Trying to buy a used fork brace

[jimfj]

What size are stock 82 GS1100G forks. I believe the guy is selling a brace off of an 81 Honda 900F. he thinks the size was 39 mm. Any chance it will fit my G???

Yes i did try searching but I never got a clear answer. Thanks for the help.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Is your bike an 1100G or 1100GK?

I found this on some guy's website: Fork Tube Diameters (PDF - 60K)

The '82 GS1100G(Z) has 37mm forks.

The '82-'84 GS1100GK has 41mm forks.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[bwringer]

I doubt it will fit -- the diameter of the inner fork tubes doesn't matter much, but the OD and spacing of the outer tubes and the position of the fender are likely different.

Anyhoo, there's a lot more info on fork braces here from Tarozzi:

http://www.fastfromthepast.com/servlet/the-Fork-Braces/Categories

Down the page a bit, there's a link to a PDF listing the brace dimensions for many different models.

http://www.fastfromthepast.com/PDF/fork_brace_dimensions.pdf

If you peruse the PDF, you'll find that the dimensions for the Honda 900F and the 1100G are indeed different. So no dice.


I have a Tarozzi brace, and it's a very nice, high-quality piece. So you could always just buy a new one. I know that's counter to the hardcore penny-pinching GS ethos, though...

[jimfj]

Thank you for the info.

I was interested because of the price mostly. (20.00) and the thought of being able to say I have one on my GS.

Because I am not an authority on Suspension setup for these bikes, what do they really do for someone who is not a very aggressive rider? I am 6'1" and weigh about 260. I know they are not nessary but are they really benificial to someone who doesn't drag his knees and crack triple digits on a real regular basis?

[Road_Clam]

Thank you for the info.


Because I am not an authority on Suspension setup for these bikes, what do they really do for someone who is not a very aggressive rider?

Fork braces are useless money spent on a street driven motorcycle IMO. If someone claims their bike "handles much better with a fork brace" what they really needed to do was diagnose the source of the ill handling. Fork braces on the street are a band-aid for some type of chassis issue.

[hampshirehog]

I disagree. Fork braces make a lot of difference if you push on a bit - especially noticeable on long sweepers with a few bumps. Add a damper and you won't recognise the bike. That's on top of a good suspension set up with decent springs fore and aft, good rubber and ffp bearings etc.

If you ride around like Miss Daisy then you won't notice a thing.

[Octain]

Fork braces are useless money spent on a street driven motorcycle IMO. If someone claims their bike "handles much better with a fork brace" what they really needed to do was diagnose the source of the ill handling. Fork braces on the street are a band-aid for some type of chassis issue.

Yeah but they look cool!
I'd love to find a cheap one for my 850.

[Agemax]

a fork brace makes a hell of a difference, even when you got the whole bike chassis/suspension sorted. and as the hog says a damper makes it even better.
long old debate on here but ask the people who have fitted them and take their advice

[DPage]

I think a Tarozzi fork brace is one of the most cost effective upgrades you can do for bikes like these, and I don't ride aggressively. The brace improved the handling on my bike even more than Ikon shocks, and it sure costs a lot less than Ikon shocks.