Steering damper on a VFR 1200 - pro's and con's

A Belgian company (specialized in steering dampers) has brought a steering damper on the market for the VFR 1200.

I never had a steering damper on my bikes, so I want to know if it is worth the investment.

[image: Kit_Route.jpg]

A steering damper is a very good investment for light bikes that tend to go very light front end under hard throttle like sports bikes especially for track use, if you talk to a suspension guru they will tell you a bike with well sorted suspension doesn't really need a steering damper but there good as another rider aid. For a bike like the VFR1200 which is very heavy & doesn't normally unload the front end anything like a sportsbike it really is wasted money that could be spent on more beneficial things. But again personal opinion is just that & a steering damper on any bike is an added rider aid.

A steering damper came stock on my busa, which was not lite. However it had short forks and very little rake. The 1200 is not as extreme as the busa buy it does have a shallow rake compared to the 800's. I dont use one on mine but perhaps for track use it could come in handy to cut down on arm pump.

Having just had a tank-slapping good time less than 30 minutes ago, I can state with some certainty that it would be a good investment IF

1. You ride with one hand,

2. You have undulating terrain, i.e. Hills or intersections with raised centers.

I was just doing a light one-handed roll-on through an intersection, and experienced the pants-puckering sensation of my handlebars going from one side to the other at an increasingly violent manner. Only due to instinctual reactions was I able to rectify the situation and bring the front end under control without spilling my plastics all over the street. I am now researching which damper I should acquire. I know they are OEM on the 1k's, and this bike has more oomph, albeit higher weight.

MORAL OF STORY: Ride with two hands or prepare to lose control within a second's notice.

I've never had any tank-slapping issues at all on the 1200, even in very aggresive riding situations (including a Laguna Seca trackday). The front is just too heavy and combined with (relatively) mild rake, I wouldn't consider one unless someone gave it to me for free. My 2 pennies.

Why add useless weight on an already heavy bike?.....Spend the money on the best tires you can put on it instead..... Those would make much more of a positive difference than a steering damper....

In my opinion, a steering damper is really necessary if the roads where you drive have imperfections.

Here in Brazil, I think this accessory as extremely needed.

In many cases, I had difficult to mantain the VFR under control when I past over asphalt with poor repair. The worst cases are in curves.

I almost crashed the VFR twice time because of the tremendous shake of the handlebar.

By the same cause (and the same way), I crashed a Honda CB 600F Hornet.

In both cases, I hadled the handlebar with the both hands firmly.

But in good pavement, there is no need of it.

wow, the thought of needing a damper on the VFR1200 never occurred to me...and i ride no handed kinda often...i like to sit up and coast downhills sometimes and often sit up and stretch or adjust my gloves at highway speeds ...sometimes even a little air guitar.... and she's no stranger to doing wheelies

vfrflanders

A Belgian company (specialized in steering dampers) has brought a steering damper on the market for the VFR 1200.

I never had a steering damper on my bikes, so I want to know if it is worth the investment.

[image: Kit_Route.jpg]

VFRFlanders who makes this steering Damper? I have not been able to track them down. Do you have a link to their website?

Thanks.

A damper is a very worthwhile investment on any bike. Please let me know where I can get that damper for my 1200, it is very badly needed.

This bike does not need any damper as the frame rake is not anywhere near "sport bike standards" - I've seen 300 kph on my speedo on some

very nasty roads and it was dead straight - stable like a star ship enterprise traveling at warp 9...

Spend money on upgrading the suspension first. A steering damper is a sticking plaster for inadequate suspension.

I drag my foot pegs on mine. I frequently hit the speed limiter. I've had it tank slap on me a few times and I know mine needs a damper. So if anyone here knows were i can get one for it please let me know.

1 hour ago, Speeddemon

I drag my foot pegs on mine. I frequently hit the speed limiter. I've had it tank slap on me a few times and I know mine needs a damper. So if anyone here knows were i can get one for it please let me know.

Are you on stock suspension? If not and you ride it that hard, perhaps upgrading the suspension will prove more beneficial, especially in the longer term. A steering damper merely covers up poor design and/or poor suspension for the type of riding one does. 

Are you dragging pegs and hitting the speed limiter (you are talking 150mph+ here, aren't you?) on public roads or is this on a track?

5 hours ago, Speeddemon

I drag my foot pegs on mine. I frequently hit the speed limiter. I've had it tank slap on me a few times and I know mine needs a damper. So if anyone here knows were i can get one for it please let me know.

Cure the problem, do not try to mask it!

You have a problem somewhere with tires/suspension or worn head bearings.

On a more specific note I can vouch for "Toby" as a steering Damper - I had one on my 2000 R6 back in the day. That R6 had a short wheelbase and was known for being a little skittish - especially in the head shake department. I picked up a Toby for next to nothing on eBay and what a difference it made. I've ridden all my sportbike with dampers since that day.

That said, I don't run one on the 1200 either. While I would agree the bike doesn't necessarily "need" a Damper, nor does it "need" a pipe or "need" an Ecu Reflash - but that doesn't stop people from doing those things and improving their bikes. I have always enjoyed the front end stability and cornering confidence that goes along with that on all of my damper equipped bikes. 

So if you like that feeling as well then by all means go for it.

I haven't pushed the VFR hard enough to see a need for a damper, but that doesn't mean that that it would need one when pushed near the limits.

My V2 Tuonos had Ohlins dampers. But those things spent half their life with the front wheel extremely light ....... must have been an Italian fueling issue, really!

I had an '05 ZX10R. That should have come from the factory with a top quality damper and an Advanced Life Support ambulance. Even with the Hyperpro cranked up, it would still shake it's head every ride. On the other hand, my RC-51 Sp1 gave me one little shake in 3 years and 40,000 kms, another sign to me that Honda can make a damn fine bike.