speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 11:01 AM
Headshake..Tankslapper!!..?
Hi all got a quick question for you...1st just to let you guys know I'm no newbie, been riding for 27 years raced dirt and street..wmsc..willow springs..4 seasons..Had lots of sportbikes.
Any way got maybe 100miles on the zx10r now and started opening it up yesterday (i run my bikes in fast,always have seem to run faster at the track that way) if I try..TRY to open her open hard from about 90mph plus the thing start to headshake and if I try to go faster ends up tankslapping like crazy?....I checked all the settings...tire pressures headstock bearings seam tight?....any ideas....cos it fuking scary..and in no way will I be able to ride this at the track or on the street...I'm dropping it off @ the dealer I purchased it from tonite..but I really hate to let anyone work on my bikes...thanks all steve
  
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crip2nite
Zone Head
Posts: 820
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posted September 28, 2005 11:24 AM
 Edited By: crip2nite on 28 Sep 2005 12:25
WOW!! That's a new one to me! Mine don't start shakin' up much til about 160mph! Gotta get that Scotts Damper and all will be fine!
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 11:30 AM
yes I agree..at later stage when I set it up for the track... but I should be able to drive the thing in a straight line?.....also if I was to just put a steering damper on it right now I would just be trying to mask the problem not fixing it!
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steptomyjett
Parking Attendant
Posts: 3
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posted September 28, 2005 12:00 PM
mine did the same thing when i started opening her up when i first got it, but since i've had a chance to feel the bike out it wont do it anymore. i think it was me putting to much pressure on the bars trying to hold on for deer life. but the bike does need a steering damper
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05 zx10r
04 gsxr 600
00 vdub 1.8t
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 12:05 PM
nope not that..I tried it...a couple different ways and it stil does it?....I tend to keep I light grip...use to letting the bike move around alittle....try driving hard though turn 8 @ willow springs ....but thanks for the reply anyway...I'm thinking maybe head bearings???....or rear end maybe...maybe I just got a lemon???....
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k bryant
Needs a job
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posted September 28, 2005 12:22 PM
If it's consistently happening, check over the mechanical aspects: front to rear. Wheel alignment, along with the other areas you mentioned. If is inconsistent, then for the most part, it's because of your positioning and/or overly aggressive input. It can be rather sensitive when going fast to bar pressure, direction changes, body position when whacking open the throttle. Although a steering damper will help, it's more a cure for changing direction quickly, than going in a straight line (though it helps there also). I have a Muzzy Damper on mine (which is one of the best) and I can still get into tank slappers frequently. I just deal with it. But that goes for any of the open class sportbikes. I've had them all do it at one point.
Unless you and/or your dealer find something blatently wrong, look within yourself to "smooth" things out. Because you can go around the big track or "streets" at Willow Springs and/or Fontana at speed without a steering damper on the 10. Can't be as agressive as one would like with sticky tires, but it's done at a really quick pace 
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 12:30 PM
nope not that..I tried it...a couple different ways and it stil does it?....I tend to keep I light grip...use to letting the bike move around alittle....try driving hard though turn 8 @ willow springs ....but thanks for the reply anyway...I'm thinking maybe head bearings???....or rear end maybe...maybe I just got a lemon???....
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 12:40 PM
just to make it clear....even if i try to roll the throttle on smooth once it get's to about 100 it gets so bad I can't even ride though it....just starts shaking its head....I can't drive the thing fast in a straight line!...let alone think about getting to the track yet...and yea I understand that most sportbikes will do a little head dance once in while..I would hate to think what this bike would do over turn 6...probably end up on the streets of willow..!....not the big track anymore...thanks anyway...steve
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k bryant
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posted September 28, 2005 12:44 PM
Then hopefully it will appear obvious to your dealer and they'll be able to locate a mechanical and/or tire issue. Good luck.
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BROOKLYNNYZX12
Zone Head
Posts: 520
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posted September 28, 2005 12:47 PM
Read the article in Cycle World or Motorcyclist..I can't remember which one...Doug Chandler and a track pro from Willow Springs comment on the suspension set up for a ZX-10 that was helpful in ridding the bike of it's head shake.
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Orient Express Top Street Bike Winner 8-4-07
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 12:49 PM
THANKS...I'm kinda hoping it will be something simple?...but if it was I think I would have seen it by now....any advice gladly accepted....I let you all know what the dealer finds if anything?....like I said before..I hate giving my bike to someone else to work on..but seeing as it only a couple of days old and the thing is almost unrideable (well @ illegal speeds on the street) I think I have no choice..steve
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thonczarenko
Novice Class
Posts: 61
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posted September 28, 2005 12:54 PM
Try setting the suspension to these settings; they helped get me to a starting point. My bike was very hard to ride until I dialed in the suspension.
