One main thing you didn't touch on was tire to tire alignment. Hence why the notches are on the back wheel. If you move your back wheel for any reason make sure it is aligned correctly. This is a major cause of speed wobble.
@@JayyBird93 self explanitory statement... either you or the handles slap the tank and it gives the bike a input to react and it normaly fixes it with that.
Had that death wobble happen when I hit multiple potholes merging onto the highway in south east Michigan(Luna Pier). Guessing it was a 3 part combination of death grip and front tire bouncing slightly off to the side after bouncing out of the holes AND accelerating. I did end up putting my weight forward on the bike, loosened my grip on the bars, asked God for some help and it helped a lot
I'm from the UK and passed my bike test in 1983. This involved the examiner being on foot and watching you ride for as long as you were visible to him. For about half the test, you weren't visible to him at all. I know tests have become tougher since but what my 42 years of riding has taught me is that all new riders should learn what all main parts of a bike are - and how to make sure they're working properly. This should absolutely be part of the test and wish it had been for mine because it would have saved me from two horrific lock to lock tankslappers that, thankfully I managed to recover from. Sure, I learned over time from friends about the importance of tyre pressures, fork maintenance/operation, wheel alignment etc. But this should have been taught/learned as part of the test. If you're new to riding, teach yourself about this - it's crucial. The fact the test doesn't require it is outrageous. Make sure you don't suffer from this omission.
ANOTHER BIG MECHANICAL ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH WOBBLES IS THE TRIPLE TREE BEARINGS. They gotta be TIGHT ENOUGH, but NOT TOO TIGHT, they can't be DAMAGED, and they need to be WELL LUBRICATED. This is one of the BIGGEST causes of death wobble, and like tires, almost EVERYBODY overlooks them as a possible cause.
...Ya gotta find a better place to eat, brotha 😂😊. Wawa is only a good spot to eat for aggravating one's ulcer 😂 (Im kidding of course 😂). The Wawa's here in Va Beach are also called "kickstand ally" too (...all of us sportbike riders, here in Hampton Roads VA, always meet at Wawa 🤷🏽🏍).
I dont have all the answers, but I've been riding for 52 years, am 70, still ride "enthusiastically" AND am still learning! Road surfaces, (especially long longitudinal grooves due to resurfacing, re-grading, roadworks....what ever) can "start the wobble" and your bike is only too happy to join the party! Here in East Texas, the many heavy logging trucks can influence the right lane surfaces. "Read" the road. Sure, the bike can be at fault with tire tread, bad bearings, stabilizer issues, BUT!! ....take some responsibility and DO NOT assume the road surface is in your corner. Once the wobble starts, (I just had one "start" this past week 03/26/24, at 80mph on my normally stable, heavily tuned, modified Harley AND I run Pirelli Night Dragon rubber, front an back. I consider them the greatest for my setup. I was in West Louisiana, [THE worst phuking roads in the USA] and it took me by surprise. Avoid braking, ease off on the gas and cover the rear brake without any sudden pressure and slow things down with love and passion in its lightest form! This is THE ONE AREA where the front anchor IS NOT your friend. Caress that pedal with light a light foot and live to advise others! Above all....Every Success! Ride safe my friends.
Holy crap. The Night Dragon is a bias-ply tire, Harley-Davidsons are crap, and you obviously don't know how to ride. I would encourage you to get a competent motorcycle, a full set of proper safety gear, and take the MSF Basic Rider Course for starters. It takes more than that to become an actual rider, but those initial steps would put you much closer to that goal.
@@YernBelfus400 , It would appear you have just proven, how truly uninformed you are in the areas that you decided to dribble your drivel in! However;.....do not fret, as the facts do not give a Rat's Ass about your opinions, so no damage occured. You have however just proven, how truly apt, the old adage still is and how applicable it also still is! "Empty vessels really DO make the most noise!" Try reading the technical information, to discover how many bubbles you are off plumb.
