Best way to survive a high speed wobble?

[E Zurcher]

I have never put myself in this situation but I'm sure I will find myself in it one day. Is there a tried and true technique to get out of a high speed wobble other than just hang on and pray? I have seen many on video where it starts and just gets worse until the rider goes down. I have also seen video of road racing where it seems to happen all the time and the rider just rides through it. I'm sure Tuff has some words on this for sure.

 

[sixpack577]

High speed wobbles are no problem, just keep going.
Tank slappers(bar to frame back and forth)are the "hang on and pray" ones.
Most of those send you down. Once it happens there's really nothing else you can do.

 

[Busa1166]

Honda is currently working on a solution for you

Honda Patents - Motorcycle seatbelt with ejector seat!

 

[EarlyBird]

High speed wobbles are no problem, just keep going.
Tank slappers(bar to frame back and forth)are the "hang on and pray" ones.
Most of those send you down. Once it happens there's really nothing else you can do.

What you said is true above! I had this happen at 130mph.... the worst tank slapper I ever had! Result was a broken wrist, a rashed up left side of the bike with many broken parts, and trip down the track in the grass laying on the right side of the bike hanging on for dear life lease:lease:lease: I wouldnt come off and hit the wall!!

 

[sixpack577]

What you said is true above! I had this happen at 130mph.... the worst tank slapper I ever had! Result was a broken wrist, a rashed up left side of the bike with many broken parts, and trip down the track in the grass laying on the right side of the bike hanging on for dear life lease:lease:lease: I wouldnt come off and hit the wall!!

I had one years ago on a '94 ZX7.
In 6th gear going about 120mph(speedo was reading alot more).
The front tire came up maybe 6 inches as I topped a hill. Bar to frame violent tank slapper when the tire set back down.
My back tire even came off the ground and hopped several times(I never even touched the brakes). I was sure I was going down.
The engine died almost immediately, and after several seconds I regained control.
I coasted for about 1/4 mile to a streetlight in front of my driveway were I noticed that the kill switch had flipped to off.
I thanked God, cranked it up, and realized how fortunate I was; considering I had on a tanktop and shorts too.
It was a great experience. I'm just thankful mine didn't end the way yours and most of them do.
It's cool that you hung on and rode it to a stop!
Headshake and wobbles are alot of fun though! I love watching the TT races, those guys are on the razors edge.
Grip it and rip it is always the best advice!

 

[fallenarch]

I was always told that the bike will usually right itself unless you get in the way. If you get to the point of a tank slapper though the bike is well past "stability" and might not find it's way home. I have had the wiggle when the wheel touches down and is not quite straight and i just losen my grip on the bars and the bike corrects.

 

[HillbillyTom]

I have read (thankfully I've never had the opportunity to try it), that a tank slapper can be stopped by pinning the throttle and unloading the front end. It makes sense when you think that most all major shakes are caused by something going wrong under heavy front end loading. Usually some form of setting down a wheelie crooked and too abruptly. Most of the race guys weebles look to be started by a rear wheel slide on corner exit and the bike snapping back, upsetting both ends. Or the usual setting down the front wheel while still out of shape.
The only real wobble I've had was from locking the front brake and releasing it at around 80mph while slightly leaned over. Steering damper did it's job and the wobble was just a fleeting part of the original problem.

 

[SKnight]

I got into serious barshake and a mild slapper (I recall the bars hitting the stops a few times.) when I completely boned a decreasing radius turn during a track day. Fortunately the event happened post apex so I tried the nail the gas method and it smoothed out. I'll admit I got lucky.

Notice the race bikes that magically smooth out and take off straight and true once they eject the rider? The bike doesn't want to crash any more than you do. Guys that I know, racers and street guys alike that have been there say that letting the arms go really loose, don't fight it, give it gas and that should help it recover.

90% of the time more gas is the answer, 10% of the time it just ends the suspense!

 

[1busa]

I've had that happen a couple times accelerating out of a turn on my busa and the front end picks up ever so slightly. Gotten used to it now so yeah the best thing to do is just ride through it. The worst tank slapper I ever had was on my CBR 900rr. I was coming off a bridge and was having issues with the visor and I straightened out and took my hands off to fidget with it and I was coasting at about 60mph and it just started violenty slapping back and forth. Felt like the bike was skipping down the road. Didn't have time to think I just grabbed the bars and deaccelerated. Somehow someway I stayed upright? When I got home I checked my undies just to be sure

 

[HillbillyTom]

The worst tank slapper I ever had was on my CBR 900rr. I was coming off a bridge and was having issues with the visor and I straightened out and took my hands off to fidget with it and I was coasting at about 60mph and it just started violent slapping back and forth. Felt like the bike was skipping down the road. Didn't have time to think I just grabbed the bars and decelerated. Somehow someway I stayed upright? When I got home I checked my undies just to be sure

Yup, the 16" front wheel on the 900s were known to be somewhat unstable. Your not the only one to have that happen.

