Who uses steering dampers?

[bower100]

I was wondering in general, how prevalent is the use of dirt bike steering dampers in the various activities of riding off-road?

Ya know,... motocross, enduro's, hare scrambles, cross-country/ desert events, .... even say, trials events and speedway/flat-track.

I'm old school,... 54 y/o will do that to you, so I've never put one on a bike of mine and I don't know just what riding situation I've encountered that a damper would have helped maintain control or improved my speed thru a section.
Absolutely, I'm not criticizing the use or need for them. Just don't have a feel for the degree of necessity of one.

I have a couple of street bikes too .... ones OEM equipped, ones not. Whats up with that?

Dave

 

[rajobigguy]

I wouldn't say that there necessary but they sure are nice. The things that make it worthwhile for me are better stability in high speed situations over the loose stuff like a sand wash and less fatigue in the slower moving rough trails. Turn in is more predictable in every situation and if you're riding you're bike on the hwy you'll experience much less getting blown around by cross winds.

 

[bower100]

Do you attempt, or wish you could, make quick adjustment to the damping action while in an event? Say, you know the course is entering a particularly high speed, loose sandy section.... much different from the previous section of say "tighter" trail. Would you want more damping to negate possible high speed front-end swapping?

In tight rocky stuff.... do you feel the damper simply helps you generally maintain a more straight direction.... reducing extreme deflection from bouncing off bigger rocks? ( Like in a "rock garden")

Dave

 

[skipwicks]

I’m an old fart like you. I raced my first Hare Scrambles (So. Cal. Desert) back in 1967. I bought my first Scotts Stabilizer 5 years ago. I wish I had bought one sooner, it is like they say “The Hand of God”. It has saved me several times from crashing.

 

[gem]

I have a damper (GPR).
I think it helps with fatigue as the damper absorbs those small deflections off of trail trash that your body would have to absorb in its absence.

 

[rajobigguy]

Do you attempt, or wish you could, make quick adjustment to the damping action while in an event? Say, you know the course is entering a particularly high speed, loose sandy section.... much different from the previous section of say "tighter" trail. Would you want more damping to negate possible high speed front-end swapping?

Yes I do adjust for varying situations. I have the Motosportz damper with a single lever adjuster and is is very easy to adjust "on the fly".

In tight rocky stuff.... do you feel the damper simply helps you generally maintain a more straight direction.... reducing extreme deflection from bouncing off bigger rocks? ( Like in a "rock garden")


Dave

It's difficult to explain exactly how it helps in the rough. Yes it does help to maintain a straighter line but I think for me the biggest advantage is the reduced fatigue and arm pump, once I get tired I start riding stupid and the addition of the damper gives me a lot more time before I reach that point.

 

[BentAero]

I'm currently using my first damper (Motosportz) and it's worth gold. Everytime I think it isn't doing anything, I just reach down and flip the lever to the least (no) resistance setting. It takes less than a minute to quickly move it back where I had it!

I'm heading to Baja next week. I had a choice of removing it and putting on a big IMS tank, or leaving it on and using a fender-mounted gas can. I'm leaving it on. (Though not impossible, it's difficult to use both a damper and a big IMS tank at the same time on the '08-'09 chassis)

BTW, the older you are, the more you need it.

 

[bower100]

I wish I had bought one sooner, it is like they say “The Hand of God”. It has saved me several times from crashing.

Every time I think it isn't doing anything, I just reach down and flip the lever to the least (no) resistance setting. It takes less than a minute to quickly move it back where I had it!

Obviously two happy customers.

skipwicks:
You don't suppose when you got back into racing 5 years ago, and using your first stabilizer, your perception of riding with one might have been as a result of riding a better bike? .... improved dirt bike suspension from the old days? Just asking.

How about the various riding disciplines?

-Do half of desert racers use 'em? Three quarters? Almost all of them? (I'm just guessing their the most popular use in dirtbiking is high-speed desert hare and hound events). Wrong?

-How about the National Enduro riders?

- I threw trials riders in there, but ... I'm guessing... those guys don't?

dave

 

[skipwicks]

Obviously two happy customers.

skipwicks:
You don't suppose when you got back into racing 5 years ago, and using your first stabilizer, your perception of riding with one might have been as a result of riding a better bike? .... improved dirt bike suspension from the old days? Just asking.


dave

I never stopped racing. I just never thought that I needed a stabilizer. I would say about 80% of the AMA District-37 Desert racers use them.

 

[husky123]

I'm on my second Motosportz damper. I always have used Scotts before that. I love the fluidity of the Motosportz and the "rheostat" style adjustment. It's saved me a bunch!

