GoBo

The stearing dampner i mean. I set my bike down from a nice second gear wheelie and started getting some tank slap. Luckily I saved My self and more importantly i saved the bike. NEways i have notice my steering is alot more touchy and wants to woble more when im setting my wheelies down. My Question is can the stock steering dampner or any dampner for that matter go bad? , if yes what is a good after market dampner and do the make one that would fit my 03 gixxer in the same spot the stock on is at?

This is the 1st time i have ever had trouble with it so any advice would help !thanks guys

HurricaneF2

they usually leak oil when they go bad, if its not leaking check your steering stem bearings, they might be loose

TEDDY.B

yes, the stock ones get air in them very easily, without signs of leaking. if you take it off and the action isn't smooth or there is gaps in the resistance it's worthless on the bike. you could either a) get an aftermarket damper with lots of adjustablity and is infinatly better than the stock one or b) drain the oil from your stock one and fill it with heavier oil, it will have no adjustability but be stiffer.

and check your headbolt just in case

cbr929dude

Maybe your front tire has uneven wear.. what kind of condition is it in?

GoBo

front tire is brand new but that was the case a couple months ago

GoBo

even on the bike i can feel light spots and soft spots when i move it back and forth ill take it off tonight and check it but i do think its done. when i first had the bike and moved the handle bars back and forth fast it seemed it would get harder but now there is barely any thing and it seems to get tough once and awhile and when im moving it slow

Wheeliest

U know... If u learn how to control tank slap.. u wont have to rely on a steering dampers.. i mean come on its great n all, but if u learn the art of setting a wheel down side ways and u can whip it back into place with ur own arms... they'res alot more tire smoke.. i allways sat down wheelies with my front tire a bit turned so i know what to do when the day comes when it is completely turned...

GoBo

ive been trying just doing them since i cant replace my dampner yet but after that mad tank slap its kinda iffy oh well i enjoy wheelies to much to just quit doing them

bill parr

even an after market can go bad, i had a hyper pro give out on me about 2 years back, you wont always notice if they leak because there is very little fluid in them to begin with, sometimes they just blow out and you dont realize it until you get a tank slapper at 90 mph.

GoBo

yep thats about what happend to me im gonna try another stock one if that does not work i may try to rebuild mine (not sure how but ill try) then after market only cause money is tight or id buy it right off the bat

TEDDY.B

i hope your kidding

knas

"Öhlins" adjustable stearingdampner... the best there is

GoBo

yeah if i had the cash id get one but low fundage means cheaper dampner

Wheeliest

if dampers were so inportant, don't you think yamaha and honda would come with em? just remember to take the weight off ur front wheel when u get tank slap, put as much weight on ur sub frame and you'll be good to go. even the worse tank slap where ur tires to skidding n ****, if u start to fall fall backwords, u prolly going to recover.. i seen my friend get crazy slap at arround 70-80 on a f4i on the freeway then he started to fall back and recoverd just fine

TEDDY.B

this is the worst statment i ever read. if dampers aren't important why do 95% of stunter use one? why do 95% of racers use one? i'd like to see you recover from a tankslap from pulling up a 60mph endo.

rebuild it with thicker oil, about the best solution on a really tight budget

NakedLady

Hondas do come with them ex: tha new cbr 1000 has an electronic dampner stock, it juss took em a little longer than suzuki to figure it out he he...
I think they are important to stunting though I do not have one but I wished I did a couple times and I plan on putting one on my bike when the $$$ is available

Metzger

And the 04 R1 has a stock damper too.

bill parr

stock dampners suck ***!!!! buy an after market

iceberg

yeah the stock ones are better then not having one, but get a after market one you will be able to tell a big diff in the stock and a the after market .
when bills 1st dampner went bad he got mad and tossed it in the woods on the side of the road then one of our friends went in after it and got it rebuilt for free

bill parr

i miss my hyper pro