ÖHLINS LAUNCHES ALL-NEW MOTORCYCLE STEERING DAMPER SD20

April 24, 2025
Öhlins the global leader in suspension solutions has launched the all-new SD20 steering damper for Street- and Supersport motorcycles. The new SD20 piston-style damper features a larger cylinder and piston and other design enhancements which together provide significantly increased and more consistent damping force and smoother adjustment steps across a wider range of damping force.

Öhlins’ new steering damper offers tighter tolerances and a more efficient design. Test riders engaged by Öhlins engineers reported being able to ride faster with the new SD20 and described the steering wobble as noticeably “calmer” compared to the SD16.

Also new to the SD20 damper is Öhlins’ exclusive cylinder-valve design, inspired by our racing applications and EC steering damper. This innovative design significantly enhances rider comfort. Unlike a traditional needle valve, the cylinder valve features a series of holes that are restricted by an edge inside the cylinder to balance the force applied to the damper actuator, enabling quicker adjustments. It also provides increased sensitivity and responsiveness across both the low and high ends of the adjustment range.

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“Our new SD20 damper combines the latest Öhlins solutions with a more efficient and robust design to deliver noticeable improvements in rider comfort and overall bike performance,” said Robert Brinkmark, Director Sales, Marketing and Product Management at Öhlins. “In fact, our test riders found that the SD20’s performance characteristics are very similar to those of our steering dampers for Factory racing applications.”