Funtional or just a Farkle. . . . ? - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

C2W? · 03-13-2006, 06:09 PM

I installed the "Murph's DL650 Forkbrace kit" last week on my little 6Fiddy. . .

The only reason I bought it was to find out if the front wheel shudder/chatter I occasionaly get on really hard braking
can be reduced or eliminated.

Here's the "report"

Function or Farkle Day 1

In between high gusting winds and thunder showers I managed to sneak in a handful of laps on my favorite local roads.

I wasn't really expecting much in the way of a noticeable difference when I started as I'm pretty happy with the feel and
feedback with the 020s and the Wilburs. I chose roads that I ride on a regular basis (2-4 times weekly) that offer
a pretty decent variety of pavement types/surfaces and speeds.

On smooth pavement higher speed turns (70 and up) and high speed transitions the little 6Fiddy now seems to tip in
and/or turn a tad quicker. I ran a set of really fast S bends (entrance speed about 75 and if you can make the right to
left to right to left transitions quick enough, you accelerate all the way thru the series) three different times just to
make sure it wasn't my imagination.

With the 020s and Wilburs I was pretty happy with high speed transitions. . . .The brace makes it better.

The biggest difference came on very bumpy pavement and/or irregular and/or patched surfaces. The difference is very noticeable!

Entering medium speed (40-70mph) turns on "cobbly" surfaces the front end feels much more "direction secure"......that
is to say that the feedback from the front wheel is more precise and there is much less of the squirming feel that irregular
road surfaces normally transmit without the brace on these roads at these speeds and lean angles.

Leaned over and accelerating on the above mentioned surface(s) I got more or better "feedback" as I approached the
limits of adhesion. The irregular surfaces didn't seem to upset or unsettle the front wheel under hard acceleration nearly
as much as without the brace. The extra feedback was also very noticeable leaned over braking on the "less than
smooth" surfaces. Medium speed "quick" transitions on the aforementioned "cobbly" surfaces seemed to be equally
improved. Before the bike felt pretty secure, it now feels really "Planted" regardless of the pavement inconsistencies.

More feedback, reduced "squirmy" feeling and more bite on continuously irregular surfaces!

Never found a place that I could safely and/or adequately test the difference in high(er) speed braking as pavement
conditions (intermittent wet, muddy, dirty, puddly, slow moving cages, etc) were working against me this afternoon.

Tomorrow should be another good riding day in "sunny" SoCal so I'll do a longer "checkout" of the brace.

Function or Farkle Day 2

Took a 100+ mile "jaunt" this morning on some faster roads. About a 50-50 mix of "well paved" and "less than well
maintained" Cruising speeds from 70 to triple digit++.

Hard braking (very near lockup) from 100+ speeds seems more controlled & less "skittish" especially at the verge of
lockup. Even on fairly uneven surfaces at higher speeds the additional control (as a result of better feedback) was
discernible under hard braking conditions.

Never did really get the front end to dance nor did I manage to induce any wheel-hop (But I did give it the old school
try). I also noted that during high(er) speed transitions my ability to put the front end precisely where I wanted it
seemed improved.

My take-a-way from two days of riding on a variety of different roads under a variety of conditions is simply this. . . .

Not only is the Murphskits Brace a well made and good looking "farkle", the sum%%%%% really does work and the
improvement in the front end is certainly worth the $132