SuzukiSavage.com - Tank Slap and Headshake

Suzuki_Sam Ex Member	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #30 - 07/01/05 at 11:57:06 What started out in paranoia has turned into a good deal of laughter for me. Thanks!
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sluggo Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline big singles lead, twins follow the pack Posts: 4744 moses lake washington Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #31 - 07/01/05 at 16:48:53 Suzuki_Sam wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07: What started out in paranoia has turned into a good deal of laughter for me. Thanks! thats what we're here for. most of my paranoia has turned to laughter, or it could just be the the voices have drowned it out. 8)
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Gitarzan Serious Thumper 2004 No Login Offline ! Posts: 827 Columbus, Oh, Earth, Solar Sys Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #32 - 07/01/05 at 20:50:20 Whenever I read the title of this thread, I keep thinking of a Head Slap and Tankshake. I just wanted to say that and get it out of my system. Thanks.
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #33 - 07/02/05 at 06:27:22 sluggo wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07: thats what we're here for. most of my paranoia has turned to laughter, or it could just be the the voices have drowned it out. 8) I'm still having a hard time keeping my responses to this topic "clean", in spite of the fact that I don't understand what this topic really means....
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #34 - 07/02/05 at 07:21:12 Headshake: side to side oscillation of the front suspension, which if unchecked, becomes tankslapping, followed by crashing. Or, as bad as the suspension on my bike is, headshake is what I do after my a$$ slaps the gas tank when I run over anything bigger than a cigarette butt. -WD
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Tank Slap and Headshake
Reply #35 - 07/02/05 at 07:32:00

WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

Headshake: side to side oscillation of the front suspension, which if unchecked, becomes tankslapping, followed by crashing.

Or, as bad as the suspension on my bike is, headshake is what I do after my a$$ slaps the gas tank when I run over anything bigger than a cigarette butt. Angry

-WD

So you are talking about "Wobble". Now, I got it. That is usually caused by some incorrectly installed windshield or altered front end....my XS 850, which I purchased new from a dealer with a full Windjammer fairing installed, had the tendency to wobble. Usually happened at high speed when encountering a strong cross wind. Or if the rear end was loaded with passenger and gear (making the front end light). The oscillation is very unsettling....but I can't remember whether I slapped the tank or simply sucked it up.

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WD

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Re: Tank Slap and Headshake
Reply #36 - 07/02/05 at 07:56:30

MY GS750T was bad about it as well. The fairing was mounted to the frame, not the forks, but still caused the bike to get squirrely above 55 mph. Took a baseball bat to the windshield, and, miraculously the headshake went away...

Well, off to torture the "new" guy at work. New my butt...he's been building on and off road racing bikes for 30 something years. Rides a "works" Triumph Speed Triple, pre-USA release... Where's the genuflecting smiley saying " I'm not worthy"? Wink

I think my boss's job is in jeopardy now...
-WD

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Suzuki_Sam Ex Member	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #37 - 07/02/05 at 13:45:40 "I'm still having a hard time keeping my responses to this topic "clean", in spite of the fact that I don't understand what this topic really means...." My hat's off to you.....really
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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #38 - 07/02/05 at 14:22:14 Greg..... You cannot resist the dark side. Let it go.....
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #39 - 07/02/05 at 14:46:10 Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07: Greg..... You cannot resist the dark side. Let it go..... And maybe you've never experienced tank slap or wobble, either. When it's your time, you'll think you're on the dark side.... 'Bout like a front tire blow out in a car, only twice as much pucker....
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Suzuki_Sam Ex Member	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #40 - 07/02/05 at 15:15:27 Hey, Greg, are you the photographer of those photos? Fantastic! I like the bicycle ones (am watching Le Tour right now! ) and the blooms are exquisite and well, all of it.
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Paladin.

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Re: Tank Slap and Headshake
Reply #41 - 07/02/05 at 17:20:33

Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:

And maybe you've never experienced tank slap or wobble, either. When it's your time, you'll think you're on the dark side....

'Bout like a front tire blow out in a car, only twice as much pucker.... Lips Sealed

Only time I've had any sort of almost uncontrolable wobbling was when I lofted the front end in a turn in a rocky streambed on my DT175. Managed to keep upright to standstill at which point I sort of toppled over. Damage to bike: a grass stem stuck in the rear spring. Cuts/contusions: a 3/4" scratch barely breaking skin. And a minimally displaced fracture of the medial clavicle.

As for front end blowouts on a car -- Wendy had one of those on the the interstate in the '76 LTD when we had gone to pick up my brother after he fell off a horse. I was in bro's car, ahead, so when the front end started wobbling she sped up and flashed her lights to get my attention before slowing and pulling off to the side.

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diesel

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Re: Tank Slap and Headshake
Reply #42 - 07/02/05 at 21:20:04

Back in late 50's, while pushing my R 50 to its top, 'bout 95, ridding buddy on a mid 50's Areil square four, passed me. when he pulled back in front of me and backed of throttle, that Areil started to wobble. the slower it went, the worse the wobble got, at 'bout 40,the Areil was making a shower of sparks from both crash bars till it locked the handle bars and first flipped him up the air then the Areil. when he came back down the bike looked like it landed on top of him, thoe it didn't. he WAS wearing leathers and a helmet, wore a big hole in the helmet. had a broken collar bone, some road rash, and a concushion.(sp)? turns out, Ariel had broken right fork spring. in the days of the K model HD, this was known as "speed wobble". they were famous for it. If you rode a K. you knew what a speed wobble was.

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WD

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Re: Tank Slap and Headshake
Reply #43 - 07/02/05 at 21:30:08

I had a K-model for about 2 weeks. Took it to the vintage races and the front wheel fell off. At speed. I took the remnants home and made a mailbox stand out of it. I think the K was a tongue in cheek because a "KILL YOU" model wouldn't have sold...
-WD

My 1970 XL (Sportster) was just as bad. I sold it for 1 cent per pound... I got the better of the deal. As I recall, it is on the bottom of the Snake River just south of Lewiston Idaho, courtesy of the steering stem shearing at speed...

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Suzuki_Sam Ex Member	Re: Tank Slap and Headshake Reply #44 - 07/02/05 at 21:40:37 WD wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07: I took the remnants home and made a mailbox stand out of it. -WD... You sure showed it who's boss!
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