cameron12x Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Has anyone considered buying a steering damper for their FJ-09? If so, what did you buy and how did the installation go? The reason I ask is that I love my FJ-09 but find that the front end steering gets a little squirrely at higher speeds. It just doesn't seem to be as stable as it should. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what do you plan to do about it? Cheers all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuff Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I have one fitted. Check this thread, also there is a link on there going through the fitting process. GPR steering damper There is also a long discussion on the steering wobble Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmidd Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Raise your forks in the triple 5-10mm. There is a measured .5 degree difference in front rake that causes a bit of wobble compared to the FZ09. Raising the forks helps quite a bit with that. I have raised my rear ride height 5mm and lowered the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member ULEWZ Posted May 3, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 3, 2015 Raise your forks in the triple 5-10mm. There is a measured .5 degree difference in front rake that causes a bit of wobble compared to the FZ09. Raising the forks helps quite a bit with that. I have raised my rear ride height 5mm and lowered the front.How did you raise the rear ride height? A washer under the shock? A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Bikes: 2015 FJ-09, Seat Concepts seat cover and foam, Cal Sci medium screen, rim stripes, factory heated grips, Cortech Dryver tank bag ring, Modified stock exhaust, FlashTune with Graves fuel map, Cree driving lights, Aux power socket. 2012 Street Triple type R (Wifes) 2007 FJR1300 (Sold!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bmidd Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Raise your forks in the triple 5-10mm. There is a measured .5 degree difference in front rake that causes a bit of wobble compared to the FZ09. Raising the forks helps quite a bit with that. I have raised my rear ride height 5mm and lowered the front.How did you raise the rear ride height? A washer under the shock? Penske rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member ULEWZ Posted May 3, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 3, 2015 How did you raise the rear ride height? A washer under the shock? Penske rear.Cheater. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Bikes: 2015 FJ-09, Seat Concepts seat cover and foam, Cal Sci medium screen, rim stripes, factory heated grips, Cortech Dryver tank bag ring, Modified stock exhaust, FlashTune with Graves fuel map, Cree driving lights, Aux power socket. 2012 Street Triple type R (Wifes) 2007 FJR1300 (Sold!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelb Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Am surprised there is not more comment on the stability issues at ton plus. Quite scary. Maybe because U.S. Models are restricted? Would like a cure but steering damper(Gordon) is very dear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted May 5, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 5, 2015 Am surprised there is not more comment on the stability issues at ton plus. Quite scary. Maybe because U.S. Models are restricted? Would like a cure but steering damper(Gordon) is very dear. Perhaps people do not want to fess up to riding over a ton (mph) as it is illegal on most public roads? I'm not so shy. I have a UK bike and I don't find the bike to be unstable to any great extent at speeds well over the ton. You could cruise all day at an indicated 110mph on a German autobahn and it will track around curves quite nicely. At 120mph it becomes a little uncomfortable as there isn't a lot of fairing to hide behind and the noise becomes too much to bear. I wouldn't describe the bike as unstable but it's not a pleasant place to be for the rider. 130mph is not a speed at which you should ride this bike as it is not aerodynamic enough and the suspension is not equipped to react to road surface irregularities at that speed, so a slight bump may see you heading for a hedge. If you want a bike to take on a track to ride at 140mph, the Tracer is not the bike for you. If you want to chase after that Mercedes 500SL at 140mph on the A8 to Munich then this is not the bike for you. If you want to dice with a Ducati Panigale across the mountain section of the Isle of Man TT Course, this is not the bike for you. Perhaps people here have realistic expectations of the bike? So, exactly what stability issues are you worried about over a ton? This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelb Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Wessie, with all due respect to you as a global moderator, I find your comment quite patronising. You have barely had your Tracer much longer than me. I have an awful lot of recent experience riding lots of bikes across different continents. (Last 12 months. 1000 miles on a GS800 on Tenerfife, 3500 miles on GS1200lc in Australia, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 3000 miles various UK roads, 1000 miles KTM1190 Adventure Tenerife, S1000RR 1100 miles UK, mainly Wales). I know what I want from a bike. When 'making progress', I don't want a shake as per the video from Mr scruff. I experienced this on the demo ride and reported it back to Yamaha. I thought it was the awful Yamaha touring Screen, but it does not seem to be that. It is a problem for me and may spoil my riding. I have not yet 'made progress' on my own Tracer because I have been running her in ( just put into dealer for 1st service today). Since making my comment about not seeing much about it, I have since seen long threads on this stability issue. There are also reports on the facebook page, which has 60plus members and is very active. Look forward to finding a constructive resolution to this potential problem that does not involve a £450 steering damper. Just read your post and still can't believe you tone. Please don't criticise me in that way. In particular, your last comment is burying your head in the sand. Anyway, hope to chat to you one day face to face over a cup of tea at the next UK meet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted May 6, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 6, 2015 Wessie, with all due respect to you as a global moderator, I find your comment quite patronising. You have barely had your Tracer much longer than me. I have an awful lot of recent experience riding lots of bikes across different continents. (Last 12 months. 