Do You Need A Steering Stabilizer / Steering Damper?

Motorcycle Steering Stabilizers, also called Steering Dampers, have been stock equipment on Sportbikes for over 15 years now. They're designed to combat a specific kind of instability in the front end that causes the handlebars to whip violently back and forth in what is called a tank slapper, speed wobble, or head shake/headshake.

[Ryan_Harkin]

People don't believe me when I tell them that about a speed wobble, now I can show them this video. Cheers Dave.

[numbzinger]

That's how I pulled out of a 20 mph tank slapper on my mini bike 58 years ago. As the saying goes, "You never forget your first one".

[WasNotWas]

I love his matter of fact approach, very true and very matter of fact...

[-tn]

DMT TRAINED AND TUNED is something that is cooler than all the gravy in the boat. Keep teaching, hope someone is archiving all of Dave's insights and treats.

[plt]

I think there is nobody here disagrees with you. Perfect video.

[marcusgeorge]

Great topic Dave. Thank you. I agree with that it’s all about set up and yes I never used a steering dampener on my race bikes. However, as most people (or you’d be out of business) don’t understand how to set up a bike properly it will provide riders with a bit of reassurance that if they do start to experience a tank slapper that the dampener, will slow it down, or preventing in the first place. However, they’d also need to be pushing hard. Just knowing it’s there will help then to not worry. A little bit of extra security. 👍😎🇦🇺

[alexduey]

ive gotten the wobbles twice both times riding past my limit. Keep calm and carry on

[DarkIzo]

that grey helmet with tinted visor looks low key sick

[vito]

My 2000 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport was famous for wobbling over certain speeds and adding friction to the stock steering damper only made things worse. The manifacturer corrected the issue by making a longer swingarm and adding a degree of rake, my solution was to just remove the steering damper and lower the front about 5mm. no speed wobbles since then

[AveMilller]

You've just save me 800 bucks. Thank you!

[Blashkyrk]

Hand positioning and grip (-strength, -technique) is very much overlooked when taking an license here in Sweden.
That in combination with bad set ups is in my opinion the root cause to tank slapping.
Add to that mix a marketing department adding a damper to make the bike look more race like equals a mess.

[evo]

when I raced WERA a steering damper was required on your race bike

[hickonahonda]

Whilst i totally agree it is suspension issue i dont know that id agree they should not be used. Never use a stabilizer as a crutch for bad suspension but an extra layer of insurance is not a bad thing especially if you come off a wheelie cross they do help keep it a head shake instead of a all out slapper

[stephanriley]

Correct me if im wrong, ,
there are two types of speed wobble, ,
1. when you accelerate and the front lifts slightly, (which i get often, and nothing to worry about).
2. or an outside force, that causes the wheels to track divergent paths.
The frame flexes to allow this to occur until the action is overpowered by the self-correcting forces created by the bike's steering geometry.
In some cases the outside force are to great to allow the bike to correct, , , hence the steering damper, , , ?
I think its better to have it and not need it,
Than to need it and not have it, , ,

[mixispid]

Dave's taking no prisoners. Sometimes you don't see the light until it's stars from the sledgehammer contacting your forehead.

[njohnson]

I think Harley's need like 7 steering dampers.

[davidbaquerorodriguez]

Sir, just keep speed? And stay straight?, From Colombia

[size]

I was thinking about putting one on my Ducati Hypermotard 1st generation. I don't ride it on the track, but rather hard on normal backroads
The front often felt very unstable as if it was just about to start a tank slapper

Forks are not adjustable, rear shock is adjusted like you do in your videos

[davidkane]

Hi dave I know it's an older thread now. But I have andreanni fork cartridges and a yss shock on my gen2 sv650n and I've lost alot of weight they were set up to a weight of 50+kg more than I am now. However since then all I get is tank slappers! I'm an experienced rider but it's troubling me there so frequently happening. Now I've seen this what can I do to iliminate the tank slaps without adjusting my spring weights as intill I reach my goal of potentially another 25-30kg otherwise it will be changed twice and I cannot financially afford this.

Any help would be great.... David

[Liberalcali]

I had tank slap in my kawi and now my Indian dark horse. And every time I maintained speed and leaned forward and it straightens out