steering damper

[don46]

Who uses them, what brand do you use, and lastly are they worth the money? I'm thinking of the new Elka system 5, looks sweet but expensive.

[alan]

I think most of us who are running them are using Scotts. 

[Danger4u2]

I installed the Scotts Oversize Lower Bar Mounts $48.00, Scotts Bar Mount Replacement Cones $19.95, Pro Taper Bars with the Henry/Reed bend $89.00 and Scotts Weld-On Complete Kit with Stabilizer $399.95.  Total $556.90.  If your racing get one.  Did I need one?  No.  Does it look cool?  Yes.  Has mine ever come into play?  Yes, one time I came around a dune at a high speed and hit a woops section that I was not ready for.  I all most got bucked off the bike and I could feel the Damper/Stabilizer keeping the bars from doing the side to side tank slapper.  A few times I could feel it working to keep the rear-end from jumping back and forth when hard braking in the rough before a corner.


http://www.scottsperformance.com/index.php

http://www.gprstabilizer.com/

http://www.elkasuspension.com/system/index.html#

[BDI]

I use gpr on my bikes. on the sand kx500 It's like heaven It really helped me tame the beast so I could relax and ride. all the horse power of the kx500 in a 250 chassis with a steep head angle makes for a skittish high speed ride In the sand. On my crf450x that I ride In the desert I find myself turning It off a lot do to the fact the bike works so well but I spent a lot of time dialing In the suspension springs,proper sag and lots of test and tune the bike really does not have any bad habbits and the damper only makes It steer heavy. The difference between the gpr and scotts Is the the gpr is bigger with one knob and the high speed circuit Is automatic and you can get It in lots of colors and gpr's customer service Is the best I have ever experienced of any aftermarket part I have ever owned. scott's are small with two knobs one for High speed circuit and one for low speed circuit and only come In gold and are actully made by Ohlins lots of people love them. I do not know much about the elka but I can only assume If elka Is making It and It Is the latest addition to the rotary damper market It must be the business and I would not hesitate to run one.

P.S. on my street bike the damper Is the difference between life and death, ever had tank slappers at a 140 mph? I have, ever truly thought you were about to Die? I have.

[alan]

There is one other that I know of the W.E.R Steering damper. Here is a link --
http://www.mxsouth.com/wer/works-enduro-rider-steering-damper-kits-low-mount-steering-damper-applications-for-kawasaki.htm

I have one and will probably sell it and all the mounting stuff with manual for 1/2 of retail including shipping if in US!

Alan

[maddoggy]

alan, what are you calling half? 175-200$? i may be interested. but,  funds will have to be "WIFE" approved .

[alan]

How about $150 and I will pay shipping? Do you have PayPal?

[maddoggy]

gotta talk to my wife, but ill let you know. i'll try my darndest. MADDOGGY

[Johnniespeed]

I use a GPR stabilizer, it works perfect.  I transfered it from my old cr. I wouldnt dream of riding without one. Easy to adjust, I turn it up a couple of clicks for fast rough stuff and down a little for real tight technical trails.   I have not tried any other brand, so I cannot compare the feel to others.  But I like it and I guess that is what matters.   John

[Hillclimb#42]

 I have an old WER stabilizer. It mounts low, above front fender and in front of number plate. It slows the steering down, but is not as good as newer ones with the clicker adjustments. They really do work well. No head shake in rough stuff. You don't notice the bars being slower, but you do notice it going over everything smoothly. I wonder about the nice expensive stabilizers sticking up above crossbar. That doesn't look fun for the rib cage in the event you come up short. Is there a way to get the bulk of it below cross bar or cover with a pad? They are worth the money, but which one has the lowest profile?

[mlstoner660]

I know gpr makes a low profile one that mounts under the bars not sure how much it cost but im sure its more expensive than the regular ones that mount above the bars. they have two different ones one that has a remote reservoir with lines that run out from under the bars to  the left grip stop and one thats all one compact unit with out the remote under the bars. check them out here http://www.gprstabilizer.com/

[BigGreenMachine]

Thinking about buying a used streetbike dampner to put on my trike chassis. It likes to wander through ruts on the highspeed fire/access roads I ride and it has to stop, especially with double the HP.

[maddoggy]

big green, check with alan. that w.e.r. sounds like a pretty good deal and i'm sure you could figure a mount that would work for ya. MADDOGGY

[BDI]

If you are talking about the street bike dampers that look like a shock with a shaft that runs threw the middle of It. I would not put one of those on a off road bike the shafts like to bend and when they do you have no more steering and your front wheel will be stuck In either the hard left or hard right position and that will suck for you. That Is why the road race guys are getting away from that style they bend those on asphalt race tracks with no rocks,tree stumps or whoops.