Topic: Steering damper anyone?

[Retro Rocket]

Hi Brian, you set up is almost identical to where i mount mine, left side is definitely the go for ease of adjustment. Brents is similar to where Suzuki mount theirs to the GSXR's, well the older ones anyway, not too sure on the newer ones.
Do you think the billet bracket on the fork leg is a better mounting spot.? If so, why.?

Mick

[Nortstudio]

That second  one does look pretty amazing.  My bike looks almost identical, except without all the nice stuff, or the cool stuff either

Seriously, how is that working straight across the forks like that?  Very different than any others I have seen?

Thanks for the links.

[Retro Rocket]

That second  one does look pretty amazing.  My bike looks almost identical, except without all the nice stuff, or the cool stuff either

Seriously, how is that working straight across the forks like that?  Very different than any others I have seen?

Thanks for the links.

It works the same mate. Instead of mounting from the fork to the frame rail it mounts from the fork to the neck of the frame, does exactly the same thing just looks completely different....

[Nortstudio]

Aha. Very interesting. Options...

[Tintop]

The most modern versions sit on top, just in front of the tank.  One end attaches to a tab on the top triple, the other to a frame mount at the steering head.

[scottly]

They can happen that fast that you are down before you have time to react. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me whilst riding,{apart from a hit and run} its just plain scary. I hope no one has to experience one of these

1+ While we are on the subject of stability and insurance, fork braces should be included. If your stock fender brace is mounted in rubber grommets, chuck the grommets and replace them with washers on both sides of the brace so it is mounted rigidly to both fork legs. This simple mod will stiffen the front end by 20%.

[Retro Rocket]

They can happen that fast that you are down before you have time to react. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me whilst riding,{apart from a hit and run} its just plain scary. I hope no one has to experience one of these

1+ While we are on the subject of stability and insurance, fork braces should be included. If your stock fender brace is mounted in rubber grommets, chuck the grommets and replace them with washers on both sides of the brace so it is mounted rigidly to both fork legs. This simple mod will stiffen the front end by 20%.

Steering dampers and fork braces........where's the popcorn.....
{i agree %100}

[Tintop]

They can happen that fast that you are down before you have time to react. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me whilst riding,{apart from a hit and run} its just plain scary. I hope no one has to experience one of these

1+ While we are on the subject of stability and insurance, fork braces should be included. If your stock fender brace is mounted in rubber grommets, chuck the grommets and replace them with washers on both sides of the brace so it is mounted rigidly to both fork legs. This simple mod will stiffen the front end by 20%.

Steering dampers and fork braces........where's the popcorn.....
{i agree %100}

+1 

[seanbarney41]

They can happen that fast that you are down before you have time to react. It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me whilst riding,{apart from a hit and run} its just plain scary. I hope no one has to experience one of these

1+ While we are on the subject of stability and insurance, fork braces should be included. If your stock fender brace is mounted in rubber grommets, chuck the grommets and replace them with washers on both sides of the brace so it is mounted rigidly to both fork legs. This simple mod will stiffen the front end by 20%.

Steering dampers and fork braces........where's the popcorn.....
{i agree %100}

+1 

yup, it's poppin at my house...come on everybody, ya know it is totally impossible to improve on what Honda engineers came up with 40 years ago!

[Deltarider]

I planted my weight on the pegs (I learned that on this forum!)

I learned this in my training. BTW what you describe as a most scaring experience is something I have to deal with almost every holiday ride.

[scottly]

BTW what you describe as a most scaring experience is something I have to deal with almost every holiday ride.

You obliviously have never experienced a VIOLENT tank-slapper, where the handle-bars turn into a blur. It's F-ing scary! A shimmy is nothing compared to a wobble, and a wobble is nothing compared to a tank-slapper.

