Steering Damper Importance???

[grumpyone]

Can anyone tell me the actual importance of the steering damper on the front of a R1100R; 1996?? If it is loose and slopy, probally lost all its oil and just hanging around and not doing any actual dampening is this a hazard? or is this just a frill like power steering on a car, nice to have but not a necessity ???
I have yet to find out this question. I know if they go bad or jam up or sieze they are a real hazard but if they are not there at all so to speak what is the problem??
Sorry to have such a dumb question I been under the weather a bit lately :banghead
Thanks for all the help
Jim and Esther

[plehman]

I posted the same question 3 years ago, without any definitive answer. So about 6,000 miles later my R850R still has the same non functioning steering damper.

I'm sure there are situations were it would be safer to have one, but you can go without it, even loaded (just my personal opinion).

The other problem is they're expensive to replace.

[MotorradMike]

Hmmmm

I have a 1996 R1100RS and I don't think it has a steering damper. Is it supposed to have one?

I believe it reduces the possibility of speed wobble.

[plehman]

BMW installed steering dampers way back. Your bike surely left the showroom with one, but I'd bet it's long since dried up.

And yes, that's the situation where they help. Higher speeds, after some disturbance or bumps. I just keep both hands on the grips.

[queretaro]

At about 40,000 miles the steering damper on my 95 R1100R died. However, I don't feel any difference on the road. Maybe some day I'll remove and try to rebuild it. Don't see any reason to pay BMW $300 for a new one.
regards,
Mark

[philbytx]

You will most likely find that the three Item 4's have disintegrated/disappeared. I replaced mine and my damper is not floppy any more :) !!!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0407&mospid=47947&btnr=31_0349&hg=31&fg=15

[rmarkr]

This guy could have used a steering damper:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-xnKoqQYi0

[bikerfish1100]

my R11S came with one. I replaced it around 60K, before it failed. I had read some reports that talked of catstrophic lock-ups upon failure, and didn't want to go thru that.
i bought a far superior adjustable, rebuildable damper from Hyper-Pro for about the cost of the BMW non-adjustable, non-rebuildable unit.
bottom line- a nice thing to have if its working correctly, but not a critical item. I can feel some very slight front end wobble coming over a rise with curve, on power, if damper is set too low. it is NOT only a hi-speed condition where it's value can show up, but the "average" riders is not likely to push their bike quite enough to induce that situation. i'd think of the damper as more of a luxury/performance bling item than a necessity.
me? i like performance bling. what can i say? I'm a gear whore.

[pbrokaw]

Guys and Gals:

I was just going to make a new thread on this topic:I went over to Jeremeys house last night to measure my parabellum screen height for a MOA member when I noticed my damper was leaking oil on his garage/basement floor!Thank goodness I put cardboard down under the bike when I parked it.

Are they rebuildable??? I surely will not be buying one for $300!!!!

Any thoughts???

Perry

[grumpyone]

More info on the damper; You can not rebuild as far as we can find out. Bobs says no parts are avaliable or no way to buy parts to do this. You can buy the mounting cookies #4 I think there are 3 and they rot away about 20 bucks otherwise it is 300 plus or throw away. Have heard tho it is better to throw away than have a bad on one on the bike if your not going to replace it. I would guess this is probally accurate information but Im lost like the rest here.
Im going to pulll mine off and see if it has the action left before deciding which route to take.
I am not a hard or agressive rider; always two up and never in any great hurry it defeats my purpose so I appreciate bikers info.
Thank
Jim and Esther

[BubbaZanetti]

My R1100S does not have a damper. Seems they were fit to the R models due to their lack of faring and the "sportier" S models like the Prep and Boxer Cup.

it's not doing anything if it's broken, that's for sure, but it's probably not very dangerous either.

[TandemGeek]

My R1100S does not have a damper. Seems they were fit to the R models due to their lack of faring and the "sportier" S models like the Prep and Boxer Cup.

The '03 R11S BCR I picked up last month has what appears to be an OEM steering damper. I have no idea if it was OEM or if the first owner just added it as they seemed to be somewhat predisposed to spend more time adding farkle to this bike than riding it.

The only down side I've found so far is that it makes the steerer very sluggish when the temps are in the low double digits - just around freezing this time of year.

Comparatively speaking, on the couple of warm days we've been treated to since early January I couldn't really tell it was there.

[PaulWhite]

I replaced my steering damper last year at about 60K for a couple reasons. One, I noticed when it quit as it was leaking fluid. Two, not wanting to find out it was needed for the bike's characteristics at speed (One of my son's young friends walked with a crutch for months after a high speed tank slap "get off" on the track - he inspired me to keep the damper working). Lastly, I was chasing any possible cause of an ever so slight tracking change in the bike's behavior which I now attribute to the Paralever needle bearings, having seen these are always beat up when the final drives fail... I want to replace with aftermarket bushings but have been putting this work effort off.

[bikerfish1100]

Comparatively speaking, on the couple of warm days we've been treated to since early January I couldn't really tell it was there.

if it's operating properly, you should not really notice its presence. it should work "in the background", keeping things from getting weird at inopportune moments.

[kamlooper]

You will most likely find that the three Item 4's have disintegrated/disappeared. I replaced mine and my damper is not floppy any more :) !!!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0407&mospid=47947&btnr=31_0349&hg=31&fg=15

replaced part #4 with heavy duty plumbing washer(black with nylon threads)hardware store 4washers $1.25

[rckendall]

I suffered a nasty get off from a non operative steering damper on a K75S. I was told that the K100 model did not need it because it was heavier on the front wheel. I bought a K100RS and sold the K75. It is the only time I can remember falling down going straight down the road.

Cheers
Richard