Steering Damper ?

[D Dixon]

Does CCS require a steering damper?

Thanks

[rmahr137]

no, they do not

[coeff]

but, experience and common sense do.........

[GPgofast]

My first race I did NOT have a damper and almost lost it do to a tank slapper. Second race had the damper and not a wiggle and no worries. Get a damper, even a cheap one. GP

[Kevin Norris]

I pitted across from a guy at Road Atlanta about 5 years ago, he was joking how he could not afford a dampner, he tank slapped coming up the hill from the S'S hit the wall and was killed. The joke ended with him. Get a Dampner B/4 you ride !

Regards,

Kevin Norris

[Jeff]

I get this question a lot through my website.  For the street, generally the answer is 'learn how to ride correctly and you won't need one'.

However, the track is much different.  I paid $400 for my scotts and it's saved me MUCH more than that in prevented crashes.

I have it set as loose as it possibly can be and still function.  Be wary of ones with single adjustments, and always err on the side of being too loose.

If you want to see a damper in action, visit Road America or a similar FAST track with large 'kitty litter' run-offs.  People who run off with dampers are those who stay up.  People without will go down within a few feet.  I've seen this probably 100 times within the last 2 years and those who went down with dampers had no hope to begin with.  The bikes that run off standing straight up will have the front end grabbed by the soft gravel and this will most always twist the front tire sideways and drop the bike without a damper on it.

[r6_philly]

YOU NEED ONE

I was at summit point monday with Team Pro-Motion. Coming up Turn 10, the rear stepped out and the highside process started. I had just made an adjustment before I went out that session to my damper (turned it 2 turns in to add damping - Hyper Pro). I heard a loud screech, a bang (side of the bike hitting the ground) and felt a jolt from the rear as it caught traction again. As I was waitin for the imminent flight through the air, to my surprise, the front end just wobbled a few times and I end up going straigh up the track, although I was almost sitting on the tank by then. It seemed that by adding damping to the steering damper, my front end never tank slapped enough to throw me over the bars. I held on, and it went on. I have no doubt in my mind that without a damper the front would have tankslapped until I get throw into the air and land head first on to the track and then be run over by my own bike.

About the run-off and gravel. I ran off the track in teh chicane at Daytona going 85+ and didnt crash on the grass. Very amazing...

in conclusion - damper MUST! it would be too late if you realize it by yourself. Trust US

[Super Dave]

Ok, I'll chime in...

I think that steering dampeners are a good thing.  However, they are not a substitute for correct suspension set up.  

I'll go out on a limb here given my experience with racers from various kinds of racing...

New riders will over look the importance and need of having correct geometry in their racing motorcycle let alone having correct dampening capabilities and spring support for their motorcycle.  Few dealers have any clue how it should be on a road racing motorcycle.  Go to someone like Traxxion Dynamics where they have loads of experience in dealing with road racing motorcycles.  

Get the suspension done first, then the pipe and all that other stuff.  

Yes, I'd probably have the damper high on the list near the suspension work.  Kind of like having a hand hold when you're walking up stairs.  Don't have to have it, but it's nice to have.

I've raced various vintage motorcycles over the years that didn't have steering dampers on them.  Won at Daytona this year and set what was apparently the vintage lap record.  That bike didn't have a damper, no problem.