Well, I've finally found a way to install a fork brace on the Street Glide. I've done a lot to improve the handling and stability of the bike but I still had the flimsy front fork to contend with. I started with Works Steel Tracker 13" rear shocks. An improvement over the shorty 12" stock air shocks. I then added a bagger brace to keep the rear suspension from deflecting with the rubber mounts in bumpy sweeping turns. Next came the Race Tech gold emulators and progressive springs at stock height to help with the front. Still not there. Next, I had Howard at Motorcyclemetal build a set of Ohlin 2.5 13.25" shocks. By far the greatest improvement on the bike. The handling improvement and ride, unbelievable improvement. The flimsy fork, still a problem. I wanted a fork brace but with the cowbells and no one making a brace for an FLH, I was SOL. I took a measurement off of an older Wide Glide with the 41mm forks had the same identical spacing between the forks. I thought, with the forgiving adjustment available with most styles of fork brace, this could be the answer. I removed the forks and then took off the cowbells and replaced them with gator boots. I noticed, the fork sliders aren't round at the top, they're kinda oblong. I bought a HD Accessory Fork Brace for a 2005 Wide Glide. I bought a set of take off sliders from the dealer from a chrome front end swap. I took the fork brace fork slider clamps to a local machine shop with the used sliders as a template. They milled the clamps to the right size. There is also a bit of a taper as well so placement on the slider is important. I installed the brace and it fit with no further modification needed. I took it on an aggressive road test with known trouble high speed sweeping bumpy curves to check out any improvement. I'd have to say, the front tracking improvement was significant. I'd say, the front is probably 70% more rigid with the brace. This mod, the improvement vs. cost, and I like the look as well, is well worth it.

 

Looks awesome.. Definitely makes your bikes stand out.. Good job man

 

Are those rubber boots integral to the brace?

 

An alternative solution and IMHO a more suitable one is a CCE Tour Trac Tree Kit, which comes with longer fork tubes and a new top tree, which clamps the longer tubes, unlike that awful stock set-up. The main cause of the fork problem is inadequate resistance to twisting at the wheel axle, which the CCE kit addresses. Mine is in progress as I write!

 

To each his own.Maybe thats why Harley upgraded the Rushmores to 49 mm forks,but I never noticed any front fork twisting on my previous touring bikes with the 41 mm forks.Maybe I am not that of a aggressive rider.

 

@Mongo mark : did it get rid of the lazy kind of wondering feel

 

I've been very content with one attempt at addressing the squishy feeling and response of the front end by adding Progressive Mono-tubes. http://www.progressivesuspension.com...9/monotube-kit
Major improvement!
Recommended!

 

The CCE kit is nice but it addresses faulty boxing at the top of the forks (thanks hd).
This somewhat helps keep things boxed/aligned at the other end although there is still 3 foot of telescoping metal going up and down between the tree and axle.

The OP's setup clamps the top of the lower legs which is a proven solution to stop them from rotating, twisting, bowing, and keeps them in parallel.
It ensures the axle cannot twist as it's now boxed in over a non-moving, non-telescoping part.
A square is stronger than a rectangle.

Good job OP.

 

So - a little good natured ribbing:

Its remarkable that HD is even still in business given years of idiot designers and idiot business managers. Even more amazing that every single bike doesnt just fall over and explode when leaving the dealer.

If only they had us to run the company!

 

A fork brace can indeed add rigidity, however it doesn't address the origin of the problem, which the CCE kit does. It would be interesting to do some torsion testing of stock forks, CCE kit and fork brace, for comparison. I suspect the CCE kit will win.