Series 3 Quicker Steering.

divie said:

Series three already has provision for a steering damper. I have never felt the need to add one.

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As standard yes, maybe true but adding a damper to this modification might smooth out the oscillations......

swisstoe said:

There is a bolt on damper bracket on your dumb iron, i would be inclined to fit a damper before scrapping all your hard work...

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Exactly. See if it smoothies out or controls the oscillations (which is exactly the point of a damper)

I have a steering damper and all the fitting hardware, it came to me with the damper fitted, I removed it and the only difference I noticed was slightly lighter steering. I had considered re fitting it when I installed the power steering but I never felt the need.

The problem with trying to use a steering damper in this application is it normally acts on the drag link so it may actually make it worse, it might be possible to use the now redundant drag link fitting on the steering arm to link in a steering damper but it would at best only mask a fundamental problem.

As Rob has said, all the data is pointing in one direction.

I think the problem with the damper is that it can help reduce kickback and resonance but its not the same as getting a system that is functioning properly. If I think back to my motorcycling, a steering damper could make a bike nicer to ride, but if it needed the damper to make it rideable (like a Suzuki I once had) it was never going handle well.

rob1miles said:

I think the problem with the damper is that it can help reduce kickback and resonance but its not the same as getting a system that is functioning properly. If I think back to my motorcycling, a steering damper could make a bike nicer to ride, but if it needed the damper to make it rideable (like a Suzuki I once had) it was never going handle well.

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did it solve 'tank slappers' or did it just make them happen later and much more viciously?

I had a Suzuki GSXR1100 that came with a factory fitted steering damper, it would still nod its head under acceleration but it would never go full tank slapper. My current KTM Enduro bike always seemed to be to be on the edge of a full on tank slapper and definitely benefited from fitting a steering damper but there is a price to pay in the slow speed stuff.

Its was a 750 triple (Kettle) and while the engine was gem the handling was odd, it wanted to do long slow occilasations, especially in corners. The damper just made it harder to feel what what going on. The biggest improvement was carrying a passenger, transformed it. I now think it was more to do with the rear shocks and the front / rear weight distribution and the damper was just there to make the rider feel better. Funny thing is I was at Brooklands M/C day this summer and got talking to a guy with an immaculate one, so I asked him "does it do a slow wobble in corners?" he said "yes". So 35 years on its still not sorted!

You would end up with even more heavy steering that you have now...dont do it.