Steering damper, who's got what and are you hapy with it?

[warewolf]

Thanks for the excellent summary, Danger. You've probably written all that before in various threads which I have bookmarked!

I certainly did fall into the trap of over-preloading the rear. Since I backed it off it has been much better.

[Ktmboy]

I've got a Roc Stompa Advanced and shit is has saved me numerous times.

The KTM (both the 200 and my current 300) two strokers are prone to head shake. I had a big bin at about 110 kph one day whilst trying to change onto reserve.

Now I could open a beer with one hand.

I find they are great in muddy rutted tracks as I'm not one to ride in other peoples foot prints. They tend to make the bike steer where you want it to go therefore there is not the tendancy for the front wheel to track into a deep rut.

Still got a meat and two veg between my legs so at least I'm not hitting it on the way over the bars.

[Reckless]

Oh shit another thing to add to my must buy list!!! Does it ever end!!!

[humai]

100km/h might be fast between the trees or around a mx track but is nothing on more open cross-country terrain: farm tracks, open paddocks, gravel roads, racecourse, beaches etc (or even highway if you are that way inclined) where you can hit max speed or near to it (140+ on my 200).

140+ kmh on your 200? Where do you normally ride? Bonneville? What final drive gearing are you running?

[warewolf]

140+ kmh on your 200? Where do you normally ride? Bonneville? What final drive gearing are you running?

Close... sand not salt: beach racing (800m each way), and the racecourse flat-track, 1600m oval with 450m straights. 14:44 sprockets. 45T rear might have been better, the 44 was noticeably slower than the 46 accelerating beyond 130. The bike was quicker than any of the 250Fs around me.

Open paddocks during cross-countries or trail rides will top out in the high-130s with the more usual 14:46.

[Reckless]

Hey wharewolf, Mine have got the standard 14-48 on. I want to take a little of the hit out of my sons one. I have read they are good with 46T on the rear but couldn't find any a couple of months ago. 46T should be ok as we never use 1st gear anyway. That'll also move the rear wheel back a bit as Danger suggests. Have backed of the power valve a little and am thinking of a 9oz flywheel weight. He really liked my mates new wr450 power delivery so looking at smoothing the power and making it more linear with a few mods along these lines. I'm sure the 200 delivers enough power to handle the above suggestions. If different gearing and a fly wheel weight take to much out I can always put the power valve back to full grunt or use differnet combinations of the 3 mods above. Bloody good them 2smokers aye!!!

So where did you get the 46t sprocket??

[warewolf]

Chain Gang, ex-Australia, but there's an NZ agent in AKL now supposedly. Expensive but well worth the money because they last. The 44T had already done 18,000km on the 640A. I have a vague recollection of the KTM Steel 46T being unavailable.

The 46T delivers less sparkling performance over the 48T, but for my terrain is better overall because I am not topping out the gears at inopportune times.

I started with the Langston setting on the powervalve (1 turn out, about 20%) but have found with the jetting sorted (and still the 48T) it just doesn't have enough snap. So I've gone to 2 turns out, about 40%, is better. Then I went back to Langston, then changed to the 46T, then went back to about 40%...

So it looks like in summer/dry/hard conditions I like more snap, but in winter/wet/sloppy conditions the smoother Langston setting works better.

I'm also running a CEK needle (ta, Danger), will probably go to a DDK or DCK per ktmtalk fellahs, again they are more aggressive. As is, mine is comparatively predictable.

And a last gotcha: the 200 is supposed to run a 100/100 rear tyre. If you go to a 110/100 like many ppl do you are gearing up the bike by 3% (48 to 46T is 4%) plus you are raising the rear vs the front tending to cause headshake...

[Reckless]

Thanks for that mate didn't think the sprockets where readly available here??

I understand what your saying about the other stuff as well.

Been setting my power valve by the check out marks in the two discs and Dangers advice. I have the two recesses lined up at the moment if that makes sense to you. About middle of the range not quite sure how many % that is but it feels right for us. I'll google the Langston setting and see exactly what gives. I haven't had a play with the X and Y settings yet either but that will be my last port of call! Don't wanna play with compression and port timings to much by changing the base gaskets away from standard. We are not that good a riders LOL!! If I could find a 45T it would probably be OK as well. So its aussy, that's OK will have a look.

We are running the NOZ-F at the moment tuned a bit rich (fatter delivery), I do have a few other needles as well. Now I know which bikes we are keeping and selling. I'll do a bit more finer development on making the 03 how we want and a straight taper needle (CEK) is a good mod as I understand. Sorta been holding off because of the bike swaps etc now I know where we are going I'd like to get the suspenders done first so I can tune for the way it rides as it will probably be faster in completely different areas once Danger has had his hands on it. But that's on the too save up for list.

Thanks for that mate cheers!

[warewolf]

Your powervalve adjustment doesn't make sense to me. On one side there are two notches to mark the limits of the adjustment range, and the other side has a single notch to show the setting. If your notches were lining up, you'd be at one end or the other, not the middle.

The Langston setting has the adjustment notch abutting but not overlapping the lower limit notch, ie a little higher than level with the lower limit. That's about 1 turn out on the adjuster, or about 20% of the adjustment.

Otherwise, you are looking at something different to me

What it boiled down to was that a top-level pro racer had his bike (125sx?) set up with close to the softest power delivery.

[CRF119]

My factory CRF one works pretty good i think. I have it on the hardest setting never had bad head shake even when tired!

[B0000M]

i wouldnt imagine youd hahve ant trouble finding a 46t sprocket, i got a 40t easy enough for the cr, its when you want to go to a 38 or a 36 it starts getting hard

[pete.ktm]

anyone know the current nz cost of a scotts damper (ktm 450 above bar mount). just trying to decide between scotts and roc stomper and buying local or direct from oz/states.

or if anyone has a 2nd hand one going cheap...

cheers.

[scott411]

Scott's are made by ohlins, the new model ohlins are very trick, i have got one and swear by it, much better then the GPR and WER ones i have had before, i they are $1399

[CRF119]

I have my CRF one as hard as possible if you take it off you notice a slight differance. I have never had head shake on my CRF450 that was bad enough to worry about slowing down so must be working. Good on trails when tapped out. (most rides have plenty of sections to tap a 450 out.) Like thunder and kimmies etc.

[Reckless]

Here's quite an interesting article on how Honda are doing it !
More of the traditional design as seen on road bike with the extending rod system mounted vertically under the number plate. Seems to be ok though.

http://www.vitalmx.com/features/Firs...ng-Damper,1903