Steering dampers

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Fullauto said:
Set up properly, Nortons do not require a damper. In fact it will make your steering heavy.
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Ken - I love your FA CNC head on my bike, but I can tell you from first hand experience that that is bollocks.

Set up properly, a Norton with a steering damper will not make your steering heavy.
 
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gortnipper said:
FWIW - I have my NHT set to 3 of 7.
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Yeah - I wasn't sure where to set mine but, as the slow speed manoeuvring wasn't heavy, I have left it at the max. Is there a better way to determine "ideal"?
As an aside - it must have been doing something helpful at some stage (been on for 10 months now) because the clamp on the fork, which is quite tight, had rotated some 10 degrees. I noticed it a few weeks ago and corrected it. It would take quite some force to move it, especially at the radius the damper is from centre of fork stanchion!
 
I have one on mine and see it as a safety item. Mainly in the event of hitting a hole or something on the road.

I do this because I ended up on the ripple stripes once years ago while racing. The bars were nearly torn out of my hands but it settled quickly. I'm sure I would have been down without it.
 
robs ss said:
Yeah - I wasn't sure where to set mine but, as the slow speed manoeuvring wasn't heavy, I have left it at the max. Is there a better way to determine "ideal"?
As an aside - it must have been doing something helpful at some stage (been on for 10 months now) because the clamp on the fork, which is quite tight, had rotated some 10 degrees. I noticed it a few weeks ago and corrected it. It would take quite some force to move it, especially at the radius the damper is from centre of fork stanchion!
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maybe "ideal" is when it stops rotating from normal riding? :rolleyes:
 
gortnipper said:
Ken - I love your FA CNC head on my bike, but I can tell you from first hand experience that that is bollocks.

Set up properly, a Norton with a steering damper will not make your steering heavy.
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I think this is where expensive scores over cheaper. The expensive ones have progressive valving so low speed manoeuvring and normal riding feels no difference.
 
johnm said:
I think this is where expensive scores over cheaper. The expensive ones have progressive valving so low speed manoeuvring and normal riding feels no difference.
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I have no doubt. But, with a Stage 1.5 built Commando for road use, a NHT is probably sufficient, IMHO.

Now, my modern Ducati has a stock unbranded damper, and I have seriously tossed around getting an Ohlins for that, since I do track days on it as well. But, I have had other Di$stra¢tion$.
 
I actually said "A properly set up Norton". Not a Ducati. Or a Triuimph. Or anything else, A Norton. Now with most of the Nortons I have seen, their owners are more ptoud of the items that make it look "cool" than anything else,.
 
Fullauto said:
I actually said "A properly set up Norton". Not a Ducati. Or a Triuimph. Or anything else, A Norton. Now with most of the Nortons I have seen, their owners are more ptoud of the items that make it look "cool" than anything else,.
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Ken - you've seen straight through my shallow facade. All I really care about is how it looks.
 
While in Kenya for 30 odd years with a Mk3 850 Commando tarmac roads varied between OK and god awful which made for exciting handling at times especially with a slight steering wobble that appeared at a certain speed. Fitted a damper which cured the wobble and made for more stable handling generally. Shipped bike back to UK when Africa days were over and had it professionally rebuilt top to bottom , with damper left out - handled just fine when back on the road.
 
IMHO, we are talking at cross purposes again, as usually happens with this subject.

YES: A properly set up Norton does not need a damper. And YES they do ‘handle just fine‘ … 99% of the time. But the one time you hit an unexpected series of bumps at speed whilst leaned over, it might save your arse.

Hence I refer to it as a safety net, or insurance. Of course I don’t need it most of the time, but on the occasions I do, I’ll be glad it’s there.

But that’s for my riding style, on the roads and (more pertinently) tracks that I ride on. No one is arguing they‘re compulsory…
 
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Fast Eddie said:
IMHO, we are talking at cross purposes again, as usually happens with this subject.

YES: A properly set up Norton does not need a damper. And YES they do ‘handle just fine‘ … 99% of the time. But the one time you hit an unexpected series of bumps at speed whilst leaned over, it might save your arse.

Hence I refer to it as a safety net, or insurance. Of course I don’t need it most of the time, but on the occasions I do, I’ll be glad it’s there…
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...but... do you look "cool"? ;)
 
I removed the OEM damper on my BMW R9t to improve the handling, which it did! Same on my Norton. I have one of the typical adjustable hydraulic dampers that I have installed/removed many times and I just can't find a reason to keep it on the bike.

The only time I have experienced a tank slapper on the Norton was a couple of years ago after installing/adjusting a set of new, high dollar, highly advertised rear dampers/springs. I put the Hagons back on after that ride and that was the end of that.

I have to say that my view/experience is that if you need a damper for OTHER than more relaxed highway cruising - which it does improve - fix the suspension/steering/wheel alignment/tire size mismatch, etc problem. ;)
 
Fullauto said:
I actually said "A properly set up Norton". Not a Ducati. Or a Triuimph. Or anything else, A Norton. Now with most of the Nortons I have seen, their owners are more ptoud of the items that make it look "cool" than anything else,.
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Hahaha.

I plead guilty.

Many many many years ago my Commando was my only transport. It lived in the rain and holes in the exhaust were literally repaired with wire and baked bean cans.

These days both it and I live in an heated double glassed house and we do not ride in the rain. If necessary the DR 650 can get wet.

But I figure the Commando and I can live in a little comfort and add a few bits of totally unnecessary bling because I can. :)

I'd very happily be 35 again but if I can't then at least 50 plus years of work can buy some cool bits.
 
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