Needs must on my RR2. I have seen a few with the Ohlins installed and really didn't like the look. Granted the GPR isn't exactly easy on the eye either. Rock and a hard place I guess.
When I caned my RR6 the HESD just didn't do it for me. Had a few dodgy moments under harsh acceleration and decided it had to go. It was OK on perfectly flat surfaces but not on bumpy country roads. Went for the GPRV4 and never had a dodgy moment since.Not sure you see too many HESD's fitted to track/race bikes but I could be wrong. Looks are a personal thing, I much prefer the GPR look to an Ohlins or equivalent.
Last year I went to Portimao on my cbr600rr track bike and It had the standard HESD fitted. I found that the bike would shake its head slightly on hard acceleration out of the corners and also onto the straight over the crest. I never had a "moment" with it, but it made me feel uneasy at times. I went back 3 months later with a V4 GPR fitted, and the bike is so much more stable and planted. I rate the GPR very highly.
Just don't loose your recipt! My mate did, two weeks after buying his it leaked and they refused to repair or replace it, the people who sold it also refused to help as they said its support is from them directly. Many months later he is still out of pocket and has taken the matter to trading standards.
Im kinda intrigued by these i must say... I come from a time before dampers became fashionable and a tank slap was a standard sunday morning wake up call... I was a lil freaked when i first got the blade to find it had an "electric" damper, as anything electric generally makes me suspicious, like voodoo, but the it seems to do its thing well enough.. But id be interested to see what you reckon to the GPR before i invest ! And if John Mcguinness uses one... Well...
I was led to understand that the HESD worked in a linear fashion, the faster you are going the more input the HESD will provide if a headshake will start, keeping stability at high speed and preventing tankslappers if it gets out of shape over ripples in the tarmac, especially 80+ So hard on the throttle out of a fairly low speed turn it won't be providing much damping effect. As for track bikes not using them, that's probably due to most using aftermarket ECU's, dash etc, so the HESD wouldn't work as it has no inputs. IMO of course Edit...I meant to say that I replaced my stock dash with an aftermarket one which had its own inputs, the HESD didn't work and threw up a mil light..
As Arthur said, there were some problems reported by some users with oil leaks, not heard about them not fixing them before though. Mine has been on for two years I think and no problems. As usual though, if things are fine then you don't get to know of what problems you might have got from suppliers/manufacturers. My problems with HESD were not accelerating coming out from slow bends, they were high speed under acceleration on bumpy roads. If HESD works for someone then no need to change, didn't do it for me so it got dumped. I don't gamble with things like that, had many steering dampers and never had any issues like I did with the HESD. Maybe it was dodgy or required some adjustment.
I've fitted a good few GPR's and do rate them, I was shocked about my mates response! Anyhow thats for them to resolve. As for the HESD you can test it by putting the side stand down, select first gear, hold throttle fully open and switch the ignition on, turn bars back and forth constantly to feel min and max settings, the HESD will flash while its testing. Personally I like it Honda are VERY proud of it, and the tech that has gone into it is endless track research! Honda Worldwide | Technology Close-up http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/files/HESD Troubleshooting.pdf http://www.motorbikestoday.com/news/Articles/hon_hesd_damper.htm
One of the things I would have liked to have kept on my 04 motor swap.. Unfortunately it got binned as the mountings wouldn't work with my yokes. Now running without any damper and it is lively but nothing compared to my old KR1-S
Hmmmm. Well unpacked it and gave it a check over and I cant move the damping arm at all. Have taken it round every click. Surely even off the bike it should have some play?
What you need to remember is the pivot and leverage, it essentially is like a fulcrum you probably can't move the little arm like it is but put on the bike with the leverage from levers and will turn easily if that makes sense
With mechanical dampers I like the fact you can change settings instantly whilst riding, suits the days when you just want to let it fly. At the end of the day it's about what suits 'you'. IMO once you start modding a bike it becomes unique, especially as people use their bikes for different purposes ie road slow/medium/fast, track slow/medium/fast and race, commute etc. Plus we all have different riding styles, ride on different roads and we come in all shapes and sizes. Must be a big difference how a bike handles even when set up for the individual between a 9st rider and an 18 stone one. I sometimes feel sorry for my suspension when I slam the anchors on and push 15 and a half stone forward.
Well all fitted and appears to work ok. Just need my front wheel back to take it out and give it a test.