@@YernBelfus400 How remarkably uninformed you are....yet so willing to run your mouth! The good news is that facts do not care about your opinions. Me neither.
@@Dodger2879 Wrong again. My background includes being an expert-licensed motorcycle road racer and motorcycle road racing instructor. I have lapped the Snaefel Mountain Course on the Isle of Man during the TT at triple-digit speeds. I have been over 200 mph on my superbike. And I have been paid at the rate of $1,000/hour as a rider and model for the advertising campaign of one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world. So when I tell you that you know nothing, it's because you know nothing. You know LESS than nothing about riding.
I have another tip to prevent speed wobble. Check your front forks for leaks and if they are serviceable make sure that they are at the proper fluid level and even on both sides so that one fork isn't stronger than the other. This is what can induce speed wobble because each fork is fighting each other.
Absolutely. Forks don’t get enough love for the job they do. They turn, they take big impacts (big wheelies), they take the full weight of the motorcycle on hard breaking. And when they leak you lose your handling, damping, and breaks.
@@25aspooner the funny part is that steering wheel dampers can actually induce the wobble because they don't allow the opposing forks to harmonize. I've seen videos of motorcycles *with* dampers speed wobble and crash. I don't want to pretend that a few video examples are absolute but I have to say that it makes sense. If you have two forks trying to oppose the other and you death grip the bar, it enhances the wobble. The steering damper behaves like you are gripping the bar constantly and it's good for preventing instability mid-turn on a track but if you think about it, it's counterintuitive in regards to allowing the wobbling forks to stabilize by not 'letting go' of the bar. The damper never 'lets go' if you get what I mean.
Absolutely. I had forks that weren't equally pressured on my old GPz550 and the result were two monster tankslappers that friends told me they were amazed I managed to hang on to.
@@pierrewilliams1533 do you happen to know if your motorcycle has serviceable forks? I think it would be beneficial for someone who reads this in the future to know whether or not they can service them.
Dude your the first guy iv heard apart from myself to bang on about tyre pressures! I'm lucky to have lots of older experienced guys around me and they always told me most riders bin there bikes on the roads due to poor tyre pressure and always check them before every ride ! And I always do ❤ 🤟🏻
I keep an eye on all of the peoples' bikes who show up at the same meets as I do or if I just see them on the road. Its scary how many glaring issues you can catch just glancing at peoples' bikes. Tire pressures are a big one. I can't comprehend how people don't notice because my bike feels SO off if its even 5lbs low. I know its not your or my responsibility, but I make sure to point these things out to people when I see them. I just want everyone to be safe!
Guys, here is our Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins YaH was Crucified on an Almond TREE - Ancient Semitic Cuneiform of Moshe (Moses) - Isa Scroll (The Original Isaiah) Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 43:11 “I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me.” Isaiah 45:5 “I am YaH, and there is none else.”
yeah, I learned my lesson the hard way... (even tho only damage was clutch lever, mirror and my ego lol) I kinda believed that mechanic did a good job aaaand he didn't. Now I check my tyre pressure before every ride. One note tho, I recommend to buy a good tyre pressure meter (or whatever it's called) bcoz that free air at gas stations is something you cannot rely on. Usually no one checks if it works correctly. My local gas station has that built in pressure meter and it shows lower values (cca by 0,5 - 0,7 bar) than my pressure meter. Which is a lot. I bought an "expensive" one specially tested for accurate measuring. So just be carefull with that free air at gas stations
Absolutely spot on !! Appreciate the knowledge, my friend this can be very helpful to everyone. I’ve been riding 30+ years and you actually just taught me several tips. I look forward to more videos. I am now a follower.
Guys, Here is our Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins YaH was Crucified on an Almond TREE - Ancient Semitic Cuneiform of Moshe (Moses) - Isa Scroll (The Original Isaiah) Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 43:11 “I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me.” Isaiah 45:5 “I am YaH, and there is none else.”
