| Author | Message | ||
     Averagejoe |
Okay so why didnt buell put a front end damper on these? I rode last weekend for the first time and seemed like the damper would be nice as it got light in the front end. This weekend I opened it up a little more and exiting high speed corners it would start to really wobble not just float. Is there something I could change suspension wise to help or is the damper going to be about it. | ||
| Geforce |
Mine does that a little as well. I have planned to revisit my suspension. It usually only happens under hard throttle. I have just kept my hand very light on the grips and let it fix itself. Surely some of the track gurus and help out with this one. | ||
| Slaughter |
USUALLY it's when there is a load DOWN on the front. That is why it is so hard for people's reactions when they get a wobble - they need to PIN the throttle to lighten the front. Also - if tire pressures and suspension settings are correct and head bearings are tightened to spec, it really shouldn't do more than a light wobble, not a full on tank slapper... ...that being said, the Buell P&A catalog has a damper. | ||
| Kevin_stevens |
Add rear compression damping. KeS | ||
| Averagejoe |
The one time I really noticed it I was hard on the throttle exiting a high speed corner, and had I not let off it would have went full slapper, I road it out to see if it would stop but it got progressively worse until I let off the throttle, then back on. Thanks Kevin will add some damping on the rear and see. Might need to tighten the spring as well as I weigh in at about 220 | ||
| Kevin_stevens |
Yes, I was assuming you had the sag set correctly, but definitely check that. Adding compression in the rear helps resist the bike squatting under acceleration and lightening the front. I'd try two clicks, lather, rinse, repeat. KeS | ||
| Fresnobuell |
relax grip. Check suspension settings. The one time I really noticed it I was hard on the throttle exiting a high speed corner, and had I not let off it would have went full slapper Not true. Death grip on the bars is the cause. The bike will self-correct if you let it. | ||
| Xl1200r |
relax grip. I'm going to go with this theory. Suspension properly set up, the nose shouldn't wag at all. Tank-slapper kind of headshake happens when the front is really loaded up (as Slaughter said), and that's the reason why the only real way to get out of one is to power out of it and get some weight off the front. If the front wobbles under throttle, it's because the front wheel is getting light and you're gripping too tightly or pulling back on the bars. No harm, no foul. It took me a couple sessions on the track to correct my body position and grip to fix a little wobble I was having at a section where the tarmac dropped down and lightened the front end. Suspension settings and improved technique are free - try those first, and then grap a damper if you still feel you need it. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
+1 XL...Seems like alot of people are quick to spend $500 on a damper to treat the head-shake symptom when the real problem is the rider or suspension. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Fres - Sometimes a damper is still the right way to go. Even after getting things under control at that one section of track, there was still another going into the front straight where I would get a little wobble cresting over a slight hill. I'm doing over 125mph at this point on a bike with nothing to block the wind - I can't help have some rearward pressure on the bars, and sure enough, I'll get a little shake there every time. However, that's a situation I'll never encounter on the street. At street speeds, you should have no problem correcting body position and grip. Gotta lean forward if you're on the gas - it helps keep the nose down AND lets you relax your grip. | ||
| Averagejoe |
Thanks for the tips will give them a try. Still never had this problem on my ZX9, Hayabusa, R6, GSXR1000, or GSXR 600's (Message edited by AverageJoe on November 02, 2009) | ||
| Jdugger |
A new rider I was working with this weekend was having issues of the bike shaking going into corners. The cause was the same as a head shake under heavy throttle -- bar input. So, I had him do this drill off track: We found a long stretch of pavement with a straight line on it. I told him to travel down it in 2nd at a fairly modest pace, and move his butt and shoulders side to side on the bike as if setting up for a corner every so often. BUT, he had to keep the bike on the straight line. Of course, the first few times, the bike is going everywhere because he's putting input into the bars to move his body for the hang-off. That set off a light bulb for him. A few more tries later, the bike was really stable. So, we turned the drill into a cone weave, with set up and turn stability the goal. Smooooth.... It really worked well as a drill for training the legs and abs to keep weight and input off/out of the clip-ons. You might try it in an empty parking lot. | ||
| T_man |
I've noticed the same front end behaviour. Some can be attributed to the rider but in my humble opinion more can be attributed to the bikes (extremely steep) front end geometry. Most likely the bike is very sensitive to suspension set-up and tire choice (not to mention pressures). I've had many unsettling moments at full throttle with this bike and like Joe here - none of my other liter bikes exhibited quite as much 'nervousness' in the front end. I'm all for a dampner on this one. | ||
| Vosnick52 |
GPR | ||
| Xl1200r |
Most likely the bike is very sensitive to suspension set-up and tire choice (not to mention pressures) Bingo. I think the aggressiveness of the front end makes bad suspension setup and technique more apparent. The bike almost makes you be a better rider. Jdugg - I also had issues with that at first, especially exiting a turn - being under throttle, the bike leaned over a little, pulling back on the bars from the acceleration and trying to get myself back on the seat made for some shakes. Being smooth and light on the bars is the trick. Average - By all means, if you feel you need a damper then do it, I'd just really suggest trying some different techniques first. I don't feel like either of my Buells have given any headshake at street speeds and never (even on the track) to get me real nervous. |
