Quote Originally Posted by mbohn
5.2 Motorcycle Technical Requirements, Paragraph Z.

As it reads now:

Steering damper is required and must be in good operating condition.

Proposed revision:

An adjustable steering damper is required and must be in good operating condition.

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The purpose of this revision is to discourage new racers from trying to get by with the damper that came on their street bike. These are usually non-adjustable and while they may be suitable for street use, they are practically useless for racing.
While I do agree that the OEM dampers are practically useless, have we seen a need for such a rule change or would we just be making ir more expensive for a new rider to start racing? Have there been issues caused by using stock dampers? Would a new rider even notice the difference between stock and aftermarket?