| Author | Message | ||
     Sportriderwv |
I am going to get a damper for my 06 xb12r and looks like the lsl is the only one that will fit, was wondering how you all like yours and if you have had any problems with the heat from the exhaust bothering the damper. thanks | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
There is another steering damper that is currently available for the XB series, the Storz. I have one of these on my bike, and I wouldn't be without it: really helps with the stability problems of the short wheelbase XB's.  These are available from at least two of our Sponsors, American Sport Bike, ( Al Lighton), and Appleton HD, (Dave Stueve). Two concerns with this unit are: The Storz Company itself has a case of the Harley disease: total contempt for the customer. Secondly, the unit is very exposed, especially in the case of the Lightning. Sortz claims that this unit provides better damping than the transverse units like the LSL because it is a longer unit, and has a longer throw. I can't comment on this, but I can say it works very nicely on my bicycle. | ||
| Sportriderwv |
Well the storz wont fit on a 06, the fork tubes are to big, and the thing sticks out to far for my taste | ||
| Skully |
Hey Rob, I have the LSL on my XB9S (required for all bikes in the CMRA). I don't know that it even gets warmed by the exhaust. I'll keep on eye on it though.  Keith | ||
| Diablobrian |
I'd say friction would do more to warm it than exhaust, at least out on the track. We have never had a problem with the dampner on our race bike. | ||
| Trojan |
I think whoever you spoke to at Storz is giving you some flannel there. The reason that theirs is a longer travel damper is because of the position it is mounted in. Nothing to do with damping efficiency. By mounting the damper centrally as LSL have done it only requires half the travel of the old fashioned Storz type fitting. Take a look at any of the Jap/Italian sportsbikes and see where they have theirs fitted these days (apart from Honda of course, with their electronic damper). They are almost without exception mounted centrally above the top yoke. The LSL works in the same way but under the bottom yoke. We have fitted the LSL damper to XB9R, XB9S and XB12X models and all have worked very well indeed, particularly on the Ulysses  | ||
| No_rice |
i have been debating for awhile about putting one on. i havent convinced myself it is worth the money yet. i have never really had a stability problem with my bike, and it doesnt know the meaning of a leisurely ride. | ||
| Mckennaxb12r |
Have an xb12r 04' with a Storz steering damper on it. Makes a huge difference. One thing that I did notice is a low speeds the bike had a weave/tracking problem that is indicative of aftermarket dampers. If you get one make sure the tire pressure is set correctly and don't overtorque the damper adjustment setting otherwise you will go to make a turn and be on your butt! I currently am not running the stock Dunlop tires that came with the bike and have Michelins on them. For some reason with the correct tire pressure and the Michelins the tracking problem has cleared up. One guy told me that the Dunlops are a flatter contact tire whereas the Michelins have a more angular contact patch. Either way the problem is solved and I am all for steering dampers. Good luck in your purchase!!!  | ||
| Paulinoz |
I had a problem with a weave / tracking when I fitted a Storz, caused by me tightening the clamp around the body of the damper to tight causing it to act like a centre detent that was 2 deg of centre. Fixed by backing of mounting clamp a tad. Had no more issues in 2 years of operation set to minimum settings. Should take it off to lighten the bike a bit. | ||
| Race_pirate |
I have the LSL,a damper is required/strongly sugested by Race Rules. I had ridden my XB9R on the street without a damper prior to the conversion to race only use, I never experienced head shake, twitchyness or anything unsettling at any speed. I couldnt get over how stable the bike was for such a short wheelbase. With saying that, its a good idea to mount one anyway. I have the LSL and have had zero problems, I like that its mounted out of the way and that in the event I crash (which I have)there is little chance its another part I will need to replace. | ||
| Slaughter |
I've crash tested my Storz twice, bent it both times. Sure, the fix was "only" like $85 - but the underneath type mount wouldn't have gotten bent. I asked them about whether they'd make mounts for sideways-type dampers. They said no - though they do make short, side mount types for other sportbikes. Steering damper is good. Storz sidemount is good but vulnerable in a crash and if you DO tip over, another $100 is just $100 uglier. The only thing to say about a larger volume damper is that on a longer race it MIGHT warm up more with repeated usage, meaning that you would be adjusting it more often. Could figure in endurance racing. GPR is working on a rotary for our XB-type Buells and it will also come with a twist-type damping adjuster. Looked at one in October but they didn't have pricing yet. I don't think I'd bother with the adjustable damping for sprint racing. FUSA Thunderbike, yes... endurance yes. (Message edited by slaughter on December 22, 2005) | ||
| Cowtown |
Rotary damper would be great. Did it mount on the bottom or top of the steering head? I'm visualizing a rotary damper that mounts on the bottom using a new motor mount bracket as the fixed point. Am I close? | ||
| Buelltroll |
 This would be cool if it was mass produced. | ||
| Cowtown |
Interesting, it uses the air box cover bolt holes to attach the fixed point. Slaughter, does GPR have a website? | ||
| Slaughter |
Cowtown, I don't know if GPR does have a website (thought they did, haven't googled anything lately about them). I will contact Scott Jensen - I pit for him in AMA SBK and he's sponsored by GPR. I talked to them out here at Willow Springs and they were working on a design. They do NOT use the hold-downs as shown in Buelltroll's pic - because of the problems associated with tying into the gas tank. I also don't like the top triple machined out of billet because having fallen too many times, I don't like the idea of tearing the frame/tank open instead of breaking the triple clamps. The billet top triple would be too strong, meaning if you binned it, you would be at risk of a major fuel-fed fire. They had some good ideas at GPR but nothing I've heard about since last October. They talked about tying the stabilizer into the front mounts that the fairing mount attaches to. Kinda makes sense to look at it. They did offer to make one for me but I'd have to pay them for the setup and machining. Sorry but I can bend a BUNCH of Storz dampers before I'd pay another bunch of $C-notes to have a custom mount builtup. Wish I knew more... maybe I'll do some look-see. I'm caught between the same rock and a hard place. Another $90 to fix my Storz (again) - or suck it up and get a GPR or Scott/Ohlins and fiddle with it myself. | ||
| Al_lighton |
GPR is down here in San Diego...I spoke with them a couple weeks ago about doing something. They have a design in CAD but haven't built it yet, citing lack of bikes to test with. I told them that I can solve that part for them. Their idea for making it work isn't as Slaughter described, and their idea should work. I didn't get the feeling I'd be seeing it any time soon though. I'll have to keep pestering them. I like rotary dampers, but NOT that mounting method that Donnie posted. That looks like nothing but trouble to me. | ||
| Cowtown |
It seems they should be able to make a radial damper under the steering head using the front engine mount as a fixed location. If all the Buells have the same frame geometry at the steering head it should fit them all. But I’m not an engineer. |