As a new rider, l seen one of your vids and loved how you break everything down by step by step. Keep on making great vids man. You helped me maneuver from 4 fingers to 2 on the shifts lever💪
A friend of mine lost his lower left leg from experiencing a speed wobble. I have experienced it too, when hitting a dear carcass in the road at 55 mph. It was a ride I never want go on again.
bro that's the same bike you were working on, when you showed ppl what to look for in a used bike if your buying one, wow man love your channel, I want a bike soon, so your content really helps, God bless you bro fr fr.
Great advice. Just wrecked my bike recently.. Another thing I see (even in this video) is guys slam that clutch lever when hauling ass and you can see they actually move the wheel slightly ans this causes speed wobble also. “Loosen up the grip”
Dunlop tire company had done some fairly extensive tests on what causes speed wobbles, and while the factors are many the major culprit seems to be a flat or worn rear tire combined with a pointy front tire. To get out of a speed wobble neither accelerating nor braking nor staying at the same speed had much if any affect; the only thing that seemed to work was the rider dramatically lowering himself ie tucking in. Things like steering dampeners didn't get rid of speed wobbles but only seemed to increase the speed upon which they occurred at. Loose steering head bearings also seemed to cause speed wobbles (and every single Suzuki I've ever owned needed to have their steering head tightened and the pinch bolts adjusted).
Lane to lane asphalt pours or big parking lots where edges aren’t flattened out which creates a mini curb. Hit too many on an expressway in Florida decades ago. Figured out how to switch lanes in those areas if i changed lanes at all😂. Got real tired of that💩. Only ever happened in that one area too. In hundreds of miles over almost 2 decades
One thing you didn't mention is a MX tip. Squeeze the tank with your knees and tighten you core. I have the same damper and put heavy oil inside. Rebound damping too slow keeps rake angle steep which creates the wobble but makes it stay planted in the corner. Tire pressure is also temperature sensitive. The track had a chart for tire pressure on a cold day and they were very low.
On my MT09 I chop the throttle a lot. I heard bringing wheelies down hard might cause it but I didn't realize throttle chop + quick gear change could do it too. So used to riding sport bikes for 7 years, getting used to naked bikes. Also didn't realize leaning forward, no front brake, use of back instead all helps. Thanks for this!
I noticed too when you get on the gas rather hard so that it wants to pull your front wheel off the pavement. If you decide to switch a lane or two, any uneven part will barely nick your tire and make it turn left or right some that got my attention quick. Highway roads are not good for those high speeds anyway.
I had it a few times, and if you still have enough power left due to not be going toooo fast, I always give more throttle so it lifts the front end a bit. That has helped till so far every time.
Good points all around , tire pressure is important ... I noticed some bike are worse than others though due to frame geometry I assume , my old 929 was rock solid with no steering damper , never a head shake ever ... The ninjas I have owned where suspect though , had to put a steering damper on those old girls ... Most of the new stuff they come oem
If you’re watching this and your bike has spokes it’s extremely important to check your spokes tension regularly loose or broken spokes guarantee death wobbles
I need to get one on my 636. But I’m SUPER thankful my 2007 Honda Cbr 600rr has the HESD “Honda electronic steering damper”, which they all come with from factory.👌🏽
I was 18 on a 2 stroke kR 250 doing 140 kmh and got a wobble, went down and I thought that's it. I survived and now have great respect for bikes. Young and stupid.
Tank slappers are not caused by the lack of a steering damper. Tank slappers are caused by gripping the bars too tightly. Steering dampers should never be used as a crutch for a lack of riding skill.
