Steering damper tips ? A.N. TUV ODM 500 .

Torontonian said:
Just got in my A.N. kit . Looks a bit complex to fit . Any help appreciated .
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Don't know how firmly your tongue is is your cheek - do you mean their part no. 06.4247?
That TUV ODM yadayada is not recognised on the AN site.
 
Does this help?


Steering damper tips ? A.N. TUV ODM 500 .
 
cliffa said:
Does this help?


View attachment 111209
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Ohh - so it is 06.4247 (the other designation isn't of help)
Personally I would not fit a potentially frame crimping anchor system like that - the flat bracket being the problem in my view.
I have a steering damper fitted using one of Kenny's (NYC Norton) excellent clamps. Much less chance of frame damage.
Screen Shot 2023-12-01 at 8.51.08 pm.png
 
robs ss said:
Ohh - so it is 06.4247 (the other designation isn't of help)
Personally I would not fit a potentially frame crimping anchor system like that - the flat bracket being the problem in my view.
I have a steering damper fitted using one of Kenny's (NYC Norton) excellent clamps. Much less chance of frame damage.
View attachment 111210
Click to expand...
I did something similar with a clamp from AliExpress in China and a small adaptor piece when I bought an almost new Öhlins steering damper. Much nicer result than A-N's lump of bar, but a bit more work. Kenny's bits are lovely, though rather more expensive.
 
My mechanical skills are limited and i managed to fit one a few months back so i am sure you will be fine.
I can't remember the exact details but there was a bit of fiddling but nothing too scary.
 
Steering dampers are an essential piece of safety equipment. If you are riding fast and chirp the front tyre while braking, the handle bars can turn into a blur. An hydraulic steering damper helps to keep the bike going straight while your hands are grabbing the tank. Hydraulic dampers increase their resistance to motion as their internal speed increases, where friction dampers do not. It is important to remember - never stick your neck out, where you do not have room to recover. Watching handle bars crash from lock to lock is not a happy experience, but never fight it. If you wait for the bars to stop moving, then place you open hands on them to get a feel, you will usually be OK. If the bars are moving even slightly - do not grab hold. The forces involved are tremendous. When this stuff happens, your mind usually adjusts so you have plenty of time. The last time this happened to me I received a dislocated collar bone because I was out of practice. I have also been launched this way, harmlessly. I thought I was safe, then got flicked over the front. - Pretty funny !
 
Never had a Norton or any bike for that matter to get a tank slapper from lock to lock no matter what speed I was doing, but I fitted one to my 2013 Thurxton when I did a full upgrade of the frontend and rearend, did make a difference with bad roads and pot holes the like, it had 7 adjustments and when around town I set it at 3 but traveling and riding hard with the mates it was set at max 7, when I sold the bike I removed the damper as with the upgrades I did to the suspension it wasn't really needed as well decent tyres, was going to put it on the 1200 Thruxton but the fairing kit was in the way and the Featherbed 850 has never had any problems to need one.
 
I installed damper when I installed JRB fork upgrades , I liked the improved feel of front end ….
 
ashman said:
Never had a Norton or any bike for that matter to get a tank slapper from lock to lock no matter what speed I was doing, but I fitted one to my 2013 Thurxton when I did a full upgrade of the frontend and rearend, did make a difference with bad roads and pot holes the like, it had 7 adjustments and when around town I set it at 3 but traveling and riding hard with the mates it was set at max 7, when I sold the bike I removed the damper as with the upgrades I did to the suspension it wasn't really needed as well decent tyres, was going to put it on the 1200 Thruxton but the were ripped out of my hands. fairing kit was in the way and the Featherbed 850 has never had any problems to need one.
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I ran wide racing at Taupo circuit once. Onto the ripple strip.

I was very pleased I had a steering damper fitted that day as the bars tore out of my hands.

Hit something and you will appreciate them.
 
Torontonian said:
Thanks , I'll give it a try , with not crushing the down tubes in mind .
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You could minimise the chance of frame damage by, once you have determined what height on the downtubes is best, making grooves (file/dremel) in the bracket to match the tube diameter/position. It is the "horizontal" part of the angle bracket that gives the fore/aft strength.
Cheers
 
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ashman said:
Never had a Norton or any bike for that matter to get a tank slapper from lock to lock no matter what speed I was doing, but I fitted one to my 2013 Thurxton when I did a full upgrade of the frontend and rearend, did make a difference with bad roads and pot holes the like, it had 7 adjustments and when around town I set it at 3 but traveling and riding hard with the mates it was set at max 7, when I sold the bike I removed the damper as with the upgrades I did to the suspension it wasn't really needed as well decent tyres, was going to put it on the 1200 Thruxton but the fairing kit was in the way and the Featherbed 850 has never had any problems to need one.
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I have had a bad one on my 850 Suzuki at a bit over 120km/hr 40+ years ago.
The cause, I think, was the sugar cane train lines crossing in a RH sweeper together with a substantially worn (uneven blocks) front tyre.
Very scary!!
I may never get one on the Commando but the damper is there as an insurance policy. I never want another one!
 
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My mate is still champion in one of the historic road race classes. When I mentioned the steering damper to him, he said the damper was only there to compensate for bad handling. I suggest any motorcycle above a certain power rating can be pushed into a tank slapper. If Norton had fitted a damper to the first Commando, it might have become excellent. Peter Williams designed the steering geometry of the first Commando, probably based upon Tom Arter's Wagon Wheels, which I believe was a Seeley Matchless. Whatever - when the kid's started crashing the Commandos, PW got embarrassed. If they had fitted an hydraulic steering damper, it might have fixed the problem. However Norton probably thought it would have demonstrated that their bike did not handle. So they changed either the yokes or the rake, probably to get less trail. Increased trail is good, but can have a downside at high speed.
I suggest it is an old way of thinking about handling. When Joey Dunlop was racing, he used to adjust the steering damper as he rode.
When you ride road bikes, you rarely ride them near the limit - however when you race it is common practice to ride at that level, regardless of what grade rider you might be. When you lose the front or the rear, you simply cope with it.
When the first Commandos crashed, they had usually been ridden over cat's eyes in the wet.
 
The first time you road race, is the only time it is very dangerous. Riding on public roads does not teach you much. I know where Ashley is coming from because I used to be like that.
I am not permitted to race anymore because my wife does not know my capabilities. She thinks I might crash and be severely injured - that just cannot happen. It takes a helluva lot to get me onto the ground. Somebody would have to intentionally crash me.
 
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