steering dampers

[shadoxkila]

I'm probably going to invest in a steering damper when i get the money(hopefully soon). Since i don't know much about them, anyone have any recommendation on what brand damper I should think about getting or not getting...

[duc748pilot]

rotary or linear. rotary dampers tend to survive any unwanted get offs far better than a linear damper.

as far as rotary goes. either a GPR or Scotts. Pitbull recently came out with one in the past few years that i personally have no experience with. My buddy races with a Scotts and I race with a GPR. Both are pretty much equal especially since GPR updated theirs adjustability wise within the past two years. I can personally attest to my GPR saving my ass out there more than a few times. i do beleive their prices went up though along with the revamped valve system.

Linear, hyperpro leads the market. Their linear dampers are second to none.

[High_Revs_17]

http://www.scottsperformance.com/

[soda7o]

i havehad both scotts and GPR i curently have agpr.. i ant tell the dif fbetween them.. but get one.. they willsave your life..

[njf4i]

I love my scotts.

[benellis]

Switching gears on the subject, I have a Scotts rotary damper on my bike, and it has a wide range of adjustment with the dial knob, is there a "baseline" setting for them, and if there is, how do I go about doing it?

[CBRBob]

No baseline, it's part of the suspension. Basically it's all feel (subjective). What I like to do is set it so it's almost not noticable, but then it works fine when something happens. Basically as light as you can make it and still work.
I have seen bikes come through tech so tight they almost fall down making a turn on the way out.
Either style works fine, the ones that mount at the front of the tank tend to stay out of harms way.

[Kurts1000RR]

Ive often wondered how my Honda Electronic Steering Damper would feel on the track.

[FigNewTon]

I went with the Scotts on my RC. Easy to adjust, very crashworth due to positioning and it does not rub with the fairing stay.

Take a look through LDH's write up below.
http://rc51.org/tests/dampers/

[Mack]

love my ohlins....has definately saved my life a couple times.....going to the track with it this year....luckily my mounts under my frame so it's crashworthy

[pillaka]

baa you don't need a steering damper, just give it more gas!

[CBRBob]

Ive often wondered how my Honda Electronic Steering Damper would feel on the track.

I hear its ok, but it gets too tight at higher speeds. I ditched it for a Hyperpro RSC. I had one of those on my 929 and it was great.

[duc748pilot]

both gpr and scotts have active damping.....which means say you have it set on 3. if you get quick movement of the front wheel the damper will act accordingly. even if you have it set at one. scotts has thiers adjustable....gprs isnt adjustable but works just as good....trust me

[Xracer264]

IS there drilling involved with the rotory dampers?

[duc748pilot]

drilling? as far as mount wise? no, both gpr and scotts mount under the head tube bolt on top of the upper triple.

[Ant]

Ohlins shaft style is where it's at. But if you ride on the street a lot I don't really see the need for it. Unless you do a lot of wheelies.

[njracer]

Ohlins shaft style is where it's at. But if you ride on the street a lot I don't really see the need for it. Unless you do a lot of wheelies.

scotts is made/designed by ohlins.

[Ant]

scotts is made/designed by ohlins.

I know. But that's a rotary damper. I was referencing the shaft style.

[RonJ83]

scotts is made/designed by ohlins.

well i wouldnt say that, when you ride fast and hit a pothole things tend to happen. having the damper definitely helped out alot.

[morpheus6d9]

go with scotts

[njf4i]

Ohlins shaft style is where it's at. But if you ride on the street a lot I don't really see the need for it. Unless you do a lot of wheelies.
My scotts has saved my ass a bunch of times on the street.

I say its the first part you put on a bike when you get it. :)

[shadoxkila]

dam ron i checked out your myspace, banged your shit up, that fuckin sux

[RonJ83]

nah its cool, its being pampered and taken care of now. shes gonna be very purdy once shes done.

[shadoxkila]

yea, its bound to happen but at least its all fixable and you didn't get hurt..... my theory is if you haven't dropped it (at least once) you haven't ridden it

[AfricanBootyScratcher]

I have an ohlins, and I've heard lots of really good stuff about the hyperpro
the scotts and GPR are the way to go if you like rotary style
from what I understand, stay away from the "off" brands. If it seems really cheap it probably is.

[Cakes206]

go with scotts

:wow: Somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming :lol:

To stay on topic, only aftermarket damper I've used was a Scotts and it worked just fine. Can't comment on the others...what I can say though is, the shaft type that mount to frames aren't the best of ideas...I've seen then rip off the frame in bad enough a reck, rendering the frame useless :ohmygod:

[RonJ83]

hyperpros are great, my friend has one on his r6 and it was nice and smooth, cant say what happens in a crash but rotary ones are generally the better ones when it comes to crashes. i have an ohlins telescopic type, the mounting brakets suck but the damper itself is great, saved me a few times on the west shore expressway

[ezpunkx]

can someone explain why anyone would consider a shaft style damper? i cant figure out any advantages other than asthetics.?

