Instability at highway speeds ! ?

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:42 am

Fact of the matter is knobbies will not be as stable as full on street tires.

Do I think our bikes are tank slapper prone? Maybe. Full story to come, but I had a full on slapper that resulted in a get-off at about 60mph this weekend.... Road rash ftl.

Moderator

pbnut wrote:: Fact of the matter is knobbies will not be as stable as full on street tires.

Do I think our bikes are tank slapper prone? Maybe. Full story to come, but I had a full on slapper that resulted in a get-off at about 60mph this weekend.... Road rash ftl.

Ouch.....full story please.... cry

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2008 WR250X
Gearing: 13t - 48t
Power Commander 5 / PC-V
Airbox Door Removed - Flapper glued - AIS removed
FmF Q4
Bridgestone Battlax BT-003rs

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:14 am

pbnut,

Glad you're OK! Looking forward to the story.

Sarah

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:45 am

Full story and pics after I suffer through a day of work.

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:06 pm

Funny not to hear anyone mention how the "true-ness" of the wheels has a major impact on stability as well as wheel balance.

A few mms off-center can make the front wheel "dance" off the straight-line very easily at speed.

Also, it only takes a few grams of weight difference to create a "bouncing" feel.

Add the two above together and who knows what, or when irregular things could happen.

I can feel subtle symptoms of (lack of) balancing affects on the dirt bike on hard graded roads starting about ~50 MPH.

Guest

Motorcycles are dangerous...just get used to this bike being unstable on the freeway and hold on, you will be fine!

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:38 pm

I'm with kbike...set the sag, especially if you've tinkered with the geometry (ie lowering the rear).

Also, 606's are great DOT tires. I've gone through 25K worth of them on my KLR, but they are hell to balance (at least at home) and when they are not balanced, cause my KLR to shimmy-dance all over the place above 75mph. When I first got my WR/X, I was amazed how planted it was in comparison.

OP: Set your sag and balance/true your tires/wheels. You'll be amazed at the difference.

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:13 pm

pbnut wrote:: Fact of the matter is knobbies will not be as stable as full on street tires.

Do I think our bikes are tank slapper prone? Maybe. Full story to come, but I had a full on slapper that resulted in a get-off at about 60mph this weekend.... Road rash ftl.

yeow!!

HOpe you're ok ... cry

You can see the wobble here just a little bit .... you have to look hard for it.... dddog

Instability at highway speeds ! ? - Page 2 CgTuz

Subject: Re: Instability at highway speeds ! ? Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:39 pm

zone47 wrote:

psssst... your gas cap is on backwards Suspect

Alpha Rider

Nice burn Aaron. Oh my.... wink

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A wolf's voice echoed down the mountain 'Share the bounty of the hunt with your brothers and sisters, and forever be strong and free.' Instability at highway speeds ! ? - Page 2 Wolf_b10