I have had several diverging experiences with motorbikes and dampers.

30 years ago, I owned a '77 Goldwing K2. The one that was notoriously throwing off riders on straight roads, at speeds as slow as 80mph. I went to a local specialist for chassis and wheels, and he exchanged the bearings on the bike with his own stuff. He also welded an additional tube onto the swing arm. After that, the Wing was good for 110, and even full throttle with a pillion present. At that time, that was fast enough for me (and the Wing's engine), so that was it.

A few years later I had a tuned up Suzuki Katana 1100 (the one that looked like a shark). In the 90's the fight between the Katana and the Kawi GPZ was still going on. My best friend had a GPZ1000RX, which was slightly slower at the lights, but slightly faster on the Autobahn. Of course we were always racing.
So my main problem was the fact, that the Katana's chassis became very unreliable at speeds over 120mph. Some of our highways back in the day were put together from concrete plates, with maybe 10 or 20 yards length each, and flying over them at high speed was a very dangerous thing to do. I should probably call them Tacoma Narrows plates, because they made the bike dance in a certain rhythm that was tending to make the handlebar wobble.
So after trying all the tricks I learned from the Gold Wing, finally I decided to add a steering damper. And from racing my friend I learned, that the only thing that helped me keep up, was to tighten the damper as hard as hell. Make it run straight and nothing else. I just must not forget to loosen it when leaving the highway, otherwise it would have become a handling problem.
That way it actually worked out, and I could keep up more or less. So that were the sins of my youth...

Talking the Rocket, I have just applied what I have learned from the Katana. My strategy is basically, throw a stone at a problem - if nothing happens, throw a bigger stone. I know that this is technically kind of a dirty solution, but it works, and in some way it fits the Rocket. Bigger is better, and a bigger stone is a better stone. :D:rolleyes:
 
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@warp9.9 was working on one but I don't know how he has progressed
He did it, I saw it at Maggie valley, looks sharp
 
I have to be honest, the Carpenter kit was a dubious investment for me in light of the inherent instability of my bike, second gear and I'm done, great for bragging rights, but not really very useful.
What did you end up with on that numbers wise? And how long ago was that? I guess it’s something boys just have to do lol
 
What did you end up with on that numbers wise? And how long ago was that? I guess it’s something boys just have to do lol
241 HP and 185 ft lbs. Don't get me wrong it's fun, but it pisses me off having to back off at 120, it's just getting going. I'm terrible at remembering dates, everything seems either last week or 20 years ago to me, but about 5 years ago I'd guess.
 
241 HP and 185 ft lbs. Don't get me wrong it's fun, but it pisses me off having to back off at 120, it's just getting going. I'm terrible at remembering dates, everything seems either last week or 20 years ago to me, but about 5 years ago I'd guess.
why?because of wobble?
 
Yes, actually a slow weave. I just got a set of AllBalls steering head bearings I'm going to put in, but I really don't think that's the problem, it's too prevalent in Tourings, I suspect it's frame flex.
 
241 HP and 185 ft lbs. Don't get me wrong it's fun, but it pisses me off having to back off at 120, it's just getting going. I'm terrible at remembering dates, everything seems either last week or 20 years ago to me, but about 5 years ago I'd guess.
October 2013 I found your thread where you picked it up, nice almost 6 years and no problem, awesome
 
Yesterday I was able to harvest. I really caught a R1 rider's attention by not getting shaken off on a long, long straight. I had a backpack strapped to the backrest, shield and panniers :). Highest damper setting, nice and stable at unholy speeds.
So we tried it from a stop. He told me it was a '03 R1 with 150hp. I was easily in front in 1st gear, more than equal in 2nd, and equal in 3rd, several bike lengths ahead at the end. Probably would have been a different result against a new R1 - but still, it was a blast. A real one. The damper pays off already.
 
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