Steering Damper

[Wu-Viffer]

My riding buddy just bought an SV1000 and has found it quite uncomfortable for long hauls because of excessive vibration in the handle bars. I told him to get one of our smooth as glass VFR's, but he didn't listen. Are steering dampers made to fix this problem, or are they more for attenuating sudden movements in the handle bars (like when hitting a pothole)?


Thanks,
Mel

[John451]

The VFR was my cure for the SV650S in '03, a great bike for distance's up to 200miles but painful on my wrists, neck and knees for any distance much further, mix of weight on the wrists and vibration used to turn my throttle hand into a numb claw...

In comparison on the VFR have done 750mile days without wrist, neck or knee pain but could probably do with a Corban for another part of my anatomy for anything much further.

[JRotten]

For Head shake, use a steering dampener as last resort. First check wheel alignment, fork fluid levels and alignment, tire wear and pressure, and fork crown bearing alignment/security.

For handle bar vibration, check chain for over tightness and rough engine performance. Adding heavier handlebar end weights usally will lessen the vibration.

Hope this helps.

[Wu-Viffer]

Thanks for the advice, I'll pass it along to my buddy. I am sooo glad I have a VFR. Put 2000 miles on it in 6 days this summer, not a single complaint. When he and I go for multi-day rides, I am going to be a little less willing to switch up bikes until he gets that vibration fixed.

[fotomoto]

For undue vibrations on a large 90 v-twin (actually an L-twin) which have perfect primary balance, check the carb synch first. These twins will always have a large "power pulses".

[John451]

Originally Posted by fotomoto

check the carb synch first.

The SV has FI, would it need Synching or like the FI VFR's have errr SV's to balance ?

[derstuka]

Is this bike new or used? What year? You can buy steel/lead weights from some places to insert in the bar-ends to reduce the vibration. I know my FZR1000 was noticeably vibrating more so when I switched from the stock steel bar-ends to aftermarket aluminum...I went right back to steel.

A steering damper is for controlling headshake/twitchiness, ever more common in sportbikes with a steeper degree of rake.

[fotomoto]

Originally Posted by John451

The SV has FI, would it need Synching or like the FI VFR's have errr SV's to balance ?

Yeah in FI lingo it's called starter valve sync; ironically (in this case) abbreviated sv sync.

Also if the hands are going numb, it could just be a cause of poor riding position.

[Taz]

Most likely it's his riding position, yes the VFR is more comfortable, because of the ergonomics of the rider position, but even with VFR's you'll get sore if you don't use your legs while riding holding you up instead of your arms & back .

When riding your hands & arms need to be loose, (should be able to do the chicken wing flap w/o any tension to your arms) & your grip on your bike light.

Any "GOOD" riding school will tell you this .

I've ridden the Baja 1000 solo, Do 700 to 1200 in one day trips all the time on enduros My RC51, VFR, Sprint, or what ever I'm on & I never get sore hands, Arms, or Back, & I have Arthritis in my wrist & hands to boot.

Your legs are your strongest muscles in your body, take advantage of that.

As for just helping with vibration in the bars, the weights are the best way to go, but getting your weight off the bars will be the best improvement

[Wu-Viffer]

Yeah, I noticed when I switched from my Magna to a VFR a couple of years ago that if I put my weight on my wrists, my throttle hand would quickly go numb. Nowadays, it's second nature to ride with good posture, and I have explained this to my friend, but he claims that even with good posture, the vibration makes his hand numb. I have heard this complaint about the SV1000 (his is a 2003 with ~7000 miles on it) because it is a big v-twin. I'll tell him about the bar ends and sync-ing the fuel injection and see if it helps.

Thanks.

[bangelo]

I also have a SV1000s K3 and although not as silky smooth as the vtec it is smooth! the vibes it has are of a low frequency type and does not numb my hands/wrists. Iv'e covered 26,000 miles since new on this bike and I could not bare to part with it when 07 VFR arrived so I kept her.
I definately love this bike guess what I love viffer now just as much.

oh and as has been already stated steering dampers are for curing or stopping wobbles the sv has one vfr has not neither of my bikes wobble which means


Bangelo - 07 vtec & 03 SV1000s K3!!