does a steering stabilizer really help

I was wondering if a steering stabilizer really works as well as people say?

..yes  lol


its a godsend for racing, and is useful for people who ride aggressively on the street.  it takes the edge off of some of the scarier moments lol

Depends on who those "people" are and what exactly they are saying...

Also depends on how you're riding.  On a track only (or a race) bike, yea they help but they're still not all they're cracked up to be even then.  For 90% of the average street riders out there Nope won't do a damn thing except make the steering feel more vauge, and make them think it's working great becaue they have it turned up so high it's hard to turn the bars.

Of course there are exceptions (like the suz TL1000R's.. Those things get slap-happy if you look at them wrong).

quote:

Honda Electronic Steering Damper (HESD) is a rotary type steering damper that electronically modulates steering damping based on road speed and acceleration. An ECU unit senses road speed and acceleration and then sends a signal to a solenoid. The solenoid controls an oil pressure relief valve within the damper unit. At slower speeds the relief valve is open, allowing for a free flow of oil through the damper unit, resulting in reduced damping force and lighter steering effort. At higher speeds the flow of oil is restricted, resulting in increased damping force and additional stability. HESD is the first steering damping system that makes it possible to increase high-speed performance while maintaining low-speed handling.

 
Hope that helps explain it.I know its there now after ridng my 03 600 RR without it and stepping up to an 06 1000 with it...

I'm putting the GPR dampering on my bike next week. I've heard both sides which commonly say unless your riding hard or track'n you don't need it. I plan to do the track so I got it. It won't hurt, so its your bike & $$$. I'll let ya know what I think after I've tested it out.

I just rode an 02 954RR and id didn't have a stabilizer on it.  I shifted into second gear and ripped on it over less then perfect pavement...but it wasn't bad either.  I've been on MUCH worse pavement with my 06 1KRR and not had a problem.
 
Well the 954 without a steering stabilizer gave me a serious headshake and I thougt I was going down.
 
After that little adventure I won't own a bike without a steering stabilizer.

How about for stuntin does it protect against incorrectly landed wheelies causing tank slap?

I dont believe it would, It just makes your steering tighter at higher speeds, so I guess in a way if you doing high speed wheelies it would keep you from turning the handlebars after you pull up....

It really depends on how you ride... if you put around the city, its a waste of cash. But, if you ride a little harder, there are those times where the front end gets a little light under acceleration. The steering damper seems to add confidence when riding under those conditions... I feel like I have more control.

Yep. The CBR is the first bike I ever put a damper on. I am now looking for a damper for my Aprilia as well!

If you are going to use your bike on a track then get it. If not then you won't need it cuz you wont be riding like you stole it on the street anyways.

quote:

ORIGINAL: CYCDUP

It won't hurt, so its your bike

Using a band-aid before you actually know and appreciate the nuance's your inputs will have on a motorcycle could actually do more harm than good...

quote:

ORIGINAL: cbrsensei

I just rode an 02 954RR and id didn't have a stabilizer on it.  I shifted into second gear and ripped on it over less then perfect pavement...but it wasn't bad either.  I've been on MUCH worse pavement with my 06 1KRR and not had a problem.

Well the 954 without a steering stabilizer gave me a serious headshake and I thougt I was going down.

The highlighted statement is like telling a Doctor "it hurts when I do this..." and the Doctor replies back, "well, don't go like this..." The problem you had wasn't the fault of the bike, so why punish it by taking away it's steering privilege...

That is all...

I took my 06 to the track and I have no damper and I didn't have any problems at all...

I dont know how important dampers are for racing applications. However, they are a very useful if you do wheelies all the time. Also, if you ride on bumpy street you can definitely benefit from a damper.

Seriously, why would you need a damper on a track? The road is smooth as it can be. Is it just as a precaution?

Dude I would'nt ride a bike without a steering stabilizer...

quote:

ORIGINAL: wickedambush

I took my 06 to the track and I have no damper and I didn't have any problems at all...

 
don't the 06's have stock dampers below the triple tree they are nothing fancy but the do help i know the 07's come with HESD

Yes the steering damper do help.My previuos CBR 600RR 2003 did not had one and defintly on the 07 i can feel better handle and control when riding at high speed.The bike is much more stable and handles better around corners.
 
Derk  

quote:

ORIGINAL: 07bluesilver600

don't the 06's have stock dampers below the triple tree
 

 
no, lol