Front Dampers

[garynonnah]

Advice on upgrade front dampers, got Indian escorts at mo, but thinking of upgrade, maybe bgm slim dampers.
pros n cons please???

[Donnie]

cons are cost i suppose.

Personally I rate the escorts and have used them for years so have no overwhelming need to try anything supposedly better.

Dunno if anyone here thinks that the bgms etc are much better than the escorts and if so, how much better?

[Donnie]

holy sh*t! Just googling and they are 4 times the price of escorts!!

Thats me out!

Im sure for some these are worth it in terms of tweaking the handling of their scoots especially lads with high performace engines etc, but think these are either overkill or just scooter porn for most.

[garynonnah]

holy sh*t! Just googling and they are 4 times the price of escorts!!

Thats me out!

Im sure for some these are worth it in terms of tweaking the handling of their scoots especially lads with high performace engines etc, but think these are either overkill or just scooter porn for most.

I like the porn lol....

[MK Monty]

The biggest improvement to a standard none dampered bike is to fit dampers, any dampers. weld the brackets Escorts work fine on mine.

[hullygully]

if you think about it, most of the Indian roads must be worse than ours, so if their dampers work in India they'll be fine here, plus I'd upgrade your damper springs too

[Raveydavey]

How about damping fork diving under heavy breaking. I personally think the escorts are quite poor.

[Captain Pugwash]

I think Standard lambretta Dampers are designed to slow the rebound and don't really add much if anything to the pre load under breaking. Standard lambretta dampers compress very easily but offer much more resistance as they extend.
Some after market dampers (usually adjustable) offer equal resistance in both directions. I think they could be used to offer a little extra resistance as the front end dives under breaking.
But I've known lower damper studs to snap when too much compression resistance is used.

[Scooterlam]

from experience of daytonas, escorts and BGM I agree.
The adjustable types will give the ride of a stiffer spring.
But damping in both directions reduces the ability react to big hits.

My recommendation would be decent springs, progressive or slightly stiffer.
And escorts.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

The two way, Kawasaki type dampers are best used where intended: as a steering damper.

Mark Ellis asked me to assess his Group Four bike @ Three Sisters many years ago. He had those Kawasaki type dampers on & it was horrendous. He ditched them in favour of standard Lambretta front dampers & in conjunction with Maxton got an RS125 rear damper re-valved & sprung. That was probably the sweetest handling bike of its day & very successful in the hands of Scott Swarbrick.

Captain Pugwash is correct in so much as the function of the fork damper is to control rebound.

As for dive, that has to be down to preference, surely? In any case, the control of compression is not the way to control dive, whereas moving the brake torque away from the RH link to the fork leg is.

On the track, as far as I am aware, there are racers using anti-dive as well as those that don't. Some have tried it & taken it off. There is no clear proof that either is superior.

[Scooterlam]

met a guy a while ago who had U shaped bracket made that ties the two links together, similar to those used on mounting bikes.
seemed like a good idea to stop the uneven dive. will add to un-sprung weight though.

[Mark97]

I know this is a very old post but have just seen it.

I am 100% certain that I never once used Kawasaki dampers on any of my race scooters to be honest so I think you may be confusing my bike with someone elses?

Plus I remember every single rider that had a go on that Group 4 - and it wasnt that many............

Just felt the need to clarify that and thanks for mentioning that it handled so well - thanks to the RS125 shock, Jason Berry and Maxton Engineering. Plus the fork set up by the legend that is Malc Anderson.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

I know this is a very old post but have just seen it.

I am 100% certain that I never once used Kawasaki dampers on any of my race scooters to be honest so I think you may be confusing my bike with someone elses?

Plus I remember every single rider that had a go on that Group 4 - and it wasnt that many............

Just felt the need to clarify that and thanks for mentioning that it handled so well - thanks to the RS125 shock, Jason Berry and Maxton Engineering. Plus the fork set up by the legend that is Malc Anderson.

Well well Mark!

My memory may contradict yours, but it may have been when your bike was a kind of puce colour, but KolorKraft rings a bell. Certainly prior to the extensive chassis changes that you undertook. Your team mate @ the time was Maca on his special.

You actually asked me to take it for a few laps because you/it was all over the show with no consistent cornering lines.

Fair play to you because you pioneered several things that had hitherto not been done. The RS125 rear suspension was just one thing that made your bike ultra competitive. Apart from the MSC engine & exhaust, I remember discussing detail of the carburettor with you.

There can be no doubt about it. That bike became unassailable with the right rider.

I hope my response serves as a memory jogger......

[Mark97]

Puce?? As in Dark brownish red?

Defo not mine - mine were in order, Black, Black with Orange Polka Dots, Kolorcraft White, Deep Met Blue, Pearlescent white MSC, then finally Ford le Mans Green.....

Still cant recall any Kawasaki Dampers - was always told they were the daftest thing you could fit?

But it was a long time ago - And "unassailable with the right rider" - LOL - I didnt do too bad with the wrong rider on it!! LOL....

PM me and refresh my memory about the ride though?

Cheers.....

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

PM sent.....