 

[sixpack577]

A REAL tankslapper comes on so fast and hard that there is little if any time to think or react.
There is no pin the throttle and lift the front back up(and I'm a wheelie guy).
You hold on and hope for the best.
A steering dampner will feel more stable, but won't prevent a tankslapper. The Isle of Man TT races are a great example, see how much the bikes wobble and dance over hills and when the front tire lifts. Headshake.
Tankslappers are rarely saved...and you can't chalk it up as skill if you do.

 

[busa clubslinger]

High speed wobbles are no problem, just keep going.
Tank slappers(bar to frame back and forth)are the "hang on and pray" ones.
Most of those send you down. Once it happens there's really nothing else you can do.

What he said!!!!

 

[busa clubslinger]

My old man always taught me, "when in doubt gas it!" But as sixpack said, a true tank slapper pretty much takes you out of the equation because the bike is in control at that point. If you save it....it's mosty just luck!

 

[sixpack577]

My old man always taught me, "when in doubt gas it!" But as sixpack said, a true tank slapper pretty much takes you out of the equation because the bike is in control at that point. If you save it....it's mosty just luck!

He taught you well!

 

[RYC1966]

I would have thought power through it...although it seems like a problem that is occuring before you know it. I had it happen on a downhill mountain bike and almost went down...it is a bad feeling

 

[isiahstites]

I have a friend who has been a MC crash investigator and does crash reenactment's. I have asked him this very question, he gave me some data about wobbles/tank slappers. The thing I thought was interesting is that a cycle in a tank slapper is when the bar goes left, then right and then back to the left. That's one cycle, I thin he said a bad wobble with have 6-7 cycles a second.....crazy! Wobbles are caused by the rear wheel and front wheel not being inline or as seen in TT setting down the front down out of line.

Any front brake pressure on a wobble will only feed the wobble. His response to my question was (if you can react that fast) is light hands on the bars, gas it to lighten the front end and give some rear brake to further lighten the front end in an effort to stabilize the chassis.

 

[EarlyBird]

A REAL tankslapper comes on so fast and hard that there is little if any time to think or react.
There is no pin the throttle and lift the front back up(and I'm a wheelie guy).
You hold on and hope for the best.
A steering dampner will feel more stable, but won't prevent a tankslapper. The Isle of Man TT races are a great example, see how much the bikes wobble and dance over hills and when the front tire lifts. Headshake.
Tankslappers are rarely saved...and you can't chalk it up as skill if you do.

Yes I have to side with you again! Mine happened so quick and so violent, when I slowed the video down I counted a full 5 lock to lock with 5 foot black marks being made in less then 2 seconds. By this time I was headed off the track. I didnt fight i,. I didnt chop throttle, I didnt add throttle, and I knew I was screwed! I got the steering back once I got into the grass, an was lucky to steer the bike away from the barrier wall. But the back end went out from under me and was lucky to feel it in time to lift my left leg up and over the tail section to lay on the right side of the bike. My tank slapper happened while rolling the throttle to WOT coming out of a turn as I got the bike on the center of the back tire, and then bam! Tank slapper! I was lucky to walk away from this one!lease:

 

[labrocha]

Two months ago I was at a local 1/8 mile track here, and on my 5th pass I was at the top end in third, I hit 4th just before the trap and got a quick and violent wabble. my instinct over the years was to stay in it, and it resulted in no problems... Luck probably! But over the years I've had some untimely drifts and a couple of these wabbles and I think my rule of thumb has been no sudden decelerations, seems it has worked, so far!!!!lease:

 

[sixpack577]

Yes I have to side with you again! Mine happened so quick and so violent, when I slowed the video down I counted a full 5 lock to lock with 5 foot black marks being made in less then 2 seconds. By this time I was headed off the track. I didnt fight i,. I didnt chop throttle, I didnt add throttle, and I knew I was screwed! I got the steering back once I got into the grass, an was lucky to steer the bike away from the barrier wall. But the back end went out from under me and was lucky to feel it in time to lift my left leg up and over the tail section to lay on the right side of the bike. My tank slapper happened while rolling the throttle to WOT coming out of a turn as I got the bike on the center of the back tire, and then bam! Tank slapper! I was lucky to walk away from this one!lease:

And at that speed you traveled over a football field in distance.
Hard to belive, but really puts it into perspective.
Sucks to save that only to have grass take you out.
I've always liked crashes and near misses though, lets you know where you stand.

 

[voodoolord]

I had a wobble like that on my 82 GS1100 and never went that fast on that bike again. Very scary. Ive been all the way to 190 on the busa and never any problems. I really didnt know the busa would do that as its always been butter smooth at all speeds. Now I know.