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Steering stabilizers ? what? where? why?
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Posted by: Sambolio
I've seen them on bikes in mags but rarely at the track. I know they must work well but how? Do they make the steering stiffer ? Will I become a better rider (better bike = better rider)? And last of all wich one is the best for a poor carpenter on a YZF 426 
Posted by: MrLuckey
If you are an MX guy only you can ignore my input as I don't primarily ride tracks. For rocks, tree roots, ruts etc a steering damper will keep your bars and front tire from jerking as violently side to side (keeps you more in a straight line). No more than a person normally actually turns the bars to turn you won't notice any more difficulty in turning them while riding unless you are 'special'.
No they won't make you a 'better rider' but they can give you an advantage and give you better results. Of course that depends on your definition of a 'better rider'.
PS - on the rare occasion I find myself on the track I leave my damper on and set just like I do riding elsewhere.
I love my GPR (more than the scotts I've ridden with but not by a lot). Haven't really ridden with the WER but it looks cheesy to me. You'll find people that swear by all 3 I'm sure.
Posted by: dales298
A damper will help with headshake and keep cross-ruts from trying to take the bars away from you.
I have a scotts on my K5.
Dale
Posted by: Sambolio
Thanks for replying guys. Some more info would help. I ride allot of MX and case some big doubles from time to time. I go from bike riding to bull riding if you know what I mean (just trying to not get bucked off) thought maybe steering dampeners would help.
Posted by: JST122
Staying on the gas longer and all the way off the face should do the trick for that double casing problem you have, a steering stabilizer isnt going to provide too much help for you when you come up short into the face of a double. At that point I would just be wishing for factory suspension set up nice and stiff for SX.
Posted by: Kawidude
I've been riding trails with a GPR 2.0 stabilizer on my KTM for about 3 years. I went to an actual moto track for the very first time about a month ago. After I got over the nervousness, I felt really comfortable. Then I swapped with rickyd and rode his CRF450 without a stabilizer. The power was great, but the steering scared me a little bit without the stabilizer. I didn't wipe out, but I felt much less stable when trying to pick up my speed a little bit. I think it's one of those cases where if you start riding with one it will take you a while to adjust to riding again without one.
The GPR was one of the best things I ever did to my bike. The first time I rode trails with it, it saved my bacon about 5 minutes into my first ride. I hit a root I didn't see and the bars stayed straight.
Posted by: DougRoost
For offroad riding think of a steering stabilizer as safety equipment. The cost of it is a lot less than a trip to the ER, or even a new set of radiators, should you deflect off a rock or roots when moving fast, which gives you the confidence to speed up in the rough stuff. Some MX guys ride them on rough tracks and consider them an advantage, too, but not for the issue you stated (coming up short on jumps).
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