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Do I need a steering damper?

80K views 52 replies 34 participants last post by  AntDX316 
#1 ·
Yes.

 
#4 ·
Saw the shit coming too!!! Sweet "oh shit" moment.
 
#12 ·
Yea it's probably my favorite angle out of all the ones I've tried.

Thanks, feels goodman

Why the R6 doesnt come stock with a stablizer blows my mind. :screwy A steering damper is the first thing on my list for my winter mod session! I've been eyeing the GPR V4 Stabilizer, what brand/style you considering?
I have an Ohlins linear damper installed. It's on a low setting as I don't like the way it feels cranked up. I prefer a more natural feel with enough setting to save my ass in moments like these.

Looking to buy one soon.
That helmet he is wearing is pimp- love Suomy lids.


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app
Thanks, it's the Suomy Vandal Murales Graffiti lid. Pretty sure it was a limited run though.
 
#7 ·
yep saw that one comin as well. Would a damper help... yeah. But it wont be a miracle worker. If the bars are going to slap, they're gonna do it even with a damper.

I have a stock damper on my 09 R1 and with the "right" (read: wrong) input on this one section of road I ride, it will tank slap EVERY TIME. But that doesn't keep me from being heavy handed when I ride that section, you just need to know how to react to it and remember where/how you made it happen, then try to make adjustments so that it doesn't happen again.

And... I think that you scared the guy behind you more than you scared yourself. haha.
 
#13 ·
as long as you understand why it happened, you can make adjustments so that it doesn't happen again. there's a lot of ripples coming out of 10b onto the front straight if you push out to the edge of the track early. combined with the act of adjusting yourself on the bike as you're rolling on the throttle is likely what caused this.

i had a vicious head shake this season at gingerman coming out of turn 6 that sent me off-track at about 90mph. totally my fault; lazy, tired, last session, too much input on the bars.

because of that, i will be getting a damper, too. mostly because i know me and i know that i will one day be lazy and tired at the end of the day again.

good save, btw...

Why the R6 doesnt come stock with a stablizer blows my mind. :screwy A steering damper is the first thing on my list for my winter mod session! I've been eyeing the GPR V4 Stabilizer, what brand/style you considering?
i'm getting the pit bull. seems like all the STG guys are using them and like them and that's good enough for me...


s3aturnr
 
#32 ·
as long as you understand why it happened, you can make adjustments so that it doesn't happen again. there's a lot of ripples coming out of 10b onto the front straight if you push out to the edge of the track early. combined with the act of adjusting yourself on the bike as you're rolling on the throttle is likely what caused this.

i had a vicious head shake this season at gingerman coming out of turn 6 that sent me off-track at about 90mph. totally my fault; lazy, tired, last session, too much input on the bars.

because of that, i will be getting a damper, too. mostly because i know me and i know that i will one day be lazy and tired at the end of the day again.

good save, btw...



i'm getting the pit bull. seems like all the STG guys are using them and like them and that's good enough for me...


s3aturnr
THIS** It's so important to understand WHY it happened in the first place so that you can avoid it happening again. The description of why it probably occurred is a great one as well. Anytime there are bumps or ripples on the pavement combined with added rider input (moving around on the bike, gripping the bars tightly etc) and the bike can develop good head shake. Steering dampers can help for sure but there are things the rider can do to prevent headshake/tankslappers and things they can do do deal with one if you happen to experience one.

That being said: What can you do to avoid tank slappers and what should you do if you have one? (with or without a damper...)
 
#15 ·
3rd person view of the OP -

Start at 1:15
 
#20 ·
That's what I thought, I had no idea how nasty it was.
 
#21 ·
ive had more then a few times of that, walt (3rd-geer) was right behind me and thought i was going to be launched from the bike. its really only when i get tired or lazy with body position. i had money to blow so i picked up a nice ohlins damper but i dont expect it to perform miracles, if anything the head shake is always an indication to me that im doing something wrong and id rather it not be drowned out by a damper.
 
#22 ·
i had money to blow so i picked up a nice ohlins damper but i dont expect it to perform miracles, if anything the head shake is always an indication to me that im doing something wrong and id rather it not be drowned out by a damper.
Ohlins will perform miracles.

Head shake is not an indication of you doing something wrong (not always)... it's also an indication of physics. You can't beat it alone, but Ohlins will help you. Isaac Newton would get a hard on if he saw what dampers could do.
 
#23 ·
I dont ride track much anymore (kids take most of that kind of play money ). I had a pretty severe head shake while changing lanes on the freeway and hit a what i think was a pothole. Was able to ride through it. Bought a Scott's damper the next day. It changed the entire feel if the bike on the street. Its set really loose but bad road bumps mid turn dont phase the bike one bit. Ill have one on any future bike i have. I think ill set my suspension up without one on it though. It does mask some suspension feel.
 
#27 ·
yes i'll get a pic of the mount up next week once i get done with my pre-race maintenance.
 
#28 ·
I hope your next race was two years in the future Shawn.



That's the mount location and angle, and it's just using a few of the included brackets to get it oriented and angled properly.
 
#33 ·
I rode on the track for a while and never had a damper. I had some head shakes and the skipping of the front tire off the ground was always sketchy but it didn't bother me. Until I had one almost throw me off, then I purchased one.

Has anyone ever cut open a $600 Ohlins and a $100 damper from China? Just curious.
 
#37 ·
Now THIS is the right question to ask. Durability on the clones is definitely worse but even if the China one lasts only 2 seasons, it'll be 12 years before the ohlins is more cost-effective. The next question is quality which is truly a good question. Perhaps someone with experience can chime in?
 
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