EV11 California Steering Damper install

[wmax351]

Needed to install one of the generic ebay steering dampers on my 98 California EV11. I couldn't find much information on ways that people mount them, so I came up with a mount to the highway bar, using a 2 piece shaft collar (mcmaster-carr 3370K26), with a single hole tapped to 10-32, and 2 bushings (mcmaster carr 6338K563) on each end to make the heim joints fit. I put some rubber washers under the highway bar heim joint to limit its travel a bit (not pictured).

Mounting equipment was ~15 dollars, including the tap.

[guzzisteve]

Yes, you can talk about it here. We aren't selling anything. Just a joke of course. I just happen to read your post.
Very well done, glad it worked out. I have mine dialed all the way loose, it'll never wear out. My original was shot when I bought my 98EV in 07 at 10K mi.
Welcome to WG.

[pehayes]

Can  you point me to the EBAY device you selected?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[Bisbee]

Looks like a nice job. I took it off my EV , threw it away. Garbage. Never replaced it. Couldn’t tell the difference except that the bike’s steering was quicker without.

[Tom]

You don't need one until you reach a riding situation where it would have helped.     '96 California loaded with stuff going back to Northern Idaho from one of the National rallies.  Hauling butt, I got the bike doing a small series of hills like paved whoop-dee-doos at 95+.  The weight was shifted off the front end and I had a very strong tank slapper.  Fortunately, I rode it out and didn't touch the brakes.  Would have been a real bummer.  Wasn't my bike.    A steering damper would have helped.

[ampm7]

I am a true believer in steering dampers. Especially if you do a lot of freeway miles with rain grooves (cement) and expansion joints. If you don't have a lot of rake they are especially useful. Guzzi has always had them on their bikes since the early 70's and possibly when they had their singles. Harley and Indian had them on bikes by special order. I have had dampers on all my bikes except the ones that I could not fit one. EBay has hundreds of them and you want the 7 position adjustable. I bought the one pictured for my 70 ambo from a site that is in Thailand; it works very well. Of course, I had to do a little set up/design for it to work and contrary to a lot of people the bike's front fender does not hit the bracket. Makes the bike so much more positive in turns.           

[s1120]

Is there any reason that you went from the stock mounting point, to the clamp on the crash bars?  Im going to replace mine.. or at least see if it needs to be cleaned or something.. Its either free, or real tight... no middle ground. FYI its a 02 stone with just 10k miles on it.

[wmax351]

Looks like a nice job. I took it off my EV , threw it away. Garbage. Never replaced it. Couldn’t tell the difference except that the bike’s steering was quicker without.

My uncle (who owned the bike from new before selling it to me) had to change out the big windshield once the friction damper wore out, since it started getting wobbly.

Is there any reason that you went from the stock mounting point, to the clamp on the crash bars?  Im going to replace mine.. or at least see if it needs to be cleaned or something.. Its either free, or real tight... no middle ground. FYI its a 02 stone with just 10k miles on it.

The friction dampers are pretty useless in general. BMW had one in the /5's, and it really didn't help a lot; the short wheelbase bikes still got tank slappers. The K75's have a grease and rubber type damper, but they don't really need them. What you want with a steering damper is an increase in resistance with acceleration, and friction type have increased resistance while still, and decrease with movement.

It looks like you need a very specific mount in order to get the stock location to work with one of these. Matris makes them, the whole setup is 3-400 bucks or so from MG Cycle.

I tried a bunch of orientations without anything else working. Basically, the heim joint needs to be under the damper assembly, like it is on the stock one. Would probably be easy enough to make one if you have machining capabilities. This seemed like the simplest way to get it on, and I need to have it ready to ride from Michigan to New Mexico in the next couple weeks (starting residency there in June). At some point, I may look into if it's possible to mount a bracket to the stock point to let the offset mount work. I may look into other ways to mount this one at the stock location.

Can  you point me to the EBAY device you selected?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

I bought mine on amazon a while back. The key is it needs a long travel, the california really isn't set up for a short travel one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NBLDP77/

This looks like the right one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Race-Motorcycle-CNC-Steering-Damper-Stabilizer-Universal-16-Tension/113537976369

Here's the dimensions of the one I used. The setup uses all but a cm or two of travel: