steering damper

im looking at getting a steering damper for the bike and wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers as to which would be the best one to go for????

[tj2]

Why do you want a steering damper??

Any of the main brands will do the job ... not that there is much of a job to do on an SV650!!!

I think the circular ones that sit on the top yoke (GPR?*) look cool

*Googlefooooo

cheerz,

every time i go out im always getting speed wobbles, some are little ones but the odd few are really violent tank slappers and i want to sort the problem before i bin it!

could it be the suspension or would a steering damper be the best option?

[Biker Biggles]

Is it a standard bike?I'd say there's something wrong with it if it's doing that.
Check tyre pressures,wheel alignment and swingarm/steering head bearings for starters.Is the back end jacked up or the front dropped through the yokes?SVs dont really need a damper normally.

[RingDing]

IMO a steering damper would just mask the symptons of a problem with your bike, in this case.

When you say tank slapper do you really mean a tank slapper? To me this is a lock to lock oscillation of the handle bars (quite bowel loosening IME!).

If it is a more minor weave, then this could be head bearings, worn tyres (a slightly squared off rear tyre can cause this) or mismatched damping and/or sag between front and rear.

A full blown tank slapper can also be caused by suspension but we'd have to have an idea of the circumstances to try to help really.

If it is just a weave then, IMO, it's not much to worry about. My SV weaves a bit in high speed corners at the moment but that's cause the tyres have 8000 miles on them and are squared off. No reason to replace them, just a change in handling with tyre wear.

[RingDing]

Biker Biggles said it in a more consice fashion!

Sorry!

[northwind]

The cost of a good damper goes most of the way towards sorting the suspension... So I'd do that.

I'd concur with the others, if you are getting slappers often, you either have particularly awful roads, but more likely have an issue with your bike as it isn't endemic of the breed!!

My money is on it just needing some new tyres ...

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

..... have particularly awful roads...

I fitted one for just that reason. Although not on standard suspension.

An example: Had a nasty scare one day with a mate following me on B roads. Over a crest and then brake into a gentle left hander, been over it probably near a thousand times on the bike. Except this time there was a depression after the crest due to roadworks (badly patched) and it pitched me onto the front wheel, back wheel about 6" off the ground. It instantly began to violently slap then the rear landed whilst crossed up and it bounced side to side while veering into the right hand lane. Luckily no oncoming traffic. Nice 50yard wiggly skid mark left by the front wheel!!!!

My mate still has no idea how i didnt go through the fence, or sent highside - I had no warning and it just went it's own way thru the bend.

Had a few less dramatic wiggles before then, so decided it was time to invest.

Didn't stop me doing a nice 500mile circuit that day tho....