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Ttags
Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 06:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

alright so i was in second gear, 3/4 ed the throttle and the front tire wasnt quite up or down, just kinda skimming the road. bad news. as soon as it started to skim it wobbled really badly. needless to say i was shot into oncomming traffic and into a corolla head on. my questions are,
has any one else experienced this skimming wobble of death? and what do you do to get out of it?
the other question... anyone have a service manual for an 07 xb12r and wants to sell it to me?
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Randomchaos
Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 07:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Sounds like a classic tank slapper. Usually by product of the front end coming off the ground then touching back down unaligned with the reartire. The bike tries to line itself back up, and all hell pretty much breaks loose. Best way to avoid them is to get a stearing damper, or to jsut take it easier on the bike.
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Cruzinonline
Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2008 - 07:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Don't want to sound like a smart ass but 3/4 throttle in the lower gears on any sportbike let alone a liter plus one that has the low end torque of a Buell makes for a very light front end.
I do believe Random is correct, the front was light and you got a little crossed up and when the front tire touched down the bike went were it was pointed.
I'd practice aggressive riding on low to no traffic areas.
I hope your not hurt as bad as the bike.
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Beachbuell
Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 01:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

+1 on the slapper. You must have had the bars/front wheel a little crooked. It happens.
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Aj06bolt12r2
Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 02:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I think the best way to " get out of that situation" is to just let off of the throttle, loosen you grip on the bars and put your weight on the seat and just be calm and loose and kind of let the bike sort itself out, ive been in that spot an few times and thats what I do. But if you are headed for oncoming traffic you dont have time for all that so you are pretty much screwed, sorry man.
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Cudajohn
Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 05:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Had a tank slapper, death wobble, head shake... whatever, they suck.
My bike (and I) went into a canal. the bike landed right on it's nose and broke the forks off the triple tree.
Your best defense is to get a steering damper but it won't make you invincible to tank slappers. They can still happen even though the chances are much slimmer.


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Ttags
Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 10:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

definately what happened. so, steering dampener? where do i get one of these for a motorcycle? i thought they only had those on trucks. learn something new every day. appreciate the input. also, that bike looks eerily familiar to mine. freakin death wobbles.
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Diablobrian
Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 05:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

you can get steering dampers from Al at American Sport Bike, Matt at Trojan Horse, or many of the other
board sponsored shops. There is even a factory steering damper from the XBRR that will work for your bike.

In most cases there will be minor mods required to fit the damper, but it is worth the hassle and expense the very first
time it prevents a tank-slapper.
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Firebolt32
Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 08:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Good thing that Corolla gave you the chance to post this. Although it is a Toyota...there pretty unforgiving.
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Staindus
Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 08:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I had a different experience and I am curious as to why. I was coming through an S turn on my CityX and in the transition got the front tire off of the ground, I never got a wobble or anything. I have also been on the throttle and "skimmed" the front is it just that I kept the bike completely still or something else? I am just curious to understand wobbles better.

Thanks
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Xl1200r
Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 10:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I could be wrong, but I believe the correct course of action when in a tank slapper is to give it more throttle and take the weight off the front wheel.
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Spacecapsule1
Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 12:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

yep i get the wobble if i hit the gas in first or second. the wheel wont come up, but will skim the road and it will wobble as it's trying to stay lined up. it happens really fast and by the time you can react you traveled a good distance. i just back off the gas to stop the problem, and i don't do it anymore as mishaps are likely. i also set the suspension per the manual and i upped the rear preload a bit so it doesn't compress the rear shock as much, making it harder for the front to get so light in the first place. now it isn't a problem.

Keith Code teaches that you let go of the bars momentarily to let the bike straighten itself out and to prevent the wobble from transferring trough the bars to your arms and the rest of your body....
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Ttags
Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 - 11:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

anyone here try letting go of the bars? i'd shite myself
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Bigredwood
Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 02:23 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Don't Grab The Brake!!! No matter what! it will make the wobble worst.

Besides the steering stabilizer, also look into changing the egros of the bike. Some actually believe that the trail of the bike is actually the culprit. They even sell a kit for your bike on trojan-horse. I believe this is the direct link:
http://www.trojan-horse.co.uk/prods/148.html

I had heard of this before the purchase of my Buell. It even helped me choose a bike with a different trail than the XBS or XBR. Hope this helps.
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