Published on February 11th, 2013 | by Joe
0Streamline Dual Front Brake Line and Brake Line Clamp Test
There are a few reasons why you may want to upgrade your ATV’s stock brake lines. The first is to improve braking performance. Steel braided brake lines, like the ones sold by Streamline, offer improved braking power and reduce fade due to heat buildup. Switching out your a-arms, swingarm, or steering stems, may require the use of longer brake lines; plus they can help customize the look of your ATV.
When we installed a set of +2.125 wider Teixeira Tech A-arms on our Kawasaki KFX450R, switching to longer aftermarket front brake lines was mandatory as the stock front brake lines were too short. Since we were upgrading the entire machine, we figured any gain in braking performance and appearance were terrific bonuses.
The Goods
Streamline has been involved in ATV racing for a long time. They’ve been the choice of many top racers including 2012 Pro ATV National Champion, Chad Wienen. Their results on the track speak for themselves.
Streamline’s brake lines are constructed of PTFE/ Teflon lined stainless steel braided hoses. The fittings at the ends are triple chrome plated to resist corrosion. The lines come with all the necessary mounting hardware. They are available with a UV protected PVC clear, or color, outer covering to enhance the looks of your machine.
For our Kawasaki, we used Streamline’s +3in. dual lines up front and a matching standard length line for the rear brake. We secured the front lines to the upper a-arms with Streamline’s billet aluminum brake line clamps, which are also available in a number of colors and a lot more attractive than zip ties. Streamline tells us the difference between the dual and three-line system is primarily cosmetic. They say some riders have claimed they perform better, but Streamline felt the difference would be undetectable to most riders.
Put to the Test
After routing the lines, the billet clamps made securing the front lines to the a-arms a breeze. You can expect the dual line system to take a little longer to bleed if you pump the fluid through the lines at the lever. We used a pump to put fluid through the lines from the bottom up which was fast and easy. The only issue we had was that our rear brake line was too long initially. We believe that a miscommunication resulted in them sending us an extended rear brake line instead of the standard length. We got it swapped out and were ready to go.
The Kawasaki has pretty phenomenal brakes’ stock and our test machine has very few hours on it. The difference in braking power wasn’t extremely noticeable when we first started riding. We never noticed the brakes fading no matter how long we rode, which will help you outbrake the competition late in the moto. If you are updating the brakes on an older model sport ATV, the difference in braking performance can be pretty substantial, with just a simple brake line upgrade.
Conclusion
If you need new brake lines, Streamline has you covered. If you are building up a modern high-performance ATV like we are, you may additionally need to switch out your pads, rotors, and other components to make a substantial improvement in initial braking performance. Never fear; if you need more stopping power, Streamline can supply you with all of those products as well. We have no regrets having used the dual line front lines. We love the billet clamps, and remain very happy with Streamline’s braking products.
Streamline, Dual front and single rea Brake Line and Clamp Test
Summary: If you need new brake lines, Streamline has you covered. We have no regrets having used the dual line front lines. We love the billet clamps, and remain very happy with Streamline’s braking products.