Warning fork brace users

[balky1]

I would like to send a warning to all of you fork brace users. I installed a fork brace last year and had no issues until today. There were two of us on the bike, I was lightly braking and hit a pothole. Front fork bottomed out and fork brace hit the front brake splitter pretty hard. I've noticed I've lost the pressure on the lever immediately, but managed to park it without problems. I noticed a leak from the splitter, probably cracked. And a clear mark on the fork brace where it contacted the banjo bolt holding the brake lines.
So, aside as to why the forks bottomed out, problematic is the fact that the fork brace can get in touch with such important part of the bike, not allowing a full travel to the front fork.

[oldktmdude]

   The same thing happened to my mate during our ride through Tasmania last year. Hit a sharp edged pothole at speed and
then found he had no front brakes. The fork brace had hit the splitter so hard it compressed the copper washers on the banjo
bolt and they leaked fluid. We tightened up the banjo and he was good to go. He had hit the pothole so hard that the
ignition key flew out of the ignition. We found the key after a short search.
   Regards, Pete.

[red]

Hey guys,

I'd still keep the fork brace.  This would be a great time to run two new stainless steel wrapped hydraulic hoses from the calipers to the front brake master cylinder.  Replace the top banjo bolt with a two-line banjo bolt.  Any decent hydraulics shop will have the two-line banjo bolt, and they would be able to make exactly the hoses that you will need.  They will probably have clear or several translucent-colors of sheathing for those new hoses.  Your braking action will be much better then, so brake with caution at first.

[Country Joe]

Hey guys,

I'd still keep the fork brace.  This would be a great time to run two new stainless steel wrapped hydraulic hoses from the calipers to the front brake master cylinder.  Replace the top banjo bolt with a two-line banjo bolt.  Any decent hydraulics shop will have the two-line banjo bolt, and they would be able to make exactly the hoses that you will need.  They will probably have clear or several translucent-colors of sheathing for those new hoses.  Your braking action will be much better then, so brake with caution at first.

This right here........

[balky1]

Hey guys,

I'd still keep the fork brace.  This would be a great time to run two new stainless steel wrapped hydraulic hoses from the calipers to the front brake master cylinder.  Replace the top banjo bolt with a two-line banjo bolt.  Any decent hydraulics shop will have the two-line banjo bolt, and they would be able to make exactly the hoses that you will need.  They will probably have clear or several translucent-colors of sheathing for those new hoses.  Your braking action will be much better then, so brake with caution at first.

I was thinking the same. If just I haven't put those new lines two years ago....

[giantkiller]

Or just go inverted. And you have nothing to worry about... and you'll get all the chicks.

[balky1]

Or just go inverted. And you have nothing to worry about... and you'll get all the chicks.

OK, I fixed it. Turnes out nothing got broken, just the banjo bolt got loose.

[CutterBill]

... and you'll get all the chicks.

So that's what I'm doing wrong...