| Author | Message | ||
     Jmiz5 |
My 2005 XB9R didn't have a steering damper. I wish it did! On December 28, a nice 50+ degree winter day, I just got out of work and decided to take a short ride before heading out to a hockey game later that night. I was about two miles from my house and merged onto a highway. I was now going up a small hill and accelerating. I must have hit a rut or something, because my handle bars started the most violent tank slapping I've ever experienced or seen from another rider. I somehow dismounted, at about 40mph. Luckily I did, as my bike went head-on into a pole. My right leg took the brunt. I cracked my femur in half and completely shattered my tibia and fibula, right below my knee. I've got more metal in my leg than I care to count but I'm finally home from the hospital. This isn't a sob story but a request that everyone drop their bike mod plans in favor of a steering damper. I don't know how much of my accident was avoidable by me being a more experienced rider, but I'd assume even the most experienced would have had a difficult time with this incident--the tank slapping was really THAT bad! So save yourself the hassle, the scare and potential injury. I wish someone pounded this into my head--I wouldn't be in this situation. Safe riding to you all. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Sorry to hear about your accident, glad you're on the mend. My personal opinion on steering dampers is that my bike doesn't need one. It takes potholes at deep lean angles in stride. To each his own, I suppose. My question is, did your bike survive it? Is it fixable? | ||
| No_rice |
i too am sorry to hear that. and hope you recover well. but i am the same in the fact that i have yet to find a reason to need a steering dampner. i am always wheeling and on the gas over rough terrain and leaned over. i have gotten a few head shakes coming down wrong or hitting a big bump in the road, but the bike has always corrected its self with no real extra work from me. even when i thought i was gona bite it. | ||
| Raymondt |
I agree, I needed one for my VMAX but the Lightning does not require one. The only time I need one is when gripping the bars too tight accelerating at extreme lean angles. As I shift, I have to concentrate on not jerking the bars when the torque hits. It might help for that. Otherwise I think it makes the bike feel funny, like your front tire is low or something. I love the quick feel of the Lightning so I will take my chances. I hope you and your bike heal well and you both are back in the twisties soon. | ||
| Saintly |
It's a horse that has been beat to death on this board & others. Some insist it's necessary, others say it's not. There are good arguements from both camps. I personally do not run a damper, but I'd like to try one to see how it feels. I've had headshake from my bikes under certain conditions, but nothing that sways me away from riding it. If it counts for anything, Buell decided to put a damper on the XBRR. That must mean something! | ||
| Jmiz5 |
Guys, I thought the same thing, that my bike didn't need it. I swear I thought the same way, and that's the reason I'm posting this. You don't realize you need it until you're laying on the highway hoping the car behind you stops and doesn't run you over. It was one of those freak accidents that will probably never happen to anyone on this board, but why take the chance? I'd surely sacrifice a little feeling over a projected six month recovery. And I got off easy, too! My bike was totaled. I knew it was gone when I couldn't hear the engine and instead smelled gas. I never looked up to see what had come of it, but apparently it was in a million pieces. All the more reason to buy a 1125r in the future. With a steering damper! (Message edited by jmiz5 on January 30, 2008) | ||
| Glitch |
I don't care for damp steering... | ||
| 1324 |
Every time I've experienced headshake (not too often), more throttle cured my woes. I'd like to try a steering damper for the hell of it, though. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
Man, im sorry to hear you went down! But atleast you are okay and able to tell others your thoughts of the accident. I personally would like to get a steering damper for my bike, I mean what could it hurt (besides my wallet) but on the bike, its not like it would hurt anything, and like you said, it just might save your ass one day! I'm with you man! I just hope I can find one that is affordable one day! Get back on your toes real soon man!! good luck! -Robert | ||
| Old_man |
A steering damper: Something you don't need - until you need it.. | ||
| Mtg |
Buell probably put a steering damper on the XBRR because they are REQUIRED by every motorcycle racing organization I've seen. Look into the dynamics of it and you'll see the rider makes a big difference, which is why some people like them and some don't. Also, notice that a lot of people confuse weave with wobble (tankslapper). Adding steering damping acts differently on those modes. | ||
| U4euh |
Thanks for posting, glad you are typing this, in more ways than one. | ||
| Old_man |
With the steering damper my Xb9S does not handle any differently, in normal operation, than it did without one. I feel no noticable difference. If I were to adjust the damping to a firm setting, I could notice a difference. It will do it's job at the setting I put it on.- prevent a tank slapper. It is no different than a suspension shock absorber. Think how the suspension on your bike would act without a shock absorber. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
