Hawk Fork Brace Mod

[China Rider 27]

Originally Posted by 65cabriolet

We need a popcorn smiley so I can sit back and watch this thread, I got too many fabrication jobs already to add another...

I've been saying that about this mod for 2 years!

[JerryHawk250]

It wouldn't be hard to fabricate one out of some flat bar but have too many other projects to work on myself. I still have people asking me about the Skid plates and center stands. Not enough time in the day to even think about making more.

[China Rider 27]

Yaa I thought about that too but it would be much quicker to have a store bought. WPS got me just like they got OLR back day. Bait and switch No thanks! They disappeared for a long time at least something reasonably priced.

There were a few lucky guys who got center stands and skid plates back when you had your production line! Another couple mods I think about for the someday.

[wally]

Thanks JerryHawk and just FYI, wpsracing told me they are out of stock of every variation of the ultima fork braces and they aren't coming back.


Not sure why they don't just disable the ordering of them...

[bigdano711]

All links I tried are dead. Did someone come up with a new brace?

[Bill Hilly]

Originally Posted by bigdano711

All links I tried are dead. Did someone come up with a new brace?

Most people that buy one use one for a Harley WIDE Glide, and then still have to do a little bending, and I think drilling. I have homemade ones on both my Hawk, and TBR7.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by bigdano711

All links I tried are dead. Did someone come up with a new brace?

You are on the right track. The best way(s) to stiffen up the Hawk front fork include a fork brace and internal valve cartridge fork emulators. Oh, and shim the springs if they are too soft for your weight.

Megadan installed the emulators on his Hawk. He documented this here.

These mods won't cost you more than a few hundred bucks. I am sorry I don't have links but someone here will. I went with inverted forks on both my china bikes to avoid all of that. Inverted forks are hardly new technology, and they are available on many Chinese dirt bikes. I really don't know why the Hawk doesn't have them. The Bashan Storm has 'em at $1500 plus shipping, and of course every Templar model has 'em.

[Megadan]

The cartridge emulators don't stiffen up the forks, but they sure do make it ride 10 times better.

Setting the right preload on them is a huge improvement on its own with the right level of fork oil or atf. The fork brace isn't needed, but it makes a heck of a difference in braking and handling.

The brace is indeed for a wide glide. Just needs the right bolt pattern drilled into it and possibly a little squishing action. If you have to kinda force it/work it into place to bolt it on, it probably needs a slight squeeze.

[wally]

The brace made a big diifference for me at least, makes the front end feel alot more "together".


And with an offroad and on road set of rims, it makes swapping back and forth easier for me. I was always ending up with the forks slightly twisted before the brace, and having to get someone to hold the rim while torquing to get it set up right.


As Megadan has described, I used a random wide glide brace from eBay, and squeezed it a tiny bit in the vice. Then I drilled new holes.

[Zapkin]

could this product be made to work on Hawk:



https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Tracker-Front-Harley-Sportster/dp/B07H1DY1XG/ref=sr_1_25?crid=2XF1IZ4CU73JN&keywords=fork+brace +for+harley+wide+glide&qid=1691702029&sprefix=fork +brace+for+harley+wide+glide%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-25

[Bill Hilly]

A guy over on the Hawk Facebook sight had one similar to that, and he was under the impression it was for a Wide Glide, BUT I don't think it actually is. He held it up in place, and it came up way past his tire. I told him that he would probably be best to cut it off right below the next set of small round holes. I asked him the spacing between the two
holes I just mentioned, but he evidently never measured them. I don't think it's the brace that everyone recommends, but I'm sure it could be *Made* to work, if one is willing to do a little trimming, and probably welding up on of the mention holes on each side, and drilling another. The reason I asked him to measure between the second set of small round holes is just to compare spacing to the threaded holes in the Hawk's lower forks.

[XLsior]

I made the amazon/aliexpress brace mod work for the xl185 so it should be easy enough to adapt to a hawk

https://www.chinariders.net/showpost...&postcount=415

[Zapkin]

thanks. probably outside my capabilities.

[Deckard_Cain]

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

A guy over on the Hawk Facebook sight had one similar to that, and he was under the impression it was for a Wide Glide, BUT I don't think it actually is. He held it up in place, and it came up way past his tire. I told him that he would probably be best to cut it off right below the next set of small round holes. I asked him the spacing between the two
holes I just mentioned, but he evidently never measured them. I don't think it's the brace that everyone recommends, but I'm sure it could be *Made* to work, if one is willing to do a little trimming, and probably welding up on of the mention holes on each side, and drilling another. The reason I asked him to measure between the second set of small round holes is just to compare spacing to the threaded holes in the Hawk's lower forks.

That was probably me... I haven't gotten around to the XR engine guard or fork brace yet.. too busy on life/work stuff.

For me what model HD the brace was for was irrelevant, I'm going to be bending, cutting, drilling, and possibly welding on it anyhow. It was more a matter of getting a brace of sufficient size, thickness, and general shape that I could use as a starting point.

It came up super high off my tire because I simply placed it where it would be if you could use the intended mounting holes.

Clearly it needs new holes drilled, so those would be placed higher up the brace, thus lowering it closer to the tire.

[Bill Hilly]

Originally Posted by Deckard_Cain

That was probably me... I haven't gotten around to the XR engine guard or fork brace yet.. too busy on life/work stuff.

For me what model HD the brace was for was irrelevant, I'm going to be bending, cutting, drilling, and possibly welding on it anyhow. It was more a matter of getting a brace of sufficient size, thickness, and general shape that I could use as a starting point.

It came up super high off my tire because I simply placed it where it would be if you could use the intended mounting holes.

Clearly it needs new holes drilled, so those would be placed higher up the brace, thus lowering it closer to the tire.

If you get the chance, measure the center to center spacing between the set of small round hole that are one row up from the bottom, and the width of the brace itself up about that point. That information will be a big help to those thinking about seeing if they want to try to make it work.