should handle 100% better

[05vmax]

my new frame bars and mega fork brace from exactrep came this week waiting for my ricor fork intiminators and my 180 tire to come. Still looking for a set of progressive shocks. Should handle 100% better.

 

[Decter]

Is there really that much play in the frame and between the front two forks?

Sorry, new to the Vmax.

 

[1st Shirt Maxer]

The vmax has tons of torque and if you ride aggressively you will get some frame flex going on. The bars are a very good addition as is a new fork brace on top of the front fender. It just all depends on how you ride in the corners that will tell if you feel the flex or not. I personally can't ride that way where I'm at due to bad roads on the island of Guam but when I get stateside I will be installing a set from Morleys Muscle, the twin tube design looks great on the vmax IMHO.


David Justiss
USAF First Sergeant
554 RED HORSE Sq, Guam

 

[m-cman]

I think the frame braces are a good addition but I have tried different fork braces and could detect no difference. The stock Max fork brace is much better and stiffer than the traditional fender mounts on old bikes. I always put upgraded fork braces on all my bikes over the years but the Superbrace I put on my Max felt no different than stock and I am one of those guys that love cornering. I had the stock one chromed and put it back on. Sold the Superbrace. Just my experience with fork braces.

 

[Traumahawk]

When I first got my Vmax....I had the Vmax wobble. After I tightened that up, I noticed that when I pull away from a stop sign, turning right, still had a bit of shake. The FIRST handling upgrade I did was a fork brace similar to a superbrace. It took care of the shake.

Some people have had good luck with better fork braces, some haven't. It probably comes down to the individual differences in how the bikes are made.

 

[you2low]

for a few dollars you can have one that looks good and works if you are concerned about itunk:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Vmax...Parts_Accessories&hash=item4612f6f11c&vxp=mtr

or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Star...Parts_Accessories&hash=item53f55ebd3e&vxp=mtr

 

[one2dmax]

I personally think they are ugly. The Mega brace fits the contour of the fender better and is a very robustly make part.

 

[05vmax]

the ufo brace is ugly that's why I but the exactrep brace

 

[95spfldmax]

my new frame bars and mega fork brace from exactrep came this week waiting for my ricor fork intiminators and my 180 tire to come. Still looking for a set of progressive shocks. Should handle 100% better.

Were you able to get the frame brace on without conflict and mods to the seat?? Looks like it fits well on that end.

 

[05vmax]

the frame braces went on with no conflict and mods to the seat excellent fit

 

[m-cman]

When I first got my Vmax....I had the Vmax wobble. After I tightened that up, I noticed that when I pull away from a stop sign, turning right, still had a bit of shake. The FIRST handling upgrade I did was a fork brace similar to a superbrace. It took care of the shake.

Some people have had good luck with better fork braces, some haven't. It probably comes down to the individual differences in how the bikes are made.

Sometimes just loosening and re-tightening the fork brace can fix a handling problem. If the forks were tweaked in any way doing this can let them get back into the proper position.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

I think they UFO brace, with its graceful
compound curves in the link looks like artwork compared to the square cut, "take some billet and make it fit" look of the others, including the one on my bike.
If I had a manual mill and and polishing equipment I could make all the other braces, no way in hell could you do the UFO without being either gifted or having a well programmed CNC mill.

Considering they are all limited to the four mounting points and the "bite" of the flat surfaces against each other my uneducated guess tells me any of them are plenty strong to get all the advantage that can be gotten out of one.

Maybe I'm weird just weird tho'

 

[gamorg02]

be careful with a 180 bias if thats what you're going with might make handling worse, being pinched on the rim.

 

[Traumahawk]

Sometimes just loosening and re-tightening the fork brace can fix a handling problem. If the forks were tweaked in any way doing this can let them get back into the proper position.

I hadnt ever thought about that....thank you.

 

[Redbone]

Sometimes just loosening and re-tightening the fork brace can fix a handling problem. If the forks were tweaked in any way doing this can let them get back into the proper position.

+1, also, you can loosen up the triple trees/ fork brace (securely supporting the rest of the bikes weight under the engine) and let the forks find their unbound position if you are experiencing front alignment/ shimmy type issues.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

+1, also, you can loosen up the triple trees/ fork brace (securely supporting the rest of the bikes weight under the engine) and let the forks find their unbound position if you are experiencing front alignment/ shimmy type issues.

For sure.
I've seen this happen due to the "head nut" and bearing tension being adjusted, who changes the distance between the upper and lower trees unless you loosen the fork pinch bolts on the upper tree while performing the head nut/nearing tension adjustment.

"Unbound position" is a good term which I am hereby stealing, it needs to be allowed to be where it wants to be....

 

[[email protected]]

I agree but usually loosen the lower triples, not uppers when I adjust the steering stem bearings

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Fire-medic]

Front wheel install, tighten the front axle (43 ft/lb). Move the forks through their travel several times to seat components. Then, tighten the front axle pinch bolt (14 ft/lb). Then the fork brace (6.5 ft/lb) & then the front fender (6.5 ft/lb).

Tighten the lower steering stem ring nut (36 ft/lb), then loosen it completely, and then re-tighten it to 2.2 ft/lb. The top steering stem nut gets finger tightened, then mount the top triple tree.

The service manual says after putting the downtubes top flush w/the top of the triple tree, to tighten the lower triple tree screws 1st (17 ft/lb), then the fork tube caps (17 ft/lb), then the top triple tree pinch bolts (14 ft/lb), then the steering stem nut (80 ft/lb).

With the front wheel and fork off the ground, check for any binding, lock-to-lock.


From the front wheel installation, steering head exploded diagram, and the front fork installation pages for an early fork. (VMX12N Service Manual, c.1984)

 

[Rollie]

Most frame braces are not an attractive addition , purely function oriented .......... except these ........

 

[desert_max]

Most frame braces are not an attractive addition , purely function oriented .......... except these ........

Fortunately, there's a wide selection. I actually MUCH prefer the no-nonsense utilitarian look of my Dale Walker Holeshot braces. And they made a very noticeable difference. Eliminated lots of the "unwinding" off throttle I felt before. I looked a lot of them and settled on these because they could almost look like they were born there: