Steering dampers/stabilizers - overrated bling or essential accessory?︱Cross Training Enduro

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#crosstrainingenduro #enduro #steeringstabilizer #steeringdamper

[crosstrainingenduro]

UPDATE I recently rode a lot of soft sand in the Australian outback. The Sherco 500 had a steering stabiliser and I was impressed at the difference it made once adjusted correctly. If you only occasionally ride in soft sand, I suspect it would just be better to work on your riding technique. But a stabiliser could be a worthwhile investment if you mainly ride in soft sand, rocky terrain, or you are constantly banging your bars through tight trees etc.
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[christiansheldrick]

Rode for years as a young bloke, never had one, never needed it. Now I'm old, hit a freak rock at 20km/h, handle bars snapped to full lock and I did a super man (wish I had a cape on) over the bars. 2 months to recover. Just bought a stabilizer, if it save me once from that happening again its worth it.

[qtubin]

High speed sand and desert riding it is a game changer. I back mine off all the way in slow stuff. When you hit that ghost rock doing 50 + your real happy your Scott's just saved your ass.

[TepcoCycleRepair]

They are not for "twitchy steering" they are for impacts like if you clip a tree with your bar, it prevents that full lock snap and let's you bounce off and keep going. Think tank slappers. So if you hit a rock that would deflect your wheel to fill lock, it prevents it allowing you to ride through it. I don't have one, I prefer the dramatic crash that follows so my friends can post their new content....

[motoman]

A properly set up Scott's stabilizer is a complete game changer... most crank down the low speed knob and fuss with it too much. I prefer a little more high speed and loose on the low speed and then DONT TOUCH IT! I have raced for over 35 years from nasty enduros, desert and Baja and it has saved my ass more times than I can count. An improperly set up one or one that has only 1 dampening circuit are usless. Btw my best Baja 500 finish was 8th in the pro over 30 class on a ex team Honda XR650R that showed top speed of 113mph on the gps after the race. I won't race with out my Scott's period

[brandtagone]

Got one on my xtrainer but put it on cause my wrists are trashed. I don't use the adjustment knob and leave it low which helps the sudden impacts especially down long rocky trails. I never realized how much stress riding puts on wrists until the arthritis kicked in. Don't use mine to ride as I don't need it but my wrists greatly appreciates it.

[ammechanical]

Just turn the damper down and have the high speed to dampen unsuspecting rocks and roots. Think of it as lateral suspension

[jeffrop]

I live in nevada where you can be in a sand wash for miles thats where i use mine the most.

[billabong]

I have had a scotts dampers on my KTM 525exc and 380exc and then swapped them over onto many other of my bikes, in my 45 years of riding I absolutely love them, for me I find I don't have to grip the bars as tightly thus lessening arm pump due to damping from center only, and can instantly change settings for deep sandy sections on the fly for the sand that tries to grab your front wheel and spit you off, works well in rocky sections too, and is easily turned back to my favorite setting in seconds. I think of it like suspension for the steering .

[Roee]

I use a Precision Racing Parabolic damper on my 300, it’s small, light and completely unobtrusive until you need it on the odd rock or rut. Other than the cost and installation I see absolutely no negatives and would recommend riders to use them to reduce the risk of high speed crashes.

[EnduroTainment]

Put 300hrs on my first bike in 1yr without a damper. My new bike came with a damper and I was too lazy to remove it. All I can say is it made the bike feel like a luxury cruiser through the nasty fast chop here in desert Arizona. I have 200hrs on it and haven’t notice a single drawback. I’m mostly into very technical and aggressive hard enduro.

[woodysrockspyro]

Love mine. Just takes one tank slapper to make ya a believer. If you have trouble with hand strength it'll help

[laosgpsmapmidnitemapper]

20 years experience with dampers _%100 agree with you, I never use the damper trailriding, Dualsporting and higher speed riding on flat terrain somehow it seems to have a great effect on My XR400, and yes you really get used to the change in, perceived handling, and tend to miss the Golden Orb under your bars, And like you say, no interest in adding needless weight to the 300XCW !

[PennsylvaniaEnduroRiding]

Informative video, thanks. Many of our riders here in the tight woods of Eastern PA prefer them for when your bars clip trees. The bars are not ripped out of your hands as easily and your not ping ponged down the trail. When I review my riding films, several times I am grazing trees with the bars.

[callummalseed]

I never use to use one but one came on my new bike, and I absolutely love it, I run just lightly for slow technical trails, but for fast sand and rutted roads when going at high speeds of 110 to 150 I'll have it on hard. 100% recommend. Even the eBay $100 Scott's nock off is great as well

[pierreduplessis]

Ran Scott's SD's on all my CR250's from 2001 through 2008 as an Intermediate MX rider. Got rid of those tank slappers on the fast straights and deflections from rocks or braking bumps in the berms and fast corners. Game changer. When finally switching to a 2018 KTM 250 TPI EXC I initially battled, but I switched out the twitchy stock Kenda's for Michelin's and my unease disappeared. Happily been riding for nearly 3 years without a SD in gnarly terrain and fast forest sections in South Africa

[Michael-yqem]

I rode without my dampener while i sent it in to get serviced and I can tell a difference in how long I can ride/my soreness the following day riding creek beds and big open rock gardens. When I'm in tighter trails having the stabilizer can be a little intrusive as it will slow down the handlebars if you swifty make input but my bike came with a steering stabilizer and I don't see myself getting rid of it.

[hadrianhaine]

I love my WER " work Enduro rider" damper it's great on my bike. And not been in the usual position under the handle bars means it leave more room for phone mounts and gps. My bike used to go into tank slapper above 130 on road sections (closed circuit of course).

[British]

So glad you did this video. I was considering getting one but don't think I'll waste my money.

[ptft]

I think you nailed It. I never felt the need but it's very individual like stegpegs, bar risers etc. Some hate them and some can't live without.