[CBRBob]

There is nothing wrong with linear dampers, why would you consider a rotary one??? Same diff. They both work, any damper that mounts by the upper triple clamp is a lot safer in the even of a crash, linear or rotary.

[High_Revs_17]

It's amazing how powerful tank slappers are, I know first hand...it's well worth the cost.

[AfricanBootyScratcher]

I'm still waiting for someone to make a "shaft" joke

[RonJ83]

i got a linear (shaft) damper cause i got in a group buy so i took advange of it.

[Cakes206]

I'm still waiting for someone to make a "shaft" joke

And there it is ladies n gentlemen :lol:

[ezpunkx]

There is nothing wrong with linear dampers, why would you consider a rotary one??? Same diff. They both work, any damper that mounts by the upper triple clamp is a lot safer in the even of a crash, linear or rotary.

IMO rotorys are far superior..
- They have the "High speed" damping... so even if its set to 1 on the dial. it will help signifigantly in a tankslapper...
- They are adjustable on the fly (like in the middle of a turn.. if you really wanted to )
- They have many different types of adjustablilty, including "range" of damping..etc.
- They look cool
- Easily rebuildable
- Dont get damaged in crash (usually)
- can be switched from bike to bike in about 1 minute..
- and probly some others i cant think of..

I litterally cant think of ONE advantage to a shaft damper... other than the fact that some of them are out of the way.

I dont think i will ever consider anything other than a Scotts or GPR.. i know my scotts saved my ass in the pic you see below ;)

http://www.ezpunkx.com/albums/Pocono/10_G.jpg

[High_Revs_17]

i know my scotts saved my ass in the pic you see below

Very nice save!

But It seems experience prevented that highside, not a rotary damper.

[Ant]

My scotts has saved my ass a bunch of times on the street.

I say its the first part you put on a bike when you get it. :)

Really? Because I did a bunch of wheelies, stoppies, and dragged a lot of knee on the street with that bike and never had a problem. Not being a jerk, just sharing my experiences.

[PitsVtec]

baa you don't need a steering damper, just give it more gas!


LOL...good one! Mark is trying to get me to get one.

[pillaka]

I dont think i will ever consider anything other than a Scotts or GPR.. i know my scotts saved my ass in the pic you see below ;)


Looks like the last turn on pocono east? Usually a couple guys dump it on that turn in the morning, as you come out of the apex the pavement seems to be a little off camber, cause my rear end starts to slide.

[pillaka]

LOL...good one! Mark is trying to get me to get one.

I don't think you need one for a f4i, the steering rake isn't as aggresive as any other sportbikes in the same generation and up - so therefor the f4i is a very stable bike. I've gotten headshake a ton of times, espicially on pocono east, but nothing serious. Might have more to do with one of my front forks being tweaked.

[CBRBob]

Hyperpro RSC....

has a low/high speed circuit
adjustable on the fly
looks cooler :lmao:
dampers really only need to work near the center anyway(but does so all the way through)
easily rebulidable as well
get damaged in a crash just as much as a rotary as they are mounted in the same place
Can be switched just as quickly(now how often are you going to do this??

[DSH]

Hey guys, it's been a couple years now since this original thread was started. I wondered what your thoughts and experiences have been since 2006. I'm in the market for one to add to an '03 R6.

Which is better rotary or linear operated steering dampers?
What's the best brand for steering dampers?
What's the best source for buying one new/used?

thanks

[Ant]

Hey guys, it's been a couple years now since this original thread was started. I wondered what your thoughts and experiences have been since 2006. I'm in the market for one to add to an '03 R6.

Which is better rotary or linear operated steering dampers?
What's the best brand for steering dampers?
What's the best source for buying one new/used?

thanks

I've had both and I honestly don't think it matters. But the rotary...aka Scott's is out of the way in the event of crashing. I do that a lot so that is a plus for me. However, they are harder to install.

[carl_g]

I've had both and I honestly don't think it matters. But the rotary...aka Scott's is out of the way in the event of crashing. I do that a lot so that is a plus for me. However, they are harder to install.
When you compare quality between Scotts and Ohlins there really is no difference. Unless things changed Ohlins owns Scotts and they are held to the same production standards. It just depends what orientation you want to go with. I always have run with Scotts. I have one now on my KTM. Ant has my old street version.

[Respect_My_Authorita]

+1 on scotts and be done with it.

heard good things about GPR too [the newer version whatever it is]