In the 90s , shaking of the heed stock was a normal way of the bike telling you to back off and ride bit smoother. you got that wiggle from the handlebars and you thought "oh shit" and backed off a bit
just bought a 2019 zx6r my step bro builds drag racing bikes and suggested a 636 and to run it in low power mode for a while until i can use the full power but this helped a lot with soothing my nerves so thank you
The grip is REALLY good advice but the best I have ever heard about grip was from Spite from SpitesCorner, formerly YammieNoob co-host. He brought it up during one of his Bottom Sprocket podcasts with Whitney and Josh and talked about the Yamaha Race School he took and the "Ice Cream grip" you want to hold your bars as if you were licking a dripping ice cream cone. So you want your hands to be closer to the bar ends as you showed but instead of being straight towards your levers you want your hands angling back towards your center tree ever so slightly. So the outside edge of your hand and palm closer to your bar ends with your fingers at a slight angle inwards. This provides the largest contact patch and closest lever reach while still maintaining a loose grip.
Very well done & this is an undereported issue that is devastating...... I don't ride but I am looking & IDKnow the reasons but I have noticed more Gixxer's doing this than other bike brands? Perhaps more of them are videoed but I've noticed a disproportional number of them happening to Suzuki bikes? Putting new bearings in the front wheel as well as weight/balancing is cheap to do & as you said, add a dampener . This is the 1st video I've seen concerning this problem.... nicely explained. peace
My concourse 14 handles very noticeably different if tire pressure is off even a couple psi, turns into a pig. I had a death wobble on my suzuki wes cooley. Mismatched tires were the cause i think. Suspension settings might have had an impact. Came on slow about 105, full wobble 110. Repeatable. Dampner, new tires, rebuild forks. Amazing how terror motivates maintenance
I’m referring to a built in steering damper. They adjust on their on own, as u speed up it tightens up the steering. When ur not moving it should be smooth and easy to turn.
@@SpunkyBoyy A normal mechanical steering damper doesn't "adjust" in use at all, its just that a more violent input will produce more resistance. That's just how it is when the piston is trying to push oil through a fixed size orifice. Unless you have an electronically adjusted damper like Honda's HESD, where it's actually adjusting the damping relative to your speed, just like if you were to turn the adjuster nob on your mechanical damper.
I experienced a tak slapper once in 10 years of riding. Grooved pavement caused it. Nearly crapped my pants. In that case just slowing diwn corrected it. Bike was too old for a steering damper - just like the current bike i have.
Having your elbows out wide really helps on dirt bikes and adventure bikes and I'm sure on racing bikes too. You will be riding and get tired and relax your elbows and wobbles will start. Than you point your elbows out again and the wobbles stop. This is connected to "death grip".
I thought there was supposed to be some resistance when moving the bars. At least with my GPR stabilizer the higher the setting (1-8) the more "stiff" resistance you get, I tend to ride around 4 or 5, depending on what I'm doing.
Are there any difference in free turn when the damper is installed or not. I got on my previous bike from aliexpress and make the turning it a little bit harder
Tire pressure is always annoying because everyone always says don't fill them to what the standards says then some say use way below. Some say 32 front 36 back. I personally use 33 front and 38 back. But I honestly don't know what exactly to use.
