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So, I'm considering adding one of these and have never ridden a bike with a steering damper. For those that are familiar with them, which do you think is the better unit and why? What are the installation problems to be considered? What are the disadvantages of having one on the bike? I ride an '04 220 on rough technical mountain trails.

Thanks,

Any steering damper will help trremendously, but the scotts is definitley a higher quality unit(at a price)...

Scotts ...hands down.

The Scotts has more mounting options, it is a much better made unit and has no resistance back to center. You don't even know it's there and I guess that is the point. If you have ever used one... you would never ride without one again. It inspires so much more confidence because your not being deflected everywhere... ruts? Not an issue... it's that good. Scotts Performance has more hardware mounting options than all other combined. It doesn't matter what kind of bars, triple clamps etc you want to run... they have a mounting option. Check out their site.... http://www.scottsperformance.com/index.php

I love mine!

I've had both. The Scotts is far better in performance. The faster you go, the better it works. Range of adjusments are better too.
It is made to be adjusted on the fly as well. A good thing when you hit a sand wash or mud.

Agreed, I was trying to give an answer w/o bias, but the Scotts is to a WER as a XR is to a KDX.... :eek:

Fuzzy, do you mean "Scotts to WER as KDX to XR"??? I hope so!

I've read so much about the Scotts that I finally broke down and ordered mine yesterday.

I can't wait to install it, but my wife will kill me when (if) she finds out. $440 including shipping, ouch!

I bet I wouldn't have hit that hidden rock (and subsequently, the tree) last November if I had had the Scotts.

BTW, I checked with a White Bros/Parts Unlimited dealer and he can't get Scotts dampers through them. Scotts is also not offered from MX South or Rocky Mtn...apparently, you must go through the source.

Alright, I am pretty much decided on the Scotts, but I really like the idea of the way the WER connects, so you can retain the rubber bushings in the barmounts. I know CC was showing a picure of a Scotts rigged up witha custom made fender mount on a Honda CR (I believe). Has anyone done this type of thing for a KDX?

I have a Scotts and rubber bushings! What's the problem?

If I remember right, you can order a fender mount kit for the Scotts damper...check out their web site for sure though.

Indawoods wrote:I have a Scotts and rubber bushings! What's the problem?

I heard that Scotts says you can damage the unit if you use the rubber bushings, but I idon't really understand why this is unless the damper attaches to the bars instead of the upper triple clamp. I'll try to read up on it more.

The top clamp they sent me for my KDX bolts directly on like the stock ones and there was no mention of needing solid cones anywhere on the site or in the instructions... the same with my KX setup now. The only thing I can think of that may wear is the pin.... but it still looks brand new...

wanaride wrote:If I remember right, you can order a fender mount kit for the Scotts damper...check out their web site for sure though.

Looks like they make some nice looking units for that, but none for a Kawasaki.

Alright...I'm intriged. Just as Inda seems to have become inticed by GPS, so have I with the idea of a damper. Is anyone running a Scott's with a fat bar set-up? If so, what bar clamps are you using? I have Tag reversible oversized clamps and they are turned to put the bars farther away. Scott's web site states on their KDX photo page (click here)

"This photo shows the bolt-on style frame bracket along with the Protaper bars. The Protaper kit requires a new Scotts triple clamp even though this photo shows the stock triple clamp."

Now the difference in price between the normal bolt on kit ~$425 and the above "required" up grade for fat bars of ~$599 is a tad more than I wanted spend. Especially since I just recently purchased my current setup after my last little bar bending get off. I hope there is a better solution. I'm waiting on Scott's answer, but I hoped maybe someone here has some insite.

Thanks
Robb

Fuzzy, do you mean "Scotts to WER as KDX to XR"??? I hope so!

Yep!!!!!

Inda, BTW, do you have the weld-on?

Nope... bolt-on... very solid.

Bushed bars become a problem if things are tweaked (happens all the time to KDX bars...one piece top clamps help..and that's what you'd have with a top-mount Scotts) and the damper loses its alignment to the pin such that the damper arm has something other than single plane forces applied to it. Yeah...there is a SLOT made for that purpose, but you sure don't want to exceed the provided slot 'slop'.

I haven't done it yet...but I don't see why it would be a big deal to fabricate a bracket for a fender mounted Scott's. Buy a WER mount kit (if you want something to start out with), put the Scotts on a plate. Bolt it on. Make it fit. A few heim (banjo) joints and some adjustable (threaded) rods and you could make it work.

Without hijacking this thread, Is the WER a decent unit or not really worth the money? Would one be better off just saving for a Scotts?

There are several Vol Riders who utilize the WER, and they love it. One guy has a KTM 400 EXC with a Scotts and his son rides a KDX 200 with a WER and he has nothing but praise for the WER in tight woods conditions.

Thanks Troy