Steering stabiliser
- Thread starter monoi
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Never felt the need for one on my 1992 GS.
Appreciate the PD is slightly heavier but not, I would have thought, enough to make a difference.
Perhaps I just don’t ride fast enough!
I agree that it is not needed for road use, but someone at sandraiders had it fitted on his bike (not a beemer) and was waxing lyrical about it. He's a very good rider and it helps him. I'm confident it would help me deal with all the unwanted steering movement when going through sand and gravel.Never felt the need for one on my 1992 GS.
Appreciate the PD is slightly heavier but not, I would have thought, enough to make a difference.
Perhaps I just don’t ride fast enough!
Plus, as a BMW rider, I have to tinker with it.
I have an billet top yoke that I discovered was made by an ADVrider forumite in the US and is designed for use with a Scotts rotary steeering damper - something I'd very much appreciate on the rocky trails when I get to ride in NZ. I even have a Scotts damper knocking about somewhere - but no bracket for connecting it to the yoke.
And, until your question made me revisit the issue, no idea where to get one as HPMGuy off ADVRider has apparently dropped off the face of the earth. No response to emails at his website nor to messages via the forum. But I've now dug up this : https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/new-style-top-triple-for-airhead-gs.306486/
So it looks like I MIGHT be able to find a suitable bracket after all. Which doesn't help you much - unless you want to go down the same route? I'd be happy to lend you the top yoke to get a copy made.
Proper tinkering...
And, until your question made me revisit the issue, no idea where to get one as HPMGuy off ADVRider has apparently dropped off the face of the earth. No response to emails at his website nor to messages via the forum. But I've now dug up this : https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/new-style-top-triple-for-airhead-gs.306486/
So it looks like I MIGHT be able to find a suitable bracket after all. Which doesn't help you much - unless you want to go down the same route? I'd be happy to lend you the top yoke to get a copy made.
Proper tinkering...
I’ve no experience of steering dampers on off road bikes but those that do claim it makes riding in sand and difficult terrain much less tiring. I don’t know much about sandraiders but from my limited experience riding in sand I would imagine the ability to stabilise the steering to some extent would make riding much less tiring.
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I can see why you might want one,
But the fitting would be quite a challenge.
With a PD tank there is zero room to fit a modern “rally type”
I guess you could look underneath the lower yoke but the same restrictions will apply
Which will take you back 30 years to an old school hydraulic style thing.
I’ve no experience of ever needing a damper on an airhead as they have a totally different set up ( rake/trail/caster )than lighter trail bikes.
You could try putting a bit more preload on the head races and popping up to thetford forest to see if it has any real world effect, or a local beach.
Ultimately,loosing the huge tank,fairing etc would be of more benefit
But the fitting would be quite a challenge.
With a PD tank there is zero room to fit a modern “rally type”
I guess you could look underneath the lower yoke but the same restrictions will apply
Which will take you back 30 years to an old school hydraulic style thing.
I’ve no experience of ever needing a damper on an airhead as they have a totally different set up ( rake/trail/caster )than lighter trail bikes.
You could try putting a bit more preload on the head races and popping up to thetford forest to see if it has any real world effect, or a local beach.
Ultimately,loosing the huge tank,fairing etc would be of more benefit
Thank you for all the inputs.
I'm getting the bike back early July so I will have something to look at and think about then. I'll ask the rider who had it done, as I remember him telling me it was a bit of a faff (and not cheap!) as there was no off the shelf stuff.
I know that getting the bike lighter through smaller tank, etc.. would be the smart thing to do but where is the fun in that!
The rotary damper is the neatest, but BMW fitted the classic style to their GSs underneath IIRC so maybe that's the way to go.
I'm getting the bike back early July so I will have something to look at and think about then. I'll ask the rider who had it done, as I remember him telling me it was a bit of a faff (and not cheap!) as there was no off the shelf stuff.
I know that getting the bike lighter through smaller tank, etc.. would be the smart thing to do but where is the fun in that!
The rotary damper is the neatest, but BMW fitted the classic style to their GSs underneath IIRC so maybe that's the way to go.
I found that thanks to your link to the ADV thread https://www.hendersenprecision.com/indian_moto/bmw_products.html
I'll get in touch with them. My problem is I'm not sure which year model my G/S is...
I'll get in touch with them. My problem is I'm not sure which year model my G/S is...
Don't hold your breath - that's the website I've previously tried without success. That was some months ago, maybe you'll be luckier
I was wondering about thatDon't hold your breath - that's the website I've previously tried without success. That was some months ago, maybe you'll be luckier
The message on their answering machine mentions white water equipment so it seems we are late to the party...
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