Steering damper?

D-Bo

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Do I really need an aftermarket steering damper for regular street and highway riding? If so which one should I get?
 
Unfortunately the part you can't predict is when you'll really need an aftermarket damper. Many people remove the stock damper, flush the oil out of it and fill it with straight 90w oil to make it stiffer.
If you're truly just riding it on the street, not wheeling all over the place and burning the turns on the ragged edge, you should be fine not touching the stock damper.
If you feel safer with an aftermarket damper, there's many choices and prices. I recently purchased the Hyperpro RSC active damper, at the moment I didn't find anything that is up to date as this one. Not cheap, $400+, but I had a seriously close call a few weeks ago drag racing so I needed to do something more for my piece of mind then anything. Come to find out when I removed the stock damper, it was bad, thus not stopping the violent tank slapper that nearly tossed me right off the bike at about 115mph.
Lots of choices out there, just depends what you're doing with the bike.
 
No, for everyday the stock one is fine. Some guys put heavier oil in it, but that's according to taste........
 
How about for high speeds on the freeway? Up to 160 or so. Is that where a "tank slap" is likely to occur. Excuse my ignorance, but this is the first sportbike I have had and I have heard horror stories about "tank slappers". I will just be riding on the street and maybe getting aggressive on the freeway every now and then. I just don't want to spend so much on something that is primarily used for racing if it wouldn't really help much as far as safety is concerned. I DON"T want to crash!
 
Stock one for the street is just fine. You may feel more comfortable putting the 90W in there; plus it's a cheap upgrade.
 
(TheNOSman @ Nov. 10 2006,03:41) Stock one for the street is just fine.  You may feel more comfortable putting the 90W in there; plus it's a cheap upgrade.
any tips on how to do this?
sounds like another winter project?
thanks
 
(ranman @ Nov. 09 2006,22:47)
(TheNOSman @ Nov. 10 2006,03:41) Stock one for the street is just fine. You may feel more comfortable putting the 90W in there; plus it's a cheap upgrade.
any tips on how to do this?
sounds like another winter project?
thanks
+1 in interested to
 
I removed the cover under the nose. Pulled out the dampner. Just a couple of bolts. Then there is a screw on the side of it, open it up then push the piston in and out several times to get out all of the old fluid. It will squirt out so watch where you are aiming it. Don't ask how I found out. DUH!! Then just hold the dampner in the bottle or something you can get it into that has the 90w fluid in it. While it is submerged just push the piston in and out to get all of the new fluid in and the air out. Probably at least 20 times to get out all of the air. I know there was a post with more detailed explanations then mine but I couldn't find it. Pretty easy to do. I am far from an expert on Dampners or racing etc.. But I like it and notice the difference. Hope I helped?
 
A quick check for any damper, specially if you just changed the fluid... hold the body of the damper with the rod in the middle, grab it and try to move it in and out rapidly. There should be ZERO free play in the rod before it gets stiff and does what it's suppose to, even from start to finish.
My stock damper would move about 3/8 of an inch in either direction before really catching, the reason it didn't prevent the tank slapper.
 
how did you fix it?
i do notice when rideing no handed the bars wobbale a bit
 
(ranman @ Nov. 11 2006,18:29) how did you fix it?
i do notice when rideing no handed the bars wobbale a bit
Damper or no damper your front wheel shouldn't wobble when you take your hands off the bar. If your wheel isn't bent then your tire/wheel is probably out of balance.
 
(EXTREMEFUN1300 @ Nov. 12 2006,00:06) How did I fix it??  I bought a $440 Hyperpro RSC active steering damper

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[HOW DO YOU LIKE THE HYPERPRO? CAN YOU FEEL A DIFFERENCE?size=6][/size]<span style='color:blue'></span>
 
I changed my oil in mine...and like the slightly firmer feel to it....

I have nearly the whol bottle left.

So.....if anyone (that has their bike put away for winter ....or not...) wants to send me their dampner, I will swap out their oil and ship it back to them at no charge. You just cover the shipping to me.

I have a couple of weeks starting Dec 23...where I can do this.
Anyone that can get me their dampner before Christmas...I'll have it back to you before the New Year.
Post up or PM me if interested.

Just a thought.
BC

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