line. Twisted Throttle recommended a guy who makes custom lines, and then Pat (GreyWolf) mentioned SVRacingParts.com. I called and spoke with Blair, who was about $10 cheaper than the other guy. Blair was also FAR more experienced and familiar with the Wee and the project in general. When I ordered the line, he strongly recommended that I purchase the top bleeder for an additional $19.95, and I'm soooooooooo glad that I did. I was a little unfamiliar with bleeding brakes (I've done it, but not really correctly), so Blair told me to contact him as soon as my package came, which I did. He was very patient, and was never belittling even as I stumbled with interpreting his explanations (I do that a lot). He just repeated slower until I got it. And now, I'm an expert! The brake bleeding was a breeze... and I got lots of practice because I installed the line... found that it was contacting things inside the cowling, which made me nervous... so I changed the set-up of the line, which caused me to bleed the line again... and again. Finally, the line is routed perfectly... doesn't contact anything in the cowl when turning the bars from side to side... and the brakes are bled. Bottom line: I did 180 miles on the bike yesterday, and the Wee never felt so good. Having the bars higher and farther back puts me into more of an upright riding position with my arms slightly bent rather than being outstretched. The bike feels more like my dirt bike, which I'm very comfortable with. The entire project was more expensive than I anticipated, but I plan on having the Wee for a very long time, and putting many, many miles on it. So having it much more comfortable makes the entire riding experience better... and that is worth a lot more than the $190 or so to get it there. Be sure to check out Blair's website at: svracingparts.com Do some browsing just for fun! And when you're ready to buy something, know that Blair is very dedicated to being sure that the installation and use of the products he sells serves his customers well. There's a lot to say for that, so I'm looking forward to doing business with him for the long term. I highly recommend him.

Good to hear the install went well.

Do you have any more info on the top bleeder thing? A quick search at svc did not show anything. Do you still need to bleed at the bottom as well?

The top bleeder simply replaces the bolt that secures the line at the master cylinder (top). If it would help, I could probably take a picture of it and post it. I didn't bleed the line at the lower end (the caliper), but I did purge the original line of fluid, down below, before doing the replacement of the line. The top bleeder works great because bubbles tend to end up at the top... so bleeding down below isn't necessary. The top seems far more efficient. Cheers!

I would like to basically do the identical set up but I am worried i will screw it up with abs etc. I have bled brakes before but not sure about the how to part. Do you have a write up with pics per chance? I can follow directions pretty well (usually).

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Prior Vulcan 750 rider
38,000 miles on 2011 Vstrom 650 with ABS