Best Head Steadys? rate...

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interstateOz

Hi all, i have searched through and seen some of the posts on head steadys but cant really find what im looking for.

Was wondering what head steady u guys thought was the best/worst overall, good points and bad points of specific ones as im wanting to get one but really unsure on what one to go with, Dave Taylor, Old Britts, CNW, Norvil, etc? any help/advice would be much appreciated, thanks all! :)
 
Although I cannot offer any real-world experience I went through the same process as you and I decided on the Dave Taylor unit (with the spring) but as long as you stay with a well-known-unit you should be allright, I think that most of the differences will never be noticed by an average rider.

Vince
 
I have a dave taylor on my bike, but have yet to ride it. Shortly after purchasing the Dave taylor I purchased tooling and parts to build production racer headsteadys. I am still waiting for the heavy box to arrive from Australia. It uses a single iso rubber and teflons. I'm sure someone out there could comment on this setup.
 
I went through the questions and research you are doing about a year ago and ended up with the Dave Taylor complete with the optional Mark3 type spring to better hold the head.

I am very happy with it. It allows the head to move up and down and fore and aft, but not side to side.

That is, I believe, what one wants in a Commando head steady.

The handling feels noticeably truer, feels like it tracks and handles sweepers better, sharper.

And the price, under $200 with the spring set up I thought was good.

Get the Taylor.
 
i'm going with the one from CNW because i like the fact that it uses the frame attaching point instead of a clamp. Cj
 
I like the Old Britts design; it is a true isolastic, a third isolastic.

That said, I recently installed the Taylor with the spring; it does in fact help the handling, reducing the "hinge" feeling greatly. I must say though that now I feel new vibration, at certain engine speeds, that did not exist before with the stock head steady.

In terms of vibration control, the Taylor is inferior to stock. Admittedly, I have not tried to "tune" it by adjusting the frame clamp, heim joint length, etc., mainly because it's still new to me and I can't envision how those adjustments would help. Anybody with success in this regard, please post up.

So . . . . now I have to wonder if the Old Britts head steady might be a better design; it is, afterall, closer to what the original Commando engineers had in mind. At least that's how I recollect my hearsay, read it somewhere, Commando history . . . . .
 
Thanks guys this is great!

Yeh i also like the look of the old britts one although a bit more expensive $325US it appears as though the only really isolastic unit out there, unless im wrong?

The CNW unit looks very nice but very pricey, The Dave taylor seems cheaper and people are getting ok results from it on here. Id love to hear from someone whos tried and tested the old britts mmmmmmmmmmm.......

Thanks all.
 
There's the CNW one. Looks to be similar to the Taylor, but uses the original mounting points on the frame. Is that more like the ludwig device? I'm not sure, they all have to attach to the frame above the head, no? Why hasn't hobot gotten in on this, unless I'm missing something. I really like the looks and method of the CNW, but the price eats me up, being a cheapskate.

Dave
69S
 
Of course my favorite is the $30 link that a few people like myself have made.

Best Head Steadys? rate...

Best Head Steadys? rate...


the-keith1069-headsteady-t5862.html
 
just thought id mention the Norvil head steady is also a isolastic unit like old britts, although i have read somewhere that the norvil one wore on someone somepart of it, but cant be sure.
 
interstateOz said:
me too, im in for $30 hahahahahaha :lol:
Click to expand...

And as mentioned you could build it with a hacksaw and a drill, both of which I bet you have. Considering that you can hardly see the headsteady I don't think it matters too much.

No offense to Dave "cash" Taylor, but I like this one better as it uses the threaded boss in the frame instead of a clamp.

I do know the stock headsteady should be thrown straight in the trash.
 
The difference in the CNW headsteady is the fact that it uses sealed self adjusting rod ends. They don't squeak or wear out like open joints do. If you ride low miles in good weather then the Dave Taylor will do fine and feel the same.

And yes I am prejudiced since I build the CNW headsteady , [that is what I have been doing all day]

I decided to make my own after failing to get rid of the vibration from a 3rd isolastic type and then replacing two sets of open heim joints in one summers riding. Gravel roads kill them quick.

There is no question-for ultimate cushiness it is hard to beat the stock setup until it breaks. Unfortunately the cushiness also applies to how they feel in the middle of a corner with the stock mount. Jim
 
comnoz said:
The difference in the CNW headsteady is the fact that it uses sealed self adjusting rod ends. They don't squeak or wear out like open joints do. If you ride low miles in good weather then the Dave Taylor will do fine and feel the same.

And yes I am prejudiced since I build the CNW headsteady , [that is what I have been doing all day]

I decided to make my own after failing to get rid of the vibration from a 3rd isolastic type and then replacing two sets of open heim joints in one summers riding. Gravel roads kill them quick.

There is no question-for ultimate cushiness it is hard to beat the stock setup until it breaks. Unfortunately the cushiness also applies to how they feel in the middle of a corner with the stock mount. Jim
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure avoiding gravel roads is at the top of my list. And not just because of the rod ends. I'm more worried about the goats! :mrgreen:
 
Aw there is nothing like a slightly washboarded gravel road at 80mph to get the adrenalin up. Of course we don't see too many goats around here. :D Jim
 
Dave,
You live in Oregon for godsake! There are lots of gravel roads worth taking a Norton on!
 
Scince '99 I have read reports from racers to street riders plus Kenny Dreer on 3rd isolastic mount above or below the engine. They found out the same thing Norton did in '67, any more rubber mass supporting power unit mass will not isolate oscillations **nearly** as low rpm as what was sold. The installers I heard from are as careful clever and machinist adapt as anyone - oh it hurt to hear the efforts-frustration-disgust taken to relieve the annoying vibrations. I've yet to read a success report on that yet, so let me know if anyone can over come the physics of rubber area compliance. Don't know of any racers still using a 3rd or 4th iso.

Ms Peels top link cost me about $25 for the rod ends and radius adjuster and welding 3 bolts together.
Its a helpful feature to Cdo's but in wrong place to expect much but a bit smoother and easier tracking.
 
Here is a picture of the production reacer headsteady that I will be producing and selling soon. Just another option in the long lits of fixes.

Best Head Steadys? rate...


I am also making these

Best Head Steadys? rate...
 
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