hyperpro steering damper 1200GSA
- Thread starter COFFEE
- Start date
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
Hyperpro = crap
that's why I call them Hyperleakers....
that's why I call them Hyperleakers....
COFFEE
Go Boat!
heh... hyper leakers... that's good to know. Maybe i can use their brackets with and Ohlins unit.
The steering is relatively solid on the GS but it feels that it could get into a slapper in the dirt or on a track. I like the dampers down off the off the forks because it gets them out of the way, but more prone to debris. it is pretty much standar issue for any bike i ride, unless it was a gold wing
I hear they accelerate better too JK
The steering is relatively solid on the GS but it feels that it could get into a slapper in the dirt or on a track. I like the dampers down off the off the forks because it gets them out of the way, but more prone to debris. it is pretty much standar issue for any bike i ride, unless it was a gold wing
I hear they accelerate better too JK
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
I've been thru 5 in the last 10 years. On both bikes (ZRX/ZX12R) my bikes had the first prototype's from Muzzy's. Bracket design by our own Gary J. on the ZRX. I've mentioned this on several previous posts, but repeating:heh... hyper leakers... that's good to know. Maybe i can use their brackets with and Ohlins unit.
The steering is relatively solid on the GS but it feels that it could get into a slapper in the dirt or on a track. I like the dampers down off the off the forks because it gets them out of the way, but more prone to debris. it is pretty much standar issue for any bike i ride, unless it was a gold wing
Now you'd think they would have some special treatment for a beta tester like me, but it turned out to be anything but. Every damper I've got from them leaked; & in each case (excepting years later), they offered warranty core replacement, meaning I'd have to ship them the bad one, & I'd get a "refurb."
The first two (one from each bike) were replaced under warranty, & I had to pay shipping both ways. Hmmm. After that, a warranty refurb suddenly increased in cost from zero to $125. Huh? Is this not a warranty? Why do I suddenly have to pay for a warranty refurb??? :wtf
I paid it anyway, as I had a trackday coming up, & at the time no one made a similar bracket damper that fit the bikes. Then the next two failed (both upon return they were FLOWING oil- worse than the units I returned!!!) Both bike & I would get covered in oil on a simple short Redwood Rd. ride. I found $125 DEFECTIVE warranty replacements being shipped to me totally unacceptable.
After being treated totally bad by their "tech support" (whoever answered phone), & told I didn't know what I was talking about, I gave up on them (Hyperpro.) I have since sold both bikes so no longer an issue- I still feel like I was burned tho.
Next time, I'm buying Ohlins, or maybe a Scotts. No more of this crap of being shipped bad units, & told "it's just seeping a little, they all do that." - "maybe you should have a mechanic look at it." Morons...:mad
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
heh... hyper leakers... that's good to know. Maybe i can use their brackets with and Ohlins unit.
The steering is relatively solid on the GS but it feels that it could get into a slapper in the dirt or on a track. I like the dampers down off the off the forks because it gets them out of the way, but more prone to debris. it is pretty much standar issue for any bike i ride, unless it was a gold wing
Oh, forgot to answer your question. Yes, the brackets they offer for sale (as well as Muzzys, etc.) Are fine. I only had problems w/the damper unit themselves leaking. Some of them flowing...
A good Ohlins/Scotts/DPR?/etc. should be fine...
augustiron
2fast 2live 2young 2die
I am relatively new to my standard 2006 GS and the front end got wobbly on me a few times at speed when I first got it. Very disconcerting for such a high prestige and $$ bike.
I was ready to get rid of it when I found a good deal on Ohlins F&R shocks, so being a blingwhore I bought them. I saw the springs were close to what was recommended so I installed them and set my sag, luckily the springs were right for my weight.
It transformed the handling. I'm not just saying that to justify the $$ I spent. The wobbles went away because I assume the stockers were messing up the geometry. I didn't measure sag with the stockers to compare though.
they absorb bumps much smoother too.
my 2 cents on the GS instability
I was ready to get rid of it when I found a good deal on Ohlins F&R shocks, so being a blingwhore I bought them. I saw the springs were close to what was recommended so I installed them and set my sag, luckily the springs were right for my weight.
