Hyperpro Rsc Steering Damper

Hyperpro RSC Steering Damper

Taming a bucking bronco

HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW MANY SPORTbikes now come with steering dampers straight from the factory? That's because today's ultra-powerful, ultra-responsive machines need 'em! For those bikes that don't come standard with a damper, an aftermarket model can smooth out the handling without “putting a damper” on your Sunday ride.

DETAILS

Hyperpro USA 28 W059 Industrial Ave. Barrington, IL 60010 888/963-1212 www.hyperprousa.com Price.. .$450

Ups Eliminates headshake Excellent fit-and-finish

Downs Can't feel damper detent clicks through gloved hands Pricey for some bikes

Hyperpro claims its Reactive Speed Control steering damper has an edge over other makes due to its “active” damping. It’s engineered to provide smooth, light steering response at low speeds yet alter damping automatically as speeds increase. The nitrogen-charged reservoir has a large, gold-anodized knob for onthe-fly adjustments over a 22-click range, each signified by a positive detent.

Mounting the RSC to the triple-clamp and fairing frame on a 1997 Honda CBR900RR (a bike with a 16-inch front wheel that promoted headshake) was fairly simple. The CNC-machined and anodized bracket required no cutting or drilling, and the whole package looks terrific.

We tried many different settings, testing whether the minimum damping actually damps at all (it does) and also if the heavily damped end of the spectrum still provides decent steering feel (it doesn’t). Six clicks in from minimum proved to be the sweet spot on the double-R. The super-quick steering we admire remains, but the front end no longer turns violent over mid-corner bumps. And despite our best attempts to upset the bike with hard acceleration over uneven pavement and wheelies, we never experienced even a trace of headshake.

Given that, the Hyperpro RSC is a winwin situation. □