Speaking of...

[Kris]

Steering dampers and head-shakes, etc... Where does everyone sit while riding their bikes. I sit as far foreward in the saddle as I can get. (Sometimes to the detriment of my nuts! )

Now, I do not have my damper on and it rides fine. No sign of skittishness.

But on the other hand I can't perform these effortless weelies in second everyone is so fond of either... (Could be I am not a wheelie expert too )

Well? Where do you plant your self most of the time?

[Seca]

If ya want an easy wheelie sit as far BACK as you can. It might not seam like you are back that much but it makes a big difference.

[Rlbol]

Becareful if you are not running the steering dampner!!

[JPJohnsonIII]

Yeah, the nutz are usually crushed up by the tank here as well. I'm not the tallest individaul either.

I'm running the damper with 2.5wt with no problems.

[dragonbro]

the only time i get the "head shake" is comming out of a turn hard on the gas and the front end gets light or comes off the ground. when it touches back down and the front isnt straight it'll shake pretty good. i really like my Hyper-pro damper in those situations.

as far as body position, i'm usually hugging the tank too. only sit back on the free way or when i'm lifting the front

[Sewman]

Personally I sit pretty far forward because I don't have the longest arms.

I took the steering dampner off a week ago and the bike is surprisingly light to steer now. I didn't know that the damper made that much of a difference!

I was hard on the gas and had a rough 1st to 2nd shift which produced a little bit of a shimmy that I never used to see. I can see how the damper can save your but if you make a mistake.

[WobblyBox]

RE

Doing a wheelie in any gear without a dampner in place will generally result in more head shake upon re-entry ..

[Guest]

judging from your screen name i take it you have experience in this?

-

[CWN racing]

if you ride balls out I'd have one. with the power bikes put out today you wheelie without even knowing it and if the street is rough or whatever you'll get the shakes 9 out of 10

[2perrev]

I plant my nitz straight to the tank as well. Of course I have a tank bra, which helps the park bench feel!!

No dampner? Hope you don't find out the same way I did. Check out this post:

Post

[Duken4evr]

I love my Hyperpro. It is transparent until you need it. I have felt it "grab" twice, once when I clipped a small rock that was in my path while leaned. I think it saved my bacon that time.

[Kris]

I'm thinking of getting a Scotts, but I really like the way it feels without it. Maybe I'll feel different after I take it to a track-school, but who knows, proper suspensions settings, correct tire pressures, and descent riding, the bike just might not need one.

[bx-459]

Scott's up front, with an Ohlins in the back is the way to go...

[Edwin]

Here's my take on steering dampers:

They are good stuff.

The truth of the matter is, there isn't much difference between the cheaper ones and the big dollar ones ONCE THEY ARE SET. At least for me. I have always fitted my bikes with steering dampers, and once I set them to my liking, I never re-adjusted any of them...never...not once. So to me, it doesn't matter if the damper has 5 adjustments or 50, I am sure you'll be able to find something you like as long as it is adjustable.

Dampers are insurance. You get used to having one in no time, to the point where you don't even know they are there: UNTIL YOU NEED THEM. If you don't have one, these incidents sometimes end in crashes. That's a fact.

As for body position, I guess I ride sort'a in the middle most of the time. I scoot up front when in the twisty's and slide back for 2nd gear wheelies. It doesn't matter where you are sitting for a 1st gear wheelie.

[J-Bone]

Re: Speaking of...

Originally posted by Kris
Steering dampers and head-shakes, etc... Where does everyone sit while riding their bikes. I sit as far foreward in the saddle as I can get. (Sometimes to the detriment of my nuts! )

Now, I do not have my damper on and it rides fine. No sign of skittishness.

But on the other hand I can't perform these effortless weelies in second everyone is so fond of either... (Could be I am not a wheelie expert too )

Well? Where do you plant your self most of the time?

Iīm exactly the same way. I like to sit way up front with my feet as high on the pegs as possible, I feel much more in control like that. I also rode for a while without the damper and she was rocksteady even at topspeed. Now I have fitted it back with 2.5wt oil just for extra safety (steers a little bit slower now though, but itīs ok). I canīt wheelie for shit either but the front comes up in 1st all the time whether I like it or not
In 2nd though it feels like the front atleast has some contact with the road during acceleration (stock gearing). Iīll remap and go up 1 tooth in the front soon, then I just have to get some balls so I can practice a little.