The Mass Damper, or mass shock absorber, is already an old subject in motorsport: Introduced in F1 by Renault before being banned, it more than likely made its appearance in MotoGP at the back of the Ducati saddle under the the impulse of Luigi Dall'Igna, although we have never seen one detailed photos.
Its purpose is to reduce parasitic vibrations such as chattering, by means of an inertial mass slowed down by springs and/or oil.
Until now, only Ducati was connected to this device, but the Suzuka 8 Hours currently taking place in Japan show that Yamaha is so convinced by the Mass Damper that it even advertises it!
Taking advantage of the new livery in RS4 GP Yamalube colors of the YART endurance R1 and the M1 that Cal Crutchlow (present this weekend in Japan) will use during its wildcard in Motegi, the men of Iwata have set up a stand in which they not only exhibit the motorcycles, but also make available to the public experiences proving the benefits of Mass Damper, named for the occasion Performance Damper.
From there to thinking that it should make, or has already made, its appearance on the M1, there is only one fairly easy step to take…
Photo credits: @yamaha_bike
