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Thanks For A "
Life Saving"
Product
Dear
SuperBrace,
At Americade
2004, my wife
and I stopped
by your booth
and had a very
pleasant
conversation
with you about
the benefits
of installing
a SuperBrace
on my 96
GL-1500 SE.
After speaking
with you and
your wife for
about 15
minutes, we
were so
impressed by
your low-key
sales
presentation
(allowing the
product to
sell itself)
and product
claims, that
we chose to
have one
installed on
our 96 GL1500
Gold Wing.
Your son
installed the
SuperBrace
while we all
had a very
pleasant
10-minutes of
joking and
having fun.
While you son
was installing
the super
Brace on our
Wing, a friend
of ours walked
by the booth
and stopped to
chat. We
introduced him
to you and
after a very
short
conversation,
he also had a
SuperBrace
installed on
his Wing. My
wife and I
took a 20-mile
ride back to
our hotel that
afternoon. I
was so
impressed with
the
improvement in
ride and
handling that
I immediately
recommended it
to several of
our other
riding
friends, 2 of
which went
down to your
booth the next
day had a
SuperBrace
installed on
their Wings.
After riding
with the
SuperBrace all
summer, I
could not get
over how much
the SuperBrace
improved the
handling and
riding of our
Gold Wing. I
told everyone
about what a
terrific
product this
truly is.
"Ok, big deal.
You have heard
all of these
praises
before. Well,
stand by..."
On August 14,
2004, I took
the
Experienced
Rider Course
for the 3rd
time (first
time with a
SuperBrace).
The tremendous
improvement in
handling made
by the
SuperBrace was
most
noticeable in
made in
driving the
Wing through
all the course
obstacles and
maneuvers.
About 3 hours
after
successfully
completing the
ERC, I was
returning
home. It was a
dark, rainy
evening, with
limited
visibility and
slick roads.
As the ERC the
instructor
said, "Most
accidents
involve a
collision with
an SUV,
pulling out in
front of the
motorcycle at
an
intersection,
because the
driver of the
SUV did not
see the
motorcycle."
The ERC
instructor
called it
100%. The Wing
was totaled;
and I walked
away from the
accident.
While taking
pictures of
the totaled
Wing for
insurance
purposes,
something
jumped out at
me. Attached
is a copy of
one of the
pictures that
speaks
thousands of
words about
the quality
and safety
aspects of the
SuperBrace
installation.
There it is,
in the upper
center of the
picture. The
SuperBrace was
still there,
undamaged, and
doing its job.
Yes, the ERC
did sharpened
my mental and
physical
riding skills;
but I believe
that the
SuperBrace
play a major
part in my
walking away
from this
accident
because it
maintained the
integrity of
the entire
front end of
the Wing
through the
impact of the
accident. One
look at the
picture tells
why. The
SuperBrace is
located at the
physical pivot
point of the
impact energy
absorption and
redirection.
Thus it was
able to
maintain the
integrity of
the Wing's
front fork
symmetry,
allowing the
fork tube
assembly to
absorb and
redirect
impact energy.
I am convinced
that without
the SuperBrace,
these front
fork tubes
would not have
reacted to the
impact in the
same manner.
Looking at the
picture, the
Wing was
totaled, and
the SuperBrace
maintained its
physical
integrity. It
probably could
be salvaged
and reused on
another 1500.
I plan to have
a SuperBrace
installed on
my new 2004
Gold Wing 1800
as soon as
possible.
Please feel
free to use
this picture
as testimony
to the quality
of your
product and
the importance
of having one
installed on a
motorcycle.
Thank you for
taking the
time to speak
with my wife
and I at
Americade
2004, and
convincing us
to install a
SuperBrace on
our Wing. The
SuperBrace,
not only
improved the
handling of my
Wing by also
it was there
when I most
needed it.
Sincerely,
Fred Haynes
Asst. Maryland
District
Director
Gold Wing Road
Riders
Association
#133794/
Master Tour
Rider #3598
Dear SuperBrace,
Just wanted to
let you know how
much i have
enjoyed the
improved
stability since
my husband
installed the
SuperBrace on my
Kawasaki
Concours. Front
end wobble is
non-existent in
turns now and
passing 18
wheelers at
freeway speeds
is no longer the
white-knuckle
experience it
used to be. It
appears that the
brace may have
reduced flex in
the windshield
at higher
speeds, possibly
reducing head
buffeting.
Thanks for your
assistance!
