Steering Dampner

[kim]

I'm looking at adding a steering dampner on my EC300.
What brand/model can you recommend ?
And any mounting issues ?

 

[Nick]

Partial to Scotts. No mounting issues here and i've done several.

 

[jeffd]

The scott's damper is an ohlins damper - scott's sells them with their name on them in the united states. Since you are in new zealand - you will want to look for an ohlins damper.

I had an ohlins in the past - I liked the adjustability. The things you want to look for in a damper design are...

- Resistance while turning away from center and no resistance coming back to center. (ohlins has this).
- adjustable high and low speed dampening circuits (ohlins has this).
- sweep adjustment - ability to adjust which degree angle that damper is "active" - (ohlins has this).

There are quite a few dampers that look like an ohlins but do not have the circuitry to do the above...

I would adjust my ohlins for tight woods riding. Sweep was set to the narrowest angle - to help me go straight over roots and rocks. Low speed dampening was turned down and only high speed dampening had effect.

jeff

 

[kim]

Ohlins list 2 models:
Part No. SD 415 (damping both ways).
Part No. SD 425 (no damping back to center).

From what you are saying, you would recommend the SD425 ?

Looking thru the Ohlins manual, it says the rod is welded on the bike colum.
On my 03 GG the tank comes all the way up to the steering colum, so it looks like I'll have to cut the tank back somewhat to make room for the rod.

Thanks
Kim

 

[Brian VT]

They sell a weld-on post or a bolt-on post.
You won't have to mod. the tank for the bolt-on.
If you have a crossbar on your handlebars you'll have to bend it.

While on the subject, I have a Scotts top clamp (as pictured) for 7/8" bars. Who needs one ?

 

[DaveJ]

If you have a crossbar on your handlebars you'll have to bend it.

Or get the Protect under bar mount. It's on my wish list.
http://www.ptenduro.com/02products/03under_bar_damper_mntd/01undrbar_scotts.html

 

[Brian VT]

I would adjust my ohlins for tight woods riding. Sweep was set to the narrowest angle - to help me go straight over roots and rocks. Low speed dampening was turned down and only high speed dampening had effect.

jeff

I'd like to set mine for tight, nasty terrain too. I changed the sweep to the narrowest (34 deg.) and the low speed has always been set very low. What would you recommend for the high speed setting ?
I was set at full sweep. A couple times last year I had a couple "ohmygods" when the front end started swapping. They were at fairly low speeds and only one time did it put me on the ground. Would this have been caused by, or could it have been prevented by, the damper ?

 

[jeffd]

I'd like to set mine for tight, nasty terrain too. I changed the sweep to the narrowest (34 deg.) and the low speed has always been set very low. What would you recommend for the high speed setting ?
I was set at full sweep. A couple times last year I had a couple "ohmygods" when the front end started swapping. They were at fairly low speeds and only one time did it put me on the ground. Would this have been caused by, or could it have been prevented by, the damper ?

If it's set up right - I think it can help - but sometimes "gravity wins"...

Even though the scott's manual recommended not changing the high speed adjustment - I turned it up a little bit anyway. I would run the low speed setting to a lower amount - not all the way off.

jeff

 

[jeffd]

Ohlins list 2 models:
Part No. SD 415 (damping both ways).
Part No. SD 425 (no damping back to center).

From what you are saying, you would recommend the SD425 ?

Looking thru the Ohlins manual, it says the rod is welded on the bike colum.
On my 03 GG the tank comes all the way up to the steering colum, so it looks like I'll have to cut the tank back somewhat to make room for the rod.

Thanks
Kim

Hi Kim,
Sorry for not replying sooner - yes the sd245 - i think the other one is more suited for road racing applications.

jeff