Steering stabilizer on V7 Special Edition

[bronzestar1]

I've mentioned in other posts that I have this innate need to tinker with things, and while I was waiting on a '24 Corsa, I bought a few things for the bike, to include a set of engine guards and a steering stabilizer.  Got a 40mm fork clamp to mount the front of the stabilizer, and figured out what I needed to mount the body of the stabilizer to the engine guard.  Got everything installed this afternoon, went to turn the bike lock to lock, and surprise, the rod on the stabilizer wasn't long enough.  It was preventing the bike from going to full lock on both sides, maybe a 10mm gap on each side.  Did some poking around in Amazon, and it looks like I'll need the 13" stabilizer to get full lock-to-lock movement on my bike. Also, I'll need a slightly larger fork clamp, may a 42mm will do it, and I'll mount it at the top of the fork gaiters, just under the bottom triple clamp,

Oh, and I got tired of waiting for the Corsa since Nov, so I got the Special Edition several weeks ago, before the Corsas were available. 















 

[twowheeladdict]

What prompted the need for a stabilizer?

You still running stock suspension?

[bronzestar1]

What prompted the need for a stabilizer?

You still running stock suspension?

Still breaking the bike in.  I've had a couple of Sportsters in the past, and installing a fork brace and stabilizer greatly increased the handling of those bikes.  I realize my V7 isn't a Sportster, and the idea of installing a steering stabilizer was more of a personal challenge, wanted to see if I could figure it out. 

[Kev m]

I've had a couple of Sportsters in the past, and installing a fork brace and stabilizer greatly increased the handling of those bikes.

REALLY?!? 


(I've had 4 Sportys)

[rocker59]

REALLY?!? 


(I've had 4 Sportys)

Yeah.  Back in the '90s when I was into Sportsters, there were lots of parts like that from suppliers like STORZ Performance, etc...  Back when the AMA 883 class was a thing. 

[Kev m]

Yeah.  Back in the '90s when I was into Sportsters, there were lots of parts like that from suppliers like STORZ Performance, etc...  Back when the AMA 883 class was a thing.

That's when I started riding Sportsters - bought a new 93 XL1200 in 1993 and put ~40k miles on it in a couple of years.

That's the first bike I ever rode down the Blue Ridge Parkway and tore up the tail of the Dragon with a bunch of BMWs. Ground the pegs down pretty well.

Then after a couple of 883s we had a rubbermount 1200L (that I turned into an R) for about a decade....

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Something that specifically stood out to me when I test rode a V7 850 before buying mine was that the geometry did not lend itself to wanting to go into a tank slapper. I was happy to for once be buying an Italian motorcycle without a steering stabilizer that I didn't feel needed one.

If it helps with handling for you though that's great. They're not just for preventing high speed wobble, I've run them on dirt bikes to help with tramlining in ruts.

[bronzestar1]

That's when I started riding Sportsters - bought a new 93 XL1200 in 1993 and put ~40k miles on it in a couple of years.

That's the first bike I ever rode down the Blue Ridge Parkway and tore up the tail of the Dragon with a bunch of BMWs. Ground the pegs down pretty well.

Then after a couple of 883s we had a rubbermount 1200L (that I turned into an R) for about a decade....

My first Sportster was a 2005 1200r, did a few things to it like 4-piston caliper upgrades on the front with floating rotors, LSR 2-1 exhaust, SC airbox lid mod, oil cooler, HD big twin air shocks, and a couple of other things, like a fork brace and steering stabilizer.  Best Sporster I had was a 2002 883R with a 1450 kit in it.  Dyno'd at 108 hp and 104 ft-lbs of torque.  Changed the exhaust, intake, 4-piston front brakes and floating rotors, oil cooler, fork brace, steering stabilizer, upgraded rear shocks, different handlebars and larger capacity gas tank.  Had the fenders and gas tank painted to match a Shelby GT350 I had at the time.  The brace and stabilizer made a HUGE in difference how that bike handled.  Wasn't wallowy in the turns, pretty much point and shoot, with no wobbing or bouncing or drifting, very stable. 

This was when I first got it, still black and orange:




Here's the bike all "Shelby'd" out...




Axtell heads, stabilizer, oil cooler, fork brace, big calipers, and the GT350 paint (white with blue stripes and red pinstripes)




And the Shelby GT350 and Sportster tribute bike next to each other:






 

[Kev m]

My first Sportster was a 2005 1200r, did a few things to it like 4-piston caliper upgrades on the front with floating rotors, LSR 2-1 exhaust, SC airbox lid mod, oil cooler, HD big twin air shocks, and a couple of other things, like a fork brace and steering stabilizer.  Best Sporster I had was a 2002 883R with a 1450 kit in it.  Dyno'd at 108 hp and 104 ft-lbs of torque.  Changed the exhaust, intake, 4-piston front brakes and floating rotors, oil cooler, fork brace, steering stabilizer, upgraded rear shocks, different handlebars and larger capacity gas tank.  Had the fenders and gas tank painted to match a Shelby GT350 I had at the time.  The brace and stabilizer made a HUGE in difference how that bike handled.  Wasn't wallowy in the turns, pretty much point and shoot, with no wobbing or bouncing or drifting, very stable. 

This was when I first got it, still black and orange:




Here's the bike all "Shelby'd" out...




Axtell heads, stabilizer, oil cooler, fork brace, big calipers, and the GT350 paint (white with blue stripes and red pinstripes)




And the Shelby GT350 and Sportster tribute bike next to each other:






 

Hmmm.

Where you located?

[rocker59]

cool Sportsters!   

[bronzestar1]

Hmmm.

Where you located?

Newport News, VA...

[Kev m]

Newport News, VA...

OK, if you'd said PA just outside Philly I would have thought I knew you.

You spend any time on the XLforum? If you did, you know DRCStang/ScrewLooseDan?

You remind me a bit of him.

Have fun.