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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1317400741 Message started by greenmonster on 09/30/11 at 09:39:00 |
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Title: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by greenmonster on 09/30/11 at 09:39:00 that is my question. What's the benefit and which ones fit our little girls? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 09/30/11 at 09:57:59 Crisper handling. Two typical options are TKat and Superbrace. Check out this thread: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1315099469/0#0 |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by greenmonster on 09/30/11 at 10:13:32 the only one that I see on Tkat's website is for the yamaha XS. Will this fit straight across for ours? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 09/30/11 at 10:23:12 475245454E4D4F4E53544552200 wrote:
I remember reading somewhere (maybe in the referenced thread) that the guy either stocks them or will do one for an LS650 on short notice. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by prechermike on 09/30/11 at 10:40:08 1D2328353835385A0 wrote:
I remember reading somewhere (maybe in the referenced thread) that the guy either stocks them or will do one for an LS650 on short notice.[/quote] Yep, get a brace. It stiffens up the front end for better handling. When (if) you contact TKat, tell him you want it for the savage. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Arizuno on 09/30/11 at 10:54:34 Check my post "TKat handling". And note that I mailed TKat a check on Saturday & had the brace the following Friday. $92.00 including shipping, money very well spent. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by arteacher on 09/30/11 at 14:02:35 I like the Superbrace. It is 1/2 again as much, but much prettier. and easier to install.http://p1.bikepics.com/2011%5C06%5C12%5Cbikepics-2223500-800.jpg |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 09/30/11 at 14:39:00 16253E2D223938570 wrote:
Arizuno,.. Please post some pics of your TKat install. Thanks. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by verslagen1 on 09/30/11 at 15:02:09 see the tech section for a tkat install. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by greenmonster on 09/30/11 at 15:07:03 I agree that the superbrace has points for shiny factor. But I'm pretty sure I can buff the ever loving crap out of the Tkat. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 09/30/11 at 15:27:08 535858515D525349483C0 wrote:
It warms my heart to know you are glowing with the wonderfulness of your superbrace. I'm quite sure it has the handling improvement we'd all expect and desire. May I add, however, that the definition of "pretty" varies quite a bit from toad to toad. While, no doubt, the superbrace pleases lots of folks aesthetically, I find the more machine-like appearance of the Tkat fork brace more apropos. IOW, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My opinion is that the Tkat looks cooler. Besides, it's cheaper. I found one pic on a Savage install. Not the best photography, but it at least shows it in place. The other pic is from the tkat website. http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/42589/1770407-S1300x800.0.jpg?optimalizedperformance=true http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/42589/1770408-T800600.jpg |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by arteacher on 09/30/11 at 15:57:20 I have no proof, but it seems to me that the Superbrace could be stronger as well. Instead of 5 pieces held together with 8 bolts, it has 2 pieces with 4 bolts. I am a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. principal. ;) Should we start a poll on the merits of each? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by bill67 on 09/30/11 at 16:08:38 I have had both fork braces the Superbrace is a better brace by design and its made to fit the S40 the tkat is adjustable so it will work. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Arizuno on 09/30/11 at 16:57:51 Gyrobob - I've yet to learn how to post photos (I know, I know), but the one you found is identical to mine 'cept mine'd have a white fender. Also: 1. I fully agree with your aesthetics. 2. I don't think it took me as much as 30 minutes to install mine, and that included my finicky tapping/adjusting to make sure everything looked RIGHT before I tightened it up. 3. I suppose the SuperBrace could be fractionally stronger, but the TKat is no wimp - it's design is shared with braces intended for off-road bashing. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 09/30/11 at 17:42:31 7E4D56454A51503F0 wrote:
Posting pics here is bit of a pain, but not hard once you know how. it's just tedious. You have to have your pics posted somewhere like photobucket or bluemelon so your image can have an uploadable address. Do you have somewhere on the internet where you post pics? I can relate to the finicky tapping, tightening, loosening, tapping, tightening, on and on and on,... so everything is just right. I've only read/seen/heard good things about BOTH fork braces, so I guess it boils down to which one just feels the best for you. I'm going to get the Tkat. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by ero4444 on 09/30/11 at 23:02:29 I wish the Tkat had the fork guards and maybe something to hold fork boots in place. Looks like Superbrace has a version with fork guards. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by built2last66 on 10/01/11 at 01:52:09 Email tkat@tkat.com for the Savage fork brace ($92). I personally prefer the look of the black anodized Superbrace with fork guards, and it looks much sturdier... but it comes at a hefty $220 I believe.. so I'm saving my pennies up for that one. After driving on grooved roads with construction taking place I can see the use of these... http://www.rycamotors.com/ has them for a good price. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by drums1 on 10/01/11 at 02:42:31 If I were to purchase one of these fork braces, it would most definately be the Superbrace, based on looks alone. I'm sure they both do the job intended. But I have to agree with arteacher on this one. The TKat is too mechanical looking, and has too many parts. I like the more streamlined look of the Superbrace. And it is made specifically for the Savage. Not like the TKat, which is "made to fit". |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 10/01/11 at 07:12:12 4A5C5B435D1F2E0 wrote:
