It was directed to anyone that wanted a beer.LOL

When I was typing it I had just come back from a brewery up the road where I picked up a new keg. I also had them fill my Growler with one of their 8.5% beers that I was consuming. I was quite chilled myself at that point.LOL

My Popeye statement stands for itself. These are somewhat dated bikes with smaller than desired fork tubes. They will flex some however, there would be far greater results in de-linking than installing a brace.

I am not turning a nose to whoever whats to install a brace, I am stating that I personnel doubt that there would be any significant benefits until proven different. I would need a benchmark of a non-LBS bike in a before and after test with a very skilled rider. dietDrThunder, form his earlier post sounds like a very skilled rider that would be capable of such feedback but only after de-linking.

I have had other bikes in the past where I built my own braces. They do work when needed.

This is a discussion forum and I don't give a rats *** if anyone wants to put baseball cards on their spokes or hang tassels off their bar ends. When things are up for discussion more heads are better than one.

Once again, In my own opinion, I just think a brace is more bling than a needed part on these bikes.

 

It really is quite a trick to argue with someone who is agreeing with you.

 

Tim, I'm with you re: de-linking, but I don't get how the de-linking is going to make the forks stiffer. What I'm after with a fork brace is better suspension compliance while leaned over, and a reduction in lag between my steering inputs and effect at the contact patch. From what I'm reading, apparently I'm in the minority re: people who are bothered by how wimpy flexi-forks feel, but like we've all been saying, different strokes for different folks, etc.

I personally am annoyed by what I perceive as a steering-in-molasses feel that the CBR has at the bars. I know from much previous experience that this is specifically a flexible fork issue, and I know from that same experience that a brace would pretty much totally fix it. For all the floks who are happy with the way the bike feels, power to ya...you get to spend less money than I have to to be happy

 

I don't know if there is a true fix for what you are feeling. These bike are front end heavy, only adding to the heavy feel. One motorcycle rag wrote about the 1kF this way; "We couldn't keep a front tire on it."

 

I guess I'm not explaining myself very well...the bike doesn't have a heavy steering feel at all to me. What it has is an overly flexible fork feel. I am very happy...impressed even, with how light the steering is now that I've got the geometry where I want it.

re: riding older crappier bikes...I'm old, so I've done plenty of that Just because it's not as sucky as something oolder and suckier doesn't mean there's not room for improvement

 

Just when you are going slow.

 

My point is that if you put a brace on spaghetti you still have spaghetti.

I have also felt the wimpy-ish forks at times but I need to be convinced that a brace will be a big difference. So far, no one has come forth and stated that they have install a brace and it helped as to off set the cost of the brace.

Like I said, I have felt some twisting (hard cornering and hit a rough spot in the road) but the bike tracks like an arrow so I don't worry about it.