AJS & Matchless Owners Club

I see that steering dampers are an optional extra on the AJS Model 30. Mine does not have one, so while rebuilding it, I thought I should get advice and opinions from thre club members as to whether it makes much of a difference or just a bit of a gimmic? They look easy to fit but if it has no real purpose it's a waste of time. All thoughts from experienced M30 riders welcome please.

Don't have one on my M20, do on M31. (Don't have a 600, but same difference). Both used a lot, all year.
Never felt the lack of on the 500 and don't use it on the 650 to be honest. The latter just did 1000 tough miles in Spain last month, on mountain roads largely, and didn't shake its head (much!)
Be different with a chair, I'm sure . . .

As Bill says you only really need them if you are fitting a sidecar.

Excellent guys thank you for the advice

they do work to make the steering a bit more stiff and stop it wobbling about but you need to make sure the bottom nut below the yoke is loctited on otherwise it can vibrate loose and fall off as did mine once .
cheers
ian

Well my view is that on a solo a steering damper can mask poorly adjusted steering Bearings. With a Sidecar it's different as there is a tendency for the bike to suddenly start shaking its head at certain speeds. Provided the Bearings are adjusted properly ie with the damper completely loose then it should be OK on both solo and Sidecar. I don't have any on my solos but would not have ridden the combination without.

+1 for Clive's comments. I used it when a combo but not solo.

Johnny B

I had one fitted to my G12, its one of the first things I removed as I found it caused more issues than it was worth, better to just set up the head bearings properly.
If I had a sidecar maybe it would be worth it but solo?