Sincerely,y,
Gloria Droke
I fitted my
SuperBrace last
week; expected a
modest to minor
enhancement and
really installed
it to see what
would happen.
Now, to preface
this, I did put
a fork brace on
my ZRX and
thought I felt a
difference but,
as with many
mods, sometimes
the change is
more in your
head, sort of
like a bike
running better
after you wash
it.
Well, let me
tell you, holy
$h********t,
what a
difference. The
bike felt better
planted, held a
line so much
better, a lot
less vibrations
and wandering,
over all the
most dramatic
change to the
front end to
date.
Even though my
wobble went away
with my M1's I
did notice the
front used to
howl at certain
speeds, with the
fork brace on,
the howl is
gone. It is a
completely
different feel.
Guys, you need
to get one of
these, plus,
with the SS fork
guards it looks
sooooo hot.
marc11 ~
www.zzr1200.net
It's great... I
noticed a
difference in
the ride
quality,
especially on
the way home
from Americade
while traveling
two up and fully
loaded. The
SuperBrace
virtually
eliminated the
weave I used to
get, especially
at higher
speeds. The
whole front end
seems more
firmly planted
at all speeds.
D.
Posner
Owner
Gearhead Joe
Motorcycle
Consulting
"SuperBrace is
in perfect
alignment"
_ "SuperBrace is
what I
recommend"
(http://www.googlism.com)
Letter from the
Huntington Beach
Police
Department
May 2003
Dear SuperBrace,
Thank you so
much for the
tour of your
facility and the
chance to visit
and see your
operation, I was
very impressed.
As you know, my
background in
motorcycling
goes way back to
1968 with my
first street
bike. I am still
actively riding
and employed as
a police
motorcycle
instructor at an
academy in
Southern
California. I am
also an active
motor officer
for a local
police
department and
have been riding
motors for them
for 23 years.
I first learned
of your product
when our police
department
decided to
install the
SuperBrace
on our fleet of
KZ 1000's I
noticed a
remarkable
difference after
riding only a
few miles. The
handling of the
front end seemed
to be more
sturdy and
responsive.
After feeling
this, I decided
to purchase one
for my own
street bike, a
Kawasaki Vulcan
1500.
I was first
impressed with
the simple ease
of installation
on the fork. It
was only a few
minutes and I
was off riding
down the street.
The first thing
that was noticed
was the
responsiveness
and ease in
steering. I had
a more positive
feel of the
front end in the
turns as well as
the
straight-aways,
turning the bike
was more
substantial, it
felt like power
steering. I also
noticed the
steadiness of
the bike in
braking. This
was one of the
drawbacks in my
motorcycle that
caused me to
want to sell it
on several
occasions. As
you know,
braking is the
one trait in a
bike that is the
most important
and this was a
problem that was
corrected on my
bike by
installing your
SuperBrace.
I highly
recommend
SuperBrace
if you want an
instant
performance item
on a motorcycle.
Too many times I
see people
throwing money
away on items
for looks only
and are not
investing in a
tested
peformance
accessory that
can add not only
to the looks,
but to the
handling,
performance and
to riding
stability. I
hope your
readers have a
chance to test
this wonderful
product.
Sincerely,
Bert Adkins
ZZR1200.NET
Forum/Reviews
SuperBrace
Evaluation by
Ga_ZZR_Rider May
19th, 2003
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 at
ZZR1200.net.
Ga_ZZR_Rider
Added: May 20th
2003
Reviewer:
Ga_ZZR_Rider
Score:
Product Review
written by
Dustin Heslopp
http://xr650r.net/superb.htm
The SuperBrace
fork
stabilizer
definitely
lives up to
its name, it
is a "super"
brace.
Intelligently
designed, it
is both
functional and
visually
pleasing. The
SuperBrace for
the XR650R is
machined from
6061-T6 billet
aluminum and
is extremely
heavy-duty.
For easy
assembly the
SuperBrace
comes in a 2
piece design
which is
connected by
four 5mm hex
bolts.
Assembly is a
snap, it takes
about 5
minutes, and
that's if
you're slow.
Simply loosen
the lower end
of the fork
boots and bolt
it on, that's
it! The lower
end of the
fork boots fit
nicely on the
top of the
brace.
 
So how does it
work? The
purpose of a
fork brace is
to reduce
"fork-flex".
