Need a fork brace for '79 Special

GaryS-NJ

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I am looking to get a fork brace for my '79 650 special.. and like everyone else here I'm trying to work within a budget (as little as possible). I'm gonna run the 20 yo tires until they disintegrate like the space shuttle and when comes time for uni pods and jetting I'll probably chop the muffs.. so anyone have a line on a used fork brace?? I'm not digging the big hoop brace but Mike's has one for $110 which grabs the lower legs and that's nice. I'd really like to buy a 12 pak and get my pal to weld one like Hughes handbuilt leaving me room for a fender.
 
Why not just use the stock fender? It has a built-in fork brace of sorts. I cut mine down for more of a café look.
Front fender.JPG
 
You didn't ask for advice, so feel free to ignore this. But tires, like many plastics, lose volatile compounds to the atmosphere over time, and when that happens they also lose their grip, even if they look perfect and feel soft under the thumbnail. A fork brace is a useless piece of bling unless you're pitching over hard in the corners. Recommendation: first things first.
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263025120442
This seller has a few of these NOS old-style braces. This one should fit a 79. If it doesn't, it should be on the seller, i.e. seller should pay for return postage and give you a full refund.
I almost bought it, but I was skeptical of the hole diameters. I asked the seller about it and never got a response.
 
I think that's a brace for fork tubes, like when you extend them, not for the lowers or sliders.
 
If you're only looking for a way to hold your fender on, the old Triumph style is easy to make, but it wouldn't work too well without at least one fender stay.
 
2E1650E4-AAD7-438F-A48E-359956F708E8.jpeg
GaryS-NJ
I haven’t seen this member reply to this thread yet.
This “Omars” fork brace is one of the nicest looking and made I’ve seen.
There is one available in a storage unit assortment of forks I found
:whistle:
anybody interested ?
 
I am looking to get a fork brace for my '79 650 special.. and like everyone else here I'm trying to work within a budget (as little as possible). I'm gonna run the 20 yo tires until they disintegrate like the space shuttle and when comes time for uni pods and jetting I'll probably chop the muffs.. so anyone have a line on a used fork brace?? I'm not digging the big hoop brace but Mike's has one for $110 which grabs the lower legs and that's nice. I'd really like to buy a 12 pak and get my pal to weld one like Hughes handbuilt leaving me room for a fender.

Hi GaryS and welcome,
should you survive running on 20 year old tires and if your Special's front forks still have the stock fender that's also a fork brace,
I'd recommend adding a TKAT fork brace or a knock-off to boost the fork stiffness. Check this lists classifieds for a used one.
Ans as one cheap bastard to another, fix your exhaust for zero dollars by shoving a pointy steel bar up the mufflers and vigorously applying a BFH.
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263025120442
This seller has a few of these NOS old-style braces. This one should fit a 79. If it doesn't, it should be on the seller, i.e. seller should pay for return postage and give you a full refund.
I almost bought it, but I was skeptical of the hole diameters. I asked the seller about it and never got a response.
I saw that one but it locks to the inner tubs so you have to install with lower legs off then secure it above the max travel (which has it a tad I see the lower tree.)
 
Thanks all on the tires bit I was asking about the brace (& yes I'm running a front fender). And I'll get to the tires when I get to getting to them...
 
Thanks all on the tires bit I was asking about the brace (& yes I'm running a front fender). And I'll get to the tires when I get to getting to them...

Hi GaryS,
I rode my son's low mileage XS650 home from it's seller's house on it's original15 year old tires. On wet streets. One scary ride.
Told my son "Those tires gotta go." "But they look perfect." "Ride it round the block." "I'll buy new tires tomorrow."
Best you get new tires before the old ones get to you.
 
Hello Gary. I think some of the braces look great ! But in reality the stock fender is likely all the support needed between those fork legs. In most cases ;)
If an XS is used for say flat track racing, or even road racing the added support of the fork brace would be beneficial. As a road rider ? There are other things to address before that such as the weak fork springs, steering stem bearings, brakes ?
Don’t get me wrong I’m all for a guy working on his XS and repairing or replacing anything in whatever order fits in your own situation.
keep us posted. And We Like Pics !
:cool:
 
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