Poll...
For those of you with Adjustable Steering Dampners (Ohlins, Scotts, etc) at what setting do you track/race at?
On the Track, (Track Days or Racing) I run at 1 Click from full hard. On the street, I run about 4 Clicks from full hard..
I say hard for better tank slapper control, some say soft for better feed back thru the bars...
I have run it in the middle/soft to test and IMO I get way to much feedback thru the bars, as they transfer to much un-necessary movement up to my hands...
What do you guys think?
yank it off and throw it in the toolbox
Nah I always rode with it as light a setting as possible but I also last used an Ohlins which provided very good dampening I cannot imagine setting it on hard as it would be unturnable. Also setting the dampener too hard is like gripping the bars to tight it sends every movement into the chassis and can cause tank slappers. I like to feel the front end.
Last three bikes I had had no dampener installed as there is zero headshake on them and like I said I like to feel the front end as much as possible.
At one time I raced motorcycles with the dampner set hard to control my violent inputs into the motorcycle.
Over time, I learned more about set up, and I started to like to require less work to get the motorcycle to do its work. That allowed me to use dampners on their lowest settings and, at times, not use one at all.
Dampers set hard can and will mask REAL problems with the bike and the rider. A damper should be set as light as possible, but still be able to do the job.
My scotts is set about 1/2 way between full hard/ full soft, and the high speed screw is 2 turns out (iirc). The damper should not be noticeably present. It's basically an insurance policy.
On a SUPER bumpy track, I may click it one harder, but generally I leave it and forget about it.
I've only had ONE serious tank-slapper. Last year, running BHF backwards, coming out of the carousel into T2. Those bumps in that direction were terrible on the bike. 3 whacks lock-to-lock. Once my hands broke free of the bars, the bike instantly stabilized.
As mentioned, I personally use my damper as an insurance policy vice an active component...
QuoteMy scotts is set about 1/2 way between full hard/ full soft, and the high speed screw is 2 turns out (iirc). The damper should not be noticeably present. It's basically an insurance policy.
On a SUPER bumpy track, I may click it one harder, but generally I leave it and forget about it.
what he said! 8) awefully close to my settings... i havent moved it more than one click either direction all year.
Just checked my ohlins and its on the lightest setting. Like I said on KCSB the damper is a safety item, and should not be used to fix setup problems.
-Nick
QuoteAt one time I raced motorcycles with the dampner set hard to control my violent inputs into the motorcycle.
Over time, I learned more about set up, and I started to like to require less work to get the motorcycle to do its work. That allowed me to use dampners on their lowest settings and, at times, not use one at all.
I have it on hard because I am pulling 2-3" power wheelies out of every corner on the track, and when the front comes back down, I get 0 headshake with it like this...
I don't think it takes any more "effort" to ride my bike w/ it on hard vs soft..
Maybe it is just something I am use to, but if I run it in the middle the bike feals very lose up front (probably because it is) I don't like the front end moving around in my hands like that...
Super Dave...The amount of movement in the Handelbars to initate counter-steer I would imagine is pretty minimal, with my Ohlins I have I would guess 10mm of "free play" right/left on steering before I really "feal" any resistance from the Steering Damper...
One other thing I don't like about having it on soft is the amount of feedback that I get thru the front end. I still get plently of feedback with it on hard that I can tell what the front end is doing, but when soft it is almost like a "sensory overload" for me...Is there that much usefull information I am missing out on via feedback to warrant a lower setting on the Steering Damper?
What do you think?
If you have 10mm of free play then it is time for a rebuild. My Ohlins had less than .5mm of free play
that would explain why you have had it turned up so high.
I would also take the dampener off and check for steering stem torque, and triple tree straighness as well as forks sounds like something is tweaked or loose.
Yeah loose head bearings can give you a lot of head shake.
Also if you have never serviced your head bearings it would be a very good idea. Most bikes come with jack for grease so they can get pretty dry..
Oh, and its kinda bugging me...its DAMPER not dampner or dampener or whatever ;D
-Nick
QuoteMy scotts is set about 1/2 way between full hard/ full soft,
+1.
I run it 1/2 rotation (180-d) from full-stiff on the street for added insurance during wheelies/stoppies.
On the track, I like it lighter, making inputs and transitions easier. I do keep it stiff enuff to stabilize the bike though. I run it stiff enuff that I can slightly feel it, but not enuff to make any difference in the bars.
My dampNer has saved my arse on the track.
+1 for "Damper" ;D