I am having a pretty serious issue with my GSXR and tank slappers. I just got the bike about a month ago and am prepping it for the track. Going to hopefully take the new racer school in Fontana in a couple weeks. This is my first time racing, have been riding for a gazillion years and done tons of track days. I have changed out the front sprocket for 1 less, put on a full Leo Vince System, and not that this part is too relavant, but just so you guys are aware of it, I swapped the throttle tube for an '04 R1 tube. After these changes, the front is a pain to keep down. (I'm 155 lbs.) I haven't got the bike on the track yet, but have been breaking it in on the streets. It seems the front over the slightest imperfection is getting headshake, and occasionally, it's gone into a couple really bad tank slappers. 3 in 2 weeks. They happen when on the gas hard and and hit a little bump or something in the road. 2 of them had me thinking I was going down for sure, but have been able to ride all of them out so far. I just ordered a Ohlins shaft style damper, but I don't think that is the anwser to my problems.. I think there might be some suspension and or geomtry set-up issue somewhere too..? Is it possible that this bike is just going to be like this due to the fact that front wheel is always so light? I had an '04 1k before this bike and put 53,000 hard miles on it and never had issues like this.. Please help, any insight would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and for now I'm still running the OEM BT015's and haven't touched the suspension aside from going 3 clicks more on the rebound up front.
correct me if im wrong... but dont the new gsxr 1ks have an electronic damper? I know the 1000rr does, but i heard somewhere the gsxr does too...
yes, it does and from what I understand of it, it is designed that it has a plunger that moves in and out with speed to control the flow rate. Although I have heard something about 7 mph. so not sure if it's progressive with speed or if after 7 mph it moves in to a set distance and remains there until under 7 mph again.. either way, I don't have the most confidence in it at all...
I have an Ohlins on order, so I guess that will answer that question when it comes in, but it would be nice to know if that really was the extent of my issue. I'd hate to just hide the issue under an Ohlin's steering damper.
its better to hide it under duct tape... have you set your suspension to your weight? checked that the forks set at the same length, rebound, damping, etc? might be that ones at full stiff the other all mush and its all over the place... maybe the front wheel tossed a weight?
I would go with smokes...check and reset your front end. I went to my local huge yamaha dealer and noticed that every sportbike had the forks set crooked, some 4-5mm's difference. The kids who get minimum wage setting these up out of the crates may have no idea what they are doing. I would hope that a real mechanic would go over the bike before delivery but you never know.
Most sportbikes {Yamaha's included} come in the crate, assembled. The only thing you have to put on is the windscreen, clutch cable, etc. None the less, I agree about double checking after recieving the bike from a dealer. You never know...
I may be wrong on this, but I thought the gixxer's damper did not vary like the cbr. I heard it operates at a fixed rate over 7mph. and isnt operational below that.
Sounds like a suspension issue more so than a damper issue to me. I have always been told a well set up bike, with a smooth rider needs little more than the stock damper.. unless the track is garbage that is. On my K6 600 I have never gotten anything more than a mild wiggle out of the front end, and I only ahve the stock damper
You're 155 lbs. That would be like you carrying a flea around on your back. You need to make the bike take note that you're actually on it.