[Deltarider]

You obliviously have never experienced a VIOLENT tank-slapper

No, I haven't, nor have I met anyone with a CB500 0r CB550 that has. That's why I asked some simple questions. People can throw in as many GSXR's and what not in this thread, my simple question has not been answered.
Maybe the reason I have never experienced a slapper lies in the fact that my bike is close to stock. The Koni's shocks, although a bit harder, improved handling at high speeds and I always choose my tires the right size and kind (3.25 and 4.00). Furthermore when going on a holiday I pack my bike very carefully (distribute weight and keep it low). Result: it feels even more stable then. Years ago I removed a 3-tone airhorn that effected handling at high speeds. I was advised so by the above mentioned dealer who knew types of Suzuki ('80s) that were very sensitive for modifications. Even mounting a luggagerack could effect handling at high speeds (even without luggage!). I've never had a screen or a fairing. I maintain my bike well, watch the right tire pressure. Maybe that's why.

[Retro Rocket]

You obliviously have never experienced a VIOLENT tank-slapper

No, I haven't, nor have I met anyone with a CB500 0r CB550 that has. That's why I asked some simple questions. People can throw in as many GSXR's and what not in this thread, my simple question has not been answered.
Maybe the reason I have never experienced a slapper lies in the fact that my bike is close to stock. The Koni's shocks, although a bit harder, improved handling at high speeds and I always choose my tires the right size and kind (3.25 and 4.00). Furthermore when going on a holiday I pack my bike very carefully (distribute weight and keep it low). Result: it feels even more stable then. Years ago I removed a 3-tone airhorn that effected handling at high speeds. I was advised so by the above mentioned dealer who knew types of Suzuki ('80s) that were very sensitive for modifications. Even mounting a luggagerack could effect handling at high speeds (even without luggage!). I've never had a screen or a fairing. I maintain my bike well, watch the right tire pressure. Maybe that's why.

You obviously don't get it, nothing you have said in any post will stop a tank slapper, i've had 20 honda 750's , GSXR'1100's,  900 Kawasaki's, {worst handling bike i ever had} 750 and 900 Boldors  and piles more. I also worked in bike shops and have fitted 100's of tyres and done everything there is to do on a bike as far as maintenance goes, so have a few of the guys here,  i have also pit crewed for mates that race and although i have never raced myself, i have ridden on the track quite a few times on my mates FZR1000 superbike{1980's}. Every bike on the planet has the propensity to have a tank slapper, you are not the best rider or best at maintenance , {which seems to be what you are suggesting}, you have just been lucky. Just accept that and get on with things. Actually, you are the only guy i have ever spoken to that is of your opinion.....Seems to me that you are the odd one out here. I keep ALL my bikes in excellent mechanical condition and ride them accordingly. Time to move on......

[malcolmgb]

Interesting, seanbarney41 for one seems to agree with Deltarider

ya know it is totally impossible to improve on what Honda engineers came up with 40 years ago!

perhaps it is down to not pushing the bike to do more than the rider and bike are capable of.

I have never had a 'tank slapper' either or spoken to anyone who has, maybe I have led a very sheltered life, perhaps it is a thing only encountered in certain Continents, gravitational pull maybe. 

[Operator]

You obliviously have never experienced a VIOLENT tank-slapper

No, I haven't, nor have I met anyone with a CB500 0r CB550 that has. 

2nd page last post in this thread, Greggo's was on a '71 500.

Not throwing gas on the fire here, but I have had a few friends tank slap themselves off of their bikes. I had a damper on my '84 VF1000 Interceptor, and I have one on my 750 K3. I have never had a tank slapper with either bike. Did a damper have anything to do with it??.....I'll never know for sure, but I do know I've never had one. I doubt companies would continue to manufacture and distribute dampers if they were deemed simply as decoration, unless of course they had HD stamped on them. Lol

I also don't know if upgrading from stock drum brake/single disc to dual disc front/single disc rear from a '77 F  has ever saved my arse, but I won't change it back just because someone else doesn't see the merits of it.......

By the way, one of the guys who ditched was an experienced racer, travelling in a straight line, and excessive speed was not a factor.

[Nortstudio]

No, I haven't, nor have I met anyone with a CB500 0r CB550 that has. That's why I asked some simple questions. People can throw in as many GSXR's and what not in this thread, my simple question has not been answered.

