Motorcycle steering dampers:
What to look for, and where to buy them.

Are you ready to shop for your motorcycle steering dampers? This site provides the best selection and prices.





















If you want to learn more before buying, read on!

There is a debate raging: Do bikes need steering dampers? There is a contingency of riders on both sides of the debate.

On one side you have the "muscle men" of the group that believe that with enough strength you can "muscle" the bike out of a wobble and avoid the impending tank slapper.

Let's look at the two types of oscillation that bikes encounter.

First, you have "speed wobble". This occurs when the weight on the front contact patch is insufficient to cause the front tire to align with the rear.

The "muscle men" typically lose this one. Why? Because it has nothing to do with strength.

During this type of wobble, the forks themselves oscillate around the steering axis so rapidly that the rider is off before he can muscle out of it.

The other type is "speed weave". Most chassis will damp this out without a damper.

What happens during this type of weave is that the steering head is moving around on all three axes. The frequency of this type of oscillation is much lower than the speed wobble frequency.

So what is the answer? It depends on your riding style and your tolerance for extra work.

If you ride with a light grip and can learn to correct light wobbles, then you probably won't want to be dealing with the extra resistance.

On the other hand, if track days and hard street riding are your things then a steering damper will be a welcome friend.

For more info on motorcycle steering dampers and all things motorcycle please join our free e-zine, Ultimate Biker.

Return from Motorcycle Steering Dampers to the Home Page.