It transformed the handling. I'm not just saying that to justify the $$ I spent. The wobbles went away because I assume the stockers were messing up the geometry. I didn't measure sag with the stockers to compare though.
they absorb bumps much smoother too.
my 2 cents on the GS instability
sbk62
Well-known member
"wobbly"?
"at speed"?
hmm.... solo riding or two-up? At constant throttle, or under hard acceleration? In a smooth sweeper at triple digits, or negotiating a sand wash at 35mph? Did you notice it in the corkscrew at Laguna Seca track day, or descending single-track 2-up loaded with firewood and camping gear? Get my drift (pun intended.) There's to little information here to really understand what phenomenon your experiencing. In any case I don't think the issue you describe has anything even remotely to do with needing a steering damper. In 10 years of owning and riding with other GS owners, I have never met anyone using one or thinking that they needed to.
I was going to suggest that you may want to check the torque of all the fastners that connect the shocks to the frame, but since you've swapped suspension I'm sure you've done that and so its a moot point!
I can confirm that the OEM shocks turn to mush after several thousand miles, and when they go, you wind up riding on the just the springs and which could be described as "wobbly" or "bouncy" or a "wallow". So if you bought the bike with 5-10K miles on it, the symptoms you described are probably a result of spent shocks. I believe you could have them rebuilt, but I (and many others, yourself included) find that replacing the OEM suspension with new or rebuilt Ohlins or Wilber’s components is the best way to go. Selecting spring and damping rates with adjustability to suite your riding preferences makes all the difference. Since you've now set sag have a good baseline for the bikes geometry, play with your rear shock's compression and rebound adjustments and this should eliminate the "wobbles" you described. If that doesn't do its an IBTH issue.
Good luck!
"at speed"?
hmm.... solo riding or two-up? At constant throttle, or under hard acceleration? In a smooth sweeper at triple digits, or negotiating a sand wash at 35mph? Did you notice it in the corkscrew at Laguna Seca track day, or descending single-track 2-up loaded with firewood and camping gear? Get my drift (pun intended.) There's to little information here to really understand what phenomenon your experiencing. In any case I don't think the issue you describe has anything even remotely to do with needing a steering damper. In 10 years of owning and riding with other GS owners, I have never met anyone using one or thinking that they needed to.
I was going to suggest that you may want to check the torque of all the fastners that connect the shocks to the frame, but since you've swapped suspension I'm sure you've done that and so its a moot point!
I can confirm that the OEM shocks turn to mush after several thousand miles, and when they go, you wind up riding on the just the springs and which could be described as "wobbly" or "bouncy" or a "wallow". So if you bought the bike with 5-10K miles on it, the symptoms you described are probably a result of spent shocks. I believe you could have them rebuilt, but I (and many others, yourself included) find that replacing the OEM suspension with new or rebuilt Ohlins or Wilber’s components is the best way to go. Selecting spring and damping rates with adjustability to suite your riding preferences makes all the difference. Since you've now set sag have a good baseline for the bikes geometry, play with your rear shock's compression and rebound adjustments and this should eliminate the "wobbles" you described. If that doesn't do its an IBTH issue.
Good luck!
COFFEE
Go Boat!
Rock solid at speed, but when the front gets a little light squirting in between corners it get a tad headshake. Then in some soft stuff, some more shake. All manageable, but I have said that before and been thrown off. The stock suspension is fine for now. I would rather solve this for 500$ than say 1200-2k. I will do the ohlins sometime, but even then i would require a steering damper for that added stability.
Sounds like I will find the stroke for the appropriate ohlins matched with one off the shelf bracket and one custom/ohlines bracket.
Thanks.
Sounds like I will find the stroke for the appropriate ohlins matched with one off the shelf bracket and one custom/ohlines bracket.
Thanks.
boney
Miles > Posts
Dial back a bit of the pre-load on the rear shock and see if that helps. It's common for people to use the pre-load knob to stiffen up the rear end to compensate for soft compression damping.