handling issues

[BH121869]

Has anyone heard of any high speed handling issues?
This is new to me but there are articles on Harley's and Honda's doing it on the net.

[iamgumby]

I think that boots has been chasing this down for the past week. He has several posts and from the looks of it - me thinks he suspects that fork mounted fairings/windshields could be a factor. He has posts spread all over the site - it's hard for me to direct you to them!

[BH121869]

Honda wobble
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Motorcycle-Repair-837/Honda-V65-Magna-Steering.htm
http://www.hagens-berman.com/honda_pressrelease.htm
http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_detail.asp?rv=20453&veh=8650

Kaw wobble
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/46522-2000-kawasaki-voyager-front-end-wobbles.html
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/27767-voyager-steering-wobble.html

Suzuki wobble
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/27767-voyager-steering-wobble.html

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/suzuki/first-ride-1995-suzuki-gsxr1100-16258.html at bottom of page

Yamaha wobble http://www.yamahaxjrownersclub.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=21626&p=178738

Wobble accident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8asPtLba2o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtoOmq3ppw&feature=related

[HellFireX12]

when a tank slapper actually occurs, not a wobble but a full out slapper, whats the best thing to do to get back under controll. or do you just close your eyes say a prayer and let you body go limp as you slide across the ground.

[BH121869]

Define slapper for me. To me it is what I did to my daughter when she bad mouthed me once. Only took once.

[BH121869]

Become familiar with your motorcycle manufacturer's inflation guidelines. Look in your motorcycle owner's manual to find the right
PSI (pounds per square inch) of air pressure for your tires. Some bike manufacturers also list this formation on the bike itself. Common locations include the swing arm, front fork tubes, inside the trunk,
and under the seat.


Keep in mind that these recommendations are usually dependent upon the weight of you and your passenger, as well as any cargo. For instance, some manufacturers advise adding 3 or 4 PSI when carrying
a heavy load. Know your vehicle weight and load, and follow the PSI recommendations specific to your motorcycle. Failure to do so can result in adverse motorcycle handling (wobble and weave) or tire failure, or both.

[BH121869]

when a tank slapper actually occurs, not a wobble but a full out slapper, whats the best thing to do to get back under controll. or do you just close your eyes say a prayer and let you body go limp as you slide across the ground.


Could not find a definition of slapper other than the red neck one.
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/dictionary/S.htm
Skid Lid - Slang term for a helmet.
Skiing - A type of stunt where a rider carefully jumps off the rear of the moving motorcycle, grabs the pillion grab rail and skis on the road surface. The world record stands in excess of 225 kph (140 mph). Also called skating.
Skin - New paint job
Slabbing it - Taking the Interstate Highway
Slam or Slammer - 1. Jockey Shift. 2. To lower a bike's suspension (or in extreme cases remove it entirely), also a remark made to someone with intent to make comments, sometimes of a rude nature, to elicit laughs from those who hear/read it.
Slave Cylinder - Hydraulic cylinder activated by the master cylinder, usually referring to clutch or brake cylinders.
Sled - Slang term for a motorcycle.
Slick - Treadless tire. Can refer to a race tire or a completely worn out tire with little or no tread left on it. Slick's offer the greatest dry traction to a road surface as friction is greatest since there is little/no air gap (tread) between the rubber and the road. A tyre specifically designed for use in road racing only that is made of a soft compound with no tread.
Slick Plastic Arrows - Directional traffic control arrows made of smooth white plastic that are glued to the road surface.
Slider - the throttle throat opening mechanism on a CV carb controlled by a diaphragm& Vacuum.
Slinky Riders - Riders in a group ride who consistently fail to maintain interval with the bike to their front are "slinky riders" and are a severe hazard to others.
Slip The Clutch - To play with or fan the clutch in order to prevent the engine stalling or spinning the rear tyre from the start line.
Slop - A term for "play" or "looseness" in a motorcycle assembly.
Slow Ride - A common on-bike competition, often seen at rallies or safety events (ie. riding as slow as possible, last to cross the finish line wins).
Slug - 1. Piston in an engine. 2. A slow motorcycle and rider.
Smell Me Bars - Ape Hangers
SNAFU - After attempting to fix something that wasn't broken in the first place and ya can't put it back together correctly, you have a Situation Normal All F_ _ ked Up
Snakes (road snakes) - The serpentine tar strips sometimes used to fill cracks on a racetrack or on a highway/road.