Whats crazy about tire pressure is how much it fluctuates due to temperatures. So say you do a cold check in early morning/afternoon and your a few psi under. So you fill it to the proper pressure, and then by mid afternoon temperatures raise and your over pressured. I dont own a bike yet, but it seems hard to regulate tire pressures when the temperatures are always changing throughout the day
For road bikes, the pressure is calculated cold so you don’t bother checking it again hot. Most guys for trackwork will tend to check the tyres hot and that’s a different scenario because they will run tire warmers and different pressures and the bike is either parked with the tire warmers on or running full speed-so they know what the tyres should be for the grip and track surface so testing them hot. so all road use. You don’t need to worry whatever you run check them cold, depending how heavy you are and the type of bike I would experiment a little bit too. I had a GSX-R very similar to the one in the video and the factory says 36 and 40 2PSI, I think front and rear, however a very experience racer said to me run 33 and 36 and 38 to 40 with a pillion passenger and even though the bike handle really good it was an amazing difference basically because the suspension is pretty hard and he said it was much better to get a bit of suspension compliance on the road as the bike is stiff enough, and with the steering damper, damps any sort of wobble. Also check your suspension settings and ensure that you start with the recommended settings and you can buy but change the settings to see what suits the bike. The main thing to avoid Front end wobble is to avoid having the bike to firm and high in the rear, and too soft in the front. Also grip the bars firm but relaxed and should the bike wobble. Don’t do anything Sudden don’t be tempted to brake- steady throttle and on many bikes will stop the wobble with gentle acceleration. Also frequently if you’re Weight is too far back, it will tend to make the front end skitterish. I had an early GSX-R1100(oh and by the way the video guy is not correct to say that 2005 was the earliest the dampers were standard on bikes most sports Suzukis, the original GSX-R’s- both 750 and 1100 had them from 1985! ) anyway that bike was imported from the USA, where it was entered in production racing but in New Zealand, whether it was the type of roads or what it was really fussy on tyres and suspension it got to the point where it tank slapped that much I just used to shift my weight hold on and keep the throttle open and it just used to right it self😂
For the some bikes like the first gen R1 it is a no brainer to buy a steering damper. In all other cases, you need a correct steering head bearing to prevent this.
Do some bikes have a stabilizer bar on the handlebars? Or is that bar across the top of my forks isnt a stabilizer bar to prevent speed wobble...my original ninja 250 wobbled a few times but the Ducati 848 i have has never done it
it honestly criminal that the 2021-23 zx6r doesn't come with a steering stabilizer stock. I got some wobbles cresting over a hill at the top of 3rd (I was gunning it so its 100% my fault). EVERYTHING mechanical on my bike is dialed. Tire pressure, suspension settings, etc. I also have relatively new tires. Anyways, the front went light and I was still putting a tiny bit of force into the bars (I just came out of a turn). When the bike came down, the front tire must have been a hair off of straight and boom. Death Wobble. I was already loose on the handle bars and, as mentioned, my bike is in perfect condition. Wobbles sorted themselves out in about 2 seconds. I'm getting a steering damper now. The Ohlins ones are expensive, but I'm not gonna cheap out on something that could save my life.
I think I cheated death way too many times with my 2011 R6😅 nice video and here’s what mainly caused my speed wobbles is actually accelerating way too hard on bumpy roads, I noticed it basically never happens if I do less of that and also lean forward it actually makes a big difference I remember I n e day doing about 190 kmh and it’s it happened on the fairly good road and bro trust me I saw my self crashing it’s like I felt everything and decided not today 💯 I’m not crashing today not at this speed either 💯💯 just ease off the throttle and try to keep all your weight to the front ✅✅🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
five and a half minutes to get to the PRIMARY REASONS FOR DEATH WOBBLE yup Mechanical errors can and occasionally do give death wobbles OPERATOR ERROR is the number one reason for death wobbles on PAVEMENT gravel and dirt tends to be gully n washes front wheel coming in contact with ground when not inline with direction of travel
This is the best comment and is totally correct. I analyzed my death wobble: I hit a bump at 90mph. My front wheel came a bit up and was not back straight on the tarmac. My rear wheel also hit the bump, and the bike was not in line anymore. I saved the day; I was just very lucky.
Give it gas. It will straighten out. Frame rake has the tire back too close to the frame. If it was out further away you would never have to worry about the wobble. Crotch rocket problem.
Funny, How about just pulling the handlebars apart...clearly they wont come apart but using that lateral force stops the wobbles. Older dukes were bad for it and this tip was passed to me and it really works😎👍
Never ridden a motorbike higher than 125cc before but here's me watching all the instruction video's anyway 😂 I wanna be fully prepared for when I'm driving ~650cc in a year or so
I had one death wobble. It was on my 1990 yammy radian 600 at top speed. This man is correct 100%. I had a loose grip and that saved my damn life. Plus I had to buy a new pair of riding pants. 😬 ooops
