General Chat - Periodically change brake lines

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Periodically change brake lines

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Forum Name: General Chat
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Topic: Periodically change brake lines

Posted By: LuxInterior
Subject: Periodically change brake lines
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 13:33

Is it really necessary to change the brake lines?

This on a gen 1 Tuono with the original, 20 year old lines.

The workshop manual says to change the brake lines every 4 years or 15k km.

I'm going to rebuild the front calipers so figured I would also swap out the brake line for a new one. The complication is that, where I live, not using OE replacement parts for safety-critical items is an MOT failure unless you go to the trouble & expense of getting the parts certified for use. However, a brand new OE brake line is proving difficult to source (AP8133615).

Replies:

Posted By: Bladerunner919
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 16:12

Normally you would have to get TUV approved (or similar) rather than specifically OE - that is certainly the case in most of Europe. I had some lines made up by HEL recently (for a car) and they are TUV approved.

Posted By: LuxInterior
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 16:25

yes, indeed. However, the bureaucracy here is such that I would still need to apply & pay for the TUV approval to be added to the registration document before the MOT would accept it. It's simpler & cheaper to use an OE item if I can find one.

Posted By: LuxInterior
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 17:19

It seems that people don't actually change their brake lines according to the manual. So, I'm wondering if it's even worth trying to do at all anyway.

Posted By: Spoonz
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 17:28

I can’t believe anyone follows the manual replacement times in reality. Provided the brake lines are in good condition I can’t see the mot tester having an issue with them. Having said that, assuming you have the basic plastic coated lines then some Aprilia Tuono’s came with better stainless steel braided lines, so you could legitimately fit them as an oem part. You will get a little better braking.

Posted By: LuxInterior
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 18:55

The original line is acceptable to the MOT tester because it's not visibly damaged in any way.

It's more that it is 20 years old and the manual suggests it should be replaced every 4 years. I don't think these items ever fail, more that they swell and become softer over time, so reducing braking performance.

If I do choose to replace it, then the MOT tester will complain if the replacement is not an OE part.

Posted By: Bladerunner919
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 19:02

That's quite a stipulation. Do you not have classic cars and bikes in Luxembourg?

Posted By: LuxInterior
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2025 at 19:18

Yeah, it is a bit too strict at times.

You can fit after-market parts but for safety-critical areas, like brakes, they want to see some certificate that the parts fitted are as least as good as the original. That you're not fitting crap Chinese stuff, for example.

I can easily obtain a steel braided line from Germany and it will come with a German TUV certificate. But it's not left to the discretion of the MOT tester to decide if that's good enough. I would then have to take the TUV certificate to the vehicle registration office where they would add a note to the registration document that it's okay for the bike to be using this aftermarket brake part. For a fee, of course.

I'm trying to decide whether it's worth the effort.

Posted By: Stevex
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2025 at 11:37

If you replaced the oem lines with a good set of aftermarket braided lines, how would the MoT tester even know?

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People say I don't know Jack Sh1t; but I do, he lives next door.

Posted By: LuxInterior
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2025 at 15:32

I agree and this is the direction I'm leaning.

If I don't change the 20 year old original then I'll always be wondering if I left some braking performance on the table.

Clearly, if the new ones are bright orange with a HEL logo, they might pick on it. I'll try to source some as close as possible to the original look and first see if the tester even notices. It's not like they will have so many old Aprilia's going through for reference.