[Guest]

How many of you have experienced a need for a steering damper. Those who have them for security or for bling thats ok but what I want to know is what you were doing on Speedy to made you think you need one. Compared to my ZRX this bike has a light steering feel thru corners but it tracks straight with no hint of head shake. I only have 1700 miles on it but it lands from 70+ mph wheelies and never acts up. If I dont get some good evidence I need one I think I'll pass.

 

[DirtMcGirt]

this is a good question!...i did feel a lightness in the bars once on the freeway while passing a large truck...other than that no!...i always assumed i would need one being that i came off sport bikes where you load the front end with your weight naturally via the clip on position, and this is an upright position with no weight on the bars...but so far so good ( :jerkoff: on wood) i think the smooth power curve has a lot to do with it...my 99 R1 was like a wild dawg...i had my fair share of tank slappers on that thing

 

[briank]

had a tank slapper on my 01 R1. now if i have a sport type bike i have a damper olice:

 

[Goffe]

Though I have never used one before, at high speeds, I feel like a steering damper would help stabilize things. Also, my front end, especially going up curvy or bumpy on-ramps, can get real light, even if the wheel it still touching. It makes me wonder if a damper would give a little more confidence, at least. But again, I've never used one, so I don't know for sure.

 

[Guest]

I don't think one is required, at least for the way I've been riding. Dampers are only to cure head shake. If you feel that the steering effort is too light, it's not the right fix. In that case, you want narrower bars or to raise the front ride height.

 

[Guest]

I dont feel the steering is to light I just compared it to my last bike (ZRX) as being much lighter than that one. I dont find the evidence that the S3 needs a damper. Good to have one for sure but since no one has any " I did this and---" I will pass on one. I dont ride 100+mph much any way. The bike feels light and tracks straight. A winner for sure. ;D

 

[Guest]

I've Ridden 2 speed triples both 05's one is mine and the other the dealers...After owning my bike for a month I realized I needed a damper.... the head shake as soon as the wheel left the ground or under HEAVY acceleration made me pretty uneasy...Now on the other side I took home my dealers demo speedy and it had no damper and no headshake at all...so I think it varies from bike to bike...

 

[Devious2xs]

Hool-a-gan,
Have you mentioned this to your dealer, or checked the geometry and specs on the front end of your bike? Sometimes a very slight alteration can cause this.

I have never had head shake issues mentioned by others on acceleration, and my bike tends to accelerate harder than many others due to the mods I have done. If I noticed a head shake issue, I would definitely try to find the cause.

 

[DocPup]

sounds like a tire issue/geometry :sign5:

 

[Guest]

I have never had but the slightest of head shake. Even when accelerating very hard, front end light, skipping bumpy tarmac. Still no head shake. It's almost like I've tried to make it happen, you know, testing limitations. If I thought mine needed one I would buy one, but I honestly don't think it does.
Just one question though, are your fork legs very proud of your yokes and have you set/adjusted your suspension?
I have set my fork legs flush to the yokes, and tried various settings with the suspension, until I was happy with it. You'll be amazed at what small adjustments can do to the handling.
There are plenty of posts about suspension on various sites.
Read up first before adjusting.
Hope your problem gets a cure.

 

[Devious2xs]

Just one question though, are your fork legs very proud of your yokes and have you set/adjusted your suspension?
I have set my fork legs flush to the yokes, and tried various settings with the suspension, until I was happy with it. You'll be amazed at what small adjustments can do to the handling.

Very true.
XSPEED3 - how do you have your forks set.
I have mine set about .030 inch proud and seem to like this the best so far.

 

[Guest]

When I first had the bike, the forks wer set quite a long way out of the yokes, maybe 6 or 7mm. I have noticed at the dealers that they are all set slightly differently. I don't think there is an exacting standard when they put them together. Probably the same with suspension settings, which may account for the fact that the other S3 ridden was a lot more stable.
Anyhoo, in answer to Devious question, I haven't measured them that accurately, but are both as near as damn,flush to the yoke.

 

[BigRedandRiding]

Good post Ranger32!
I always wondered if/why I would need a steering damper. Good to hear peoples perspectives.
Thinking I don't need one (knock on wood).
-CT

p.s. RE: Gr8shandini's comment about "RAISING front fork height" to improve a feeling of lightness up front...(and avoid a tankslapper) wouldn't you want to LOWER the front fork height (or raise the rear) to load more weight on the front tire?

Am I wrong?

 

[Guest]

p.s. RE: Gr8shandini's comment about "RAISING front fork height" to improve a feeling of lightness up front...(and avoid a tankslapper) wouldn't you want to LOWER the front fork height (or raise the rear) to load more weight on the front tire?

I would guess that the slacker head angle and increased trail would more than compensate for the relatively small change in weight bias. If you give an S3 a first full of throttle you'll be lucky to have the front on the deck at all much less fully weighted whether the forks are a few mm through the triple clamps or not.

I could be wrong though. Maybe someone with more knowledge/experience can comment?

Phil

 

[briank]

while i agree with the guys who posted that headshake under hard acceleration is a sign that there may be an issue and a damper would be a band-aid and i understand the guys who posted they don't have one and never had a issue i just want to point this out, it is only going to take 1 incident for you to have to clean out your underwear or pick your busted up self and bike up for you to say damn should of had the damper.the damper is good for that unexpected situation. i.e. your in a heavy sweeping hi speed bend and all of the sudden you see a big ass turtle right in your path.you jerk on the bar to avoid hitting him at 70mph and the bar jerks back at you. next thing you know you are in an all out tankslapper. headshake is a mild form of a slapper. when head shake begins if you panic or make sudden bar movements it could turn into a slapper. i experienced several headshake incidents but only one real slapper. maybe the damper would of helped maybe not but i won't risk it again. alot of shake and slap problems occur from RIDER or CAGER error not from the bike itself. that damn turle still haunts my dreams! :violent1:

 

[Guest]

Yeah, that's a good point. I've had my ST slap badly once (about 3-4 times lock to lock). It has way more relaxed geometry than the S3 so if it can do it then there's no doubt the S3 will too in the right (wrong?) circumstances. If you look at it that way a damper might be cheap insurance.

Phil

 

[Guest]

I meant to ask too has anyone seen a steering damper kit that mounts across the front either on top of or below the top triple clamp? I've got pretty long legs and the ones mounting down the side of the bike look like they're just waiting to punch a hole in your knee cap.

Phil

 

[briank]

matris damper

 

[briank]

coming off a wheelie slapper

[video=youtube;YD6jruSIELA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6jruSIELA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD6jruSIELA[/video]

 

[briank]

high speed cornering slapper :shocker:


[video=youtube;ymvVv_zbOjk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymvVv_zbOjk&mode=related&search=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymvVv_zbOjk&mode=related&search=[/video]