[SOLVED] "is this tank slapper"?

[unfazed]

Keep your hand on the bars and forget it,  :lol

[keratos]

yep that is an option, but I've never experienced it before in 30 years of riding and many many bikes - quite alarming and one immediately thinks of my own safety and those of other road users and pedestrians god forbid something went wrong at speed.
I still want it checked over and will do this Thursday when it goes back into the shop.

[unfazed]

Always good to check to be safe, but don't let it put you off riding it.
I have seen an indicated 140 on my clock 2 up, been all round Ireland, UK, France and Spain touring two, been on track days, had some spirited high speed runs with friends and it has never been a problem.

[His Dudeness]

Mine does it too under hard acceleration. Just don't take your hands off and there's no problem. Like you said the slightest of pressure on the bars and it doesn't happen. Don't know why you'd want to take both hands off anyway unless you were showing off your skills to ladies :lol

[jonesthesteam]

Had the same on my 2001 FZS, after reading up on the forum I replaced the front tyre, no more wobble, I think I read that they can sometimes do it after the tyre has done around 4k miles


Trouble is it costs you to see if it is the cause, but like others have said it could go to the red line with no issues as long as you have a light grip on the bars


Jonesy

[keratos]

With all the work you seem to be doing on it, i'd be inclined to get the fork oil replaced as well.


Low, very old or uneven oil levels could cause the wobbles.


If you consider it, 15w instead of 10w oil makes the front end feel much more stable in my opinion, plus at least you'll know it's been done.

Is there an article or a HOWTO you can recommend. I have never done this before, limited toolkit, would need guidance and video/image support? thanks? I do not understand this one as it seems to be a bigger job than just chaning oil and I'd like a more concise easy to follow guide - just for the first time http://fazerowners.yuku.com/topic/23188/...es-and-Oil

Mine does it too under hard acceleration. Just don't take your hands off and there's no problem. Like you said the slightest of pressure on the bars and it doesn't happen. Don't know why you'd want to take both hands off anyway unless you were showing off your skills to ladies :lol

To test what would happen. I dont ride this way obviously - it was just a quick 2 second test repeated on different roads and different conditions, same result. At my age I'm past caring what the ladies think  :z

[trudd]

Do you have a top box or bars that pull back further than standard?


My understanding is that bikes with close to 50/50 weight distribution display this behavior. FJ1200's are renowned for it and both my FJ and Fazer do it but it doesn't bother me, I just don't let go!

[keratos]

nope I do not.
what I am hearing is that it is a common issue and foccers are either aware of or deal with, the issue. for me, it's not right and I'd like to get to the bottom of it; won't stop me riding but I will figure this out and identify root cause. it cannot be right that all the natural forces attacking the bike and working with the bike, make it this unstable; just a personal quest. we shall see what the service shop thinks tomorrow.

[Fazer Forever]

I've owned my bike for 12 years and 40 000 miles. Have experienced this once only and I believe it was due to front tyre wear.
Went away when it was changed and has never re-appeared. Never went back to Bridgestones either!!!

[unfazed]

nope I do not.
what I am hearing is that it is a common issue and foccers are either aware of or deal with, the issue. for me, it's not right and I'd like to get to the bottom of it; won't stop me riding but I will figure this out and identify root cause. it cannot be right that all the natural forces attacking the bike and working with the bike, make it this unstable; just a personal quest. we shall see what the service shop thinks tomorrow.

It will drive you nuts  :lol

[keratos]

[quote author=keratos link=topic=14162.msg160393#msg160393 date=1406743170]
nope I do not.
what I am hearing is that it is a common issue and foccers are either aware of or deal with, the issue. for me, it's not right and I'd like to get to the bottom of it; won't stop me riding but I will figure this out and identify root cause. it cannot be right that all the natural forces attacking the bike and working with the bike, make it this unstable; just a personal quest. we shall see what the service shop thinks tomorrow.