That mechanical look is highly preferable to me. The rounded swoopy feel of the Superbrace is more suitable to stylistic pseudo-choppers and the like. This is all just personal opinion anyway,.. that we can all satisfy. Ain't life great??!! :) Seems to me that "made specifically for the Savage" and "made to fit" are synonymous. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by arteacher on 10/01/11 at 07:17:05 " This is all just personal opinion anyway,.. that we can all satisfy. Ain't life great??!! Smiley Seems to me that "made specifically for the Savage" and "made to fit" are synonymous. " I agree. BTW those stainless fork guards are a $25 extra. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by engineer on 10/01/11 at 16:29:39 Those of you who have a brace all seem to like them and some mention that the handling is better. I know it is hard to describe how something feels but in what way is the handling improved and is it a very noticeable change? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Fish on 10/01/11 at 16:38:18 I want a fork brace too now :-/ I need more monies. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by arteacher on 10/01/11 at 17:06:55 2B2922292029253F4C0 wrote:
The "shivers" when you ride over road snakes? gone. The mushy feeling when cornering on less than perfect roads? gone. Adverse effects of riding in a crosswind, or bad roads? reduced. To me it feels more solid- like a bigger bike. I found the difference quite dramatic, and wish I had done it when I bought the bike. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Serowbot on 10/01/11 at 17:08:45 I could see more benefit if we had a plastic fender, or if you run with no fender,... but our front fender is pretty darn beefy for such a light bike... Maybe just a little flex, because of the low mounting points... I might try adding a re-enforcing mount higher up the fork leg... Seems like the metal around the fender bolts would crack if there was much flex at all... I suspect there's some psych happening here... :-?... I'm gonna' get killed for sayin' that... Peace... :)... |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/11 at 18:05:22 Someone needs to loan the rowboat a brace for a few days.. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by arteacher on 10/01/11 at 18:06:51 Sorry Sero- no psych- I was genuinely surprised. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Starlifter on 10/01/11 at 18:15:29 The shiney one or the industrial looking one. (I chose the shiney one). Both work well, and the difference is very noticeable. No more squirrelly feel at very slow speeds, or on grooved pavement, or on those bridges with the see-through gratings. Better on gravel roads roads too. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Serowbot on 10/01/11 at 18:21:40 7B646265787F4E7E4E76646823110 wrote:
I've ridden Gerry's Savage with the Tkat,... (I do his mechanical work, so I've pushed it pretty hard a few times)... He can feel it,... but I can't... Maybe I'm too light (145lbs),... or maybe I'm insensitive to minor flexing from all my dirt riding... I don't feel $100 difference... ... in fact, if nobody told me, I wouldn't know it was there...:-?... I also seem to be the only one here that ain't crazy for fork bracing,... so maybe it's just me... I like the look of the Superbrace, but I wouldn't pay the price for it... A lot of money for chunk of metal with no moving parts... |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/11 at 18:35:38 I guess youve never bought a bowling ball then,,, or a hammer,, ( Just gotta HOPE thers no movin parts on the hammer).. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Serowbot on 10/01/11 at 18:39:18 716E686F72754474447C6E62291B0 wrote:
I got 6 hammers,... never paid $100 bucks for one... ;D... |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/11 at 18:42:28 Heck, man, we've ALL paid more than $100.00 for hammers we never even saw.. The Goobs bought them.. with OUR $$$ |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by bill67 on 10/01/11 at 18:43:40 OK here goes the true about fork braces,About 35 year I put a tkat brace on different name then but the same thing,I noticed it being more stable,but if you live in the north were it freezes in the winter the roads are rough it will help but if the roads are smooth you aren't going to notice it very much.I had about 8 different bikes since the one I put the fork brace on and never even though about needing one.I found the site almost a year before I bought my S40 and people wee using them,Being this was a little bike I ordered one, got it 2 days after I bought my bike so hadn't ridden it much without out it.Where I live and on the S40 I thing it is good and worth the money,It really only works when the forks are moving so if you have smooth rodes you might not need one.I used to go across grated bridges and didn't like the feeling and would slow down a little,Read in a motorcycle magazine to go faster on the bridges I tried it and it works. My 3 cents. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by JohnBoy on 10/01/11 at 19:05:24 Fork brace? We don't need no stinking fork brace! You don't like the twisty chattery, living on the edge feeling of riding a light bike at speed? Hitting road snakes or road chop and wondering if you are about to loose it is half the fun of riding! However, a fork brace 'is' cheaper than dropping your bike in a turn and spending the night in the hospital...but that is part of living on the edge right? I'm with Serowbot on this one! |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by drums1 on 10/02/11 at 03:17:40 Was I being synonymous? My bad. What I meant was the Superbrace was made for the Savage. Maybe they also make them for other bikes too? Not sure. But it was mentioned that the only TKat on his website was for a Yamaha. He can also make one for the Savage. So, maybe "reworked" would have been a better choice of wording it. I don't mean to nit pick, but some people seem to be nit pickers and I just wanted to clarify what I meant. And yes, Bob, it is a matter of choice and opinion. Which is why I would choose the Superbrace. Less parts, less hassle and adjusting to install, less bolts, therefore, less chance of something coming loose, or being misaligned. I would spend the extra money for that security. And I still think it looks better. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 10/02/11 at 05:06:48 3721263E2062530 wrote:
