Advice on steering dampers?

[Big R]

After a good trip on my GS450 last week, I'm thinking I may benefit from adding a steering damper. Now, before anybody says "Check your bearings / tires / suspension / etc...... a damper only hides a problem......" or whatever else, I firmly believe that my bike doesn't NEED one to be ridden safely. I would just like the additional benefit of stability that one provides.

So here's my question: for a bike that is ridden mostly around town as a commuter, and sometimes taken on longer highway trips, is there a certain steering damper I should look into? Used OEM part from a modern bike / cheap one from China / or what?

And if anybody says a $900 Ohlin unit is the only thing that will work, I'll gladly take yours in donation.

Thanks in advance fellas.

 

[teazer]

Get one of teh Kawasaki triple type dampers which are available form many on line stores NHK I think. They are 75 - 90 bucks a pop and work well enough. They have 5 clicks, so around town maybe click 1 or 2 and on the highway maybe click 3. They are good enough for the majority of vintage racers so they should be fine for your application.

The only caution: don't crank them down too hard or they cause a slow weave.

 

[surffly]

I have a Daytona adjustable one, great quality

 

[DrJ]

Most old bikes can benefit with a steering damper for high speed stability. Really calmed down the front end of my CB350. I had my made in Japan Shindy up for sale but no one was interested. New condition, never used for $100 plus shipping. ;D

 

[cosworth]

Back in the day I used to rebuild stock suzuki gixxer dampers for a small fee. It's easy to put some heavy fork oil in them with zero air bubbles. They are a dime a dozen. They polish up nice too to look a bit more stock.

 

[Redbird]

Back in the day I used to rebuild stock suzuki gixxer dampers for a small fee. It's easy to put some heavy fork oil in them with zero air bubbles. They are a dime a dozen. They polish up nice too to look a bit more stock.

This is exactly what I did with my DS7. Paid $20 for it. Works like a charm.

 

[crazypj]

Back in the day I used to rebuild stock suzuki gixxer dampers for a small fee. It's easy to put some heavy fork oil in them with zero air bubbles. They are a dime a dozen. They polish up nice too to look a bit more stock.

Yep, changed hundreds of the damn things under warranty, they were real junk stock, particularly the early ones where piston floated on damper rod :

 

[neevo]

Yep, changed hundreds of the damn things under warranty, they were real junk stock, particularly the early ones where piston floated on damper rod :

PJ? Ever had issue with them loosing oil? Put mine in a box, took it out and out it back on bike and it seems to not work as well any more.

 

[Big R]

Thanks for the suggestions fellas.

I was seeing the GSXR ones all over for eBay for cheap. A lot were bent, but now I'm suspicious of the others. Hmmmm.....

 

[crazypj]

PJ? Ever had issue with them loosing oil? Put mine in a box, took it out and out it back on bike and it seems to not work as well any more.

Never had a problem with them loosing oil. The early GSXR had a problem. Damper was about 14" long. The new 'short' dampers are usually pretty reliable.
It may need cycling a few times to get the damper working again?
Did you do an oil change on it?
I think I only tested to see if re-fill was feasible (it's been a while now )

 

[cosworth]

I filled them submerged in 15 or 20w fork oil. It was dead easy.

 

[neevo]

Yeah I changed oil to 10w I think. Worked well before I stored it but thought I saw oil on the shaft when I put it back on and it seems to have lost some resistance. Will refill it and see if it takes any more oil.

 

[crazypj]

I think it's easy enough to strip down if you need to, seals are probably a generic size if they need changing (although I have used gearchange seals in the past for various applications ;D )