| Author | Message | ||
     Cycleaddict |
kinda curious how you guys like your steering damper--which one do you like ? pro-s?con-s? i have been experiencing a little" shake " (wobble) at about 90mph (xb9s) so to counter- act i loosen my arm muscles (but mantain grip with my hands)and lean forward > would a steering damper help ? | ||
| Mckennaxb12r |
Got one on my xb12r. I have a Storz steering damper. I think it was worth the money and yes I have felt the same head shake. I put one on about a year after buying the bike and changed the Dunlops out to Michelin pilot powers. Makes a huge difference in grip and the damper quiets down the shimmy. And yes all the steering components were checked under warranty before the install of the damper and everything was normal. | ||
| Tbowdre |
my bike now feels planted.. lsl. triple digits scared me a little and when i got tired and unweighted the front end coming out of turns. YIKES! | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
 The steering damper issue has been discussed many times on the board. Many expert riders, such as Daves, don't think that they are necessary, and for them, they probably are not. Other riders, such as myself, believe that they are a good idea, especially for larger riders on the short wheelbase models, which can get a bit twitchy cornering over bumps and during fast transitions from one direction to another. Rider skill and smoothness may also be a factor. Most racing bodies require dampers. Available models are the LSL which mounts under the lower triple clamp, and the Storz which is a side mount. I use the Ohlins, but no production mounts are available for it, or the Scott, another popular unit. just my .02¢ | ||
| Dago |
"Other riders, such as myself, believe that they are a good idea, especially for larger riders on the short wheelbase models, which can get a bit twitchy cornering over bumps and during fast transitions from one direction to another. " +1 I use the LSL. | ||
| Josh_cox |
Ohlins is available with production mounts for Firebolts only. It is the same model used on the XBRR. Steering dampers are very nice for track riding. For the street? You'd have to be pushing it VERY hard to need one. $414 for either the 41mm fork or the 43mm for. You would need to specify. Shoot me a PM or email jcox@cycleconnectionh-d.com if you are interested. | ||
| Dano_12s |
Addict,Hindsight is always 20/20. In a perfect world dampers mat not be needed,but having lived thru a 70 MPH tank slapper on a track it should have been a part that was on then. Now I have them[Storz]on my Uly+Cyclone.Hope the advice helps. | ||
| Old_man |
A steering damper is one of those things you never need until you need it. I use a LSL and I don't think I've ever needed it. But I'm happy it's there. There is never the slightest twitch and the bike is very stable. I don't know how much the damper is contributing to this, but it can't hurt the handling and gives peace of mind. | ||
| Tiburondriver47 |
I have the LSL and am pleased with it. I don't aways come down straight from a small unintended wheelie and would get a slight tank slap, the LSL takes care of my poor riding. | ||
| Daves |
I sell the LSL for 332.10 I can also get the RR one for the 414.00 Like Jon says above. I do not feel they are needed(for me, YMMV) but I do sell them to those that do like/need them. If nothing else, if a damper makes you more confident then it is worth the money. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I personally have not felt like I needed a damper. I also feel that they are a band aid that can hide some issues with the bike setup and your riding style. My recommendation is that everyone that uses a damper adjust it as soft as possible every once in a while and attempt to fine tune the suspension and then turn the damper back as a secondary 'comfort' item. | ||
| Old_man |
I have my LSL damper set to the 4th click from the least damping. At his setting I don't notice any extra effort to turn the bars in comparison to no damper. | ||
| Cycleaddict |
thanks- guys --i'm not totally familliar with the details or a steering damper. is the "damping" a consistant force(?) from lock to lock or is the damping stronger in the middle (handlebars straight ahead)position? do you think a steering damper will help cure my high speed oscillation (wobble)? | ||
| Old_man |
On the LSL damper the force seems consistent from lock to lock. It is like a suspension shock absorber, in that a fluid is forced to flow through an orifice that limits its speed of motion. This helps to prevent high speed oscillation. If you have this oscillation at all times now, something needs to be corrected on your bike. Don't rely on a steering damper to fix the problem. Before I installed the damper on my bike it had no wobble or other handling malfunction. (Message edited by old man on September 19, 2006) | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Cycleaddict, Are you still running the stock D616s? If so, your wobble is the tires. I worked and worked to "relax" my shoulders and arms. I kept having wobble at interstate speeds. I then thought it was just wind on my chest and shoulders. I replaced my tires with Avon Azaros and the "wobble" went away completely. The tires, quite frankly, suck for high speed. The split center lug squirms badly. | ||
