Steering damper - whats your setting?

[Ouiji Veck]

Video of poorly adjusted dampner... (just kidding)

http://media.putfile.com/Faces-Of-Death---Motorcycle-Crash

[Guzzirider]

So far it seems that its early V11 sport owners who prefer it wound on and later V11 Le Mans / Ballabio owners generally like it wound off.

[edge]

About 1/3 or a tad more works for me all the time on the Bitb.. Never bothers me in and around town in the slow stuff. I also like the little extra insurance at speed.

[big J]

I remember that,it's Bray Hill at the TT.

 

Didn't the guy get away with just a broken ankle or something?

 

If so,he's a lucky lucky guy.

[Bill Hagan]

So far it seems that its early V11 sport owners who prefer it wound on and later V11 Le Mans / Ballabio owners generally like it wound off.

67688[/snapback]

 

Interesting. Of course, the statistical sample here is pretty small, but aside from what I understand to have been fork-angle changes in later Sports, perhaps the fairings on LeMans and small, but not negligible flyscreens on Ballabios/CS actually affect high-speed stability that might otherwise require damper.

 

I have been to 125+ indicated (I forget what exactly now; I was too scared; I'm sure in a few years, I'll clearly remember it as 150+ ), and did not feel any instability or wobble effect. Glass-smooth long straight helped, of course, but, heck, mebbe the flyscreen actually does something.

 

Thanks for raising the issue.

[Ouiji Veck]

Interesting.  Of course, the statistical sample here is pretty small, but aside from what I understand to have been fork-angle changes in later Sports, perhaps the fairings on LeMans and small, but not negligible flyscreens on Ballabios/CS actually affect high-speed stability that might otherwise require damper.

 

I have been to 125+ indicated (I forget what exactly now; I was too scared; I'm sure in a few years, I'll clearly remember it as 150+  ), and did not feel any instability or wobble effect.  Glass-smooth long straight helped, of course, but, heck, mebbe the flyscreen actually does something.

 

Thanks for raising the issue.

67700[/snapback]

It's definately a stable bear/cat/antalope

For what ever reason I've been over 130mph on this thing more than

my Duc (3 yrs) or my CBR1000 (4yrs)

It just feels "calm" Not all hyper and frantic.

[docc]

On the early frame the increased damping contributes to the high speed weave.

 

I keep it at zero until the front tire wear begins to give the wobbles , then increase the damper four clicks til I get a new tire.

[Guest Britcheflee]

Thanks, I'm going to back mine off a bit - I think I might soften the suspension a little too - perhaps that will relax the bike a little as to me it is very sensitive to anything you do as far as handling is concerned. Slow speed steering is not easy either which probably indicates I have it cranked up to much.

Lee

[mdude]

Caught up with tankslapper one day, chased'im an' punched'im an' bit him in his fat tankslapping hand...

 

To be serious, I find the damper unnecessary, and troublesome in citytraffic. When I bought the bike the steering damper was cranked all the way up, and so was the damping: rock hard. Eased up on all settings, and things got much more relaxed. Now I run minimum settings.

 

If I ever find a stretch long and deserted enough to really push the limits, I figure it will be smart to add some clicks to the st.damper, but I think it destroys the bikes agility.

[gthyni]

me too,

with a pre-2002 frame and a (slightly) shorter fork than stock

I still keep it in the soft range. Too stiff and the tail end starts to

wiggle in high speed and become less agile round the bends.

[bigbikerrick]

Just wanted to know what setting or how resistant they have their steering damper set - I am actually beginning to feel that they make slow riding more difficult - do you adjust yours much and for different riding conditions?  Do they really make a difference?

Lee

67618[/snapback]

The Guzzi dont need it, its stable as an anvil, I should take it off and put it on my kawasaki, you cant take your hands off the bars on that evil beast for a second, the front end starts wobbling.

[Bbennett]

I never use the damper on my 2001 V11S

 

One time after a 6 hour ride at high speed thru the mountains and plains, I used it on a very bumpy stretch, and pulled into a gas station (forgetting the damper was cranked on) and unceremoniously dropped the bike at zero MPH cuz the front end did not respond as expected in the last foot of fwd travel. I have always blamed it on the damper....fortunately no damage to bike. I suppose it could have been high speed hypnosis that caused the drop as i exited the freeway but that was the only time I have ever used the damper. have not bothered to remove it tho.

 

Bob

[antonio carroccio]

three clicks form nil

 

( I have Ohlins frontfork )

[mark.gilmore]

No clicks,Backed right off.

[Baldini]

Ran it backed right off for first year, to get used to bike - now 4 or 5 out of 20 clix feels good (Ohlins).