My brother's bike was even worse; it was like a pogo in the back and the front was tight compression and little rebound. He couldn't believe the difference afterwards. He was afraid to go over 100mph.
http://www.kawasakiracing.ca/racetuning.htm
-Todd
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Far Beyond Driven
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sagot
Zone Head
Posts: 779
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posted September 28, 2005 01:05 PM
It could also be a bad front tire???
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Blank
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted September 28, 2005 01:43 PM
I had a slight headshake on my bike when under hard acceleration. I found this just before I went to my first trackday as I had never really opened her up on the street.
I took her to my suspension guy and had him set it up and it got much , much better.....but it still did it. I added my Scotts and changed tires and I have no issues with it now.....
I am running a 180/55 Pilot Power in the rear witht he 120/70 fronts.....its rock stable now....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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thonczarenko
Novice Class
Posts: 61
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posted September 28, 2005 01:46 PM
Nice setup Hells Dark Lord!
I will be getting those tires for the street too.
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Far Beyond Driven
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 01:57 PM
hey guys thanks for all the quick responses....I be kinda bummed if..kawasaki was to sell a bike that in stock form handles like this!.......And yes I've used pilot powers on a few of my bikes I actually really like them..work good @ the track as well....at the moment I would just like to be able to use my bike....also break it in a bit!.....steve...p.s the circuit set-up info was very informing thanks...
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted September 28, 2005 02:09 PM
Mine headshakes very little.
Having been a motorcycle mechanic for many years I have found this one:
Customer complained that the bike would go into a tank slapper under hard acceleration. This was on an H2 (Kwak 750 triple) and we thought probably just normal. I rode it and sure enough it was flat hairy. I owned an H2 at the time so I knew what it should have felt like. Anyway the customer did say that the bike had been repaired from a front end collision. So I checked everything and could find nothing bent or out of alignment. Then with the bike jacked off the ground I was checking the steering head bearings and found them slightly too tight. I adjusted them properly and it was like a magic pill. Fixed. Come to find out that that little extra drag wouldn't allow the front end to center properly and would over react having to break that sticksion.
Worth a look.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 28, 2005 03:27 PM
magazine article???
p.s any one know which mag carried that story(doug chandler story)...thanks...wanna scan it for me???.....steve
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turbo810
Expert Class
Posts: 286
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posted September 28, 2005 04:16 PM
quote:
yes I agree..at later stage when I set it up for the track... but I should be able to drive the thing in a straight line?.....also if I was to just put a steering damper on it right now I would just be trying to mask the problem not fixing it!
You should get a damper now. With the short wheelbase and the power to weight ratio, Even on the street you need one. I got headshake on mine within the first 5 miles.
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John Turbo810
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted September 28, 2005 05:44 PM
yep, I think what was happening to mine was that under hard acceleration, or hard transition from side to side I was picking the tire up so it was just barely on the ground, and the skimming of the ground was throwing the tire around.....I little ride heigth adjustment, adn different tires and all was good.......will still do it if I get ham fisted with it, but from what I have ridden of the new liter bikes, its not worse than any of the rest of them now....
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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silver12r
Novice Class
Posts: 74
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posted September 28, 2005 10:06 PM
GET RID OF THE DUNLOPS!!!!
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zeta xray
Expert Class
Posts: 416
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posted September 29, 2005 05:44 AM
Well everyone seemed to dance around your consistant question. Most of the ZX10s if have tinkered with, that did have a headshake problem, had loose steering stem bearings. Check those ASAP. But there are other factors and like silver12r said, it could be a tire problem. IMHO the best Dunlops are less stable than any Pirelli, Metzler or Michelin tire. Proper suspension set up is required also. Especially sag. I have 17,000+ miles and a lot of track days on a high speed, bumpy track, and my bike is stable without a steering damper. If one bike is stable then it is not a design flaw in the bike. A good steering damper would be a good addition for a ZX10 but not a requirement. Many people probably mask other issues with a steering damper.
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It is good to be green.
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k bryant
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posted September 29, 2005 10:52 AM
No "dancing" here. Just straight talk/advice. As I stated, and agree with you, it can be hustled around a race track without a damper. Ridden many that way
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speedkelly
Parking Attendant
Posts: 15
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posted September 29, 2005 12:33 PM
to be honest I don't want to fit a steering damper until I have riden it @ the track see how it works for me....I dropped it off @ the dealer today, so see what happens there...@ the moment I have to say there must be some kind of problem as the bike is unrideable...steve
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted September 29, 2005 04:05 PM
Mine has almost no headshake, as a matter of fact since I put on the Pilot powers I can't remember it happening once.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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