Unexpected Death Wobble - Gen 6 VFR

It's been happening on alot on threads latley. ...
What gives?????

 

Hey S-D-B. Change your tires! At least its likely only your tires. I had the misfortune of buying the original tankslapper in 1982 (10 years before AM was born!) and it didn't matter what tires it had on it. The '82 Yamaha Vision had a frame made from lawn furniture and death wobbled like it was possessed at 130km. I had my dealer call Yamaha re-problem and they said "Don't ride that fast, its unlawful.." Thanks a lot.
I got a new '83 GS750E and my problems were solved.
Have fun on your VFR!

 

Every night when I say my prayers. I toss in a "thankyou" for Webster. I did have to look up vitriol. A great degreaser too..

 

I thought vitriol was alien blood......

 

Not to further muddy the waters any further but if you're at all interested in checking the steering head bearings, after you change the tires first of course! Here's a link to Motorcyclist magazine How-to:
How To Check And Adjust Your Motorcycle Steering Head Bearings

 

Probably Canadian...

I think Donald Trump should build a wall up North with his own money to keep oot the riff-raff.

 

Good stuff. For the dudes that think, "this can't possibly happen to me on my perfect bike" maybe ought to watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpeNWxHF6uI

Fixed a tank on a Triumph flat tracker that had a tank slapper at about 90 mph The dents in both sides of the tank front could have been used as templates to shorten the rake and trail converting a stocker to a track bike. Thankee Jesus for brazing rod and Bondo.

The drill on a flat tracker when this happened was to unload the front end by sliding the riders weight to the rear. Makes me kind of think that in some instances an overloaded top case might be something to watch out for.

Other vids on speed wobbles and tank slappers by the fast guys. Some applications apply.

 

More likely to keep out trolls

 

WHat doesn't make sense about keeping at least one hand on the bars when the bike's moving ????

 

That video looks like a sales pitch for steering damper companies. lol Notice how many were after wheelies? Tire comes down not straight and deflects then all hell breaks lose. I have had one bad one on the track, turn 2 Jennings on the gas hard and ran wide causing me to hit a little divot at the edge of the track. The damper saved it.

 

I survived the 16" front wheel era. Had a monster tank slapper after crossing a hump back bridge that left me with soiled undies and sore thumbs for a week. No such issues with my more recent bikes.


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Hope that doesn't happen on my 83! Has new Metzeler 16"

 

A cure for stained leathers....
http://www.ohlinsusa.com/suspension...ffroad/Steering+Damper/38/Steering+Damper+2.1

 

Well just being the stubborn squidbillie redneck that i am, i had to go an try to ride with no-hands to see if i could make it happen too.

So the bars starting shakin' and slappin' when decel at around 45 mph--i did have a lot of weight on the tail end with panniers and a top box full of shtuff, and i was leaning back to stretch, etc, so i reckon it will git your attention in a hurry.

okay carry on with the vitriol and garlic, and change your iconatars if you are showing too much skin, clean up the cat sheit in your garage, and wipe off your torque wrench, aka the 3 pound sledgie...

 

Wow, in all the years and bikes since 84 I have never experienced one..
My undies are intact, thank the lord.....

 

Well that happened to me in about 1986 on a VF400F, for any locals it happened over the bridge at Kawakawa, possibly at quite a bit over the posted speed...Actually given I owned a VF750F, CBX750F, VF500F, VFR400R and 3 VFR700/750Fs, this was the only seriously scary moment so maybe I was just unlucky that day.


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The only SERIOUS tank slapper for me occurred on a 650 Hawk when a combination of 3 conditions happened to occur simultaneously: I was in a curve, hit a bump and was riding one-handed cuz the bike just ran low on fuel and i was feeling under the tank for the petcock.

Going about 55 on a 3-lane divided highway, i'm sure the front wheel touched both steering stops, and i was trying to decide whether to bail off or possibly get tossed over the center road divider when i removed my haNDS FROM THE bars and grabbed control of the bike with my knees against the tank. Miraculously, the front wheel snapped to the straight-aheaD position, and i was in control again !!!

So i learned that fighting a wobble by trying to control the bars may induce more wobble, and the front wheel wants to track straight due to castor angle, and controlling the bike's direction with your body weight and knees against the tank is a viable alternative in an emergency.



I remember thinking that i was only 3 or 4 blocks away from a TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITAL just before she straightened out ! :crazy:

 

My SR500 did a little headshake once. Changed oot the bearing. Good to go.

 

https://youtu.be/C0vf3o0vOi4
Oh thought you said head banging