What is the dial on the steering head of a 73???

[nanoonanook]

Hello,
I'm new around these parts and trying to read and learn as much as I can.

On the 73 - there is a fairly large dial on the center of the steering tree (triple tree head??? I think that's what its called...).

Can anyone tell me about it?? -- What is it for? It is necessary? Can it be removed safely? Could it be a steering damper perhaps?

I don't have a pic handy and can't seem to find one on line... sorry!

Thanks for your feedback !
A

 

[angus67]

steering dampener.

 

[nanoonanook]

Thank you.

 

[gggGary]

Opinions vary on the need. Perhaps a bike that is carefully dialed in with new tires and bearings doesn't need them. But way back in the day I was nearly killed by a high speed wobble on a 71. Convinced me that it was there for a reason. I was real young and didn't know much about murdersickles yet.....
My free sermon of the day.

If you ever get into a serious steering wobble the only way you can beat it is to PUSH on both handle bars, your arms will act as dampers and stop the wobble. But you cannot pull on the bars to stop it the wobble, will continue or get worse. I learned this at 80 miles an hour along side a truck on a freeway in Missouri. I was VERY motivated.

 

[nanoonanook]

Very good to know!!! Thank you for your sermon.

I think the dial looks a little out of place - but I really like the idea of having the function of it. I'm sure that it's possible to make it an interesting part of a build - or I could change out the forks and head for 35's.
Will see, lots of time will tell.

Thanks again.
A

 

[XSLeo]

It can just be removed. After you remove it, you should send it to me for proper disposal. I'll make sure it gets just what it deserves.
Leo

 

[Scrambled]

Nothing like a tank slapper at 90 mph to wake you up ! Remember the after market hydrolic steering dampers that were popular in the '70s , the ones that attatched to the frame to the forks ? If you ever rode the widowmaker Kawasaki tripples you know what a speed wobble is all about.

 

[XSLeo]

Yep, had one in the 500 cc version when I was young and stupid. I don't know just how fast could go but it throwed me in the dirt twice at over 130. Like I said I was stupid, had to try it twice. But in my defence I was drunk the second time, and nobodies judgement is right when drunk.
Leo

 

[resto]

Got spit off my 73 500 Kaw at over 90 mph on a bumpy curve. Slide further than the bike did, fortunately didn't bump into anything. Really lucked out on that one, no jacket or helmet on that time (still have the scars to prove it). Only bike I ever totaled.

Usually, manufacturers put on steering dampers for a reason.

 

[Scrambled]

gggGary has the technique down for riding out of a wobbler. Took me several times and several bent bikes/broken bones ect. to figure that out. Some of those old bikes would just start to shimmy and shake when you were decelerating or or had the throttle twisted . The worst thing I ever did trying to stop a wobble was use the brakes. Better off twisting it hard and powering out , letting off the throttle usually made it worse.

 

[jayel]

Yep, had one in the 500 cc version when I was young and stupid. I don't know just how fast could go but it throwed me in the dirt twice at over 130. Like I said I was stupid, had to try it twice. But in my defence I was drunk the second time, and nobodies judgement is right when drunk.
Leo

you're not really drunk if you can lay on the floor without holding on

 

[gggGary]

Scrambled has it straight. Came up on a semi, it was shredding a tire so I passed in a hurry, at about 75 it started to weave, I braked and it went berserk. The front tire was literally bounding in the air, hitting a couple inches off center and repeating on the other side back and worth. I accelerated and it calmed down, but even just slowing down, rapidly increased the weave action. I tried pulling on the bars to stop it with no luck, running out of options, I tried the push, got it slowed down and then REALLY cranked down the damper knob. That kept it straight but it was so tight it was hard to steer in town, naturally I backed it off and forgot to retighten....
Later that same trip we got pulled over by an Indiana cop, he had us at 105, said he thought he had a landing airplane on his radar. Let us off with writing a ticket. Got nasty notices from the state for years but they never got a dime. I am sure that whole 3000 mile trip was done on cheap crappy old hard rubber tires.
Years later road racing a 900F, when the front tire got cupped she would start to shake about 110, same deal push the bars and keep going. I don't think I have fallen off the bike at anything much over 100MPH.... yet. But I have dived at least three times at 100 and a bunch of times at lower speeds, slow learner I guess. I can still hike normally and even hand split all my firewood pretty good.