Steering Damper Solution

19064 Views 52 Replies 20 Participants Last post by ukzx10r, Oct 5, 2016

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · Aug 30, 2016

I'm started to really get tired of stock electronic steering damper and all those unpredictable tank slappers what happens pretty often.

Is there any solution available to improve electronic damper or should I return manual dampers I used and liked before Gen. 5?

What is needed to disconnect electronic damper and install manual damper without any Fi light and/or other issues?

1 - 20 of 53 Posts

SkyDork

· #2 · Aug 30, 2016 (Edited)

Been discussed ad nauseam.

First, if you had a tank slapper, you'd have crashed. If you're getting headshake, you have a set up/geometry problem. Especially if it's re-occurring frequently.

You can install the Ohlins race SCU to change the characteristics of the ESD. Or you can remove the ESD and install a manual one. You'll need to retain the ESD motor to keep the caution light from coming on. There's a how-to thread on doing that.

Reactions: 5

obijack

· #3 · Aug 30, 2016

After I got my ECU flashed i had some issues of head shake. But I quickly realized I was holding the bars too tight. Maybe that will help you OP.

Reactions: 3

mr_honez

· #4 · Aug 30, 2016

:+1: to both of those.

Headshake issues are most likely caused by set up issues and/or rider input. A properly set up motorcycle will rarely experience headshakes when ridden correctly.

tdh

· #5 · Aug 30, 2016

I have a 2014 with the ESD and the Ohlins race SCU. I also have a 2016 that came with the same ESD that I took apart and removed the servo which I tucked under the tank, then installed a revalved (by Velocity Calibrations) manual damper on it. I like both options. Here's a video I made on how to remove the servo from the ESD:

Reactions: 2

belkins

· #6 · Aug 30, 2016

I just recently got the ohlins scu for my 2013 and i must say it helped a lot! the gen5 uses the same ohlins scu as the gen4...

give mike a pm or call @ridersdiscount is his forums name or website is www.ridersdiscount.com he gave me a great deal on mine.

Reactions: 2

scout

· #7 · Aug 30, 2016

what are you doing to produce a 'tank slapper?' and what past bike with a manual damper.

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 31, 2016

SkyDork said:
First, if you had a tank slapper, you'd have crashed. If you're getting headshake, you have a set up/geometry problem. Especially if it's re-occurring frequently.

Okay. I redefine; I'm getting frequent head-shakes. Often while acceleration and due to road surface inequalities. Sure, there are occasionally rider error involved but I think that's reason aids are partly made for? Yeah, being heavy on bars! I feel I just can barely touch bars while acceleration.

I'm sure stock electronic damper is not optimal for road racing (bounces, jumps, etc.) as I used before manual damper and it performed much better.

scout

· #9 · Aug 31, 2016

FI-saki said:
Okay. I redefine; I'm getting frequent head-shakes. Often while acceleration and due to road surface inequalities. Sure, there are occasionally rider error involved but I think that's reason aids are partly made for? Yeah, being heavy on bars! I feel I just can barely touch bars while acceleration.

I'm sure stock electronic damper is not optimal for road racing (bounces, jumps, etc.) as I used before manual damper and it performed much better.

Get Code's Twist Wrist book from amazon. The section on pivot points you must focus upon but the entire work is fundamental for riding. Foundational as in Code lays out the concepts and after a few years most dial in and get creative. So much going on and Code lays it out nicely.

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #10 · Aug 31, 2016

scout said:
what are you doing to produce a 'tank slapper?' and what past bike with a manual damper.

I'm getting frequent head-shakes, while acceleration and due to road surface inequalities. I Feel like I can't even touch bars at all.

scout said:
what past bike with a manual damper.

R6

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 31, 2016

scout said:
Get Code's Twist Wrist book from amazon. The section on pivot points you must focus upon but the entire work is fundamental for riding. Foundational as in Code lays out the concepts and after a few years most dial in and get creative. So much going on and Code lays it out nicely.

You may be right. I believe I'm aware of Code's theory as I've been read his book and watched videos.

There is always space to be comfortable with bike and come to terms with this issue. Anyway, occasionally shake is SO unexpected and I prefer aid for this occasion.

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 31, 2016

obijack said:
After I got my ECU flashed i had some issues of head shake. But I quickly realized I was holding the bars too tight. Maybe that will help you OP.

Yes. Same with me. I feel I just can barely touch bars while acceleration.

