The steering damper mounted under the fairing seems to have no resistance at all, so I wonder if it is defect or what?? There is no steering dampening type difficulties that I can feel and there seems no adjustment available in the set up.

Am I just beeing paranoid or what??



( Serious answers will be accepted too )

It looks like it may be factory fitted. I am not sure about BMW ones but many of the Japanese ones have a knurled knob on the rear end of the shaft that you turn to increase/decrease the damping. The knob was held on by a small screw which screwed into the end oof the shaft. The shaft also had 2 small flat sections for the knob. If that is the case the knob is missing. You may have to remove one end to feel if there is any resistance when you work the shaft.
I am not real familar with the fairing bracket on the 16v RS but I presume it is similar to the earlier ones so where does the front end of that damper mount, surely not onto the fibreglass of the fairing.

The front end is attached to the metal part to which the fairing also is attached. It sure looks like it is an original item.

I doesn't take much to prevent the front getting out of shape. One drag bike I built many years ago would get some fearsome shakes especially when the front wheel finally contacted the track at the 2-3 change, I put a damper on it and even on the lightest setting it was well behaved. the next season I built a new bike and with exactly the same design of frame it was as straight as an arrow without a damper.
I have never felt like I needed one on any of the BMWs. The only reason I have ever had for them to shake their head is when the front tyre gets down a bit and gets uneven wear.
However my big six Kawasaki ..........well thats another story (I think it has a secret hinge in the frame under the seat).

as you can see here

it is org. for the RS 16V

some guys here tried to repair it.

with little success

Price new: 233,33 €

Are they adjustable?

zonenfeile wrote:as you can see here

it is org. for the RS 16V

some guys here tried to repair it.

with little success

Price new: 233,33 €

Thanks Olaf, I'll just leave it as it is - there is no problms with it or the steering action.

Jesper

Ager,

I have a 91 RS. My damper is the same. No resistance and non adjustable. For what it's worth I prefer my dampener very stiff.

My faster buddy likes his as loose as it will set. Different adjustable dampener.Scott's

Mine has been removed, I have it in a box . The previous owner removed it, his view was that it adds no benefit under real riding conditions and was a case of 'it was fashionable at the time the bike was made'. Interestingly the 'Rider' feb 91 RS 4V magazine review questions why the K1 steering damper is on the RS.

To refit or to leave off? At the moment I see no reason to refit it but am open to views.

All the best
Dave

Hi Dave I reasoned through exactly the same process as you did but came to the conclusion that whilst it seemed to do nothing I could not guarantee that under all conceivable road conditions that it would still do nothing. I had a friend whose bike was docile in the extreme but just occasionally under just the right circumstances it would get into a vicious tankslapper, fitting a damper corrected that and it would be easy for the next purchaser of his bike to conclude when riding his bike "don't need that I will take it off" Until the first tankslapper which in the wrong circumstances could be fatal. I left mine in place.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Mine will stay on too unless I find an adjustable replacement.

walker

+1 Walker,
I have never had the slightest sign of a wobble on the K but on an old BMW twin a friend had that I rode it frightened me badly so hence my double dose of caution. It is not an experience I would ever want to re-experience especially when it happened at 70 miles an hour.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Yup. High speed tank slapper will make you wish for anything that helps. They also seem to happen spontaneously. I would prefer a stiffer damper personally.

walker

Well seems the majority view is keep it on. So back on it goes....!
Cheers
Dave

As I was stipping and checking/cleaning the brakes on mine I noticed that the damper seemed to offer no resistance if I moved the wheel from side to side gently, however if you try and swing the wheel from side to side quickly it did offer quite a lot of resistance. As there is such a tiny amount of mileage on my bike I assume that this is how it is supposed to be. The pal who I was working with on the biek used to race and it was him that noticed this and he thought that it was quite claver. Folk set steering dampers when they are stationary needing to feel that they are doing something, however perhaps the BM system is actually cleverer that folk think in that it allows nice light steering action at low speeds whilst providing damping if some sudden movements are transmitted through the forks. This is after all when you would want the damper to be doing its stuff.

Agerbunsden, try moving the wheel from side to side violently when on the stand and see if you sense any resistance then.

Dave, I would leave it on.

Dunney

Mine is back on but I need to source a new felt washer as the old one is worn and the securing bolt runs out of thread before the damper is fixed as firmly as I'd like. Any suggestions where I can find a felt washer gratefully received as I can't find one!

The damper was not on the bike when I got it and the steering was almost 'floppy' but now with it on the difference when stationery is noticeable - the steering more measured. I have only driven the bike with it on so can't comment on what it;s like without.

Best regards
Dave