YZ-450 Steering Stabilizer

[Pappy141]

I had a chance to look at Nick Wey's YZ-450 and saw a Honda Steering Stabilizer behind the front number plate. It's mounted where the black box was and the black box is pop riveted to the inside of the air box. Has anyone else tried this mod? The Honda stabilizer is a lot cheaper than the Scott's unit. The mounting for the stabilizer was a very trick machined from billet mount...Where would one find/buy something like that?

[PAdaytonaman]

I spoke to enzo about it a few months back after this was reported in one of the moto rags and they said that its a custom part and not yet available, but prob will be soon.

Call them and see where they are on this and let us know.

[FinchFan194]

I thought the Honda was a steering dampner which is non adjustable unlike a Scotts???

[NortonMoto]

Any pictures of it?

[Polar_Bus]

I had a chance to look at Nick Wey's YZ-450 and saw a Honda Steering Stabilizer behind the front number plate. It's mounted where the black box was and the black box is pop riveted to the inside of the air box. Has anyone else tried this mod? The Honda stabilizer is a lot cheaper than the Scott's unit. The mounting for the stabilizer was a very trick machined from billet mount...Where would one find/buy something like that?

Maybe it was not a "Honda" dampener, but it was a "factory only" R&D Yamaha dampener? "Maybe" we might see these units on the 2010 YZF's ???

If the Honda unit is not patented, and it works, all the other factories will copy it..

I always drool at the opportunitity to eyeball closely the factory race bikes, they bristle with trickery on the outside, I could only imagine what the factories mod to the internals (within the AMA rules of course)

[Pappy141]

It was on his practice bike and was told his race bike also. I saw it up close and it's a Honda stabilizer alright...Very cool set-up. I was told it helped the handling immensely. I'll contact Enzo to see if they have the parts for this mod.

[MotoXT]

Several non-Honda pros use the Honda dampener. I checked out Villapoto's 250 the last time Ford Field had the SX and he had one as well.

[nephic]

I dont know if all JGR guys run one, but I saw one on Josh Grants race ride also. I run a scotts and love it on my YZ450F and love it.

[Polar_Bus]

Never heard that steering dampeners make a bike "handle" better, however steering dampeners do in fact greatly reduce headshake, and absorb front wheel impacts which then greatly reduce rider upper body fatigue...

[Davey762]

I seen a pic of one on tommy searles bike as well.

[hillclimbguy]

I was never a big fan of spending the amonut of money for a damper until I rode a bike with one on it. I was sold. I bought the Scotts for my sons bike and mine. It helps for the type trail riding we do. And also help how I feel towards the end of the day.

[grayracer513]

I was never a big fan of spending the amonut of money for a damper until I rode a bike with one on it. I was sold. I bought the Scotts for my sons bike and mine. It helps for the type trail riding we do. And also help how I feel towards the end of the day.

I resisted the idea for a while, then I stumbled on a good deal for a Scotts. It was hard to notice what happened with the damper, because it was really a lot more about what did not happen, which is a lot harder to notice. About a month later, I rode another bike that didn't have one, and the difference was very obvious.

[hillclimbguy]

I resisted the idea for a while, then I stumbled on a good deal for a Scotts. It was hard to notice what happened with the damper, because it was really a lot more about what did not happen, which is a lot harder to notice. About a month later, I rode another bike that didn't have one, and the difference was very obvious.

I not afraid to say that my reflexes arent as fast as they use to be. That damper has saved my butt more times that I care to say.

My son likes it because he can go faster in different sections than he use to.

[Polar_Bus]

I can't speak for adding a dampener to a YZF, as my '07 tracks pretty darn stable (definately NOT worth spending $400 on), but I can comment expereince on my KX500 which has a Scotts unit. Prior to my adding the dampener, my KX500 had NASTY headshake, especially high speed driving through cross rutted more loomy straights. I would get so much accelerated arm pump, I was junk after 3 laps. It's took a lot of feedback from other KX500 riders to get me to drop over $400 on a presumed "gimmick" . I don't beleive in any types of bling "gimmicks" for MX bikes.... jet em', supend em' add your favorite tires, and leave em stock.

However I just could not get comfortable on the 500 no matter what, a big, heavy, 62 hp tank with bad "death swap" at high speeds was a recipie for disaster. I then finally added the Scotts unit, and WOW, what a friggin' awesome improvement everywhere, fast speeds, and even slow speeds.... best dam "gimmick" I have ever purchased!

[Kronlundace]

I can't speak for adding a dampener to a YZF, as my '07 tracks pretty darn stable (definately NOT worth spending $400 on), but I can comment expereince on my KX500 which has a Scotts unit. Prior to my adding the dampener, my KX500 had NASTY headshake, especially high speed driving through cross rutted more loomy straights. I would get so much accelerated arm pump, I was junk after 3 laps. It's took a lot of feedback from other KX500 riders to get me to drop over $400 on a presumed "gimmick" . I don't beleive in any types of bling "gimmicks" for MX bikes.... jet em', supend em' add your favorite tires, and leave em stock.

However I just could not get comfortable on the 500 no matter what, a big, heavy, 62 hp tank with bad "death swap" at high speeds was a recipie for disaster. I then finally added the Scotts unit, and WOW, what a friggin' awesome improvement everywhere, fast speeds, and even slow speeds.... best dam "gimmick" I have ever purchased!

Always nice to get some honesty. I got the 09 YZF 450 and holy crap wow! I still have my 05 CRF 450R and it doesn't compare. I was really debating about getting the scotts for the CRF but ended up buying a new bike instead. The 09 does a fantastic job of tracking in the directions I want it to go, but I'm must faster coming out of corners and lifting the front wheel off the ground. I noticed when I finally get the wheel on the ground I would sometimes get a shimmy in the front, so I thought it would be best to control the beast a little more with a stablizer and also in the woods. Sure would like to get a unit that didn't cost me $400.

[Weapon X]

when the behind the number plate one that the teams use, comes out aftermarket. I'm tryin it out fo sho.

[Kronlundace]

I was the same way about the Steering Stablizer. $400-$500 for a very small piece of equipment. It cant be that good... but then again I see lots of good reviews. I bought the 09 YZF 450 and put about 15 hours on the bike before I bought Scotts. I have a track in the back and YZF handles a lot better than my CRF ever did. I would only notice on the straight-ways that I would get some shake from the ruts, so did the other riders that would ride with me. We started going slower or off to the side to avoid the potential nasty crash that was awaiting. I took the tractor and cleaned up the track, then I put Scotts on and didn't notice to much difference until the ruts started to appear again. This is where I notice my friends were off the track again, but I was still on the track. When it started getting really bad for them, I barely noticed. $400 for not crashing.. maybe not.. After 15 hours and several races and trail riding, $400 OH HELL YA! Huge difference in the trails and racing on track and trails, amazing how much endurance I have left (not to much) but much better than what I was. Yes worth it.

[grayracer513]

The thing I always hear from new Scotts users is that they can't really tell any difference with it on. So what I always tell them is to ride it for 3-4 weeks and then take it off and ride it once. You'll never go back to riding without one.