Chatting to my mates today and we came apon this topic....
"Fitting a steering damper helps my riding" :- Dicuss
My thoughts are that:
a)they are useless on the storm, its not a blade with 16"'s!
b)few british roads wobble the head enough to warrant it
c)it can give confidence to new riders at the expense of learning true feedback
d)they look the nuts and this is the REAL reason most people fit them!
If your one of those people who thinks their damper makes their riding better i would love to hear why you think so and why you fitted it?
Steering dampeners
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Squiffythewombat
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Steering dampeners
Squiffy_The_Wombat
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
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LotusSevenMan
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Squiffy,
I only had a 'Storm for literally a few weeks, so it would be unfair for me to comment about the suitability for one on a 'Storm.
But, i do ride an SP2 and wouldn’t have one. I like to develop the feel for the road through the bike, and don’t want any mechanical aids getting in the way.
You have to be pushing the bike quite hard in order for a tank slapper to start, so im my opinion you should be comfortable with the bike already before attempting to ride it fast.
I think a lot of people fit steering dampers as a precaution, not because they keep getting into tank slappers. Guess its more of a mental thing, knowing that when you are pushing it hard its not going to happen.
Like you, ive been speaking with mates about this and between us the only bike that we'd fit one to is the Suzuki TL, mainly because of its reputation for tank slappers. But neither of us would buy one in the first place, so were safe there !
I only had a 'Storm for literally a few weeks, so it would be unfair for me to comment about the suitability for one on a 'Storm.
But, i do ride an SP2 and wouldn’t have one. I like to develop the feel for the road through the bike, and don’t want any mechanical aids getting in the way.
You have to be pushing the bike quite hard in order for a tank slapper to start, so im my opinion you should be comfortable with the bike already before attempting to ride it fast.
I think a lot of people fit steering dampers as a precaution, not because they keep getting into tank slappers. Guess its more of a mental thing, knowing that when you are pushing it hard its not going to happen.
Like you, ive been speaking with mates about this and between us the only bike that we'd fit one to is the Suzuki TL, mainly because of its reputation for tank slappers. But neither of us would buy one in the first place, so were safe there !
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LotusSevenMan
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Oooohhh. I WAS considering a TL but bought the 'Storm instead as better prices and just a change from Suzuki. I had a real big, nearly-died 'off' on a Suzi many years ago due to a tank slapper initiated by lousy potholed road. Hardly want to go that route again (tank slapper not road). Isn't it something to do with their 'strange' rear damper set-up/operation on the TL 
It was the TL1000S that gained the bad name in the handling department, it was nick named the 'Widow Maker' simply for that reasonLotusSevenMan wrote:Oooohhh. I WAS considering a TL but bought the 'Storm instead as better prices and just a change from Suzuki. I had a real big, nearly-died 'off' on a Suzi many years ago due to a tank slapper initiated by lousy potholed road. Hardly want to go that route again (tank slapper not road). Isn't it something to do with their 'strange' rear damper set-up/operation on the TL
It was a rather strange set up on the rear suspension with a rotary damper and separate compression spring. I think anyone 14 stone and above were OK on it, but any less weight and the fun began 
I think people are missing the point. The Firestorm's fork angle doesn't make it a "twitchy" ride. The angle just isn't that steep. The suspension is fairly relaxed and its not that quick steering.
Increase the steering head angle, either by raising the rear or droping the front and your into different territory.
Never felt the need for one on mine and those that say they do with the bike in standard trim, don't really understand what they're for.
Loads of factors that influence the bikes handling but few of them require a damper to sort them out.
Well thats my take on it anyway.............
Increase the steering head angle, either by raising the rear or droping the front and your into different territory.
Never felt the need for one on mine and those that say they do with the bike in standard trim, don't really understand what they're for.
Loads of factors that influence the bikes handling but few of them require a damper to sort them out.
Well thats my take on it anyway.............
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LotusSevenMan
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Squiffythewombat
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intresting replies, i agree with most of the stuff said here, the storms front is no where near twitchy enough to warrent a damper!
Ive ridden my storm as stock since day one and not once have i touched the sus setup so im technically one of those that "do with the bike in standard trim" riders so im intrested in your opinion on this!
Can you explain this further please?BarryH wrote:
Never felt the need for one on mine and those that say they do with the bike in standard trim, don't really understand what they're for.
Loads of factors that influence the bikes handling but few of them require a damper to sort them out.
Ive ridden my storm as stock since day one and not once have i touched the sus setup so im technically one of those that "do with the bike in standard trim" riders so im intrested in your opinion on this!
Squiffy_The_Wombat
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
Eagles may soar but wombats dont get sucked into jet engines!!
