Steering Stabilizer?

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mabchewy

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Looking for steering stabilizer options for the V-Max?
 
ive seen some MAx's with steering dampners, but Ive heard mixed reviews as to effectiveness
 
I've been wondering about this myself as my max has a really nasty speed wobble after about 125mph and at 135 it's everything I can do to keep it from becoming a tank slapper. So obviously, I don't approche 135 unless I really need to escape some asshat in a cage.

Now I have gone with a larger set of bars (Maxbars from python MS) and it made a small difference, but certainly not enough to my liking.

So I was wondering about a stabalizer as well, problem is, being that I've never used one, how much does it affect things at low speed?

Or is there something else I can check in the steering neck to decrease the wobble? Possibly the retaining nuts are loose?
 
I've read a post a while back by Don, and he really does,t feel steering dampers do anything for wobbling.
I think just having the steering nut re torqued every 6 month is all what we need provided tires and inflated properly and in good condition.
I think going 130mph is just asking for trouble, I guess with some gray hair
I just don't get that crazy anymore and don't get the thrill from speed in a straight line or even in canyons.
________
Dodge Dynasty history
 
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Well, some of us are just youngin's and need the occasional nip of speed. Not to mention that the highway speeds here are nromally around the 80-90mph zone. So a quick jump of the throttle puts ya well within the tripple digit territory.

I certainly don't go blazing like that every day and never in anything that resembles traffic. PPl around here don't use blinkers and I'm not looking to become someones trunk monkey.

But every once in a while, it's nice to take the bike up and make sure you "blow out all the carbon buildup":)

Most days now I spend at low speed so the wife can keep up on her bike.

I'll look into the stearing nuts and see what the tourque specs are. :)
 
mabchewy said:
Looking for steering stabilizer options for the V-Max?


It's also important to check your bearings to see if they are greased while adjusting them. The initial torque is 35-40 ft/lbs so the bearings will seat themselves. Then back the nut off completely and re-torque is to 3 ft/lbs. For those that don't have a torque wrench, you can use a simple method of a wrench that fits the nut, extend it one foot from the center of the nut, tie a piece of string on the one foot distance, run it over a pulley and hang 3 lbs from the string. Keep the string at right angles with the wrench. Hold the weight in one hand and the pulley in the other. With everything being in the same plane and square with the wrench, move the pulley back till it gently lifts the weight from your hand that's right under the pulley. It's as easy as falling off a log and will give you the true torque value without any expensive tools. Just my opinion but if you need a steering stabilizer, you haven't solved the real problem in the first place. Most of the time, problems tend to get worse if not taken care of.
 
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Try being down here... Open road limit is only about 60mph (100Kmh) and they keep trying to lower it. Bastard nany government....

Anyway, Steering dampers do help if they are mounted well. Any fool can just bolt one on, but for it to really work they have to be at a good angle. Usually the best one is with one end on the top of the fork right below the upper tree and the other end bolted solidly to the kneck of the frame.
http://www.ema-usa.com/misc/images/harris_dk1-ya600-2-gub.jpg
http://www.10bomb.com/store/catalog/images/Ohlins Steering Damper Kit.jpg

Best looking one also in my opinion.

Could also mout it from one of the down tubes in front of the motor on to the forks but personally I think that would get in the way more often to help.
http://images.google.co.nz/imgres?i...firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N
http://www.ducatigirl.com/inventory/pogo_steering.jpg

Some mounted on Vmaxs..

Side mounted
http://kaz9.hp.infoseek.co.jp/V-max STEERING DAMPER.htm

Top mounted, scroll through and you'll ee it.
http://ufocycles.com/Ingo/details.htm
 
I used this one; the universal application kit, can't remember what length....

http://www.motoparts2go.com/en-us/dept_549.html

Mounted on the bike it looks like this one from below; might even be the same one???

http://kaz9.hp.infoseek.co.jp/V-max STEERING DAMPER.htm

I put it on with a lot of other stuff at the same time so I can't really say what diiference it made....

I like the way it looks though...

For sure with the head bearings not set right it will still headshake even with the damper...
 
I've always been told that, unlike SS bikes, the steering angle isn't "radical" enough to warrent a steering damper and that it isn't really needed. In any case, I know Dale Walker had a steering stabilzer "designed" for the VMax. If I remember right, it stuck out the side, looked kind of awkward and I believe you had to cut a little bit of the scoop out on one side. Scotts and GPR both make SS steering dampers however they don't list the VMax. I believe Scotts had a generic fit damper.
 
The second one is a HyperPro. I want one, just don't have the $500 for one right now!
 
I am certainly no mechanical engineer, but it has been my experience over the years,and with several different bikes, that the high-speed wobble we all affectionately refer to as "tank slap" is directly proportional to the overall condition, and more specifically, the BALANCE of the rear tire.

Check it out sometime. Ever notice how a brand new back tire changes the characteristic of the bikes' need to tank slap? I noticed this with my old XS1100 some years back and even had more than one rear tire re-balanced with a spin balancing machine - with great results.

It has always seemed to me that any issues with a FRONT tire caused more low speed problems such as a slight shaking of the bars, but any issues with the BACK tire caused the tank slap.

Has anyone else noticed this as well? Or am I nuts?
 
I to have noticed what you are describing to an extent.
 

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