Steering Damper

[Adrian]

Hi there - I am considering fitting a steering damper to my R65. I have seen that a few guys have them fitted - and it seems that they have them to help combat our less than perfect roads.
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So what opinions are there - experiences - advice ?
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I would be grateful for any thoughts on this - thanks .....

[Barry]

I'm sure someone will have fitted one but I don't believe they are very common on an R65.  Provided  there is a slight pre-load on the steering stem bearings I find there is no real need for any further damping.

[Tony Smith]

I agree with Barry in that I have never felt the need for a steering damper on the R65.

That said the parts fiche reveals the existence of stock parts to mount a steering damper and I have dim recollections of someone in the group discovering that they are all still available in the course of fitting a damper to their bike.

[Bob_Roller]

I have one, never installed it on a bike, got it in one of the boxes of spare parts for the '84 LS .
From what I can tell the damper from the damper I have, it's non-adjustable, and only dampens with very quick movement .
There's is a threaded hole on the bottom side of the lower triple clamp, right hand side, that seems to be the forward attach point, but no idea where it would mount to the frame, there are extra holes in the horn bracket, possibly it mounts there .

[wilcom]

 BMW R65 steering damper mount points


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjDyLckZrK4

[Bob_Roller]

Thanks for the video wilcom !!
Dug out the damper, I was wrong, it is adjustable, it was set at the lightest the only time I looked at it 10 years ago .

[Adrian]

Thanks guys - I'll live without one 

[tunnelrider]

Dug out the damper, I was wrong, it is adjustable, it was set at the lightest the only time I looked at it 10 years ago .

Thanks for the pic Bob, until then I didn't know if mine was an aftermarket damper or not.  As you can see from the pic I've recently lost the use of it - initially the E clip and bottom washer must've dropped off and now if I put a new E clip and M8 washer on, the damper outside just pushes past the rubber bush, e clip and washer, leaving the bush on the pivot  and the damper hanging in mid air.  I could put a bigger OD washer on to stop this but the bush is not a tight fit on the pivot pin and there'd be slop in the action, not what it's supposed to be like I'm sure.

I can't remember what was there initially - not sure if there's supposed to be an inside collar between the bush and the M8 pivot pin?  Or if the bush is so old it's flogged out. Bob if you still have it handy, would you mind popping the E clip and taking a picture of the pivot disassembled please?

I bought my bike with the damper already installed five years ago and have used it all the time, so I'm pretty used to it.  I think it's been mounted on the bike most of it's life.  Have to say when it dropped the E clip and hung in mid air I didn't notice it not there but I usually turn it up full resistance and appreciate it when riding high speed (120+km/h) on undulating, turning road and usually have the damper on full riding gravel roads, where I think it helps smooth fishtailing tendencies so that it makes it harder to occur.