Fork flex can
lead to poor
suspension
performance,
poor steering
accuracy, and
headshake. A
fork brace can
significantly
reduce these
issues. It's
no secret that
the XR650R is
a big, large,
huge (you get
the idea) dirt
bike. With
this kind of
mass, the
XR650R
definitely has
the potential
to "flex" its
forks. The
SuperBrace can
greatly reduce
this problem.
Ride test:
After
installation,
I took the XR
on a short
ride. I
immediately
noticed some
of the
benefits of
the
SuperBrace.
The most
noticeable
effect was the
added steering
response; the
steering was
definitely
crisper than
without the
brace. The
added steering
response was
great through
tight turns,
the SuperBrace
gives added
confidence
that the XR
will go where
you point it.
If there is
any complaint
about the
SuperBrace (if
you want to
call it a
complaint) is
that it may be
too
heavy-duty.
(SuperBrace is
designing a
fender
template to
remedy this
fender
clearance
issue)
If you
completely
compress your
front forks,
the SuperBrace
had a tendency
to lightly hit
the sides of
the front
fender. I
think with any
fork brace,
you probably
want to trim
the sides of
the fender.
You will,
however, need
to install a
fender brace
to strengthen
the fender.
Road Bike
Magazine, April
2003, Written by
Laura
Brengelman,
Editor
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You wouldn't think that a simple part like this SuperBrace could make all that much difference in the feel of a bike's front end, but as I later discovered, it does.
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Before fitting the fork brace, bounce the forks up and down to ensure the front end is properly aligned. Fitting the SuperBrace around the lower fork tubes, we discovered that this part fit precisely. With its polished finish, It looks good, too.
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More
Than
Meets
The
Eye
Before
fitting
the
fork
brace,
bounce
the
forks
up
and
down
to
ensure
the
front
end
is
properly
aligned.
Fitting
the
SuperBrace
around
the
lower
fork
tubes,
we
discovered
that
this
part
fit
precisely.
With
its
polished
finish,
It
looks
good,
too.
Even
the
simplest
part
involves
more
manufacturing
steps
than
you'd
think.
I
asked
Chad
Edwards,
of
SuperBrace,
what
was
involved
in
making
a
fork
brace.
All
of
SuperBrace's
braces
start
with
60/61
aircraft
aluminum
bar
stock.
Two
pieces
of
bar
are
lined
up
and
clamped
together
in a
vice
inside
a
CNC
machine.
One
of
the
pieces
gets
drilled
partway
through
and
tapped;
the
other
gets
drilled
all
the
way
through
and
counter-bored
on
top.
The
two
bars
are
screwed
together
and
again
fixed
into
a
vice.
Starting
with
a
fixed
datum
point,
the
(CNC
program
mills
the
brace.
An
indexable
drill
cuts
the
initial
holes
(where
the
forks
go
through
the
brace).
Its
two-point
cutter
efficiently
removes
the
material
to a
width
of
1"
Next
a 1"
end
mill
starts
a
process
called
"circular
interpretation."
The
tool
first
expands
the
initial
holes
in a
rough
cut.
Then,
it
makes
a
precise
finish
cut,
rounding
each
hole's
diameter
to
the
correct
size.
Now
you
have
two
bars
with
two
big
holes
in
them.
Next,
the
part
is
"profiled"
-
the
outside
shape
is
cut.
Since
the
part
has
to
be
kept
clamped,
the
top
half
is
cut
first.
Then,
it's
flipped
over
into
the
next
vice,
clamped
again,
and
the
bottom
half
is
cut
in a
mirror
image
of
the
top.
A
ball
mill
is
used
to
cut
any
arches
required
between
the
two
holes
in a
process
called
"kellering."
These
arches
vary
according
to
the
required
clearance
on
the
bike
and
can
be
up
to
2"
deep.
Some
fork
braces
require
an
arch
only
on
the
bottom;
some
have
arches
both
top
and
bottom.
All
the
sharp
edges
are
rounded.
(This
program
runs
on
the
same
profiling
program,
rounding
the
edges
to
about
1/8'.)
A
16"
ball
mill
is
used
to
engrave
SuperBrace
on
top
and
the
part
number
on
the
bottom.
Finally,
Chad
takes
the
brace
out
of
the
vice,
removes
the
bolts,
and
fly
cuts
15-18
thousands
of
an
inch
out
of
the
center
(a
couple
of
hair
widths).
That
creates
clamping
pressure
when
the
brace
is
bolted
together.
The
bolts
go
back
in,
and
the
parts
are
sent
out
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