Superbrace Fork Stabilizer

The SuperBrace Team have been producing high quality fork braces for street bikes for some time now. And with over 30 years of off-road riding experience, it didn't take long for them to start producing high quality fork braces for dirt bikes as well. According to the experts at SuperBrace, some of the benefits of a fork brace are as follows:

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• * Reduced low- and high-speed wobble
• * Improved stability in tight cornering
• * Improved tire life and reduced tire cupping wear
• * Decreased sensitivity to rough trail surfaces
  
  

We evaluated the SuperBrace Fork Brace for the Kawsaki ZZR1200 Super Sport Tourer. Weighing in at 1¼-pounds, the ZZR-1200 fork brace was machined from 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum and came with a brilliant mirror polish finish. The ZZR1200 fork brace is a two-piece design with four stainless steel bolts securing it together. This allows for a quick and easy installation. Another great feature is that it has flanges on top to allow attachment of the stock fork boots. The fork brace clamps firmly to the top of both lower fork legs allowing them to function as one.

Superbrace's Mission is to provide high quality fork braces, designed for rider safety.

These top quality patented fork stabilizers feature computer machined 6061 T-6 aircraft quality billet aluminium and are engineered to help reduce speed wobbles, front tire wear, rain groove sensitivity and help improve overall handling. All SuperBraces bolt on quickly with stainless allen bolts and come in mirror polish or black anodize. With over 100 different braces available for Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Harley-Davidson, Superbrace has a brace that is the perfect fit for your bike.

Installation of the SuperBrace Fork Brace

Our SuperBrace Fork Brace for the Kawasaki ZZR 1200 was well crafted, fit perfectly, and looked like it came stock on the bike. SuperBrace makes a claim of "easy 10-minute installation" and we can certainly testify to this. The installation was quick and easy thanks to the two-piece design. The only issue we encountered was with the included installation instructions not mentioning or showing which way to install the fork brace (bolts facing rearward or forward). A quick email to and from SuperBrace indicated that the bolts are meant to face rearward.

Evaluation of the SuperBrace Fork Brace

SuperBrace is designed to stop the forks from flexing and vibrating. Once you do that you will have unbelievable handling. It's a night and day diff. The best part is the long term effect. You will then get 20,000 miles out of you front tire. It is an investment that will pay you every year.

Most motorcycle forks are known to have a lot of flex. The SuperBrace Fork Brace eliminates most of this flex allowing the fork tubes to work as one. By eliminating most of the flex from the fork, we found the bike to be more responsive when turning at any speed on most any type of terrain. The front suspension definitely felt firmer with the fork brace, especially on rougher roads. On the mountain roads, the fork seemed to soak up the smaller bumps a lot better than before. Bumpy roads were easier to ride through, both riding over and riding around -- the feeling of unstability was almost nil. Handling in curves has never been better and more stable. No sense of wobble or the loose feel once felt by this rider.

How much does a SuperBrace Fork Brace cost and where can I get one?

At the time of this review, cost on the SuperBrace Fork Brace for the Kawasaki ZZR 1200 was $149 (USD) and it can be ordered directly from the Cycle Solution's Superbrace store. Don't forget to check the latest pricing, application and availability information.

The SuperBrace Fork Brace for the Kawasaki ZZR1200 was extremely easy to install thanks to its two-piece design. It even incorporates a mounting flange for the stock fork boots. It is a high quality product designed to rid most of the flex found in conventional forks and we would not have a problem recommending it to anyone for any motorcycle they ride.

As an owner of a 2002 ZZR1200, I originally contacted the folks at SuperBrace in the hopes of finding a product that would reduce or eliminate the headshake inherit with the ZZR1200, more specifically, the 2002 Model Year.

Much to my surprise, SuperBrace actually had a brace designed to fit our bikes. After exchanging a few emails with Chad Edwards at SuperBrace, I decided to give their product a try.

Originally I intended to test the brace with my stock Bridgestone tires, which had 5600 miles and a severe case of headshake from 60 mph down to 40 mph, however my new Avon AV45/46 tires arrived a few days prior to the delivery of the Superbrace. (As it turned out, the Avon's did improve the instability, but the headshake still existed from 50 mph to 40 mph).

The brace arrived via UPS, approximately one week after placing my order. True to their word, the SuperBrace was an easy 10-minute installation:

Loosen the pinch bolts on the front axle, install the SuperBrace with the four allen set screws provided, and re-torque the front axle pinch bolts. I did have to remove the stock plastic fork seal protector's, but SuperBrace now has their own version of these in stainless steel that can be purchased as an option.

Time for a test run:

As I left my gravel driveway, I noticed a more stable, solid feel and the front end of the bike was not thrown back and forth, (as was the usual case with my driveway).

When I left my neighborhood, there are two speed bumps which I hit at a pretty good rate of speed; 30mph+ and the bike felt very solid. I proceeded to take it on a test run through some wide sweepers and see how the brace felt while countersteering.

Through the curves, it felt great and improved my overall confidence in the bike's handling characteristics. Although the headshake was still apparent, though it was reduced and only existed from 50 mph to 45 mph and the wobble was minimal.

Coming back from my test run, there is a road that drops off a couple of inches, so I decided to hit it with some real speed. I actually caught some air for the first time with the ZZR! (no easy feat for a 600 pound + bike).

For those of us who like to wheelie, I get a nice solid feel when the front comes back down to earth - no fork flex to either side, which again, improves my confidence level in the bike overall.

The Superbrace looks as good as it performs - polished billet aluminum. As an option, I would like to see Superbrace offer "ZZR-1200" or something similar engraved or laser cut into the front of the brace, as it really does compliment the front of the bike.

I would not hesitate to recommend this product to anyone

Yes, you do need one on the Honda Goldwing GL1800. Honda did not provide a brace of any kind, just like with the GL1500.  It really does reduce wobbles and improves the handling of your bike. They do have over eighty different models covered with braces especially made to fit almost any bike you might have. If you have never had one, then you need to know that it will improve the stability in those really tight twisties we all seem to seek out. They are made of 6061 T-6 aircraft quality billet aluminum and polished to a mirror finish. On my last GL1500, I had my local Honda dealer install it. On a previous GL1500, I had it installed at a rally. On my GL1800, I decided to install it myself (model #2318, SRP $189.95). The instruction sheet with graphics is so easy to follow that it was almost unbelievably easy to install. Remove the front fender by removing the four bolts holding it and then remove the two bolts holding the Honda chrome cover. Replace the Honda chrome cover with the Super Brace supplied individual covers with the same two bolts. Separate the Super Brace and install it using the four supplied bolts. Torque them to 10 lbs., which I had my dealer do for me later that week and replace the front fender and you’re finished. Now you can go for a great ride and really enjoy it knowing that your bike will track the way it should. There is even a 30-day no quibble guarantee. Check out our Superbrace store and order your Superbrace today!