Micron Fork Brace

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Bare
Posts: 1196
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:18 am
Location: vancouver

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#16 Post by Bare » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:18 pm

Hooligan wrote:Fork brace doesn't stiffen the forks under straight up braking loads. The brace stops the fork legs from twisting during cornering and trail braking.
Ahhh I fitted RZ forks pretty early on to My LC. Although I never experienced LC Fork twisting.. Only the visible bending.
Primary element in locking tubes together/preventing twisting is the axle diameter size and clamping method used.
Oddly enough the RZ axle is interchangeable with the LC one (too thin :-) yet there are far fewer claimed issues with Fork twisting on Rz's.
But then IF too thin Fork tubes can bend in one direction, most surely they can bend in another ? :-)
Curious and curiouser.

hondaror
Posts: 2828
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:44 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#17 Post by hondaror » Sat Apr 25, 2015 3:30 am

If you rode your LC with stock forks, then you experienced fork twist. The front ends on those bikes are way too small, and twist like crazy. I put over 100,000 kms on my stock LC frame. It rides like there is a hinge in the middle. The RZ is so much better.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

Hooligan
Posts: 1966
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:37 am
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#18 Post by Hooligan » Sat Apr 25, 2015 11:08 am

The hinge in the midde effect of an LC is likely the plastic swingarm bushings, which wear out very quickly. My current LC doesn't have that feeling cause Solo2 replaced everything when he built the bike. This one is the best feeling LC I ever owned.
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

hondaror
Posts: 2828
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:44 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#19 Post by hondaror » Sat Apr 25, 2015 2:33 pm

It never occurred to me. I bought the bike with 3100 kms on it and it did that from day one. In motocross techs, they always checked swing arm bushings and would not allow you to race with them failing, so I'm very familiar with the bushing wear and replacement. The ass end of the bike never gave me notice of failure, and I kept things lubed with moly grease. I raced my LC and it made it through tech without detection if that truly was the problem. I suspect, frame design coupled with the wimpy forks. Stu Shaw and the boys in Southern Ontario were gusseting the frame with braces to get rid of that problem. They did a ton of street bikes as that mod was not permitted in production racing.
My steel framed TZs never displayed those mannerisms.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

Hooligan
Posts: 1966
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:37 am
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#20 Post by Hooligan » Sat Apr 25, 2015 4:36 pm

I'd bet that the TZ and some of those racebikes had the bronze Swingarm bushings installed.
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

hondaror
Posts: 2828
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:44 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Micron Fork Brace

#21 Post by hondaror » Sat Apr 25, 2015 9:12 pm

You know, I never had them apart. There was no need. They were fitted with grease nipples, which most of us did back in the day.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

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