Steering dampers

[FurryOnTheInside]

Hugging your bike to act as a steering damper gets tiring very fast. Watch or read a twist of the wrist vol 2 by Keith Code, the turning god.

I agree, I wouldn't want to try it for any length of time. I just can only sustain high 30's on my MAB and using my thighs to hold the toptube is okay for the brief period of a fast downhill, and I'm tucking then anyway.

A steering damper can help us tons, we just need something that can work for our needs. Bicycle dampers might be too soft to be worthwhile, motorcycle dampers might be too stiff. Has anyone used a steering damper on a MaB that worked as it should?

I don't see any reason to think that bicycle dampers would be too soft. It's the same wheel, fork, handlebar, frame geometry as any fast bicycle.
The "paced" world record bike above went a lot faster than any of us ever have or will, and she did it on 20" wheels on salt.

The same damper has been used on tandems too, so it doesn't seem to be a rider+cargo weight issue..

Oh.. News! I just found out that the record was broken last week! No.. Wait.. It was only the European record, and on smooth runway, but no steering damper at all from the looks of it.

 

[CrazyDan]

I agree, I wouldn't want to try it for any length of time. I just can only sustain high 30's on my MAB and using my thighs to hold the toptube is okay for the brief period of a fast downhill, and I'm tucking then anyway.


I don't see any reason to think that bicycle dampers would be too soft. It's the same wheel, fork, handlebar, frame geometry as any fast bicycle.
The "paced" world record bike above went a lot faster than any of us ever have or will, and she did it on 20" wheels on salt.

Oh.. News! I just found out that the record was broken last week! No.. Wait.. It was only the European record, and on smooth runway, but no steering damper at all from the looks of it.

A steering damper would be very useful on builds that have the wrong steering geometry that just flop your handlebars if you let go (here's looking at you, OCC) or ride rough roads (especially rough roads).

 

[FNTPuck]

Hugging your bike to act as a steering damper gets tiring very fast. Watch or read a twist of the wrist vol 2 by Keith Code, the turning god.
A steering damper can help us tons, we just need something that can work for our needs. Bicycle dampers might be too soft to be worthwhile, motorcycle dampers might be too stiff. Has anyone used a steering damper on a MaB that worked as it should?

I plan to run a hydraulic ohlins style steering damper that mounts to frame and fork. Most of the nicer ones are adjustable, so if you are on a light bike you can just set it to 2-3 for very mild damping vs a motorcycle that might be at 6-7 for normal street use. I think if you buy one for a smaller lighter motorcycle like a Ninja250 that is adjustable it would be perfect for a motorized bike, especially a heavier one with moped forks or small motorcycle parts.

I had a GPRv4 on my last motorcycle that worked awesome, but no real easy way to mount one on a bike. It adjusted from 1-10 and on 1-2 it barely had any effect and on 10 you could barely turn the handlebars at low speed! I kept it at "6" for everyday riding and at 9 when at the drag strip.

 

[Frogslayer]

I've been using 2 if these for steering dampening on my gas MaB and the electric. I even use these on my goldwing as well and they've been working great so far.

 

[Vikingimike01]

You only think they work great untill you try something new! Haha

 

[CrazyDan]

All he needs to do is try to tackle 12 laps on a twisty course. Why fight the road more than we need to?