I have had a tank slapper on my '71 500/4.  It can happen to any bike.  Mine happened on what's called the 'Great Highway' here in San Francisco.  It runs along 5 miles of ocean, and a windy week had blown what was basically a 6-inch sand dune onto the road.  The car in front of me went over it no problem, but it was spread across both lanes of the road, so I couldn't avoid it no matter how hard I tried.  I planted my weight on the pegs (I learned that on this forum!) and rode it out.  Hands down scariest experience I've ever had on a bike.  I was only going 30mph to boot!

Either you believe the man, or you don't.  I don't personally know Greggo, but I see no reason why he would interject a false story about his CB500.  Also, seems to me, in his situation, no amount of training would have preparred him for the sand in the road - but I could be mistaken.  Perhaps the moto training classes in the Netherlands have you practice on all types of recreated hazardess roads, and in varying types of inclement weather?

If so, all the more impressive, and certainly above and beyond the type of training they provide here in the states.  Feeling a little guilty over causing this monstrous thread, I did a little research.  This was one interesting thing I found:

I crashed due to a tank slapper a little over five years ago. You can read my analysis of it that I wrote on the five year anniversary of the event here: http://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8937

I've become much more interested in the subject after experiencing it firsthand. For those who have experienced a little bit of headshake, it's hard to convey how violent a real tank slapper is. And those who recommend recovery by giving it more throttle or other such actions aren't taking into account how impossible that is with the bars swinging back and forth so quickly.

It's possible to have a tank slapper on a bike with no mechanical issues. I'm pretty sure that mine was in that category. From reading about lots of tank slapper experiences, plus my own observations, the most likely condition leading to a tank slapper on a mechanically sound motorcycle is accelerating on a bumpy surface while in a slight turn. That's the one common thing in most of the tank slapper crashes that I've studied.

In many cases a good steering damper would have prevented the tank slapper and I'm quite certain that mine wouldn't have happened if I had had a steering damper. I had been warned too, but didn't listen to the advice.

[Operator]

+1

[bwaller]

I read with interest the guy (not sure whom) who crashed and investigated possible causes. It is true although I've never experienced it, a really violent head shake that takes the bars out of your hands and is certainly not possible to save. Sometimes your goose is cooked. Usually it takes an "event" to cause those, but whatever, bad deal, I'm sorry he went through that.

I won't read back through all the posts, but I'm sure it will have been mentioned. When I first installed a damper on my K3 in 74 it was to mask other problems, we all know what those are. I was nineteen, working in a Honda shop so eventually smartened up and addressed all those issues that cause CB750 weave. Install a damper if you want to but bearings, bearing tension, spokes, bushings, straight forks, shocks, tires, etc. all need to be part of the consideration.

Those aftermarket cruiser fairings can be awful things too.

Sorry to state the obvious.

[Doggie]

Hi Scott, The cheapest thing is to write your Congressman and get him to resurface the roads in there. Yeah right!!!
Great meeting you up in Rhinebeck at the handoff to New England. Can't wait till next year, and doing it again. Maybe
I can ride up with you guys next year. (You and Bobby)
              Take care, Doug (doggie)

[754]

 Maybe  all the guys with tankslapper 500d are dead or gave up riding...right after...

[Retro Rocket]

Maybe  all the guys with tankslapper 500d are dead or gave up riding...right after...

 

[Skunk Stripe]

I have been fortunate to not have had a slapper. Still, with the goofy weaving caused by rain grooves(I hate rain grooves), I think a damper might be on the list. Maybe after some progressive springs and fork seals.

[bikerbart]

me too.

[Greggo]

Wow!  I've been missing some good stuff in here

As for my experience...I was not going as fast as the racer in the youtube vid I've seen, maybe 40mph, and I was going in a straight line.  I'm sure mine wasn't as violent as that vid either, but I wouldn't want to go through it again.   My forks bottomed out, and the bars started slapping back and forth while the bike was bobbing up and down and side to side.  It was unavoidable too, because I was boxed in by traffic, and the sand was across my entire lane. 

I had to pull over at the next block to swallow my heart back down my throat.  I called the DPT when I got home, and was not the first person to report it. 

All that sand took hours to get rid of.  I had to buy a new chain and sprockets too... 

[malcolmgb]

My forks bottomed out, and the bars started slapping back and forth..........................

You appear to braked too hard for the surface you were on, shut the throttle let the engine do the work, maybe apply a little back brake.