Do aftermarket steel braided brake hoses improve braking dramatically or is it just a gimmicky product?

Hel brakehoses, Venhill Brake hoses, etc.

Would i be better off just installing a BREMBO 19 RCS master brake pump or its overkill?

No point in adding a Brembo M/C with tatty OE rubber hoses, they'll soon burst.

Braided hoses are worth the money. Brakes are much more responsive and you don't get the fade over time that normal rubber hoses suffer from.

rubber hoses are shit. Braided lines are a great idea, superb function and to be fair I would rather have them than any brembo bollocks on my bike.

get 2 lines as well - I am not convinced on the splitters above the mudguards..gives me the willies.

It's not fair to label all rubber hoses as 'shit' ... they're used worldwide on many types ofvehicles and there's a lot more to them than it appears. New hoses are as good as braided lines.

But, because they are made of an organic rubber material they can degrade over time, mainly due to UV or chemical exposure, which softens them. Which is why Honda, among other manufacturers, recommend replacement after a few years of use.

If your bike has the original rubber hoses still fitted, it's time they were renewed, and braided lines are a better (and cheaper) option. I get my lines from Earls Performance ( https://secure.demonweb.co.uk/earls100/earls_shop/ )

Aye Chrissy, agree with that. new rubber hoses are OK.

rubber hoses on a greybike = at least 10 years old

I seem to recall Honda recommending changing the rubber hoses after 6 years (Seems about the same peroid of time as tyre mfgs give for tyre life)

To answer the original question.

Braided hoses don't do anything.

If you have the original rubber hoses fitted it's a good idea to replace them.

If you change the brake line configuration into a two line setup you might increase the lever feel but this is due to changing the line config, not the hoses.

Since braided hoses are a lot cheaper than new rubber hoses from Honda (doubt there available now anyway) they are the only way to go.

The original calipers and pads are really good.

If you have shit brakes then it's due to neglect.

Master/Cylinder rebuild kit.
New fluid / lines (if they are rubber)
Rebuild Calipers
Decent pads.

Sometimes you can get good condition SP calipers / Fireblade etc cheaper than rebuilding your originals and there a direct fit.

The original brakes when in working condition are really good though.

Im getting brake fade in my rear disc brakes, intermittent though. Is it due to a worn disk? or my brake hose?

braided are the way to go, if you have alocal hydraulic center they can make them up to spec for lots less than to buy a kit I have full set for nc30 2 front 1 rear goodridge lines stainless fittings, banjo's ect £30

niteblade wrote:Im getting brake fade in my rear disc brakes, intermittent though. Is it due to a worn disk? or my brake hose?

Use your front brakes then

Rear brakes are for pulling skids and stopping you rolling down hills at traffic lights

Using it enough to fade is, IMHO, a sign that you need to change your braking strategy.

I got an advisory on my last MOT for a rear disc that was getting corroded... I just don't use it, though appreciate some do. I find it totally unnecessary

Neosophist wrote:Braided hoses don't do anything.

I beg to differ Neo. I've fitted braided hoses to brand new bikes before now (05 CBR600RR, 55 R6, 99 Thundercat amongst others) and they've made one hell of a difference to the feel and feedback. The brakes have been much more evenly progressive too with less snatch.