Henry Lubong's Journal

Wohooo! I finally got my Ohlins Steering Damper for my kawi and installed it tonight. This is one of the most important upgrade on a bike if it doesn’t have one. Even if it does, you would want to upgrade it to Ohlins. They are the leader in motorcycle suspension technology and a respectable brand in the racing world. Their linear (piston-style) steering damper is the highest quality damper available. It has 16 adjustable settings (clicks) for maximum tune-ability and control. The oil inside the damper is always kept under pressure to avoid free play. Two years ago, I had a bad tank slapper while riding my bike on the freeway. I hit a series of bumps causing my front wheel to go airborne. This is one of the reason why a steering damper is necessary. The damper helps stabilize the steering on a sport bike. A lot of riders ask if they will really benefit on a steering damper or is it just another bling on their bike. It is a defensive mechanism. It’s just like your leather jacket. If you think leather jacket can save your skin from a crash, a steering damper can save your life. At least, from now on, I can ride my bike with more confidence because I no longer have to worry about violent wobbles on my steering.