Tankslapper - straight line acceleration...

A lot of people have asked if you need a steering damper on a 600cc bike...
Check out this video:
Tankslapper on the R6 while accellerating in a straight line. It can happen at any time... It's not the displacement that makes a difference, it's the inherent stability of the bike (i.e. setup)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• R6
• Gingerman
• Tankslapper
• motorcycle
• track
• day

[playez5]

i think he got the wobbles because of the groove in the pavement, bikes dont wobble for no reason in a straight line.

[Grape99909]

if your front end gets light and you are not applying even force to the right and left bar ends you can set up the oscillation yourself. That is what happened in this video and that is why I posted it to this website, to show others how this can happen, even in a straight line. Get a damper and no problem... lesson learned!

[Grape99909]

If you look carefully at the location of the wheel when the oscillation occurred, you will see that it's not in the groove. Uneven bar pressure from ME, combined with a light front end due to being at full throttle, and hitting some undulations in the pavement cause this oscillation. You may not realize it when you are riding but applying even bar pressure is not the norm when moving around on the bike. Hope this helps understand what's happening here.

[digicamuk]

I am sure you can set up a bike with a dampener, but I only have an r6 so what would I know :)

[Grape99909]

If you have an R6 then I know you've felt the head twitch unless you are never getting on the throttle at all. That bike needs a damper straight from the factory imho! But... I love my R6, and never had an issue with head shake after I put a pit bull rotary damper on her. Ride is sweet now :-)

[benzy199]

the thing is when you have a 600 you get so used to the exelaration after a wile that you start pinning it harder, thats when the front wheel starts to play silly buggers, i had a bad one at about 100 (mph for the yanks) the other day, how i stayed up i dont know? its worth getting a dampner just incase, its a silly way to come off really

[RELENTLESSED]

When your goin that fast, even the smallest wobble can shit you up pretty bad

[jaspersmells]

Not seen any 600 with a damper....I have a R1 and a ZX10 r, both have dampers....when the front end goes light any uneven pressure on the bars causes the front end to turn, then the gyroscopic forces of the rotating front wheel try to straighten it up, this overcorrects and moves too far the other way...and so on.....you had a front end wobble not a tank slapper.....

[ezzzy123]

theres my tank slapper .......

donnington 11/10/2011 slow motion near crash

[feverpitch82]

wheres the tank slapper then?

[tripletrash]

lol that's barely a little wiggle.

[NesteHukka2]

@playez5 Yes they do, but usually not new (or to say modern bikes), but those older bikes that have a bit sloppy tubechassis and propably some slack on forks etc.

[CosmoxYRik]

@playez5 No bike SHOULDN'T wobble in a straight line for no reason, which makes it all the more unsettling when they do.

[ghostface835]

That aint no slapper more a joke

[1981bikerdog]

whups , i blinked ...