| Author |
Message |
    
Rocketman
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 07:25 pm: | 
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Actually Dyna, that Gixxer is no bad boy. Like your R1, even a pussycat could ride one!
Come back and brag about one seventy something when you've done it on a real bike 
Rocket |
Blake
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:33 pm: |
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Greg,
And just when I praise you for being honest...
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/63760.html |
Xbolt12
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 10:51 pm: |
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Boy this board is starting to get more irritating than some of the rice rocket boards that always cap on Buell or anyone that posts something they disagree with. Some of you guys bring up some valid points about suspension setup, grip on the bars, etc, but if you think your XB is immune to headshake, think again. You could be dead wrong (pun intended). I have many years riding and some racing motocross and I believe I know how to ride, how to set up suspension and how to grip the bars. I thought the XB was pretty stable too. I had just gotten through telling another rider so and on my way home accelerated hard up a steep hill, hit some uneven pavement at about 70 and had headshake so violent that that my arms hurt for some time afterward. Dampers aren't for a little tire wiggle or turning, they are simply an attempt to stop violent headshake. This is why the Buell race teams are using dampers (and most race teams in general). Any bike that gets the front wheel light is a candidate, and short wheelbases, steep rake, and little trail make a bike turn well, but more likely to experience nasty headshake.
A very experienced XB racer in San Diego just showed me his new damper on his xb12r and told me about his recent 135 mph headshake at Willow Springs which was so violent he lost his front brake due the the pistons spreading in the caliper and went off the track (saved it luckly).
Another XB12R rider told me about it happening to him on the street at 135. You can imagine how frightening that would be.
xbolt12 |
Outrider
| | Posted on Monday, August 09, 2004 - 11:50 pm: |
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Dyna...Just take the R1 out on I-94 and run it WFO til you get a ticket. Then you will have proof how fast you can go!  |
R1DynaSquid
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:10 am: |
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Psst Blake...that topic is over a month old. I have put another 2200 miles on the bike since then. And unbeknownst to you..I didnt come & posts everytime I decided to do a high speed run simply because I was getting to much flak from some of the whiners about my "jap crap" posts. So now I just run the •••• outta the bike & enjoy it.
Bill..I have found a couple nice straight county roads that are excellent for high speed runs. |
Blake
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:25 am: |
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Whatever you say Mr. "172 mph." |
Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 04:55 am: |
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>>>> had headshake so violent that that my arms hurt for some time afterward.
I'm with you there. I missed my medication and had the same experience!
 |
Darthane
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 06:46 am: |
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Well, Xbolt, good for you. I'm glad that you know exactly how my bike will act at a given speed. Since I don't think it's all that bright to do those kinds of speeds on public roads, and don't generally end up on strips and closed courses, I guess I'll be happy that my bike has been steady through all kinds of road conditions at all kinds of speeds WITHIN REASON. Trust me, I've ridden on some really •••••• roads. This is Michigan. Our roads are smooth for approximately one month after resurfacing.
"Another XB12R rider told me about it happening to him on the street at 135. You can imagine how frightening that would be."
Maybe he shouldn't be doing that kind of speed on the damned street in the first place. Ever think of that? Frghtening? Dumb.
(Message edited by darthane on August 10, 2004) |
Pammy
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 07:47 am: |
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My .02....riding a bike at high speeds without a steering damper is akin to driving your car without insurance. Another safety feature at the least. I recommend them highly. No downside to having one at all. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 08:37 am: |
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Good point Queen Pammy.
No argument here. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 08:50 am: |
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Darn, don't let the Fed know about the safety angle. Next thing you know, every bike will have them as mandatory OEM equipment. LOL |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:14 am: |
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I'm thinking of fitting a damper, and I suppose you'd say its "insurance". I know my X1 ain't no XB, but compared to my previous bikes it is pretty "lively" on bumpy roads, especially on a series of bumps. It's never gone into a tank-slapper, and I doubt it will, but it "feels" like it could - that's probably me more than the bike. Adjusting the suspension settings to suit me has improved it, riding the bike more has got me more used to it's lively-ness, and (you guys were right) relaxing my grip and letting the bike do it's thing helps more again. It seems like I have to relax my grip more than on other bikes, but it's hard to tell without riding them back to back.
Having said all that, I might fit a damper for peace of mind, my thought being that if I hit a big bump that's just the right shape to make the bars really flap at least the damper will slow it down so I can take control of it again. That's my theory anyway
cheers,
lemonchili
btw 140mph on my crusty old gsxr, 120mph on the X1, but the fun for me is between 30 and 100! Anybody with tips on how to check wheel alignment? I'll put a post in the KV suspension topic |
Darthane
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:18 am: |
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Not disagreeing here, either. Just don't think it's necessary for my bike and my riding. Now, given that the original statement was (I think) that one should be added for high speed runs, we've kind of wandered. If you make a habit of riding at 120+ mph, fine. I rarely see triple digits and am perfectly happy without one, since even in the rare instances that I've pushed those speeds the bike was still stable. |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:28 am: |
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I should add - I don't ride over 100 often, but quite a few of the roads I ride are really bumpy or have really bumpy sections. If most of the roads were smooth, I don't think I'd feel the need to fit one.
