Has anyone put a Steering Damper on thier bike?

[m4panther]

I'm thinking about it and if anyone has or has any suggestions it would be appreciated.

[phlat65]

scotts has a kit, someone has already bought one from them, and they did the research. call them direct. Good luck

[F0ul_Oli]

I'm confused - why would you put a steering damper on an MZ?

I would have thought the handling is well within the capabillity of the engine - even if you have hotted it up a bit.

[keithcross]

Generally I would agree that the MZ is pretty stable, except at higher speeds on motorways with some types of tyre fitted (mainly `wet' type tyres in teh dry) when a high speed weave can set in above 85mph. This has happened tome once and it real frighening, thought he bike was going to let go until I leant forward and it went away.

Keith

[F0ul_Oli]

I always get a weave when I'm on the motorway - 90mph and over! - all trial bikes are the same!

Its down to the wind hitting the handlebars -I'm not sure if a steering damper is the way to go though - I would have thought its more a job for a fairing!

[Dano33]

Yes, it makes a huge differance at all speeds. No more headshake and the bike will easily hold a line on the roughest of roads. It's a little pricey to set up, but well worth the effort.

Dan

[F0ul_Oli]

What is that contraption??

I guess it works by getting lots of weight over the front wheel to stop anything from wanting to move!

Seriously, could someone explain how it works because it looks nothing like any damper I've ever seen.


Oli

[cdfisher]

Here is the scoop. This is taken from http://www.scottsperformance.com and explains everything you always wanted to know about steering stabilizers, specifically Scotts Stabilizers.

Enjoy...

What is a Scotts Steering Stabilizer? (patent #4,773,514)
It is a compact, fully adjustable, hydraulic shock absorbing damper that mounts to your steering head area right above you handlebar mount. By helping to stabilize the front end of your motorcycle, the rear of the motorcycle will track straighter allowing the rest of your suspension to work the way it was designed to.. It has also been proven to help minimize rider fatigue and the dreaded arm pumping situation that occurs while wrestling the front end of your bike. A Scotts Steering Stabilizer is the single greatest improvement you can make to your motorcycle. This is more predominant now a-days due to the steeper head angles you find on production bikes.


How does it work?
Basically, it operates under the same principle as your front forks. Valving inside the unit reacts to the slightest of jolts that are transferred through the forks and crowns of your motorcycle. Internal circuitry and hydraulic valving readjusts the amount of shock that would have been received through your handlebars. The link arm which connects the stabilizer to the frame, reacts instantaneously, completely absorbing any unwanted movement. Your suspension was designed to handle the vertical movement of your motorcycle. Scotts Steering Stabilizer completes your suspension package by controlling the unwanted horizontal movement that is continually transferred, while riding or racing, to your handlebars.


Where does the Stabilizer work best?
Anywhere there are forces trying to push or pull your front end left to right. If you ride in the desert, Scotts Steering Stabilizer will soon become your best friend. You will find that it completely eliminates the head-shake and instability you get while riding on washboard fire-roads, rocky sections and in high speed sand washes. It helps keep your motorcycle straight in the whoops In the woods, it's a dream come true. Sharp edged rocks and tree roots that send a shock all the way up to your jawbone are reduced to minor disturbances that allows your suspension to work the way it was intended to. Motocrossers will find the Scotts Steering Stabilizer will definitely provide the winning edge. Your bike will track straighter through the stutter bumps, big rollers and sweeping turns while assuring secure landings at the end of doubles or tabletops. Being infinitely adjustable, there is no reason not to use it. It has no disadvantages!


Why is our Stabilizer so much better than others?
One of our dampers most important features is that the Scotts Stabilizer only dampens as the handlebar turns away from center. The handlebar "free-valves" back to dead straight. That makes the bike want to go straight, all by itself. This is a huge advantage over other dampers. It is the only damper where the main damping control is adjustable on the fly. It only takes two seconds of one handed riding to change the damping, similar to the time it would take to pull the string on your roll off lens. Even more importantly, the Scotts damper has a "high-speed" damping adjustment. Most impacts and head-shake at the front wheel are high speed" movements, where on the other hand, turning is a low speed movement. If you don't like the feeling the damper provides in turns, you can adjust it out and still retain the resistance to high speed impacts, NO OTHER DAMPER HAS THESE FEATURES. Not only is the damping rate and high speed circuit adjustable, but the arc of movement over which it operates is also adjustable.


Can the damper be mounted to other bikes I own?
Another nice feature about the Scotts damper is that it is transferable between bikes in seconds. If you have more than one bike, you only need one damper and a couple of mounting kits to be able to transfer it from bike to bike. That way you can use it Saturday on your XR400 for a dual sport ride and Sunday put it on your CR for a desert race or motocross. Unlike suspension or motor mods, when you sell your bike, you can take it with you to install on your next bike. Most applications use very simple bolt on brackets for mounting. "Dirt Rider" Magazine says "It's the best investment you can make!"


