Steering Damper for '05 WR450, good investment?

[dazzabb]

Wondering if you guy's out there that had splashed out serious cash for a steering damper reckoned they were worth the money?

I don't race, but ride a couple of times a week and at times i feel I need one but I'm not sure if it will make enough difference to justify its cost.

Anyone bought one and wished they hadn't.

Cheers

Daz

[NavyNuke]

yes worth the money. much less tiring, and much less armpump ect.

and youcan take it off when you sell the bike, and put it on the next one. mounts are only 150 or so for a bike. and GPR mounts fit both scotts and GPR dampers. just sell the mount on ebay to recoup half the cost.

I'm definatly plus one or five for the idea.

also never bent fatbars since I upgraded to them with the damper.. went through a few sets of standard bars before that. so you save money not bending bars. depending on how good at crashing you are. I'm pretty good, watch the end of this video for a clue

http://media.putfile.com/Glamis-Dec-15-17-2006

[Just_a_trail_rider]

yep.... do it! Its money well spent. You'll appreciate it. You're wheel will still deflect off of rocks, but not as much.

I had to get my mount spot welded because the pinch clamp didn't hold. I probably crash too much for a simple pinch bolt to hold the steering damper collar. $10 did the trick at the local motocycle shop.

[GCannon]

Get the whole deal!

The rubber mounted ProTapers are worth it just by themselves.

[ccoates445]

Easily worth the $$$. Much less arm pump and really helps your bike control.

[Seabass]

I went with the Scotts and the BRP sub mount....it's worth every penny.

[clark4131]

Next to the Rekluse, the Scotts damper is the best mod I've done to the bike. It has saved my bacon countless times. Spendy at first, but so is a broken collarbone...SC

[xrmarty]

I have it on my XR currently (see my garage) It's great on open fast stuff. But I don't think you need it in tight technical terrain. In tight rocky/woodsy terrain (I imagine you find in Thailand) you need a quick response from your steering. I think the stabilizer interferes with that function. Everyone I know who rides technical trails always has their Scotts or GPR turned to the lowest resistance, otherwise it would be to difficult and cumbersome to steer.

Depending on what terrain you ride I'd say:

fast open trails --- go for it

slow nasty technical stuff -- you don't need it ( save your money for a Rekluse:ride: )

[dazzabb]

Good replies all.

I'm leaning towards not buying one as I do alot of 2-3rd gear riding (should have bought a WR250F, but was feeling pretty macho that day!) and steering accuracy / ease needs to be uncompromised.

Xr Marty I see you had to move the endurance speedo to the left bar to make way for the damper. I have the endurance computer right where the damper is on your XR and had never thought of that problem, can you read the speedo on the move?

[clark4131]

I'm gonna have to disagree on the opinion about using a Scotts for the slower technical stuff. It works very well for this type of thing. The Scotts does not interfere with regular steering if you have it set up properly. It has helped me many times in rock gardens and tight, root-infested single track. How many times have you been going slow when your front wheel is jerked one way or the other and you've dumped? The Scotts is ideal for this type of situation. It has two speed circuits, slow and fast, which aid in all types of riding. You just have to completely understand how the thing works and how to adjust for your needs. It isn't a completely bolt-and-go device. It takes some tuning to get it to work optimally, and when it does, it's worth it's weight in gold...SC

[xrmarty]

I have the endurance computer right where the damper is on your XR and had never thought of that problem, can you read the speedo on the move?

I guess now that I think about it, it is a kind of an odd place to mount it. I can read it very well though.

I'm gonna have to disagree on the opinion about using a Scotts for the slower technical stuff. It works very well for this type of thing. The Scotts does not interfere with regular steering if you have it set up properly. It has helped me many times in rock gardens and tight, root-infested single track. How many times have you been going slow when your front wheel is jerked one way or the other and you've dumped? The Scotts is ideal for this type of situation. It has two speed circuits, slow and fast, which aid in all types of riding. You just have to completely understand how the thing works and how to adjust for your needs. It isn't a completely bolt-and-go device. It takes some tuning to get it to work optimally, and when it does, it's worth it's weight in gold...SC

SC, I've ridden my share of nasty rocky trails and tight slow single tracks and I have found that the lowest setting on my Scotts is what felt most comfortable. The rocky nature of some trails put alot of strain on your arms. Yes, while the stabilizer can definitely help with a sudden deflection of the front wheel or reduce jerking and so on, overall, the less resistance in the steering the more comfortable it feels for me. I haven't put the stabilizer on my WR yet and that is because I really like the "feel" of the steeing without the stabilizer when I ride in slow techy stuff. JMHO:ride:

[clark4131]

It's all good. Some folks like 'em, others don't. I'm sold on it for everything. I went out yesterday for 70-mile loop and I know if I didn't have it at one point, I'd probably be typing this from a hospital bed...SC

[TheBlackSheep]

Good replies all.

I'm leaning towards not buying one as I do alot of 2-3rd gear riding (should have bought a WR250F, but was feeling pretty macho that day!) and steering accuracy / ease needs to be uncompromised.

Xr Marty I see you had to move the endurance speedo to the left bar to make way for the damper. I have the endurance computer right where the damper is on your XR and had never thought of that problem, can you read the speedo on the move?

The damper doesn't work that way at ll. It doesnt compromise the accuracy or steering at all. Check out the Scott's website it goes into great detail.

................ bahhh

[NavyNuke]

anything over 15mph and they are really helpfull. you don't notice it till you think back about close calls, or you ride without it. and no it dosn't really hinder steering in tight stuff.