Tarozzi fork brace on a stock 850 Le Mans III

[sdcr]

I recently aquired a NOS Tarozzi fork brace, that should fit my 83 Le Mans III with the stock fork. This has "180" stamped on the inside. The Tarozzi appears to be a high quality machined piece, but checking with you folks who have more experience with these products regarding the install process.

   Following the Mfg. Instructions on installation, I attached the two fork collars first, and without tightening, it feels like the machine tolerance of the inside of the collars, is very tight, to the outside diameter of the fork stanchion. It is so tight a clearance, that it needs a clamp to pull the halves together, to start the Allen fasteners.

  Is this normal for installing a Tarozzi brace, and if not, will I damage the Le Mans original stanchions by" forcing them together? Attached is pic of the brace, and one of my bike.

[Arizona Wayne]

I have that same fork brace on my CX100(LM II) front fork which is wider than your forks, but I didn't cinch it down as tight as it could go around the forks, just tight enough to not move around.  Mine has abought 1/16" gap on both the front halves.

[sdcr]

so no concerns about the "tightness" of the fit of the collars?

I tried to keep the " gap " even in the front and back, just thought it would be better for keeping the fasteners straight.

I have that same fork brace on my CX100(LM II) front fork which is wider than your forks, but I didn't cinch it down as tight as it could go around the forks, just tight enough to not move around.  Mine has abought 1/16" gap on both the front halves.

[Groover]

When these are installed, what's the most noticeable improvement? Been wondering.

[sdcr]

I just installed mine about three hours ago, and our roads in bucks county pa. have too much road salt and ice patches. I'm looking forward to a test ride sometime in the next few weeks.

When these are installed, what's the most noticeable improvement? Been wondering.

[Guzzistajohn]

I have a CX100 with no brace and a LMIII with a brace. I don't notice a huge difference. But I'm now running Daytona either. Psssst.....It's 37 friggin' years old

[jumpmaster]

When these are installed, what's the most noticeable improvement? Been wondering.

On bikes with undersized fork legs, the brace reduces fork flexing a bit on rough road and "spirited" riding.  I had one on an older softtail Harley Wide Glide on which it produced a noticeable improvement, and just installed one recently on my Mille, on which the improvement has been miniscule.  I'm a relatively sedate rider, however, so someone else might notice a bigger difference.  For many, if not most, riders, installing an aftermarket fork brace is a little like having a whale-tail rear spoiler on a Toyota Corolla - looks trick but functionally does little.   

Should have mentioned up front that the Torazzi is a quality product.

After reading some later comments, maybe I was lucky I had no trouble getting the outside pieces to fit around the forks.  I do have a problem in that the "bridge" between the forks isn't high enough on my brace to fit the fork pieces fully down on the top of the lower legs - I can only get them down about halfway before the brides comes too close to the upper-outer edges of the fender.  I thought about drilling some holes in the fender supports to mount it closer to the wheel to create more clearance for the brace, but decided not to since the bike is otherwise close to pristine. Another solution would be to buy a "beater" front fender to modify & keep the original fender original - for show-off times.  My current mounting solution is working ok for now.

[siabeid]

I have one on my T3 and my Lemans 3 and plan on putting one on my v7 Sport. Our roads around here are pretty rough and I feel that it "tightens things up" on rough patches mid corner when moving at a brisk pace.

[Arizona Wayne]

so no concerns about the "tightness" of the fit of the collars?

I tried to keep the " gap " even in the front and back, just thought it would be better for keeping the fasteners straight.

You want to keep the alignment of your forks the same as they are before you adapt the brace, assuming your forks are correct.  My brace has been on for many years with no regrets or coming loose and it definitely made my forks feel more solid instead of flexi.  But if you don't push your front end much like I do in corners some times, you might not feel the difference.

