I searched the forum and didn't find this already discussed.  Does anyone use a fork brace?  Does it make any difference or only on race day?

I have 1 last one for sale, made out of thick ass 6061 aluminum 1/2 inch thick, $40... and no idea of race... but on the street huge difference.
Cool.
Srinath.

What is a fork braced used for? Sorry I know its a stupid question, but what purpose does it serve?

a fork brace supports the forks so they stay stable. *compressing and rebounding at the same time*

the stock brace is thin and is commonly known the crack at the bolt hole location, thus giving a *loose* or unsteady feel to the front-end.

here is a photo


ridgid is good!
chris<pixelmonkey>

Srinath, if 500rider does not take it, I'll take it off your hands. Do you have a pic?

I had a sweet one off machined aluminum brace on my GS that I just sold.  I bought the brace from a racer who was parting the bike, and I feel that it made a huge difference in the bike's front feel and response.  Highly reccomended.

Aaron

Quote from: seamaxSrinath, if 500rider does not take it, I'll take it off your hands. Do you have a pic?

Its like the stock one but has 1/2 inch thick aluminum... wait a sec... someone put pics up... that nicebelair guy... look for that... and BTW Mine are pre polishing... he seems to have put in some elbow grease... bling bling...
Cool.
Srinath.

BTW 500rider hasn't responded... its $40 and shipping.. damn seamax we could have combined all the stuff we sent back and forth into 1 big ass lot and saved ourselves (well yourself) a bunch of $$$ and time. You want carbon/titanium exhaust, I guess everything else you dont need. I also have been working on 1 idea at a time, cant handle 10 different things...
Cool.
Srinath.

Srinath, no I won't need the CF exhaust because my undertail one is coming.  :lol:

Hey I still owe you for the rejet. Do you want to do a trade for the price of rejet and the brace for two front fenders. Both are in excellent paint condition. One is maroon/burgundy with a little warpage on the back due to the exhaust and the otehr is red without warpage. I don't know the market price for these so we can work out a straight trade or trade plus $.

What undertail exhaust are you getting? Is there any signigicant mods (besides new headers, I mean to make the new headers fit.) required to install one?

Quote from: seamaxSrinath, no I won't need the CF exhaust because my undertail one is coming.  :lol:

Hey I still owe you for the rejet. Do you want to do a trade for the price of rejet and the brace for two front fenders. Both are in excellent paint condition. One is maroon/burgundy with a little warpage on the back due to the exhaust and the otehr is red without warpage. I don't know the market price for these so we can work out a straight trade or trade plus $.

Well I dont need fenders ... I traded with gooseygoose. The 1 red one I get from him should complete the bike, I need whole sets, not just some parts. Anyway, yea I said 25 for carbs and ~$9 for shipping right, and 40 for these and shipping, ~$7 or so I guess, so make it 80 bucks...
Cool.
Srinath.

Quote from: seamaxSrinath, if 500rider does not take it, I'll take it off your hands. Do you have a pic?

Thanks for your consideration seamax.  I don't have any dibs on this so please go ahead.  My question was for from a technical standpoint if a fork brace makes any diff.  

Looks like there is some merit to them.

To the original question, yes they do make a difference, I know because I've got a stock steel brace on my '00 with Progressive springs/15wt oil, and I rode aplitz/Daniely's bike with his aluminum brace/stock springs/needing oil, and it felt much more direct and stable.

I'm going to put daniely's spare stock brace on top of my stock brace, stack them up, and compare with the machined alum. brace on daniely's bike.  I'll try that here soon and report back with what I find.

Quote from: Mk1inCali
I'm going to put daniely's spare stock brace on top of my stock brace, stack them up, and compare with the machined alum. brace on daniely's bike.  I'll try that here soon and report back with what I find.

Cool, thanks!  I noticed a huge difference in the bike with the progressive springs.  If a similar leap in handling can be made with a brace then it is $$$ well spent.

I'm going to get Daniely to give me his stock brace tonight, and I'll go for a quick ride and report back here.  If I can tell a difference, I'm gonna buy a chunk of aluminum and put my dremel to good use on that baby.  I'll let Danny know about this thread, and maybe he can trace out his piece and we can put it up here.

Dremel... 1/2 inch aluminum... you will go through most of your local hardware stores inventory of blades brfore you get anything that resembles a brace... I have tried hole saws... and it also chews up the metal before it gets even 1/2 way through. My only cheap ass tool which might work is a jig saw... Never tried it but I might ... I do have a hunk of aluminum lying about...
Cool.
Srinath.

Wow - does it really need to be 1/2" thick?  Would 1/4" or 3/8" thick aluminum provide a significant improvement over the ~1/8" stock plate?

As for tools, how about a drill press for the holes and a 12" sanding disk for shaping/smoothing the outer edge?  (See the pictures in THIS post.)  My drill press is nothing fancy - just an 8" Delta benchtop jobbie.

When i get home tonight from class ill trace out my pattern and measure the thickness and post it back up on here. If Tony and i go ride tonight ill get a pic of the brace also.

Dan-

There is a pic of it on my page:

//www.pbase.com/aplitz

To get measurements you will have to pull the front wheel and remove the fender.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10534&item=7928448513&rd=1

related and cool also http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10534&item=7928069503&rd=1