White Fang

· #13 · Aug 31, 2016

All very interesting and possibly helpful comments.

I had a terrible, bona fide tankslapper on a 2000 BMW R1100R and did not crash. The bars were slamming from stop to stop, I was hanging on for dear life, the insides of my ankles were seriously bruised because my feet were not on the pegs, my body was being rag-dolled and legs hammered against the bike with each slam. After a few slams, miraculousy the bike straightened out and I regained control. I had really dialed up the power cranked over out of about a 45 mph turn and the back end came way out, nearly high-sided but ended up in the tankslapper. I could hear the front tire squealing at every lock and went back to see several black streaks on the road. Taught me not to whack the throttle while leaned way over when uncertain of traction; there was a bit of sand and the corner was in shadow and I couldn't see it.

That bike comes standard with a steering damper and it didn't prevent anything. Later on the damper blew a seal.

The ZX-10R as we all know is a 170+ HP superbike and it will darn well headshake and tankslap. Any bike of this type will do this, it's a light bike with huge power, a serious combination. I don't claim to be the world's most aggressive rider because I would like to get home at the end of each ride or track day but I promise you, this bike will headshake HARD if you are hard on the gas and catch a crack or rut in the road that happens to knock the tire a certain way. There is no way to completely dial out that tendency. That is why they call these "superbikes". Sure, being a good, smooth rider will help, getting the Ohlins SCU is a great idea, but to eliminate them altogether? Keep your power mode on minimum and traction control on maximum and ride like an 80-year-old grandma. Better yet trade your Ninja in and get one of these:

See less See more

Reactions: 1

White Fang

· #14 · Aug 31, 2016

FI-saki said:
Yes. Same with me. I feel I just can barely touch bars while acceleration.

How does one hold on to the bike when accelerating, then? You get past 8 grand on this bike and you have to hold the heck on. Of course you have to grip the bars tightly, ever look at the handgrips of a real racebike? The grips are all worn and twisted half off the bars. That's how you turn and manage the bike, is with the bars mostly, of course gripping the tank and weighting the pegs come into it as well but your hands are the main control points.

However if you haven't done a lot of track time and so on and learned to manage all this, you may be gripping the bars tightly at the WRONG TIME...in which case I recommend a Ninja 300 for a year or two.

Porschenut

· #15 · Aug 31, 2016

I'd love to see someone figure out how to flash the OEM SCU. I think it's total BS that the damper is a safety system yet it doesn't do shit out of the box. Why the heck should we have to pay extra for something we already bought with the bike.

I was pretty irritated when I bought the bike new and found out afterwards that the damper is dead weight.

Reactions: 2

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 31, 2016

White Fang said:
However if you haven't done a lot of track time and so on and learned to manage all this, you may be gripping the bars tightly at the WRONG TIME...in which case I recommend a Ninja 300 for a year or two.

It's always pleasure to meet GREAT RIDERS on forums as "White Fang" (these keyboard warriors you never meet in real life).

As I said earlier my interest of riding is road racing. Often rough, uneven and unexpected surfaces. Not same track and same corners year after years. Also I truly believe there is no need to speak about my level of road racing.

SO. Let's make this thread more simple:

IS IT POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE ZX10R GEN. 5 RIDING/RACING EXPERIENCE ON ROADS BY TUNING OR CHANGING STEERING DAMPER?

Reactions: 1

tdh

· #17 · Aug 31, 2016

Answer: Yes

Reactions: 1

FI-saki

Discussion Starter · #18 · Aug 31, 2016

tdh said:
Answer: Yes

Thanks. This is what I call "proper" answer.

Reactions: 1

SDsting

· #19 · Aug 31, 2016

FI-saki said:
I'm started to really get tired of stock electronic steering damper

If you have not sorted out your chassis issues and still want a manual dampener (that was for SkyDork) then I have a manual damper for a '12 that was revalved by Dan Kyle and the end of the ESD that plugs into the ECU that you can tuck under your tank to eliminate the warning light (see my ESD elimination thread). If you want them I'll sell you mine.

Reactions: 2

tdh

· #20 · Aug 31, 2016

Reminds me of what happens every time someone asks a question about how to fix a problem with their rear brake, and instead of getting help with the problem of fixing their rear brake they get comments about why they shouldn't use their rear brake.

(I use the shit outta my rear brake by the way)

Reactions: 2

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