1000 miles on a GS800 on Tenerfife, 3500 miles on GS1200lc in Australia, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 3000 miles various UK roads, 1000 miles KTM1190 Adventure Tenerife, S1000RR 1100 miles UK, mainly Wales). I know what I want from a bike. When 'making progress', I don't want a shake as per the video from Mr scruff. I experienced this on the demo ride and reported it back to Yamaha. I thought it was the awful Yamaha touring Screen, but it does not seem to be that. It is a problem for me and may spoil my riding. I have not yet 'made progress' on my own Tracer because I have been running her in ( just put into dealer for 1st service today). Since making my comment about not seeing much about it, I have since seen long threads on this stability issue. There are also reports on the facebook page, which has 60plus members and is very active. Look forward to finding a constructive resolution to this potential problem that does not involve a £450 steering damper. Just read your post and still can't believe you tone. Please don't criticise me in that way. In particular, your last comment is burying your head in the sand. Anyway, hope to chat to you one day face to face over a cup of tea at the next UK meet!! Well, there is nothing more patronising in English than using the phrase with all due respect. I am no longer a moderator. It's not compatible with me being a patronising, speak as I see it, opinionated person. My view is that the reputation the Tracer has as a twitchy, scary bike is unfounded. I think people have unrealistic expectations of the bike as it does not fit into any category easily. People come to the bike with a varied range of experience, then judge it by their past experience and then modify it to be something it isn't. I don't seek your respect. I don't expect you or anyone else to agree with me. I am merely saying it as I see it. I look forward to meeting you at some point too, as I am not going to let something as trivial as a difference of opinion on the internet get in the way of you buying me a coffee This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member ULEWZ Posted May 7, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 7, 2015 Am surprised there is not more comment on the stability issues at ton plus. Quite scary. Maybe because U.S. Models are restricted? Would like a cure but steering damper(Gordon) is very dear.I think you will find the high speed stability issue goes mostly away with tightening of the suspension as has been posted a few times (twice by me). I also find if you ride slightly tucked in, the front end stays loaded and the stability issues fade. There were/are tons of posts on this and need to be merged. Try some suspension settings and report back if the issues fade as I suspect they will. FYI, I plan on taking my bike to the track after I get the ECU flashed and think it will be great. I am also hopeful of some cheaper suspension upgrades to make this suspension handle as good as the motor runs. I have upgraded the suspension of every other motorcycle I have owned, so this is not a stretch for me. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Bikes: 2015 FJ-09, Seat Concepts seat cover and foam, Cal Sci medium screen, rim stripes, factory heated grips, Cortech Dryver tank bag ring, Modified stock exhaust, FlashTune with Graves fuel map, Cree driving lights, Aux power socket. 2012 Street Triple type R (Wifes) 2007 FJR1300 (Sold!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted May 7, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted May 7, 2015 I also find if you ride slightly tucked in, the front end stays loaded and the stability issues fade. a very good point - when giving it large on the throttle I duck behind the screen which will load the front as you say, reducing the propensity for a skyward view or deviation into a hedge. This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grogsym Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I still think this bike could do with a damper. Possibly being taller than the average bear, I find that buffeting from cars is quite an interesting experience at 80+ mph. A slightest input to the handlebars makes things feel very light. Combine this with the extreme wind noise and things get a little uncomfortable on a motorway trip. I am still optimistic that a new screen will help with the turbulence, however an affordable damper may be the way forward for the light feeling front end. Interestingly, this lightness is what makes the bike as fun on the A roads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdfsau Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Anybody ou there have any experience with this damper sold on ebay. Please, I would like somebody's actual experiences, not a lecture about buying dampers on ebay. thanx http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steering-Damper-With-Mounting-Bracket-for-Yamaha-MT-09-Tracer-FJ-09-2015-New-/252379271419?hash=item3ac2fa10fb:g:i1AAAOSwrXdXKwLx&vxp=mtr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsp Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I have one. Terrible design and execution. Misaligned holes, bolts in tension, bolts bend as they are tightened, terrible fit, no installation instructions, no owners manual with adjustment instructions.... You get the idea. After going back and forth about all sorts of issues, I demanded a refund. They refused. Do not do business with these guys. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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