Headshake issues?

dazoo · 05-14-2011, 07:00 AM

Is anyone finding the standard steering damper a litte ineffectual?

I had a serious moment recently when the front went into a flap and the damper didn't seem to be doing much if anything at all to calm it down. I'm wondering if mine has gone faulty or if the stock one is as good as your average stock damper (useless).

I'll invest in an Ohlins but was wondering what anyone else had found?

**viperclaw** · 05-14-2011, 09:36 AM

The general consensus is that the stock damper is OK for street use but not great for track or pushing hard.

If you fight a head shake--hold the bars too tight--it will get worse or stay longer than it normally would if you can relax your grip on the bars and let it correct itself. Easier said than done of course.

**1000RR** · 05-14-2011, 10:07 AM

I switched mine out to a Bitubo early on (over a year ago). To give you an idea in comparison to the stock. The Bitubo has 18 clicks... setting #2 is about equivalent to the stock damper... not much damping going on w/the stock.

**AMRRA12** · 05-14-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazoo

Is anyone finding the standard steering damper a litte ineffectual?

I had a serious moment recently when the front went into a flap and the damper didn't seem to be doing much if anything at all to calm it down. I'm wondering if mine has gone faulty or if the stock one is as good as your average stock damper (useless).

I'll invest in an Ohlins but was wondering what anyone else had found?

you can not use a damper to cover up bad body position or bad setup, most head shake is caused by the rider not the bike.

gixerconvert · 05-14-2011, 01:56 PM

The OE damper is useless-An aftermarket damper is a good idea but keep it set on 2 or 3(depending on damper).Hyperpro,Bitubo or GPR are good.
As Amrra12 says it is possible that,for some reason,you did something different to normal.

AMPforE · 05-14-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMRRA12

you can not use a damper to cover up bad body position or bad setup, most head shake is caused by the rider not the bike.

+1

First get your suspension set up for your weight. If you continue to have the same problem learn to get the tension out of your elbow's and not be so stiff. If that does not work then get yourself a biturbo or ohlins.

**1000RR** · 05-14-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMRRA12

you can not use a damper to cover up bad body position or bad setup, most head shake is caused by the rider not the bike.

Great point! Many times, too much input from the person on the bars. Relaxing a lot will help. I got a pretty good headshake one time w/the Bitubo, and I have to imagine the damper helped. I was mid turn and something happened up ahead unexpectedly and I hit the brakes (a little harder than I anticipated) and it upset the chassis... got a shake, but it straightened out pretty quick.

H-2 CHARLIE · 05-14-2011, 06:51 PM

I have not had the pleasure of a headshake ... 1/2 wore tires or just the road i thought but a up set corner entry can do it too.

DanQ · 05-15-2011, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1000RR

Great point! Many times, too much input from the person on the bars. Relaxing a lot will help. I got a pretty good headshake one time w/the Bitubo, and I have to imagine the damper helped. I was mid turn and something happened up ahead unexpectedly and I hit the brakes (a little harder than I anticipated) and it upset the chassis... got a shake, but it straightened out pretty quick.

It's definitely a technique thing at the level AMRRA12 states. I see so many riders that maintain a death grip on the bars, as if they were hammers or something like that. But several road race organizations teach what they call "screwdriver hands." Where the grips are held relaxed, and more like screwdrivers, than having the grips completely across the palms, inline with the knuckles. I've seen more folks avoid headshake with that, and proper chassis setup, than those that have been "saved" by steering dampers.

dazoo · 05-15-2011, 04:08 PM

The scenario was coming onto the start-finish straight at Portimao. The bike is doing maybe 120ish out of the right hander onto the long straight where there is a slight crest at the start.

Basically the bike is accelerating so hard that it is difficult to hold on without using the bars. Normally I have a light touch on the bars but I was finding it impossible to keep myself over the front to keep the bike from wheelying whilst accelerating on WOT without hanging onto the bars. A combination of me pulling back on the bars, the front being light over the crest and a slight angle of lean still on the bike was a recipe for headshake.

My response was always to relax my arms but on one occassion the bike went into quite a flap. It felt like the steering damper really didn't have the effect I would have expected. I always used Ohlins before, seems the stock unit is not better than you get on a Suzuki.

Oh well, something else to throw money at.