Fork Brace: worth it?

I think fork braces were necessary if you wanted more than commuter performance from a bike in the past. You could trap the front wheel between your knees and move the handlebars a significant amount without deflecting the front wheel. Dynamic implication is that the wheel would be doing something similar at speed with the result of sloppy handling when you didn't need it. Fork braces stiffened up the front suspension dramatically. Modern bikes don't have that much play in a factory new or well maintained front suspension, but I imagine they do provide an added degree of stability. That will be especially noticeable on a bike with a worn front suspension. Conclusion from a long story....fork brace certainly won't hurt, but may noticeably improve your handling.
 
I had one on my ST1300s and liked it. It did stiffen the front suspension and for me it was worth it. However, I'm sure had I never gotten one I'd probably be just as satisfied with the suspension. I'm not one of those guys that tweaks all the settings and can feel those and gets them to a perfect set location... I usually leave everything stock and am ok.. but, I also live in DFW so I have to ride 300 miles just to find some place interesting to ride.
 
When installing the brace, he first loosened up the forks from the front axel. Was this to align the bottom fork separation with the top where the brace is? Thus avoiding a bend or pinching of the fork tubes and lower fork suspension/shock housings (or whatever they are called)? Was this really necessary?
 
I like the idea and have wanted to add one if only to see if I could feel a difference. There are levels of any kind of performance of any object or item. One of the most popular is 'good enough'. The stock suspension is 'good enough' for some of us. It's also good enough for some of us who recognize its failings (for us) but don't care enough to do anything but live with it. Others feel its inadequacies and correct them or try to.

I suspect that many riders would never perceive an improvement with a fork brace. Maybe it won't make that much difference or maybe the rider is not that sophisticated/experienced of a rider.

Or maybe it does make a difference and the rider never knew what they were missing until trying it. Larger fork tubes compared to my 305 (CL77) have lessened fork flex to the Good Enough level for most of us like steering stem ball bearings.

There have been a couple of other threads on fork braces for STs. The results were what I'd expect to see— some improvement no improvement kept the brace removed the brace. Individual data points some extrapolated to be the One True Universal Answer for Us All.
 
ST Gui said:
...data points some extrapolated to be the One True Universal Answer for Us All.
Click to expand...
Which is... of course... how I feel about it and since it is what I did... well... you should too!
(thank you all for giving me the recognition I so richly deserve)
:oops::rolleyes:o_O:rolleyes::oops:
:rofl1::rofl1::rofl1::rofl1:


PS, I have a fork brace and love it.
 
Going over reflectors, tar snakes, road cracks, etc... especially when lane splitting, I want precise control. These obstacles do affect the steering and I wonder if this mod would improve the handling.
 
Mine has always had a super brace......all I know is that I've never had the "pan weave".....been up to 120mph 2 up with and without loaded top case, as well as solo with and without top case. I felt it was important to test it out:) I also have 1.2kg Sonic Springs......if that makes any difference?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Hueyf4i said:
Mine has always had a super brace......all I know is that I've never had the "pan weave".....been up to 120mph 2 up with and without loaded top case, as well as solo with and without top case.
Click to expand...
I've never had weave either, and no fork brace. Recently someone posted an old article by one of Honda's test riders who gave approval to all designs (not merely a test rider). The article said the early bikes needed shimming of the swing arm to eliminate said weave. There are a number of contributing factors to weave, and I'm not sure a fork brace definitively solves the problem.
 
AV8R said:
When installing the brace, he first loosened up the forks from the front axel. Was this to align the bottom fork separation with the top where the brace is? Thus avoiding a bend or pinching of the fork tubes and lower fork suspension/shock housings (or whatever they are called)? Was this really necessary?

Going over reflectors, tar snakes, road cracks, etc... especially when lane splitting, I want precise control. These obstacles do affect the steering and I wonder if this mod would improve the handling.
Click to expand...
I questioned the position of the front axle's right end w/ respect to the right fork tube in a thread some time ago. My axle did not end up 'flush' like the manual describes and I did get feedback that this was experienced by others. I assume if you don't loosen the axle clamp before you install a brace you might do exactly what you said and stress the fork tubes and the bushings inside.

Do you feel like you don't have the control of the bike you want or need without the brace?

edit: oops, I meant left end of the axle (rider's left) and left fork tube.
 
Last edited:
I'll throw in with the crowd that says it's not necessary and in fact might be detrimental. I think when people claim it has stiffened the suspension what they are feeling is really increased stiction due to a side load pulling or pushing the fork legs a few thousandths of an inch toward or away from one another. This makes the fork less responsive. The design of the pictured brace does not allow for any accommodation of bike to bike manufacturing differences. The only factory fitted brace I had on a bike was on my VF750 Interceptor and the bolt holes were slightly oval to allow the forks to remain in their natural alignment/distance with no side stress load from the brace. After bouncing the front end, you then tightened the brace bolts last.

AV8R said:
When installing the brace, he first loosened up the forks from the front axel. Was this to align the bottom fork separation with the top where the brace is? Thus avoiding a bend or pinching of the fork tubes and lower fork suspension/shock housings (or whatever they are called)? Was this really necessary?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea to attempt to avoid this problem, but the sequence recommended for tightening the front axle and pinch bolts will result in the distance between the fork legs at the axle remaining the same as before, assuming the front wheel had been installed correctly prior. Probably ineffectual with respect to this particular issue.
 
Last edited:
I put the front wheel between my feet and legs, tried to see how much play there was. Other than what id expect with the handlebar rubber vibration attenuation bushings, i couldnt find any slop. But maybe road forces are much greater
 
AV8R said:
I have no other data points to make a comparison, which is why I posted
Click to expand...

I do have one so I'm speaking from factual experience, not just an opinion. It has made my bike feel and handle better. Period. I rode with 3 other ST guys this spring. We all swap bikes just for comparison's sake. All 3 get off my bike and ask "why does yours feel better? Do you have worked on forks or aftermarket shock? It feels more stable than mine." I just have fresh fork service, like them, and the brace. And there was a notable before and after difference.

TourNut said:
My ST1300 used to wander around more in the lane before I put on the fork brace ; seems to hold my intended line better now.
Click to expand...

I noticed the same thing.
fnmag said:
I'm not a believer in fork braces.
As an example, Honda spent a lot of money bringing the ST to the market.
.....................
If a fork brace was necessary I think you'd see them on the bikes from the
factory.
YMMV.
Click to expand...

Necessary? No. Enhancement? Definitely. Why doesn't Honda use Russel seats? Obvious answer is cost, bottom line always wins. Hey maybe if Honda put the braces on at the factory nobody would ever have experienced the weave.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ATA
Im thinking that Honda design and test engineers didnt plan for the load torques of a stuffed top box. Probably used a stock bike

Definition of torque...
B3D46ED4-1071-49F1-BD62-231378AD57B3.jpeg
Now replace the wrench’s shaft with the length of the bike. The wind and weight and bobbing of the top box is a fulcrum that creates torque forces translated to the steering. Under a perfect storm of riding conditions, it’s possible a sympathetic harmonic oscillation may grow significant enough to overcome the riders control. Especially at high speeds where the wind forces are greater.

Fork stabilization is probably one of several work arounds that would reduce the impact of said situation. Probably better to not use a top box at high speeds, especially the squared off boxy ones that aren’t streamlined
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom