Q: Who “Needs” a Steering Damper?

[guzzi jon]

I gots the eldo a bit over 110 in veglia mph today, donts know how much that is in real speed, but the faster it goes the more stable it feels.... them eldos, made out of real metal and all are pretty stable. I think the steering dampers on em were more to keep cops from dinging the tanks by turning the bars too much with the cop doodads on em... an eldo at 110 sure sounds sweet

 

Edit: I talked to some of the boys today about wobblin if you took both of your hands off the bars at 30-50 mph, they figured that dont happen anymore, but in the 70's you sometimes had to take both hands off to light up a bong hit.... but once you took your hit, all was good.

[Murray]

Om a serious note

 

 

If I am coasting ( lets say decelerating because i am in gear ) at 30-50 mph ( the only times I have tried this ) in a straight line , and I take both hands off the bars and place them on the gas cap , I notice a gentle oscillation in the bars- maybe 1/4-3/8 of an inch, - is this normal ?

 

The OEM damper is MIA on my bike , I purchased it that way.

 

I suggest you check/get checked you steering head bearings and or wheel bearings, but thats exactly what the 1100 sport steering head bearing do when they are developing a notch (I don't have it run it either).

[docc]

Are you skeered this thread will get shut down if we chat about optimal whacking speed?

 

Frankly and honestly? No. That stuff is just all "silly banter." What will get this thread closed is the "you're so stupid" . . . and "duh, ain't you a twit" and "if you had a clue and one oar you could at least go in circles" kind of language. <_>

 

I haven't been the only one trying to diffuse it. It may even be the design of this particular thread. In reality this isn't a technical thread. Oh, I think it's interesting; the whole study of the Litany of Fear and all.

 

But, it isn't "technical" and it promises to degrade into further ranting and name-calling.

 

Say it ain't so. Save us.

 

On top of that, I have to say: I appreciate folks posting references from other sites. I don't get to surf around alot and find it interesting to read what people are finding. Especially worldwide. Don't ever let me say, some one doesn't "know what they're talking about" because they posted an excerpt or reference from another site.

 

I spent the day with four other riders helping to refurbish four old bikes belonging to our late friend and great rider Bruce who passed on a few months back. What a great bunch of guys! I can't believe how much they accomplished on these old (Hondas) in just a few hours. Beyond that, though, was their unerring sense of humour. These guys can't be kidded into an angry fit.

 

Quite unfortunately, the tolerance for kidding is not universal. I found it extremely hard to get away with when I got *home*. Ooh, and internet forums , kidding and frolicking could be construed as absolute subterfuge. Sabot-tage.

 

I've thought this to be a rather tongue-in-cheek thread all along. Will it get closed? Only by the posts of people that can't seem to reach their cheek with their tongue.

[Greg Field]

I think it's time to start insulting Docc. I'll begin: He's a quack.

[Greg Field]

Jon:

 

My Eldo's a wobbler. Ask Pedro about it if you ever want a fright. He wasn't on it 5 minutes and didn't reach 80 mph and almost died. 'Course I was so far ahead on his Eldo that I missed it all, and 5 minutes before, I was taking sweepers at 120 on that lovely machine, but it sure ain't for the timid and inexperienced. Thinking back, the last two riders besides me before him were my buddy Kevin and Motomonster. Kevin crashed it. He said he was trying to avoid hitting a dopg, but you know how those stories go. Monster didn't indicate there was any problem. Not all riders are equal, but that's pretty obvious. All of you who are so scared of your red-frames that you fear riding sans damper: Maybe it's you that's the problem? Perhaps the speed of your whacking is insufficient? Perhaps you're putzes? Perhpas your bikes really ain't all that stable?

[docc]

Nerts. I'm exposed.

 

Don't tell my feathered patients! The geese will be especially dismayed.

 

Does that make me a "honk?" instead of a practitioner-of-the-duck?

 

So be it; worse when you see my posts on "Serious Horns."

 

*HONK*

[docc]

Jon:

 

My Eldo's a wobbler. Ask Pedro about it if you ever want a fright. He wasn't on it 5 minutes and didn't reach 80 mph and almost died. 'Course I was so far ahead on his Eldo that I missed it all, and 5 minutes before, I was taking sweepers at 120 on that lovely machine, but it sure ain't for the timid and inexperienced. Thinking back, the last two riders besides me before him were my buddy Kevin and Motomonster. Kevin crashed it. He said he was trying to avoid hitting a dopg, but you know how those stories go. Monster didn't indicate there was any problem. Not all riders are equal, but that's pretty obvious. All of you who are so scared of your red-frames that you fear riding sans damper: Maybe it's you that's the problem? Perhaps the speed of your whacking is insufficient? Perhaps you're putzes? Perhpas your bikes really ain't all that stable?

 

Durn, even in the PNW y'all can make folks a'skeered just by makin' 'em ride yer goozie. Down-yonder-just-here we have to resort to twelve gauges or, at least, Ton Trucks.

 

*HONK* *HONK*

[Greg Field]

I have a Brown Bess flintlock I built, in the safe. I ain't askeered of no 12-gauge . . .

[GuzziMoto]

There 's a difference? I'm in the dark here. The V11 is my only road bike (of "not many") to have a damper.

 

The only 'damper' on my dirtbike ended up fitted to me leg . . .

Yes, there's a difference. Dirt bikes rarely have tank slapper moments and when they do it is usually not due to steering geometry or weight balance but from rocks and ruts deflecting the front wheel. In fact, to paraphrase an add for a company selling dirt bike steering dampers, they " reduce arm pump and fatigue". They have much the same benefits on a dirt bike as a steering stabilizer has on a 4x4. You should know about that. They reduce the effort needed to keep the front wheel tracking straight inspite of all the rocks and ruts it is hitting. All that stuff is not usually an issue on street unless you have messed up big time...

[Guest ratchethack]

I've thought this to be a rather tongue-in-cheek thread all along. Will it get closed? Only by the posts of people that can't seem to reach their cheek with their tongue.

OR by the posts of those who can't seem to find large, round, fuzzy objects attached to their backsides with both hands. . .

 

OR conspicuously located, ergonomically friendly adjustment knobs with their left hand whilst underway. . .

 

And so another Great Wallopping Forum Flushing continues. . .

 

Informative and kinda fun at the same time, ain't it?

[Greg Field]

Yes, Ratchetwhack. Illuminating to say the least.

[guzzi jon]

mario,

I took the fairing off my eldo years ago, donts recall what you have. but fairingless, my eldo is stable as fast as it will go. My cal ss had a pretty bad wobble over 100, but then I figured out that half the spokes in the rear wheel were broken, laced up a new rim and the wobble went away, but I still aints paintin the frame red and invitin wobbles

[Greg Field]

I do have a fairing and bags. It's also jacked up pretty good so it has vastly improved cornering clearance. It wobbled before all that shit, though. Some of 'em just do. Maybe I have the evil twin of the one that the Guzzi test rider was killed on?

[emry]

Well, I do not know if this helps the topic or not... I can't be bothered to actually read all of the nonsense to be able to tell.

 

http://www.tonyfoale.com/Articles/RakeEx/RakeEx.htm

 

He has written a decent book and some of the articles are available. Also has some good freeware. Perhaps this can help someone somehow. Exocisms??? Or frame mutilations??? Hmmm....

 

But as a note I just measured the geometry of my R6 (I have added a steering damper since my last post, goin back to Barber in Oct!!!) Rake = 22.7deg and Trail = 97mm - OEM was Rake =24 deg and Trail = 94. No I am not going to measure my Scura. Sorry.

[Greg Field]

Well, the Madame has only bested me once. I attribute that to trying to punch through the roads around Mt. St. Helens too early. Too much moss left on the road, and the front tire just let loose of the tarmac. Other than that incident, I've always wrassled her to running straight again. That bike just loves humiliating V11 Sports and Ducatis and such, so when I give it its head to do such things, it treats me right. Long may it continue to so so.