Any Experience with Hyperpro Steering Damper?

[Trajiks9]

Anyone here have any personal experience good/bad with Hyperpro steering dampers? I am looking into buying the RSC model for my KTM 1190 Adventure. I really would like a Scott's, but I rather put the money saved into other farkles.
Hyperpro Steering Dampers

[jasnmar]

My opinion.

For a street bike, a steering damper isn't needed. Especially true for an adv or touring set up, which will have more stable steering than a sport bike. (I haven't looked into the specifics of this orange thing... I'm speaking in general).

I'd put my monies in other farkles first.

[Petorius]

I learned (from nhbubba) that Scotts street and dirt dampers work differently. I think what he told me was that the dirt dampers provide less resistance against the bars returning to center. Probably worth doing some research into that whole concept if you are going to ride off road a lot.

[Jim]

I had one.
I can summarize them in one word: NO

[Trajiks9]

The bike does come equipped with a cylinder style damper from the factory. From my research I've read that it is more for show than functionality. These KTM's do suffer from high speed wobble, especially at highway speeds with the hard cases equipped. I've experienced it on a few occasions. Others on ADVrider have bitched about death wobble, but I think that is more do to rider input. I bought the 1190 Adventure Standard for the fact that I do not plan on doing much off road riding, maybe an occasional fire road or back country dirt road. That is why the RSC damper is more apealing to me.

[Trajiks9]

I had one.
I can summarize them in one word: NO

Jim, can you please give some more details? How long ago did you have one installed on your bike?

[Tas]

I had one.
I can summarize them in one word: NO

Good to know. There's one for sale on the SVRIDER site that I was kind of considering. Guy wants $175 for it.

[Jim]

I had the shaft unscrew while I was riding. Completely came apart.

I've heard several instances of them leaking.

I screwed mine back together and sold it ASAP. Went to Ohlins and never went back.

I hear Sprint makes a decent linear damper

[nhbubba]

My SV came to me with a Scotts. At the time I just didn't know any better and rode with it. I heard from some other riders that you shouldn't need a damper and it just helps mask bad habits. For kicks I turned it way, way down for a couple laps in practice once. Under the tree house at NHMS I about shit my pants. I rolled right back onto hot pit, turned it back up, and have left it turned up since.

That said, I think that a lot of the complaints about headshake are due to loose steering heads , really worn bearings, undersized rear springs, and/or rear preload set too low. My DL does it now and then when loaded up heavy for a trip. I think I probably should have gone for a 1 step heavier spring when I upgraded my shock. Or answered "2-up" on the questionnaire. Although I also have almost 50k miles on the head bearing on that DL. I can't detect any slop or play in it. But 50 frickin' k!
Also with the SV mentioned above, I was riding an undersized rear spring for my weight for a long time. I have not repeated that experiment since upgrading that spring. I bet I would see less baby jeezus and have cleaner pants if I tried that again today.

Still, I'm considering putting them on everything. Nothing says bling like a sub $1k trash heap SV with a $500 steering damper bolted to it. I'm pretty impressed with the Scotts. I think its pretty top shelf. Honestly I'm not sure I'd bother wasting time or money buying something else. Go big or go home. Buy cheap, buy twice. All that.

Re: The Scotts off-road vs road. It is important to pick the right one for the application. I wonder if the ADV toys blur the lines a little. I think I'd lean towards the road version for an 1190.

Scotts Performance Products

We've gone to pain staking lengths to create valving suited specifically for Road bike applications vs. Dirt Bike applications. Road bikes having rebound damping while Dirt bikes have no rebound damping in order to allow quickly for corrective measures during slides. Being infinitely adjustable, there is no reason not to use it. It has no disadvantages!

Grats on the 1190 by the way. I had to take some seriously cold showers to keep myself from signing on one of those this past winter.

[Kurlon]

Shindy Daytona units can be had for around $115 without hardware. Fully rebuildable.

[Petorius]

GSXR dampers can be had for $20 shipped. Then adjust damping with oil weight. This is what I did on my racebike and I havent regretted it yet.

[nhbubba]

Shindy Daytona units can be had for around $115 without hardware. Fully rebuildable.

Motorbikes with already straight frames can be had for reasonable money too. I guess we all have our fetishes.

[Uncle Snake]

All of the bikes in my garage(4 including gf's) have Scotts dampers except one which came with a hyper-leaker. There is a Scotts waiting to go on that bike on the bench right no.........