front dampers

[jonno]

If I remember Lambretta standard front dampers only dampen on expansion. Are there any dampers that fit that dampen compression,? I expect the bgm etc do but looking for cheaper ones.

[Knowledge]

Why do you want your dampers to work on compression?

The whole idea is that the wheel is able to move (unrestricted) when it hits a bump, but it needs damping on the re-bound to stop the front wheel bouncing down the road. If the wheel is damped when it hits the bump, it will not absorb the bump as well.

Innocenti got it right, so why re-invent the wheel.....

[jonw]

So Ohlins, Showa and just about every other suspension manufacturer have got it wrong by incorporating adjustable compression dampening then?

[Digger]

As Jonw hinted the ability to dampen on both compression and extension has to be an improvement and is hardly re-inventing the wheel.

[jonw]

What's better, every time you hit a bump in the road or apply the front brake and your front end blows through its suspension travel in the blink of an eye, or to have the ability to control how fast or slow that happens through compression dampening?
It's especially relevant with disc braked front ends.

[sunrisemac]

As understand it, dampers are there to control the spring's frequency so the difference between sprung and un-sprung weight accounts for the difference in bump and rebound valving in a damper, i.e. softer on bump than rebound.

[Digger]

As understand it, dampers are there to control the spring's frequency so the difference between sprung and un-sprung weight accounts for the difference in bump and rebound valving in a damper, i.e. softer on bump than rebound.

For a basic damper with no adjustment features.

[Donnie]

Been using the fat indian escort type front dampers for years and they are more than capable when paired with decent fork springs and im 16.5 stone on a S2 with a front disc and I've never managed once to bottom out the suspension even fully loaded for a rally.

I'd suggest if people are managing to bottom out they need to rebuild their front fork springs to a better setup to begin with.

I have no problem with the bgm setups other than expense and I feel they are overkill personally but thats just my opinion, if they have compression damping this is only to adjust the rate of compression of the springs in the forks themselves and you need to get it right to have the proper effect, they're not fit and forget.

As I say, escorts and decent springs in the forks for me but YMMV

[jonno]

There to fit on my sprinter which has speedfight fairing close to the wheel.I have no dampers atm and breaking gently hasn't been a prob but have been occasions where the tyre has made contact.Need to do some die grinding I think on fairing,and maybe slim dampers.

[sunrisemac]

As understand it, dampers are there to control the spring's frequency so the difference between sprung and un-sprung weight accounts for the difference in bump and rebound valving in a damper, i.e. softer on bump than rebound.

For a basic damper with no adjustment features.

That applies to adjustable or fixed valving dampers

[jonw]

Personal preference really and set up specific. Slow medium and high rate (multi stage) compression and rebound dampening is the best way forward allowing for adjustment in small (ripple) stuff and big hit (pot hole, brake dive) adjustment etc. Unfortunately I'm not aware of any such dampening applied to front dampeners (think PM Tuning might have a multi stage rear shock?).