How do steering dampers work?

[ray_lebreton]

i see them mounted on your handle bars and nothing else, is this true? how is this possible i heard they work really well but can't figure out how they could work so well without attaching to the frame or suspension.

[Hick]

Ray,

No, they do not mount only to the bars. The Scott's damper has two mounting kits, one that can be welded on and a bolt on kind.

The weld on is simply a rod that is welded to the top of the frame just behind the steering stem or neck or whatever. The rod protrudes upward and it's tip is inserted in a notch in the arm of the dampener. This is the dampener to frame connection.

The old bolt ons for YZs (pre '00) attached to the oil filler neck. For 2000 they changed to a collar that encircles the steering head.

Sure, the bolt ons aren't as strong but they only need to be as strong as the dampening force produced by the dampener.

They are expensive but do work and are simple to install (the bolt on kind).

The dampener itself mounts to a special bar mount clamp that comes with the mounting kit. It replaces the original bar clamp and centers the dampener over the steering stem. To get the unit to clear a crossbar you can remove the dampener arm and turn it around. This allows the unit to be mounted backwards which places the bulk of the dampener further rearwards, allowing it to clear a crossbar and still have controls accessible.

[This message has been edited by Hick (edited 07-19-2000).]

[Mitch_from_Oz]

Hey Ray,

Well, you see, there is this little Hampster that sits inside the damper. When the bike is ready to turn, the little guy reaches down and grabs the oil stem and sqeezes so that it is harder to turn.

But, make sure you feed the little guy......

Mitchie... ?