Steering damper

I wanna tighten the front end up a bit with a damper... only a few that I have seen are made for the VTR...

What are your recommendations?


thanks


Modified by W-O-T at 3:26 PM 7/15/2005

Scott's if you can afford one. There are other brands out there that I would say are respectable though.

I was lucky enough to have a Scotts on mine when I picked it up. I haven't ridden a Super Hawk w/o one, but it seems to work very well. Silky smooth compared the bikes I've riden w/o one.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rock &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was lucky enough to have a Scotts on mine when I picked it up. I haven't ridden a Super Hawk w/o one, but it seems to work very well. Silky smooth compared the bikes I've riden w/o one.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Superhawks have bad head shake or at least mine does. And your sig is kick ass! I would never fly in a harley davidson plane...! haha!

Ah hah!!! you have answered one of my questions.... the head shake.... I referred to it as a shimmy but its causing numbing in my hands at 60-80 when I cruise.... I still think the cupped front tire may be contributing.. am I wrong?

I dont want to 'mask' the problem of a bad tire with a damper....

Im running a 207F up front ( PO installed)... I have a Sportmax 208 190 on the back... what would be the best combo for the front... most of my driving is on the freeway commute of 130 miles a day... so take that into consideration when you suggest a tire... thanks... occasional twisties.. but not on a routine basis...

thanks guys.....

I think some of my head shake is coming from my front wheel being off balance (solving that today with new tires), but when the bike had 0 miles on it, it still had head shake. I dont know if that is why you hand is going numb...my hand goes numb to, but its all about sitting position. If I'm on the freeway for a long ride I'm always tucked down so my wrist doesnt have pressure on it.

As far as tire combo....long lasting I have found that you want a harder compound tire, but if your doing twisties every once in a while....I would say the Dunlop 208's would work well front and back. There is a post on this forum from me asking about tire options...take a look at it.

Further thought on your hand numbing....what is your front suspension set at? The two dials at the top, how hard are they set?

I like the 208 on the back.... and most likely will go with the 208 up front this weekend.... thanks...

The numbing is aggrevating...and yes.... alternating riding positions does help.. but I feel it shouldnt happen in just one hand... my throttle hand is the only hand going numb... I have altered my grip...position and nothing seems to work..

I have two ridges showing on the outter adjustment and the inner is set to hard....

To be honest... Im not too spooled up on the settings as of yet....

I'm listening....

I actually just got 208's put on today...once the get broken in I think they are going to be a really good tire and I love the look of them.

I think a lot has to do with just the position you have to sit in on a Superhawk, my throttle hand has that same issue...but the reason I was asking abotu the suspension set up on the top of the forks is because my hand gets more numb with the set all the way hard. When I first got the bike I didnt have that problem many you should turn them more soft...hell I dont know. I have both of mine set just a little over 3 turns from all soft. Try changing your a little and see it if helps. I'm pretty sure that both should be set eve with each other.

I think I have just gotten use to it going a little tingly, I just shake it off and keep riding.

thanks for the info... gonna read some tonight on the fork adjustments and play with them a bit to see whats the best combo for me...

Im going Saturday to look into a front 208.... I really cant stand the head shake and this is my best guess and cheapest recourse at the moment...

I have already broke in my rear 208 and she sticks good... you will be happy...

BTW....

The outers fork adjustments are up 4 lines now and turned the screws to S for the 70 mile ride home tomorrow... I'll let you know the difference....

and....

In regards to the dampers....


I have noticed the Scott is NOT the cylinder design... are these rebuildable?


Modified by W-O-T at 7:03 PM 6/30/2005

Yeah I know I'm going to love the 208's they are already more sticky than the stock tires..they are going to be fun.

Hopefully the softer setting will help with your hand! Let me know.

And as for the damper, and how its not the cylinder(shock type) believe me they are just as reliable...if not more reliable. I'm pretty sure the stock steering damper on the 1000RR is made by scotts for Honda.

well... I bumped the preload up to 4 notches showing from 2... and went soft on the rebound screws....

MAN what a difference!!! 70 miles home today and not even a tingle!!!! Well... maybe a little one... lol but nothing like it was....

thanks for the info!!!

Im still looking at the Scotts damper....

It looks to me that the damper is 'universal' as it the only difference for each bike is the mounting hardware... is this the fact?

Im going to email them to make sure... that way when one pops up for a good price... I can snag it....

Still can 'see' the headshake.... but NOTHING like it was with the hard front susp. settings... very minimal

I think its safe to say that the remainder of the shake may be fron the cupped front rubber... I think I will have to live with it for a time... but overall.... the ride is 110% better with very LITTLE tingle and no numbing.....


Modified by W-O-T at 9:58 AM 7/2/2005


Modified by W-O-T at 10:00 AM 7/2/2005

Good to hear! Glad it helped out.

I'm pretty sure your correct on the Scott's, I think the only real differeance is the mounting set up.

And I'm sure that the head shake that you still have is from the tire, I know that since I got my re-balances the head shake has pretty much disappeard.

Well... I just forked out for a new 208 up front and low and behold... ZERO head shake... I MEAN NONE!!!

[Smitty]

On my Honda 929 I have a Scotts while on my 954 I put on a GBR & it to seems to do a nice job. Latter is a bit less in price. I had the okay to try out the GBR & if not satisfied then full money back & in place would go a new Scott with the extra cash. So I stuck with the GBR which is proof that it has stood up.