| Cycleaddict |
bstrd, i am running metz. Z-6's and the frt tire does have a zig zaggy center groove- could-be the tire? my wobble only occurs when i blast up the interstate at about 90- 100mph. i usually only "blast" for a short period of time u-no traffic, cops, roadconditions, etc. so i really don't get much "time" for high speed diagnosis ! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Sorry, I assumed erroneously that you were piloting a Uly. As has been said here, there can be many things that contribute to the oscillations. Some are tire oriented. Some are in unmatched fork adjustments. Some are PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillations). I'm a fat bastard and I catch a lot of wind at those speeds. If I don't concentrate on a light grip, the wind buffets my shoulders causing my arms to move around. The steering is so sensitive that it don't take much. I would run through every other cause first. If the problem persists, drop $400 on a damper and be done with it. It can't really hurt anything. The only downside is that you dropped money on an unnecessary farkle. | ||
| Xbob |
anyone have a Scg with a damper? have any problems with the damper hitting the fender when the suspension compresses? | ||
| Steve_larson |
Hyperpro also offers a side mount if this helps... Steve Larson | ||
| Xbob |
a side mount would be good, as long as it doesnt stick out in front of the bike like a jousting pole. | ||
| M1combat |
It's a bandaid for that issue. I can see where they would be useful at a racepace but for wobble in a straight line... total bandaid... It'll probably work yeah... but if it's the tires then you'r tires will start to wear funny. If it's you then you haven't learned anything. If it's your suspension then you haven't adjusted it right. If it's your wheel balance you haven't learned to get your wheels balanced somehwere else... Fix the problem. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Storz supplies their side mount damper with "jousting pole" hardware. I have shown them how to do it the right way, but like many Harley people, they have their own way, and for them, that's the only way. Here is a Storz properly mounted on Ol' Yaller, my old Nine. The fork mount is by Attack, the engine mount is my own mount with the Storz long mounting bracket, ( they normally supply the short one).  I am currently running an Ohlins on my Twelve, also using my own mounts. Better unit than the Storz, IMHO.  | ||
| Hogs |
Heres a Stupid ? perhaps ,But having the mount attached to the motor which is rubber mounted wd. that not cause some strange things to happened.Not sure just asking ??? | ||
| Xbob |
was it storz that mounts it with the adj. end out in front of the bike? i think thats where i saw it like a jousting pole. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Chris, Interesting idea, but according Steve Storz that is not the reason it was pointing forward, and they do offer frame mounted dampers for other brands of motorcycle. When I sent him the picture if my installation, his comment was something like, " We thought about doing it like that,- I forget why we didn't". Bob- Yes, you are correct. The stock Storz mounts as you say, with the adjustment end out in front of the bike. I does look pretty funny, makes the damper somewhat more vulnerable, and it encourages accidental adjustment of the damper because the adjustment knob is at the end of the rod. Storz simply didn't take the time to design a proper installation. I did. Simple as that.  Curiously enough, there is hardly anything simpler to design and fabricate than a proper steering damper mount. I just don't know why they are so hard to find for the XB series. Like the Buell factory, I favor the Ohlins, because it is gas charged, and works best. (Message edited by gentleman_jon on September 21, 2006) | ||
| Xbob |
did you make the brackets for the ohlins? or did it come with them? | ||
| Cycleaddict |
M-1 are you haveing a "bad" day ? > "if its you then you have'nt learned anything." what the heck is THAT supposed to mean?? | ||
| Lenb |
Those side mounted ones (jousting pole style) are not the best looking set-up (in my opinion). Anyone got pics of the LSL dampers mounted under the steering head? How's the clearance with the LH airscoop? What about fitting an LSL with a RH airscoop? | ||
| M1combat |
Sorry  ... maybe that didn't come out right... I'm saying if it's technique and you add a damper to solve the problem then you haven't learned anything other than how to install a damper . | ||
| Cochise |
How do you like your steering damper? Well Done |