Marvy |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by engineer on 10/02/11 at 13:26:16 Thanks arteacher for highlighting the improvements you got with the braces. I avoid the rough spots on the road because my aging body can't take it anymore so I haven't detected too many shortcomings. The bike is stronger than I am. But I remember destroying the front end of an Italian bike in the sixties when I took off the front fender and moderately abused it. In about two weeks the tubes were lose and sloppy. Back then the Italian bikes were almost all lightly built economy models. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by drums1 on 10/02/11 at 20:00:17 4678736E636E63010 wrote:
Marvy [/quote] Indeed. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Routy on 10/03/11 at 05:01:14 Well, not being alone now, maybe I dare my 2 cents,.....not that I didn't say it before,................. I wouldn't give a nickle for anything that is supposed to make this bike more stable,......because I haven't found any place it needs it. I know the windy roads perdy good here now, so I lay it over more than I should at times, but never.....at anytime have I felt that the bike was not stable,.....or that handling could be improved on. It may be like Bill says, you don't notice anything on good roads, and I will say,.....compared to Ca, Oregon's roads are superb,....all of them ! |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Bubba on 10/03/11 at 06:33:28 I'm curious, I've been thinking of one for a while and a supermoto buddy of mine thought it was strange that we'd even need one for a street bike. Most folks using braces are off-roaders. They bash through the whoop-di-doos, fly into banked berms and generally fly through the air with the greatest of ease. I'm sure thier forks can benefit but do we really need one for cruising on roads at 70mph? The only reason I would get one is if it helped the bike feel more solid on the super slab... mine feels awesome w/o one in the twisties. So what does one of these thingies feel like when you're cruising on the hiway??? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Gyrobob on 10/03/11 at 07:16:01 487F68686B3B3A32390A0 wrote:
I have used fork braces on a few bikes. Seldom did they make a huge difference. In each case, though, the bike feels a little more planted. The front end feels a little "rubbery" without one, so to speak. I can see how dirt bikes would benefit, but on a RYCA bike, there should also be some benefit because the stock forks are for cruising, and the new function of the bike (at least for me) will involve a lot more leany-over type of riding in the twisties,... Dragon's tale, Barber, etc. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by verslagen1 on 10/03/11 at 09:00:19 7A4D5A5A590908000B380 wrote:
Braces really do help the feel of the bike in rough conditions. You probably won't notice the difference in smooth roads like the dragon's tail. But on the urban motox of cracks, uneven surfaces, bumps, pot holes and rain grooves where you are supposed to be traveling in a straight line. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Starlifter on 10/03/11 at 12:32:18 Could a hammer maybe save your life? |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Starlifter on 10/03/11 at 12:49:16 In Michigan we have some umm, interesting roads. The fork brace definitely helps. (Our roads are all f*cked up in the spring due to freezing and thawing. And they are all under construcdtion for the short summer here.) We have sand, gravel, tar-snakes, pot-holes, animal remains, autumn leaves, and God only knows what every time we ride. I would say if you live in the north country the cost of the fork brace is well worth it.) |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by greenmonster on 10/03/11 at 13:13:48 So you're saying that in Canada it is a must. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by prechermike on 10/03/11 at 15:09:35 I posted early on in this thread, I have a tkat and I really like mine. I could tell a difference when I put it on, or at least I thought I could. But the more I thought about it, the more I come to this conclusion. Some folks are going to love them, some are going to hate them and some are not going to care. It is really a personal thing, a taste, an eye of the beholder kind of thing. My bike is basically stock, I appreciate those who bob, hard tail and so forth their bikes, but that is not what I want, at least not now. So I guess that is the bottom line, it is like seafoam, klotz, rotella and so forth. Just remember to play nice. ;) |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by Boule’tard on 10/03/11 at 16:19:53 231403030050515952610 wrote:
Right, because most supermotos have stiff USD forks that wouldn't be helped by a brace. I had a couple of sumos and never considered bracing them or even looked to see if anyone made a brace for them. The DR is kind of marginal; it has pretty stout conventional right-side-up forks that benefit a little from a brace. I put a superbrace on them and didn't notice much difference.. plus it messed up my gaiter setup, so I sold the brace. The savage forks seemed to flop around too much for my taste so I put on the good looking Tkat and kept it as long as I had the bike. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by bill67 on 10/03/11 at 16:28:17 Does Tkat have a new fork brace out. |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by SuperSavage on 10/03/11 at 23:33:45 ::) ;D |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by drums1 on 10/04/11 at 04:52:20 ::) ;D +1 |
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Title: Re: To Fork Brace or Not to Fork Brace... Post by ezornes239 on 10/04/11 at 17:40:39 Can I use either brace with fork boots? Or would I have to remove them? I don't like the black plastic guards that are on there now. |
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