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Stormin Ben
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OK, time for my twopennyworth
In standard trim there's no way the Storm needs a damper
In my modified trim ( 6mm extra ride height on rear and 3mm drop on the front) there's no way the Storm needs a damper
EXCEPT
when tyres come into play
I decided to get some ex race tyres to use on trackdays and the first set I picked up were Dunlop 208GPa's
At Oulton Park as I picked the pace up in my first session it started to weave going up the hill under the bridge
By the second session this weave had become right on the verge of a proper tank-slapper
Nothing I did (other than slow down) made any difference; sitting back, sitting right forwards, tight grip on the bars, loose grip etc etc
It got to the stage where the marshal at the top of the hill had his yellow flag poised in readiness every lap
A steering damper then would have been a godsend
At Cadwell the following month it was doing exactly the same as I crested the rise towards the end of Park straight
Then I picked up a set of lightly used Rennsports and have never had even the slightest trace of the problem ever since
In conclusion
If your Storm is slappy enough that you'd consider one then you need to look at fixing the root cause rather than masking it with a damper
PS If I was racing though I'd be tempted to go with a steering damper so I could use the Dunlops because the turn in on the brakes was much better with them than the Rennsports
In standard trim there's no way the Storm needs a damper
In my modified trim ( 6mm extra ride height on rear and 3mm drop on the front) there's no way the Storm needs a damper
EXCEPT
when tyres come into play
I decided to get some ex race tyres to use on trackdays and the first set I picked up were Dunlop 208GPa's
At Oulton Park as I picked the pace up in my first session it started to weave going up the hill under the bridge
By the second session this weave had become right on the verge of a proper tank-slapper
Nothing I did (other than slow down) made any difference; sitting back, sitting right forwards, tight grip on the bars, loose grip etc etc
It got to the stage where the marshal at the top of the hill had his yellow flag poised in readiness every lap
A steering damper then would have been a godsend
At Cadwell the following month it was doing exactly the same as I crested the rise towards the end of Park straight
Then I picked up a set of lightly used Rennsports and have never had even the slightest trace of the problem ever since
In conclusion
If your Storm is slappy enough that you'd consider one then you need to look at fixing the root cause rather than masking it with a damper
PS If I was racing though I'd be tempted to go with a steering damper so I could use the Dunlops because the turn in on the brakes was much better with them than the Rennsports
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
But its not a very good one!
Can't disagree with anything you put there Ben. Dampers for the road on a bike such as the Storm is a waste of time and money IMHO. Far better to set up the suspension for the rider and road conditions in general.
Unlike the track, which most of the time is a smooth surface, the road isn't and 99% of the time the standard suspension settings are too hard out of the box.
Easiest improvement that I found was to set the "sag" for my weight (around 12 stone) which improved things no end. The bike felt planted and predictable.
I changed the tyres from the D207's, which didn't suit me at all, for a set of Metz Sportecs. I found with the change of tyre that the slight weave I had at motorway speeds disappeared. Running proper pressures also helped....the less said about that the better!
The supposidly weak front end I sorted with new fork oil and changing the springs. I didn't go for ubber expensive progressive race springs, just a new set of standards which showed a big improvement over the tired old ones. Bear in mind the bike only had 10K miles on it when I got it......just shows
Since my basic changes the bike handles well for the way I ride it, mainly "spirited" riding on twisty fast'ish roads. Ever been along the A272 at the crack of dawn on a summer sunday!
Suspension is an art/science in itself, a black are almost. And anyway lets face it, in standard form the bike is probably more capable than 90% of the people who ride it........oohh thats a sweeping statement.....
Unlike the track, which most of the time is a smooth surface, the road isn't and 99% of the time the standard suspension settings are too hard out of the box.
Easiest improvement that I found was to set the "sag" for my weight (around 12 stone) which improved things no end. The bike felt planted and predictable.
I changed the tyres from the D207's, which didn't suit me at all, for a set of Metz Sportecs. I found with the change of tyre that the slight weave I had at motorway speeds disappeared. Running proper pressures also helped....the less said about that the better!
The supposidly weak front end I sorted with new fork oil and changing the springs. I didn't go for ubber expensive progressive race springs, just a new set of standards which showed a big improvement over the tired old ones. Bear in mind the bike only had 10K miles on it when I got it......just shows
Since my basic changes the bike handles well for the way I ride it, mainly "spirited" riding on twisty fast'ish roads. Ever been along the A272 at the crack of dawn on a summer sunday!
Suspension is an art/science in itself, a black are almost. And anyway lets face it, in standard form the bike is probably more capable than 90% of the people who ride it........oohh thats a sweeping statement.....
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Stormin Ben
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Apart from the frankly dangerous front end!!BarryH wrote:lets face it, in standard form the bike is probably more capable than 90% of the people who ride it...
I'm surprised you went for the same rate springs as it comes with -TBH it was almost certainly the new oil than transformed the front, not the new springs coz unless you are under 9st they're under-sprung.
These days the Japanese OEM springs are good enough that they don't fade with age (apart from the cr@p they use in the CCTs!) so I'd have been surprised if that was the problem
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
But its not a very good one!
I had a slight problem with the Storm under hard acceleration when leaned over on a bumpy road, but nothing serious and it only happened the once.
Came very close to being chucked off the SP1, overtaking a lorry, max power and going very quick when I think I hit the side of a cats eye. The bike went into a massive wobble. I was a total passenger and the bike sorted itself out, but it was scary. Maybe a damper would have helped - but maybe again it might have made it worse. Had a look around (i.e. on ebay) and didn't like the prices, so I'll just be more careful in future!!
Came very close to being chucked off the SP1, overtaking a lorry, max power and going very quick when I think I hit the side of a cats eye. The bike went into a massive wobble. I was a total passenger and the bike sorted itself out, but it was scary. Maybe a damper would have helped - but maybe again it might have made it worse. Had a look around (i.e. on ebay) and didn't like the prices, so I'll just be more careful in future!!
She's my idea of beauty and thats what I ride.
steering damper
Dont know what the storms like to ride with out one as mine came with one (only mod on it when bought)so cant comment really but i like the fact off the steering being stiffer if you like.
But i suppose now with my conversion i will probably push the bike further now with the front end so will probably need one where as before i probably didnt need one.
But i suppose now with my conversion i will probably push the bike further now with the front end so will probably need one where as before i probably didnt need one.
Re: steering damper
How are the link pipes progressing Alan, the last I heard you were talking about tranporting the bike in a transit type van to get them madealan wrote:Dont know what the storms like to ride with out one as mine came with one (only mod on it when bought)so cant comment really but i like the fact off the steering being stiffer if you like.
But i suppose now with my conversion i will probably push the bike further now with the front end so will probably need one where as before i probably didnt need one.
Chris.
PS. Sorry Toby for hi-jacking your thread