My Convert. is not near as flickable as my CX and on it I figure it's steel fender & it's 4 mounts are  probably as good as a fork brace on it for solid feeling front forks.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Sdcr.. if I'm understanding correctly, you have to clamp the pieces that bolt to the forks together before you can insert the screws? If so, no that's not right.
I have Tarozzis on the Aero Lario and the Monza. Yes, they make quite a difference, and are worth doing.

[sdcr]

Chuck,

In a sense, that is correct. When I hand fit the collards to the stanchions, the fit is so tight, that in order to start the two fasteners, I had to put a C clamp, to pull the two parts together. It's not that they seem to not fit my stock Le Mans III forks, it just seems to be a very tight tolerance. Everthing that I have read on these indicates that the "180" is the correct Tarozzi fork brace.

Sdcr.. if I'm understanding correctly, you have to clamp the pieces that bolt to the forks together before you can insert the screws? If so, no that's not right.
I have Tarozzis on the Aero Lario and the Monza. Yes, they make quite a difference, and are worth doing.

[Arizona Wayne]

With your LM III on it's centerstand, loosen the bolts that tighten the forks to the triple trees and loosely put the fork brace parts in position.  Look at the bike from forward and see if it looks aligned.  From there tighten bolts up and look/see if the forks look right. Then when you have it all right, push up/down on the forks and see if it all is in synch. If you think it's now right, do a short test ride to verify.  If still not 100%, do over. 

[sdcr]

Wayne,

   Thanks for your input on this. I agree that is the correct way to do the final assembly, but it's not addressing what I originally posted.

    With the Tarozzi FB, there is a separate" bridge" that is installed after the collars are loosely put on the stanchions. So, when I say that I am hand fitting the collars, the bridge is not in place.

    The collars themselves seem to have an unusually tight tolerance in relation to the outside diameter of the stanchion. I can fit them, but a C clamp is needed to pull, or press the two pieces together ( without the bridge in place).

  So what I have a concern about, is the fit of the collars, to the stanchions, as it relates to the inside and outside tolerances of the fork brace.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Do you have any way of accurately measuring the fork od and the brace Id? It sounds like the brace Id is a *very little* undersized. A few thousandths of an inch should correct it.

[sdcr]

Yes, exactly. I believe that it may just be the coating on the alloy, that is making it snug. As mentioned before,I have been able to " make" the collars fit, but I am wondering if by doing this, it could damage the fork stanchions?

  I have the brace installed on the Le Mans now, but I plan to remove it and see if I can remove a fine amount of material on the inside of the collars. Thanks again for your comments.

Do you have any way of accurately measuring the fork od and the brace Id? It sounds like the brace Id is a *very little* undersized. A few thousandths of an inch should correct it.

[Stevex]

My LM2 would flex it's forks enough on bumpy roads to push the front caliper pistons back.
Fitting a brace cured this completely.



As you can see, my brace has a bridge that is secured once the collars are fitted.
The collars were solid once the fasteners were tightened.
You just need to ensure the collars don't 'pinch' the forks or they could prevent smooth operation.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The Tarozzis work the same way.

[sdcr]

So I decided to remove the Tarozzi fork brace from my Le Mans. I just am not comfortable with how tight the collars are fitting to the fork stanchions. I think that by using a fine sand paper, I can remove enough surface  material from the inside diameter of the collars, so that the fit is not too tight. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

So I decided to remove the Tarozzi fork brace from my Le Mans. I just am not comfortable with how tight the collars are fitting to the fork stanchions. I think that by using a fine sand paper, I can remove enough surface  material from the inside diameter of the collars, so that the fit is not too tight.

Yeah. An extra layer of paint on the fork legs can make it too tight. Clear out the collars as necessary. All that matters is that they fight tightly after the bolts are *tightened.* Assemble the whole thing loosely, tighten the collars, then tighten the bridge.

[SED]

Yes, exactly. I believe that it may just be the coating on the alloy, that is making it snug.

SDCR,

I just checked my LMIII and the top of the sliders are bare aluminum - no coating.  Perhaps just removing the coating where the clamps fit will make them fit better.

