Melted brake line

Need some help here. I started pulling plastic off the bike that I just purchased to give it a good clean. I noticed a rubber 'gasket' on the rear side of the forward, left panel. It appears to be directing heat down and toward the brake lines. One of the brake lines appears to be melted as a result.
First 1300 for me. Is the gasket stock and I'm guessing a new brake line is in order?

Is The brake line steel under the rubber covering? Is it melted or abraded? That rubber may just keep the steel line from rubbing on the frame and making a hole.
Check eBay for replacement if OEM is expensive. If you replace you will have all that bleeding to do.

ToddC

Kinda scary looking.
Are you sure it's heat and not abrasion ?

v8-7 said:

Kinda scary looking.
Are you sure it's heat and not abrasion ?

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Sure looks like abrasion. Melting would have rounded edges and/or charried the sleeve, though rubber doesn't usually char - it melts. The upper line has two spots - that is almost certainly abrasion - melting would not selectively hit different locations less than an inch apart. You can probably pad the steel lines with anything. Given the complexity of bleeding, I would tend to skip taking the lines off to replace the rubber - though for a new bike (new to you) you should probably bleed the entire system (including the clutch) unless the PO gave you documentation of bleeding the brakes every two years.

Other posts have described the maintenance procedures that a number of riders think should be done to a used bike upon purchase.

Those aren't teeth marks, are they? Mice have a pretty good appetite for rubber.

Ride Safe
John and Janis

Nashcat said:

Those aren't teeth marks, are they? Mice have a pretty good appetite for rubber.

Ride Safe
John and Janis

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Good point! Had them under my airbox once!

ToddC

Just got home to the replies. Thanks! I took a closer look given the responses.
-Definately not rubbing. Nothing within 6 inches of this area and all clips holding everything in place properly.
-Steel line under rubber is in good shape with no abrasion.

I!m leaning toward the Nashcat mouse diagnosis. Both lines have some of the rubber gone but the one has more obvious loss as seen in the picture. PO had good records and brake bleed was completed within last 2K. So, thoughts on replacing hoses with steel in good shape? A closer look below.

Watch for abraision on frame. Otherwise clean it up and go!

ToddC

PS. Brake fluid will do that to rubber as well!

Still curious if anyone has seen the rubber curtain that runs vertically between the tank and the back side of the front fairing? I assume it is aftermarket and placed there for heat. The picture earlier in the thread turned out sideways. it should be rotated 90 degrees to the right. You can see how the rubber is held by Velcro.

I can't tell if that's abrasion or mouse nibbling. Maybe a higher res pic? What would be abrading the lines? Does the plastic show any signs of wear on the inside?

Without some corresponding signs of rubbing that might have been overlooked I'd say it's mecces. They often chew up stuff for nesting material.

Since you haven't mentioned any fluid leaks I'd keep the brake lines as is for the moment but keep an eye on them. On a new to me bike I'd have the brakes bled anyway.

Eventually I'd want to have them replaced and the brakes bled. I have no idea about the rubber piece. It may just be support for the tank and not really directing heat any particular direction.

That's most definitely been chewed on. I vote :sm1:

--Mark

Blrfl said:

That's most definitely been chewed on. I vote :sm1:

--Mark

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And what other items on the ST has the little bugger been chewing on?? Does he have a nice nest built in there somewhere??

The rubber is not aftermarket its factory I think its more for water than heat.

+1, that's been chewed on, not melted.

If it was me (accepting the rodent diagnosis) I would coat with something like GOOP to replace the coating and ride.

First thing I would do is lift the tank, then remove the mailbox base and look for the nest!
It is always better to find chewed wires in a well lit garage rather than the side of the road at night..02

How about using that rubber dip stuff to recoat that area of the line?
I agree with clean it up, recoat those lines, look for any other signs and get to riding it.

I'd be going around sealing any holes in the building useable by mice , putting out traps and D-Con wedges, and watch the condition of the roll-bulb seal under the garage door every so often , they will hole those seals. And check your outside A.C. unit , they ate my insulation + nest , in mine. Every year I leave D-Con wedges under a cut milk jug cover with a mouse hole flap . Set the wedge up on stones to keep dry underneath ; one close to the garage and one next to the A.C. unit ; that seems to have kept them out of my motorcycles , etc. for many years since and I live in a woods.

20 years ago I caught them getting into my house up the corner pieces of my vinyl siding , I filled the holes with Great Stuff polyurethane foam - ( aerosol can ) and found out they hate habanero sauce , so mixed that with paint and painted the underside of the urethane foam from deterioration. The sauce and paint creates a kind of gel-like paint but still paintable and still works to keep the mice out.

Nashcat said:

Those aren't teeth marks, are they? Mice have a pretty good appetite for rubber.

Ride Safe
John and Janis

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hey its a mouse , have seen it lots of times on wiring in cars.. put some black silicone on it and forget it!!

Covering the wire back up and hitting the road. Thankfully the mouse was at the previous owners, not in my garage. Hope to keep it that way. Thanks all for the help!