TheTwins said:
Who here on the forum has one?
I've got one on my 6Fiddy. . . .
This from when I first got my "Murph's"
Murphskits Brace - Part 1
In between 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.
And this . . .
Murphskits Brace - Part 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 sumbitch really does work and the improvement in the front end is certainly worth the $132 Very Happy
And this. . .
700 Mile update
After 700 miles of "spirited riding on pavement ranging from (both wet and dry) "billiard table smooth" to "pothole-hell" and just about everything in between I'm 100% convinced. Most of these roads I have been riding for the past two years so I figure I'm pretty comfortable with "consistent riding for comparative purposes".
It's not my imagination . . . With the brace the front end is more precise, more supple and more controlled. What pisses me off is that I didn't find/make/install one of these 18K ago. The little 6Fiddy with decent tires, decent fork oil, stiffer progressive springs and the brace is just plain "fun" to ride on any kind of road. Bumps, broken pavement, irregular grading, traintracks, bricks etc just doesn't phase the front end. What a "giggle" to sweep thru a set of bends with broken or choppy or irregular pavement and have the front end never lose it's poise regardless of the speed or lean angle.
Woulda - Shoulda - Couldas. . . . . I wish I'd changed the front fork springs and oil and added the brace about 18K miles ago. This is the "front end" that Suzuki should have put on the 6Fiddy in the first place.
The rear shock/spring combo has not given me any concern todate. I don't have much preload dialed in and lots of dampening. . . Seems to work well with the "modded" front end. Someday the rear shock will begin complaining and I'll have to fork out some serious change to "upgrade" the rear end, until then I'm a "happy camper" in the suspension department.