Steering Dampener

I was curious if anyone installed a steering dampener? If so thoughts, on it esp at highway speeds?

Lol, you don't need a steering dampener on an FZ6. As for highway speeds...I've never experenced any need for a dampener even at the odd time of doing 170 Km/H. Waste of money unless you are a track junkie.

Steering dampners are mostly used if you are on twisties and alot on and off throttle. When you accel out of a turn and the front end gets light it will cause it to shimmy. Thats where a dampner really works.

from what i have heard as i have never used or owned one all it seems to do is stop the steering wagging and causing a tank slapper when getting it on, as i will never venture near a track unless its a straight line and 1/4 mile long probably uesless to me, even at high way speeds the FZ feels a solid as a rock although i have yet to venture beyond the ton.

In the 80s I wouldn't ride without one, but not needed with the FZ

Most will tell you that the geometry of the FZ6 does not call for one. I get some wiggle up front on the track but that is mostly due to me gripping the bars too hard and pulling with my arms instead of only using my legs.

There is a FZ6 racing league in Australia that puts them on FZ6s and many racing organization require them for any bike.

You can get one for the FZ6 for around $400 to $600 if you really want. There are a ton of more useful performance mods you can do to your bike though......

EDIT for links --

Motorcycle Racing Spare Parts and Accessories by RED Racing Parts

Twisted-Grip.com - Two Brothers Racing, add an item to your shopping cart:

Matris Steering Dampers
________
PRILOSEC SETTLEMENT NEWS

How would you mount one on a FZ6 naked

Maverick said:

In the 80s I wouldn't ride without one, but not needed with the FZ

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+1000 on that ,never .........ever ride an early model Z1000 without one ,trust me ,lol

Found an Ohlins one on ebay.............expensive !

OHLINS STEERING DAMPER YAMAHA FZ6 MOUNTING KIT - eBay, Other Accessories, Motorcycle Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 28-Jan-09 17:48:40 AEDST)

yeap fz is already a stable bike, dont need this expensive accessories to add..

+1 to that. On my 1985 design GPZ500S, if you take your hands off the bars a bit you get instant wiggle and if you don't put your hands back within about 3 seconds it'll get so bad you'll lose control. With the FZ6, I put my hands above the grips ready to grab down again at about 40mph and it was fine.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

FZ6OZ said:

How would you mount one on a FZ6 naked

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Just a guess but I would follow the instructions that come with it.... :thumbup:

Again, it would depend on the make/model as there are more that one "steering dampener" available.

Here is a pic showing a ROC dampener is mounted.



Here is a pic showing an OHLINS dampener is mounted.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...FZ6+damper&um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us

Boneman said:

Just a guess but I would follow the instructions that come with it....

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Lol. Cheeky! :thumbup:

...yet helpful! :thumbup:

i would think that if you are feeling steering wobble, you might want to check your steering bearings.. i am going to get mine checked this spring cuz i feel a little wobble at high speeds and when decelerating/front braking.. figured it has to be the bearings..

I didn't see anything about rake here, but from what I have read the need for the dampner is usually on sportbikes that have less rake and a short wheel base...

A few issues.

Top Mount Dampers: It would be interesting to see how the rigid post is mounted to the frame for the damper to connect to. There is not alot of room between the tank and the stearing head for this type of mount. I am sure some one has something out there, and I would love to see it.

It might be easier to mount a damper down low with the rod style. Not sure how this would be done, as I have never seen one on an FZ.

And just for food measure, because it is a bit of a pet peeve and I dont wont you guys/gals to be speaking wrong around big wigs.

Damper- a dulling or deadening influence <put a damper on the celebration>
2: a device that damps: as a: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

Dampener- to make damp or wet<the shower barely dampened the ground>

Several of my professors will call you out in the middle of class if you say this wrong. I just wanted to pass this around to you all as well.

Not meaning to pick on anyone, or sound harsh. Sorry if it did.

-bryan

I have no clue who ROC is. Stay with the trusted. Scotts, W.E.R, G.P.R., Ohlins. If they call their product a dampener, it wont work. It will only make your bars wet, lol.

This is what a Ohlins top mount damper looks like.



If you go to Ohlin's site you will see the latest news.

" Latest News
Be aware of fake steering dampers
Warning
Look out for fake steering dampers! During the last couple of months Öhlins Racing have been contacted by several buyers of fake Öhlins steering dampers – often bought via E-bay and such. Be sure to demand full documentation before you purchase any Öhlins product through the Internet. "

Advanced Suspension Technology

-bryan

I can't get over what the Ohlins piston damper costs, about $469! Back in the day you could buy a very similar damper with three firmness setting for the low, low price of about $69. To mount it all you did was drill a hole in the bottom of the triple clamp and weld on a mounting point to the frame, or some had a simple frame bracket. They worked fine. If a $69 damper could control one of the old 1000cc Superbikes they would work fine on a modern R6 or whatever.

I've only had a couple of small shakes on the track. They woke me up but nothing major enough to buy a damper.

Now I will admit the bling factor is very cool! :rockon:

damper damper damper

Hellgate said:

I can't get over what the Ohlins piston damper costs, about $469! Back in the day you could buy a very similar damper with three firmness setting for the low, low price of about $69. To mount it all you did was drill a hole in the bottom of the triple clamp and weld on a mounting point to the frame, or some had a simple frame bracket. They worked fine. If a $69 damper could control one of the old 1000cc Superbikes they would work fine on a modern R6 or whatever.

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Yup,thats all I paid for mine for my Z1000.