 

[Phoenix]

I have one, but only because the bike came with one. The time I have actually appreciated it the most was on a dual sport ride...I cranked it up and it helped take the jitters out on the highway. I generally never mess with it, though, and don't think I'd buy one to put on a new bike. It would definitely be pretty far down the mod list. I'm just an average trail rider and weekend cross country racer, though.

 

[Joe Chod]

Been using a W.E.R since 1991 (in fact the same one.......Drew just services/changes oil in it from time to time) Been on many bikes since and still going strong. makes up for any fork and or front end inadequacies and can be tuned on the fly as previous posts say. Easy front fender mounting means easy install and not in the way of other stuff up top (computer/bigger tanks/rollchart holders/etc.)
Just what I chose but would not ride without a dampener as I am old now too and all this stuff helps.
Younger=fast, indestuctible, but broke
Older=slower, fragile, but some cash in pocket
Old guys gets the toys!

 

[Motosportz]

At most off road races and events up here in the PNW you see a good 70% of the people with them. People that do not have them are always talking about getting one. No necessary but very nice to have for control, fatigue, etc.

 

[bower100]

A group of eight of us rode a three day "adventure" ride in the Primm, Nevada/California Mojave Desert area back in September. Seven DRZ400's and a single KTM. There were also two guide tour guys.

It just occurred to me none of the 10 bikes had steering dampers on them. 'Course ours were rental bikes but the two guides used their own bikes. Yes, no racing speeds, but you'd think they'd equip them with dampers if they felt they offered a significant reduction in the possibility of crashing. 'Course equiping 8 rental bikes would be a steep expense ....... and we did have to sign a release.

Just thinking out loud.

Is there use prevailant in motocross? ... Motocrossers?

Dave

 

[hamiltonuh60]

Definitely will be my next purchase. I'm looking at getting the Motosportz due to it's elegance and simplicity. I have rode some of my buddies bikes that had damper's and mainly noticed less fatigue. I don't ride fast enough to worry about the high speed stability unless I go on a rare highway sprint.

 

[Motosportz]

A group of eight of us rode a three day "adventure" ride in the Primm, Nevada/California Mojave Desert area back in September. Seven DRZ400's and a single KTM. There were also two guide tour guys.

It just occurred to me none of the 10 bikes had steering dampers on them. 'Course ours were rental bikes but the two guides used their own bikes. Yes, no racing speeds, but you'd think they'd equip them with dampers if they felt they offered a significant reduction in the possibility of crashing. 'Course equiping 8 rental bikes would be a steep expense ....... and we did have to sign a release.

Just thinking out loud.

Is there use prevailant in motocross? ... Motocrossers?

Dave

CRF's just started coming with a damper stock...

 

[raisrx251]

I have never seen a trials rider use one. In trials I just think it would hinder the bike rather than help it.

Here on the east coast woods they do help with deflection from rocks/roots and I think it makes me feel safer. I can ride a bike without one just fine, it is just a little extra piece of mind to me when the trees go by so fast in a nasty trail. Like Joe I have used Drew Smith's WER Damper for years and I have to tell you the thing works great. I ended up getting a GPR by luck that was on a bike and have been using it lately and it works well too. Those are the only two I have owned.

 

[bower100]

CRF's just started coming with a damper stock...

Oh my ..... that things not made of brass is it ! ?


So, when you buy an a/m damper, how do you decide how much damping is "correct"?
Maybe the maker says, " Set at a mid setting and then adjust to your tastes"?

If setting "x" seems to offer some percieved comfort in the nasty rocky sections then why would'nt "x" plus 1 more click be better?

Maybe you get to the point where you feel like maybe your fighting the bars to make corrections fast enough?

Just asking.
Dave

 

[Motosportz]

Oh my ..... that things not made of brass is it ! ?


So, when you buy an a/m damper, how do you decide how much damping is "correct"?
Maybe the maker says, " Set at a mid setting and then adjust to your tastes"?

If setting "x" seems to offer some percieved comfort in the nasty rocky sections then why would'nt "x" plus 1 more click be better?

Maybe you get to the point where you feel like maybe your fighting the bars to make corrections fast enough?

Just asking.
Dave

Like suspesnion there is always a just right. To soft and wallowy / lack of control, to much and harsh jarring. With a damper it is the same, run it as high as it feels right for your conditions. In tight woods you want it on a low setting as the speeds are lower and you need to get from lock to lock a lot. For fast dez / sand higher settings are preferred as you turn you bars less, need more control and speeds are much higher.

 

[tree dodger]

Before I got my Motosportz damper, I thought you either had to be a fast rider or ride a unstable handling bike to benefit from one. That is not the case at all. I ride a stable handling bike ( Husky WR-250 ) and am usually not as fast as my riding buddies, but now won't ride without a damper. Makes riding thru rocks and roots much easier and also made the fork action feel better. With the Motosportz damper, it is very easy to adjust on the fly, but for the most part I don't mess with it while riding.