It will drive you nuts  :lol
[/quote]
it is already gone past that stage pal  and I'm a stubborn git (software engineers usually are) and I like to know how/why things work. When I was a kid I used to enthral my parents by means of dismembering compendiums of electronic gadgets to see how they work . needless to say they never worked again  :rollin

[unfazed]

[quote author=unfazed link=topic=14162.msg160420#msg160420 date=1406753360]
[quote author=keratos link=topic=14162.msg160393#msg160393 date=1406743170]
nope I do not.
what I am hearing is that it is a common issue and foccers are either aware of or deal with, the issue. for me, it's not right and I'd like to get to the bottom of it; won't stop me riding but I will figure this out and identify root cause. it cannot be right that all the natural forces attacking the bike and working with the bike, make it this unstable; just a personal quest. we shall see what the service shop thinks tomorrow.

It will drive you nuts  :lol
[/quote]
it is already gone past that stage pal  and I'm a stubborn git (software engineers usually are) and I like to know how/why things work. When I was a kid I used to enthral my parents by means of dismembering compendiums of electronic gadgets to see how they work . needless to say they never worked again :rollin
[/quote]

The underlined bold bit above is what bothers me the most  :lol

[keratos]

yeah unfazed, maybe i should just ride it like you suggest  :b

[Sannox]

Had it on my 2002 Fazer, hands off one day to stretch my arms, was doing 40 and the handlebars started to slowly wobble and got progressively worse, building up to a tank slapper, hands back on stopped it, was wondering all sorts, tyre pressures were spot on, I wondered about alignment of the frame, turned out to be the front tyre, odd wear due to having been run at too low a pressure prior to my buying the bike, had various tyres on the front and not had a problem since, I'd say make sure the head bearings are good, front wheel bearings too but most of all, tyre pressures and balance should be spot on, after that, hmmmmm

[keratos]

Had it on my 2002 Fazer, hands off one day to stretch my arms, was doing 40 and the handlebars started to slowly wobble and got progressively worse, building up to a tank slapper, hands back on stopped it, was wondering all sorts, tyre pressures were spot on, I wondered about alignment of the frame, turned out to be the front tyre, odd wear due to having been run at too low a pressure prior to my buying the bike, had various tyres on the front and not had a problem since, I'd say make sure the head bearings are good, front wheel bearings too but most of all, tyre pressures and balance should be spot on, after that, hmmmmm

the tyre has been mentioned by several foccers. thanks. its defo something I will look at.

[keratos]

Just got back from the service shop.

I was worried about wheel alignment, front end, forks, headstock...

Anyway Chris from CS Cycles , wonderful service/repair chap and a damm good track boy too, has took it out for a ride - a good half hour - upshot it..

Nothing wrong. Chris is wondering what I'm moaning about. He said if you can control it with my pinkie (as I can) then it isnt something serious, was it!? he said he has seen this on fazers before with uneven tyre wear although mine isnt too bad apparently. But all in all, just a "feature" of this bike I'm told.

So, that's it. nowt to worry about. As most foccers said.

and...I've just noticed this in HOTPOOP
http://foc-u.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=...ble_causes


:o

[unfazed]

I still go with Henry Fords theory Harmonic Resonance,  :lol which is probably close to the mark due to the almost 50/50 weight distribution of the FZS600.
It is a bit like the castor effect and the front wheel due to rake and trail operates in a similar fashion to the castor.

[keratos]

I still go with Henry Fords theory Harmonic Resonance,  :lol which is probably close to the mark due to the almost 50/50 weight distribution of the FZS600.
It is a bit like the castor effect and the front wheel due to rake and trail operates in a similar fashion to the castor.

Eh?
English?

[andybesy]

Pretty sure mine started when I fitted the top box rack, and was later exaggerated by uneven front tyre wear.

Changed the tyre and much better now but still a little bit of it there, even without any box on, just the rack.

Reckon it's just the extra weight on the rear?

Andy

[keratos]

mine has a top box too.

not taken it off though to test.

I might try this but in no hurry now that the experts here and in the service shop have told me to stop worrying