[BH121869]

I typed in Motorcycle wobble and found quite a bit on it. Then controlling a motorcycle wobble. But don't know what a slapper is do you? Maybe it is if the bars are going lock to lock. If so I'd bail off.

Honda wobble
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Motorcycle-Repair-837/Honda-V65-Magna-Steering.htm
http://www.hagens-berman.com/honda_pressrelease.htm
• http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_detail.asp?rv=20453&veh=8650
•
•
•
•
Goldwing Wobble
by titaniumwing on Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:42 pm
Bike has wobbled since it was new and was cosidering the all ball bearing upgrade til I had a flat on the road and had to purchase a Avon and WOW[ I can even say it backwards] the wobble was gone.....Wondering if anyone else experinced this also......however I am running a c/t on the rear and don't know if that along with the avon did the trick.



Kaw wobble
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/46522-2000-kawasaki-voyager-front-end-wobbles.html
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/27767-voyager-steering-wobble.html

Suzuki wobble
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/kawasaki-touring-sport-touring/27767-voyager-steering-wobble.html

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/suzuki/first-ride-1995-suzuki-gsxr1100-16258.html at bottom of page

Yamaha wobble http://www.yamahaxjrownersclub.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=21626&p=178738

Wobble accident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8asPtLba2o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtoOmq3ppw&feature=related

WOBBLE
________________________________________
A "wobble" occurs when the front wheel and handlebars start to shake suddenly from side to side at any speed. Most wobbles can be traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure. If you are carrying a heavy load, lighten it. If you cannot, shift it. Center the weight lower and farther forward on the motorcycle. Make sure tire pressure, spring pre-load, air shocks, and dampers are at the settings recommended for that much weight. Make sure windshields and fairings are mounted property.
Check for poorly adjusted steering; worn steering parts; a front wheel that is bent, misaligned, or out of balance; loose wheel bearings or spokes; and swingarm bearings. If none of these are determined to be the cause, have the motorcycle checked out thoroughly by a qualified professional.
Trying to "accelerate out of a wobble" will only make the motorcycle more unstable. Instead:
Grip the handlebars firmly, but do not fight the wobble.
Close the throttle gradually to slow down. Do not apply the brakes; braking could make the wobble worse.
Move your weight as far forward and down as possible.
Pull off the road as soon as you can to fix the problem.

[HellFireX12]

yeah tank slapper, when bars go lock to lock or slap the tank on either side repetedly, a wobble can be controlled, i was just wondering if the extreem could be controlled as well

the second video u posted would be a tank slapper.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SL4yUTe97n8
heres dani pedrosa controlling a bad wobble not quite a tank slapper

[HellFireX12]

sorry for the double post but this guy actually kept a tank slapper up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjQ4SK4GXk&NR=1

[CJ]

I experience the wobble when I've started my lean going into a corner too fast and have to brake hard. My mechanic said that comes from the play in the swing arm bushings on my FLHT.

As far as straight down the highway never had any wobble issues, but I don't go that fast.

CJ

[ultraclassic9000]

HellFireX12 , Did you ever get an answer to your question "when a tank slapper actually occurs, not a wobble but a full out slapper, whats the best thing to do to get back under controll?"

I'd like to know the answer too

[cecilbdml]

I was always told that the best thing to do is to push on both grips, if you're going straight. Nothing more than man-handling the thing...

I had a slightly worn Dunlop Qualifier on the front of my first Wing, and the middle tread made that thing shimmy all day long. I had the great lack of common sense to take both hands off the bars for some reason as I was slowing down. There's nothing worse than seeing those bars trying to smack either side of the fairing two times a second, lemme tellya!:eek:

I caught the grips and mashed down hard. The slap stopped, and the bike stabilized. Then I took a few minutes after stopping to relax enough and let the seat upholstery loose from my butt.

