Steering Damper

[JOHNW67]

I have a 1976 R60/6. The steering damper doesn't appear to do much if anything at all no matter what setting. I'm guessing that there is no fluid in it after 33 years. Can someone speak to the effectiveness of a properly working damper? The part is about $100 at MAX and I would like to know if it is strongly recommended. Also, if there is a way to rehab the part, please chime in!

Thanks!

John

[Brettendress]

on my 1970 /5 it "seems" to really tighten down the steering a lot when on long straight highways. These bikes were seen as the first real touring bikes with big gas tanks to go places. don't know how effective it really is. But on my /5 I use it and the throttle tightening screw a lot on long trips, also when I have a load of camping gear I use the steering damper. Throttle screw so I don't have to keep a death grip on the throttle with my "M" bars

[20774]

Save your $100. If you need a damper to provide stability while traveling down the road, you've got much bigger problems. It's useful when riding slow over huge bumps/rocks where the bars could be jerked quickly left or right, or if you were pulling a sidecar. It would also help in those situations where you were on the edge of performance on a race track at speeds well above 100 mph. Most of the professional race bikes have dampers and a lot of the high performance street bikes (Ducati, Cagiva, etc.) have them.

Maybe keep the part on the bike w/ the handle for originality sake, but save your money.

[Weasel]

I've had my R60/6 since new, and the steering damper definitely is effective. Position 0 is for smooth roads. Position 1 is for a little more damping as road conditions may require. Position 2 certainly helps when going down gravel roads (it helps from keeping the front wheel from "finding it's own path"), icy roads) as well as taming rain grooves on the slab. Though mine still works, I wouldn't hesitate spending the money should it go south. These dampers were standard on all of the /6 machines, and a few years later only appeared on the more expensive models.

[JOHNW67]

Guys

thank you very much for your replies!