Vehicle steering damper, steering damper kit for motorcycle, and motorcycle incorporating same

A motorcycle, comprising a frame having a head pipe with an integral flange extending rearwardly from a top portion thereof, and a steering column pivotally attached to said head pipe, said motorcycle further comprising a rotary steering damper comprising;

• a damper housing having an oil chamber formed therein and having a plurality of fluid flow channels in fluid communication with said oil chamber;
• a damper shaft attached to and extending downwardly from said damper housing;
• a vane disposed in the oil chamber of the housing and attached to the shaft for concurrent pivotal movement therewith, said vane operating to effectively partition the housing oil chamber into left and right oil chambers;
• and
• a hydraulic pressure control valve disposed in said damper housing for varying an attenuating force of said steering damper;
• wherein, upon pivotal rocking motion of said vane in said housing, oil flows between the left and right oil chambers to generate attenuating force, and wherein said housing is attached to one of a vehicle body frame side and a steering system side of said motorcycle, while said shaft is attached to the other of said vehicle body frame side and said steering system side, and said housing is disposed above a top bridge of said motorcycle;
• wherein said damper housing further comprises a housing extension which extends rearwardly behind said top bridge;
• and wherein said steering damper further comprises an actuator for said hydraulic pressure control valve, said actuator being disposed below said housing extension.