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  • #1

    Fork brace

    My tcat fork brace arrived in the mail this week, installed yesterday in about twenty minutes. It is a nice piece of machine work. If it was for a sail boat it would be at least four times the price.
    Next ride will be on Monday. Report after that. My front end wobbles at very slow speeds. I will only make one change at a time contrary to the written advice on suspension.

    Uncle Crusty
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I don't know what written advice you've been reading, but any time you have a problem which could be caused by several variables it's alway best to try adjusting one variable at a time...so it seems to me that you've got it right.
    Guy

    '78E

    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by Crusty Snippets View Post
      My front end wobbles at very slow speeds.
      My past experience - this happens when the large castellated nut at the top of the triple tree is too tight.

      JAT, YMMV, etc...
      Ken Talbot

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Ken Talbot View Post
        My past experience - this happens when the large castellated nut at the top of the triple tree is too tight.

        JAT, YMMV, etc...
        Agreed....
        1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
        2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.

        Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.

        "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.

        Comment

        • #5
          Fork brace is an upgrade, but not a cure for a front end wobble . Been riding my SF for 4 years and never felt a need for a brace.Of course I do ride like the old man I am. Seems like crutching a problem that needs to be fixed .
          79SF
          XJ11
          78E

          Comment

          • #6
            Fork brace probably wont fix the wobble, if thats what it is, but it will stiffen the front end considerably to stop, as Tkat himself once put it, "that Loosey Goosey front end" feel on cornering. Some people interpret that flexing as a wobble. I rode with it for years on my SG and never realised how just how bad it was until i put a Tkat brace on. What a difference In fact, for the first week or so I didnt like it, it felt that different it was uncomfortable.
            1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
            2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.

            Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.

            "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.

            Comment

            • #7
              Hey Crusty,

              It's Monday, but don't know if you were able to get out today?

              As stated, the TKAT FB is a great addition, but the many other things you'll want to check into for a low speed wobble.

              The wheel/rim run out as well as the tire itself, if it's sat for a long time, it can develop a flat spot in the tire. OR the rim can be bent/warped. The tire may not be properly seated on the rim. The steering race bearings can get flat spots, but also the grease can just get old and hardened, causing stiffness and binding in it's motion. There are a pair of tension nuts under the tip triple tree clamp that secures and sets the tension for the steering head neck and bearings, too tight, and the bike will feel like it's wandering all over the road because it will take too much effort to get it to steer, so it oversteers, back and forth, etc..

              Hope you find the real cause and get it fixed, ride safe and fun.
              T.C.
              T. C. Gresham
              81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
              79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
              History shows again and again,
              How nature points out the folly of men!

              Comment

              • #8
                Wobble be gone

                Thank you for all the above posts, I will try and address all of them.
                The steering head has been adjusted, I was getting the wander on the highway as described in the latest post. The bike now goes straight at 80 to 90mph even with a bunch of wind turbulence from the fairing.
                The rims and tyres are running true. I will replace the SH bearings next spring.
                What I described as a wobble was the wheel moving about the front axel as described in the discussion on suspension on these bikes. The fork brace has fixed this problem but the SH lack of precision is still evident.
                I will also make changes to the inner works, so that there is some degree of progressive suspension rather than the thump bang jar when hitting a bump.
                I can now apply a bit more tippy in the corners with a bit more confidence.

                Please keep in mind that I also ride an SV1000S Suzuki that has wonderful suspension. It goes dead straight at speeds faster than the XS11 can obtain.
                Also I spent many years at the 3 Pacific north west tracks on a variety of bikes. My CMA expert license was issued in 1970, but I am slowing down.

                I highly endorse the fork brace.

                Uncle Crusty

                Comment

                • #9
                  Flexing

                  Yes to interpreting the flexing as a wobble.
                  I called the end result a wobble, but as stated it is the end result of the flexing. The fork brace fixed that problem.

                  Uncle Crusty

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Originally posted by SFerinTEXAS View Post
                    Fork brace is an upgrade, but not a cure for a front end wobble . Been riding my SF for 4 years and never felt a need for a brace.Of course I do ride like the old man I am. Seems like crutching a problem that needs to be fixed .
                    I will be 65 in July 011, got my license at age 15. Did not ride for a few years during my married days on the farm.
                    But now with my new and improved main squeeze I needed a two up bike, hence the XS11.

                    Crusty

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Glad you're getting it sorted. Enjoy.
                      1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
                      2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.

                      Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.

                      "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Glad your getting things straightened out and riding her!
                        Nathan
                        KD9ARL

                        μολὼν λαβέ

                        1978 XS1100E
                        K&N Filter
                        #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                        OEM Exhaust
                        ATK Fork Brace
                        LED Dash lights
                        Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                        Green Monster Coils
                        SS Brake Lines
                        Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                        In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                        Theodore Roosevelt

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by natemoen View Post
                          Glad your getting things straightened out and riding her!

                          Hey Nate, talk nice. He just said he was mainly squeezing her.
                          CZ

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by CaptonZap View Post
                            Hey Nate, talk nice. He just said he was mainly squeezing her.
                            CZ
                            Hahahaha!
                            Nathan
                            KD9ARL

                            μολὼν λαβέ

                            1978 XS1100E
                            K&N Filter
                            #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                            OEM Exhaust
                            ATK Fork Brace
                            LED Dash lights
                            Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                            Green Monster Coils
                            SS Brake Lines
                            Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                            In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                            Theodore Roosevelt

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              To clarify.

                              Originally posted by natemoen View Post
                              Glad your getting things straightened out and riding her!
                              For yourself and CaptonZap.

                              I am and I am.

                              Uncle Crusty

                              Comment

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