[LowRiderGhost]

No Harley Bashing here. :D Just in regards to Harleys and any a-ledged 'Handling Issues': Since 1972 I’ve previously owned the following (past) Harleys in the following sequence:

(1) 1979 XLH-1000 Sportster
(2) 1981 FXS-80 Low-Rider
(3) 1981 XLH-1000 Sportster
(4) 1979 FLHC-80 Electra-Glide ‘Classic’
(5) 1984 FXSB-80 Low-Rider
(6) 1978 FXS-74 Low-Rider
(7) 1974 XLH-1000 Sportster
(8) 1974 XLH-1000 Sportster (#2)
(9) 1972 XLCH-1000 Sportster
(10) 2005 FXDL-88 Low-Rider
(11) 1981 FXS-80 Low-Rider (#2)
(12) 1991 FXDBS-80 Sturgis

With the exception of a couple, these were all purchased used (and most commonly well abused by previous owners) as received. In the (?) very roughly 50,000-75,000 miles compiled between these models, I never experienced any indication of manufacturer induced handling defects. I will however point out the following observations:

I did not care for at ALL the handling (i.e., straight line tracking) characteristics of the FLHC Electra-Glide. Though this is an old timer’s favorite, I found the combination of 16” x 5.00 tires front and rear combined with a Spring Loaded Dual-Seat and Floorboards very discerning. The bike would track (follow) every road surface irregularity (including brushed asphalt and/or Rain Groves) like nobody’s business. Again, NOT due to defective assembly / design but just simply because that’s just the way it was. It certainly wasn’t the worst bike (NON-Harleys) I ever had do that either. Removing the original oem Goodyears (which seriously really DID look like ‘squared-surface’ car tires!) and going to Dunlops helped, but the bike had other ‘issues’ too, so we never did quite ‘get along’! ;-)

When I got on my 05’ FXDL-88 Low-Rider for the very first time, I was unbelievably surprised just how much lower, easier to back up and handle at low speed it was then my past Low-Riders. But as usually the case with bikes when you come out ahead in one area you usually lose something else in another. I have to say I feel the 05’ Low-Rider is just not quite so stable cruising down the highway on. NOT squirrelly, NOT dangerous…. But just doesn’t have that rock solid feel of say past Lowriders. Why? While it still has (supposedly?) the 32-degree kicked out neck of past (since 1977) Low-Riders (in 2006 they knocked it back down to the standard FXD’s 29 degrees) it does not have the previous 1-inch over stock extended Fork Tubes (resulting in the bike being even lower but with a shorter wheelbase). Plus the front tire is now has a larger surface area then past Low-Riders (100/90 x 19 versus 90-90 x 19).

Little enough differences, but just enough to react a bit more to rain groves and brushed asphalt. The MINIMUM highway traffic flow around here in the Black Hills starts at 75 mph. As I don’t want to wind up on someone’s hood (AGAIN) I can comfortably (most of the time) ride this scoot at 75 mph down the interstate. Nuff’ said. ;-)

Footnote: Nope, none of these bikes are suitable for (or ever likely to be used at) the Daytona Speedway! ;-) If I wanted to go fast around the twisties I’d have a Buell or Ducati (maybe will someday anyways?!) and save my Harley for more relaxing days of cruising. Say no more?! ;-)

[cecilbdml]

Best way to eliminate as many handling problems as possible is to do your tire/wheel/suspension maintenance in a somewhat religious fashion.

Keep tire pressures at recommended psi's and change out cupped or worn tires,

Change out wheel carrier bearings at the first hint of grumble or noise,

Keep your brake caliper slide rods free of corrosion, to avoid pad dragging,

Make sure to change out fork oil slightly before recommended interval, and make sure fork springs don't have a set to them. If they do, replace them,

Check rear shock(s) and oversprings with great regularity...especially if you run your scoot with a soft rear end. Again, those springs can get a set or memory, and won't resist downforces as efficiently.

Always keep in mind that a motorcycle--ANY motorcycle--is a high-performance machine just based on the far better power-to-weight ratio. You have to stay on top of things a bit more.