XJ1100J Handling

[underdog57]

An 11 and a half ??

[Jerry]

On these old dogs...just about any turn and speed because the forks are so skinny the flex very easily. But in high speed situations especially.

Basically a fork brace ties the 2 fork legs together, improving tosional rigidity; the fork legs act more as a beam than 2 skinny tubes. Eliminating (or reducing) fork flex results in more predicatable steering and cornering at all riding speeds.

At higher sppeds fork flex can have more disaterous consequences, so a FB is a must for that kind of riding, but even a daily commuter who doesn't get (much) above highway speeds will appreciate the extra finese a fork brake adds to the bike's handling.

[mro]

At higher speeds fork flex can have more disaterous consequences, so a FB is a must for that kind of riding

Have hit some bad spots on the road in the 85+ zone on my 80G. First time thought I was gone to need a change of britches... Wobble started in front, then whole bike (really dislike that O-FXXX feeling)
Have not put on a TKAT yet. Know it will help but not sure if it will make it handle like the hot rod. Now seldom get XSive on the G if I don't know the road.


mro
btw,
I still, now and then pratice slow-n-go and turns

[underdog57]

Wobble Feel Front Forks

I'm new to the bike ,
But now that you mention it , I've noticed it gets blown around in wind where the front end seems to be spindly .
And now that it been running around quite a few miles and conditions you can feel a wobble...just did not really think much of it ...
Have not gotten to a scary fast wobble MRO described . Thats not the excitment I'm looking for "OH F*** "Yikes

Bob

[Jerry]

Handling

Just about everyone who has added a fork brace has reported an improvement in handling. Most consider it a "must-do" upgrade for any XS and XJ that does not have a FB already. Just a note, there are slight differences between the Standard, Special, and XJ fork braces due to fork diameter (Special is about 1mm larger than the Standard where the FB sits) and the XJ has a higher rise so the cross bar will fit over the fender. If you get a FB make sure it is for your model, these are not interchangeable! Well the XJ will work on a Special, but the cross bar will sit up quite high.

Second, front-end wobble can also be caused by a number of rear-end problems like an out-of-balance tire, bad shocks, or worn swing arm bushings. Don't overlook these areas when trying to solve front-end problems. It is amazing what a good pair of rear shocks can do to fix front-end issues.