That said - the top edge of the sliders is a lip above the seal and bearing surface so even if the clamp was so tight it distorted the lip it would be unlikely to affect the operation of the forks.

[sdcr]

SED,
  The coating that I was referring to, appears to be on the inside of the brace collars, not the sliders..  I plan to remove a fine amount of material from the inside of the brace collars, not the slider. I'm hoping that this makes for a cleaner fit. Thanks.

SDCR,

I just checked my LMIII and the top of the sliders are bare aluminum - no coating.  Perhaps just removing the coating where the clamps fit will make them fit better.

That said - the top edge of the sliders is a lip above the seal and bearing surface so even if the clamp was so tight it distorted the lip it would be unlikely to affect the operation of the forks.

[PeteS]

Never had a Tarozzi brace but have similar braces for my BMW airhead (San Jose BMW) and a homemade one for my Norton. It should not matter of the collars fit tight as long as you can close them down. All you are clamping on is the seal. The clamp should be well above the bearing. You do need some play in the holes on the bridge piece though.
Here is my Norton Brace. Due to the fact that the sliders top out about two inches below the tire I had to make fork extensions.
Where I noticed the difference with and without the brace is when crossing lanes on a concrete highway the forks would deflect without the brace. No deflection with a brace.



Pete

[dan_s]

I found the tarozzi brace badly made. It fitted only after machining by a professional.
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=44147.0

[sdcr]

Dan,

   Yep, that's it in a nutshell.  I don't think that the tolerance is off extremely on the one I have. I think I can just file/ sand down the high spots. As someone on the thread mentioned, it's" not a straight bolt on part".

John

I found the tarozzi brace badly made. It fitted only after machining by a professional.
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=44147.0

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, it's not the nicest piece of kit in the world.. but I wouldn't even think about buying the aluminum and making one when I can buy a Tarozzi for a hundred bux and spend a few minutes making it fit. <shrug>

[NCAmother]

Well, it's not the nicest piece of kit in the world.. but I wouldn't even think about buying the aluminum and making one when I can buy a Tarozzi for a hundred bux and spend a few minutes making it fit. <shrug>

Chuck is right.  I picked up a Tarozzi fork, and it was undersized, the brace barely went over the forks.  Less than an hour with a carbide bit, got it to fit.  The Tarozzi brace I have is aluminum, and I also had to helicoil the brace.

[charlie b]

I did the same thing on the T5.  Just reamed out a little on the inside of the brace until they fit snug.

FWIW, I noticed a little improvement in things, but, only on bumpy corners.  Best improvement on mine was new rear shocks and FAC's in the front.  Don't forget steering head bearing too  :)

[Chuck in Indiana]

I did the same thing on the T5.  Just reamed out a little on the inside of the brace until they fit snug.

FWIW, I noticed a little improvement in things, but, only on bumpy corners.  Best improvement on mine was new rear shocks and FAC's in the front.  Don't forget steering head bearing too  :)

I'd already replaced the rear shocks and put FACs on the Aero Lario. I'd also made the OEM fender mount into sort of a fork brace with delrin bushings instead of rubber. It was still immediately noticeable when I put the Tarozzi on. Mine fit.. er.. ok. I did a fair amount of measuring, and bought the brace for the 750S. I can at least say that if you have a Lario, that's the one you want. 

[Moz]

I have an LM3, also white  , and the tarozzi fork brace.

None of these braces to my certain knowledge fit out of the box - a file is your friend..

As to their utility? In my view, on these old 35mm forks, as Guzziology states, you can feel the difference rolling down the driveway..  and a fork brace on old bikes is about the best bang for your handling buck.

[sdcr]

I can't speak to any ride improvements, since I have not shimmed it yet for a correct install on my bike. My Le Mans has Wirth springs/ FAC dampers,on the front, and Koni dial, a ride rear shocks. I'm not expecting anything noticeable, but as someone mentioned earlier, the stock 35 mm forks on the LM III can benefit from any additional upgrades.

When these are installed, what's the most noticeable improvement? Been wondering.