I have long been an advocate of steering dampers. Stability on a motorcycle is a complex and constantly changing equation in which unstable conditions can not be avoided under certain circumstances, often involving transitions under power, or extreme changes in road conditions whilst cornering. There is a reason that all racing organizations require them: safety. I have even fitted one to my Harley FXDX. A close inspection of the gas tank may give the astute observe an idea of why I did so. I prefer the Ohlins gas charged units.  It is worth repeating that a steering damper is NOT a cure for suspension problems - it is properly used to maintain stability under adverse conditions. A properly set up bike should not wobble going in a straight line on a normal road at any speed. There are many possible causes for such instability such as improper wheel balance or tire inflation, incorrect suspension set up, lack of trail, worn tires, overly hard grip on the handlebars, loose steering bearings, loose swing arm bearings, just to name a few of the "usual suspects". | ||
| Brumbear |
I remember at the inside pass one of the buell guys saying the 1125r doesn't need one because of the engine placement and weight dist. or something like that if anyone knows the fact on this please post it. I have an SS the only time it gets squirley up front is if I get wheelie happy but I think the extra 2 inches helps alot over the regular lightning. Anyway does't an extra 2" always help  | ||
| Jos51700 |
It's my opinion that bikes that are wheelied alot, or high-mileage-low-maintenance are more in the "need" category for a dampener, and bikes that are properly maintained are in the "not-need" category. I've never ridden an XB that needed a dampener, and with the adjustable tension available on the Harleys, if they're adjusted properly, I don't think they need them either. Like tires, oil, and exhaust, it all boils down to rider preference. Every handling issue I have EVER seen, was resolved when the vehicle was restored to factory specs, without the need for a dampener. The exception, as noted previously, is race bikes. Dampeners are both required by sanctioning bodies, and typically more necessary with the handling setups required in most forms of racing (Which is very different from street setup). (Message edited by jos51700 on January 31, 2008) | ||
| Jos51700 |
And it sucks to hear about your wreck. Just think of yourself as a Terminator in mid-conversion. The Terminator had some great riding skills. Every time he got on a bike, time sped up! | ||
| Randomchaos |
I have been tossing around the idea of getting one. Im always a fan of better safe than sorry. The FZ6 I had didnt need one becuase of the rake/trail it had. The buell is alot more agressive on that front though. | ||
| Punkid8888 |
Its like a helmet, its Only really needed once, But you don't know when that time is. I don't have one yet, but plan to have one before the spring. I like to learn through others in these situations | ||
| Dano_12s |
+1 Jmiz5+Old Man.Hindsight is 20/20.Having been through a full lock to lock tankslapper at about 80MPH on a local track I now use them!!Cheap insurance. | ||
| Roadkingtrax |
Could there of been factors on the bike that contributed to the accident? Loose Neck Bearings perhaps? | ||
| Glitch |
I personally would like to get a steering damper for my bike, I mean what could it hurt (besides my wallet) but on the bike, its not like it would hurt anything, and like you said, it just might save your ass one day! Good point, and point well taken. | ||
| Jaimec |
A lot of the time these situations are made worse by the rider. If you FIGHT the wobble you will only make things worse. The hardest thing to do when the front end starts to go is to ease up and relax on the bars. Nearly EVERY production motorcycle made is designed to be self-correcting, and if you just let the bike do what it wants, it will "fix" itself. If you've ever taken Keith Code's California Superbike School, you know all about those "Survival Instincts" that will get you into trouble EVERY time. They are automatic reactions that seem to be pre-programmed into the human animal, and they are NOT helpful on a motorcycle. When things get "hairy," the automatic response is to: 1) Stiffen up 2) Look down 3) Roll off the throttle In almost EVERY instance, those are the three exact things you should NOT be doing. It takes literally MONTHS of practice practice practice to train yourself to react properly. You can't "get it" just by riding a lot. You have to ACTIVELY practice it. The best way to do it is either in a track SCHOOL (like Code's) or a Track Day. I'd highly recommend taking the SCHOOL first, and then using the track day for practice. JMHO. | ||
| Dano_12s |
In my situation there was no warning-went from solid,trackable to rip the bars out of your hands full lock to lock.It was my understanding I was #10 victim then the track smoothed the ripples on the crest of the hill. | ||
| Old_man |
Dano_12s You have just described a typical tankslapper. You did nothing wrong. No adjustment in your suspension settings would have prevented it. Anyone interested should look up tankslappers to have the reasons for the phenomenon explained. Some designs are more prone than others, but they can occur in any motorcycle that has self centering by the trail of the front wheel.-They all do. http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1460258 (Message edited by old_man on January 31, 2008) | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
Better to have one and NOT NEED IT Than To need it and NOT HAVE IT. Kinda like a Helmet, For those that never crashed and hit there head.. Why do you even wear the thing? YOU have never needed one yet?  | ||
| Dano_12s |
EXACTLY!!!I just don't think most people realize just how fast things can go wrong. | ||
| Treadmarks |
I am interested in a dampner. It would be cool is all of us xb folks could get a group buy from a badweb vendor. Have a poll to pick the type. I would be all over that. | ||
| 1324 |
^^^That's a great idea. Depending on model and price, I'd probably buy one. | ||
| 4cammer |
Does the unit from the XBRR fit my XB9R? |
