It's kind of like suspension for your steering. Or maybe a seatbelt for your forks, sometimes when sportbikes with radical steering geometry and high horspepower mix the front end can weave/shake. As far as always needing them this isn't true. You can ride R1's fine without a damper. But if you like giving it lots of gas out of real slow corners/over rough pavement or doing wheelies, they can save yourself a little trouble.