Do you suffer from headshake? No, not the kind you get when your spouse tells you the in-laws are coming for an extended stay. I’m talking about the headshake that some motorcycles are prone to. I have had two bikes that, for some geometrical or mechanical reason, would display steering headshake at certain speeds. One was a super-motard, and the other was a late 90s sport-bike. In both cases, the headshake was significant enough that it was a safety concern.
So what’s the solution? Quite simply, some bikes need a steering damper. In the not-so-olden days, all steering dampers looked pretty much the same. They were mini shock absorbers that linked the steering unit to the frame. The oil dampening unit absorbed and controlled the headshake. The problem with these old units was that they had limited adjustability and they were sometimes large and unsightly.
GPR, an aftermarket motorcycle accessory company, was one of the forerunners in the development of a new style of steering control. The company’s latest incarnation of the technology is truly innovative. The V4 (fourth version) of the GPR Steering Stabilizer is a model of adjustability. It has 20 dampening settings that are accessed through a large, easy to use dial. The settings positions are indicated with a solid “click.”
The new version, which is 30% lighter than their original, boasts shorter fluid ports and new valving for quicker reaction to high speeds. At a retail of about $500, the units are not cheap. However, the riding conditions that they cure require innovative technology, and that’s what you get with a GPR unit.