Does it really work for Motocross or freestyle?
Well, John Dowd, Robbie Reynard and Brian Deegan think so. If you’re a motocrosser, the Scotts Steering Stabilizer will give you that extra push and confidence by saving you previously wasted energy. Ever land in a pothole and scare yourself? Ever come up short on a double and have the bars yanked out of your hands? Ever have the track conditions steer YOU off course? You won’t believe how this little jewel will compensate for errors like that. Just ask someone who owns one! It is infinitely adjustable to all riding situations, so there is no reason not to use it. It has NO disadvantages!


Will it fit on any motorcycle?
In theory, the Scotts Steering Stabilizer can be adapted to fit any motorcycle on the market including vintage bikes. We have however, designed the unit to be a "bolt-on" item for all of the major brand off-road motorcycles. We also offer a weld-on version for those who prefer that feature. We are the official stabilizer for Kawasaki Team Green, KTM America and Husaberg America. Honda off road and the Yamaha factory both use our damper. We have kits that will mount on Suzukis, Husqvarna, ATK's, Gas/Gas, Vertemati and TM's as well.


Is it easy to put on?
If you can change a spark plug, you should be able to install a Scotts Steering Stabilizer. If you have any questions during installation we are here to help you. There is no welding and it mounts in minutes. The unit comes with a step by step instruction manual that would make it easy even for Forest Gump. Remember though, this is a very sophisticated unit that does more for your motorcycle than any other after market improvement. You need to make sure you install it correctly to gain the maximum potential.


Does it need constant servicing like some of the other dampers I've seen?
No Way. In fact when mounted correctly it almost needs no attention at all. Just like your forks and shocks though, you'll need to give it some "TLC" many hours of usage. It is designed so there are no wearable parts, however, Scotts Performance Products provides a complete service program should you need it. Simply UPS the unit to us in between rides or races and will put it through our ten point inspection program that includes tolerance checks and oil refreshening. You'll have it back in time for your next race.


Is it worth the investment?
Well every top off-road magazine in the country considers this product one of the top ten products of all time! That's a potent statement. It is not the only stabilizer on the market, but it is definitely the best and has more features than all of the other ones combined! Remember, we are the originator of this idea and we own the patent! If you plan to continue riding for one year or the next ten years, our stabilizer will still be there when others have long disappointed you. Our unit transfers between bikes in seconds, allowing you to switch between several bikes or upgrade easily from year to year.


Check out these features:

It is the only Stabilizer with three fully adjustable circuits.
It is the only Stabilizer that has an adjustable damping control that allows you to adjust it while riding.
It is the only Stabilizer that allows you to adjust the amount of degrees of damping you want from centerline.
It is the only Stabilizer that has a "High Speed Circuit" designed to absorb those sharp edged jolts.
It is the only Stabilizer that successfully works for every type of off-road application... including Motocross.
It is the only Stabilizer that easily moves from motorcycle to motorcycle in literally seconds.

[Sam56n]

when i raced my R1, i started with a scotts a my own damner, then i got into ohlis and was looking for a sponcer, i ended up switching to ohlins dampner and found out that scotts and ohlins are the same company anyways

if you don't know what that is, you don;t need it


if you do, it is one of the best mods for a sport bike, i figure it'll be pretty good for this, i'm thinking about doing that as soon as i rig some exhaust on this thing!!!

[Porscheguy]

New 2005 Street Moto/Baggy owner, here.

After riding mine 100 miles, there were certain things I refused to live with and this headshake >80mph was one of them. I haven't yet forked out the cash for the steering dampner but I did change those Ps out and installed Metzler Sportecs. There is a 65 front sport profile available so I went with the lower profile to try to get more downforce on the front. I don't know if the profile made much of a difference but the Metzlers were a huge improvement over the stock Pirelli tires as far as keeping the bike planted on the pavement and not hopping all over the freeway at high speed. You will still NEED a stering dampner >85, though because I still have headshake; it is just not nearly as pronounced. SORTA FIXED.

Before anybody asks, also the clutch and foot mechanism neeed work, talk about notchy and the spacing was good maybe if you wore dirt racing boots. I had the two nuts crammed together in the linkage and still I was sticking half my foot in the damn thing to make it shift and with some serious effort. FIXED.

Then (this is the stock reduced height version) the kickstand is the same as the full height version... so the kickstand is WAY too tall on the reduced height version. If the pavement was perfectly flat, it would barely lean over enough to kickstand, the the pavement sloped towards the kickstand at all, forget it. I was alays turning the bike all these stupid directions just to park it! So off came a good 1" off the kickstand and the foot re-heliarced back on. FIXED.

Anyways, i could go on but I don't want to get off-topic. The steering dampner is highly recommended as is going with street tires if you ride on the street and have issues with stability at speeds.