I've never put a damper on any of my other bikes, but then nothing steered as quickly either |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:43 am: |
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Anybody with tips on how to check wheel alignment?
Ride straight through a water puddle on to dry pavement keeping as straight as possible. When you look back at the tracks you made, if you see two, you have a problem. |
Lemonchili_x1
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:10 am: |
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Thanks Glitch  ...what do I do if I see four? |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:26 am: |
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what do I do if I see four?
First thing to do is run the test again, and pick your feet up! |
Pammy
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:52 am: |
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I made a "jig" out of 2 square aluminum beams about 7.5' long. I put 2 threaded rods through one end of both beams(so I can clamp it onto the rear tire). One rod is about an inch from the end of the beams and the 2nd rod is about 25 inches from the same end of the beams. You wing nut the jig onto the rear tire and put a small length of 2 by 4 in front of the front tire. You raise the section of the jig that comes out on either side of the front tire and drop it onto your 2 by 4 and voila...You can see your alignment. This tool is for my own personal use and I have loaned it to friends. But it works great.
When I am not using it, it stands in the corner totally out of the way. I have been using it for years. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:14 am: |
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Or you could do that  |
Keith
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:32 pm: |
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Anybody with tips on how to check wheel alignment?
August 2004 issue of Road Racing World has a really good article on checking wheel alignment.
Keith |
Xbolt12
| | Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 12:48 am: |
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Darthane,
If you read my post you will see that I had headshake at about 70 mph. Is that excessive in your opinion? Also the guy who told me about the problem at 135 as I recall had only gone up there once or twice. Have you never even explored the capabilities of YOUR bike? I believe I am a pretty safe rider and who are you to judge anyway? Maybe you are a saint, or maybe you would be better off on a Harley
xbolt12 |
Darthane
| | Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2004 - 07:54 am: |
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"I believe I am a pretty safe rider and who are you to judge anyway? Maybe you are a saint, or maybe you would be better off on a Harley "
I wasn't judging you or your riding style, though you seem perfectly willing to judge me based on me saying that 135mph on a public road is not smart (an opinion...remember those? Everyone's got 'em and they seldom agree). Who are YOU to judge me or my bike? Why can you not get it through you head that all *I'M* telling you is that MY bike is fine.
I have no headshake at any speed. Not 10, not 70, not 120. I have never gone beyond that except on a drag strip. It's my OPINION that triple digits speeds on a public road is, in general, reckless. Have I done it? Yes. Will I again? I'm sure I will. You can continue to bash me and my riding ability all you want, but the point of all my posts is exactly as stated above - you're just making it/taking it personal.
If YOUR bike is unstable at certain speeds, I would, as before, first suggest you make sure everything is mechanically sound. This is because many other people with the same motorcycle type have experienced no such thing. If after exhausting all possible mechanical options it still occurs, then go buy the damned damper - no one's going to stop you, for crying out loud.
(Message edited by darthane on August 12, 2004) |
Xbolt12
| | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 12:04 am: |
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Darthane,
Actually it's funny but this is what I was going to say "You can continue to bash me and my riding ability all you want, but the point of all my posts is exactly as stated above - you're just making it/taking it personal". Wait, you just said that
Look, I was referring to other posts, not just yours. All I am trying to tell others is that your bike could suddenly get headshake. Mine is set at factory (not the stupid defaults) settings for my weight as recommended in the manual. I thought my bike was quite stable and it usually is. However, I did (once) experience headshake like no other I've felt before. Headshake is pretty common off-road, so I have felt it many times before. On the XB it was like holding on to a jackhammer. Maybe it will never happen to your bike. It may not. However, it is not all that uncommon on any bike and that is why you will see dampers on most race bikes and many stock bikes as well. Just look at Ducati or the even the new CBRR1000 which has an electronic damper right on the triple clamp.
xbolt12 |
Wyckedflesh
| | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 12:25 am: |
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A steering damper is for the unexpected. If you have headshake regularly then there is something not right about your setup and a damper is just a band aid. A damper is there more in case an unexpected situation arises. Bad patch of pavement, catching a road reflector with the front wheel cause its slathered in tar that you couldn't see, it will help more in a situation where something forcebly tries to change your wheels direction. |
Stonecoldbuellin
| | Posted on Friday, August 13, 2004 - 01:27 am: |
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www.bikepics.com
The first movie under accidents shows exactly what you're saying |
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