TKAT fork brace

[natemoen]

Tell me again this isn't a standard tkat...

[fredintoon]

Tell me again this isn't a standard tkat..

Hi Nate,
I just bought 2 Standard & 1 Special Tkat forkbraces and that one sure isn't to his current design. Do those stepped slider clamps fit over top of the rubber fork wipers?

[motoman]

Hey there Natemoen.......In reference to the pieces that would clamp to forks, the two inner pieces have NO recess for the cross piece. They are flat across the top and cross piece bolts on top of them. So there is a difference to what you showthere in the pic. Mis-matched pieces?.......who knows, but if those lower pieces don't pull up tight all you have is a decoration and a wanna-be fork brace at this point............sure can't fit over the top of dust seals Fred.......you'd have a rubber mounted fork brace and that would cancel what they are designed to do.......eliminate flexing and movement.

[cywelchjr]

Tell me again this isn't a standard tkat...

It looks somewhat like a TKat brace, but only somewhat. I'm not sure that it might be an early model, or someone else's copy of the TKat or something else. You might be able to get it to lock on by doing at Crazy Steve says and filing the edges down where the pieces clamp together over the lower tubes, but probably only if they almost grab already. If you look at the TKat brace, the center piece actually sits above the pieces that clamp onto the legs, and the special version adds an additional spacer to that to make it still clear the front fender (along with having a larger hole for the larger fork lower). I'm not aware of a TKat brace that was flat all the way across like that one is, all the ones I have seen are kind of like an arch across over the fender.

You also might be able to make it work with a brass or copper shim sheet. It probably wouldn't take a very thick piece in there to make those clamp down really tight and do just what your wanting them to do.

[crazy steve]

Maybe that's a rare, early production or prototype model...

If it's close to clamping (say if you can't get a feeler gauge larger than .030" between the brace and the slider), I'd file the ends. More than that, then look into some shim stock. It appears to have the right center-to-center measurement (although I'd check that), so you should be able to make it work...

[natemoen]

I confirmed with tkat that it is not one of his. Although he said he has one sitting on his table, doesn't know who makes them.

With a caliper I check led the fork tops and the brace and the brace clamps are between .1-.5mm bigger than the forks. I have some brass sheets and wrapped a strip around each leg and now it is tight as can be.

[motoman]

Should make a good "fix" for you Nate..........Cy, TKat's brace has no arch to the cross piece, and the base pieces that clamp to fork are flush/flat with cross bolted on top for Standards........raised step where cross attaches and larger I.D. for Specials.

[cywelchjr]

Should make a good "fix" for you Nate..........Cy, TKat's brace has no arch to the cross piece, and the base pieces that clamp to fork are flush/flat with cross bolted on top for Standards........raised step where cross attaches and larger I.D. for Specials.

I didn't mean that the cross piece was an arch shape, but that the three pieces taken together form an arch. The special brace forms a higher arch, but both form an arch.

Maybe more of a bridge, but my point was that they didn't go straight across like his does. Not sure what kind he has, but at least with shimming it it appears that it will work, which is good.

[Jamie]

If end pieces won't clamp it tight on the legs...........guarentee you have the wrong one. The machined section at the top of fork leg is a larger diamater on the Special forks!

Nate,
I agree, mine is on my XJ1100 and it clamps on tight and the dust boots come down and fit over the top. You shouldn't have any slop or play when assembled correctly. Here's a pic of mine (remember mine is an XJ). He sent me both middle adapter since he wasn't sure of the fitment since he hadn't made one for an XJ in a long while.



Jamie

[Eveready1100]

Nate, I'm pretty sure I've seen exactly the same brace as yours on one of my old GPZ750's. Do your clamps have a step in the internal face or are they just a straight bore?
Just for reference sake,
XS 11 Standards have 37mm fork diam, 57/60mm stepped clamping face and fork spacing of 185mm
The Specials / RH's have 37mm diam, 58mm straight clamping face and fork spacing of 185mm
The GPZ's also have 37mm diam, 58mm straight clamping face and spacing of 190mm which would easily be talen up by the adjustable centre plate.
They're also dead flat across the top just like in your photos.
Hope this helps.

[Flyman32]

Yeah the just pop up, there is a lip that holds them onto the forks so you might try a screwdriver or a pick to get over that.

Another question about the tkat brace (sorry to hijack) is there supposed to be something that holds the brace to the fork lowers?

Here's a dumb question. Do you have to remove the forks to install these or can you just slip the boots up and clamp them in and boots down on them with front end fully assembled?

[jetmechmarty]

That's right. Pry the boots off and slide them up. Install the brace and push the boots down over it. DO NOT REMOVE THE FORKS.

Marty (in Germany)

[Flyman32]

Much Thanks

That's right. Pry the boots off and slide them up. Install the brace and push the boots down over it. DO NOT REMOVE THE FORKS.

Marty (in Germany)

Thanks Marty, think I'll buy a set.

XS1100H Venture (Or is it Venturer...seen it both ways)

[CatatonicBug]

XS1100H Venture (Or is it Venturer...seen it both ways)

It's Venturer. The Venture is a different bike altogether.

[motoman]

Another question about the tkat brace (sorry to hijack) is there supposed to be something that holds the brace to the fork lowers?
What you smokin' Nate?.............lowers IS what brace attaches too................U need to go for a LONG ride.....JAT......BTW, allen head bolts holds it to lowers.....