Tank slapper; I dislike road repairs

SabreValkyrn · October 30th, 2012, 03:43 PM

I was riding along at ~70 MPH on I-5 around 1pm in standard Washington October/November weather, lots of rain all day.

No one was around me, I was in the right lane, checked my blindspot, then looked forward and my rear tire broke loose. It felt like the back tire went left and right at least 3 times. Left foot almost hit the pavement, and left hand slipped off the grip.

I want to thank every "close call" post on here, they saved me from going down. I squeezed my knees against the tank and kept my throttle as smooth and weightless as possible. The bike recovered in the middle of the lane too. So. I'm not dead. Which is good.

Thinking back on it, I must have hit a road repair and my slight shift in weight to check my blind spot just made the rear tire hit just right to break loose.

So yeah, thank you everyone for "don't do this" posts.

csmith12 · October 30th, 2012, 05:34 PM

Motofool · October 30th, 2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SabreValkyrn

...... So. I'm not dead. Which is good.

That is much more than good;......that is the best thing that happened to you today

Great save !!

tcbmellowd · October 31st, 2012, 07:36 AM

You live to ride another day!

Glad you're still with us in one piece.

RedOctober · October 31st, 2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SabreValkyrn

I was riding along at ~70 MPH on I-5 around 1pm in standard Washington October/November weather, lots of rain all day.

No one was around me, I was in the right lane, checked my blindspot, then looked forward and my rear tire broke loose. It felt like the back tire went left and right at least 3 times. Left foot almost hit the pavement, and left hand slipped off the grip.

I want to thank every "close call" post on here, they saved me from going down. I squeezed my knees against the tank and kept my throttle as smooth and weightless as possible. The bike recovered in the middle of the lane too. So. I'm not dead. Which is good.

Thinking back on it, I must have hit a road repair and my slight shift in weight to check my blind spot just made the rear tire hit just right to break loose.

So yeah, thank you everyone for "don't do this" posts.

While technically thats not a tankslapper (that'd be your front wheel dancing left to right), good job on recovery. It's amazing how easy it is to lose it sometimes. Friends' wife lowsided her brand spanking new ninja 300 on the 3rd lap of the 1st session, going down the straight at TWS. Hit a slick spot (early AM = wet track and a bit cold) as she was giving it some throttle, boom.

SabreValkyrn · October 31st, 2012, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedOctober

While technically thats not a tankslapper (that'd be your front wheel dancing left to right), good job on recovery.

Oh, my bad on the terminology. The front tire did do that about 10 miles later. Was more cars and only had one path, right through water, with road seam in the middle and patch road repairs. Front tire bounced back and forth too much for comfort but I let the handlebars do what they wanted to.

At least it's more difficult for motorcycles to hydroplane... but when we do, it's far far worse.

LessIsMore · November 1st, 2012, 12:46 PM

Nice job on the save. Best thing you can do in just about any situation where the bike gets unsettled is stay as loose as possible on the grips while maintaining neutral throttle and keeping away from the brakes. People have such a tendency to grab and try to control it and/or jam on the front or rear brakes, all of which will typically cause you to end up on the ground. Sounds like you handled it properly. It's a great feeling when those reactions become second nature and you find them saving you from bad situations (shouldn't happen TOO often on the road but it does).

And yes, a tank slapper is where the front wheel is moving violently from left to right causing the handlebars to "slap" the tank left to right. Also not to be confused with "head shake", which sometimes leads to tank slap (some use the terms interchangeably but not every head shake leads to tank slap).

lolibater · November 6th, 2012, 08:56 PM

Happy to hear you recovered from that. I hate that feeling when the back end gets all wiggly.

What exactly is head shake?

KELPHYN · November 6th, 2012, 09:50 PM

What shape your tires in? Maybe time to think about new ones.

SabreValkyrn · November 6th, 2012, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KELPHYN

What shape your tires in? Maybe time to think about new ones.

My tires have about 5000 miles of in-town and freeway riding. The tread looks nothing like "REPLACE TIRES NAO!" pictures.

KELPHYN · November 6th, 2012, 10:49 PM

Wasn't saying you had bald tires. But at 5000miles they are probably passed half worn out, starting to square, and the rubber is harder. Not a big deal in warm summer months, but cold, wet weather. . . Something to think about.

SabreValkyrn · November 6th, 2012, 11:18 PM

Any recommendations? I do mostly in-town or freeway and I ride all year round. And it's rainy. Cuz Northwest.

KELPHYN · November 7th, 2012, 01:04 AM

Usually run BT-45's myself. Find them to very good in the rain, predictable feel in the corners, descent mileage (5000-6000miles) good all-round performance. Tried Kenda's once, good gripe but had a high speed wobble. Avon Road Rider's, good mileage, but not very confident inspiring in corners. some days griped really good, next time would slide out no warning. Thinking of Sport Demons or Corsica's next. Talking about mileage, I probably change out my tires sooner than most and general change front and back at same time. Even though front has lots of tread it usually is hardening I feel it sliding in fast corners. So it goes to. But that's me. Good tires are cheap insurance as far as I'm concerned.

phorensic · November 7th, 2012, 07:38 AM

I got into a full lock-to-lock tank slapper on the 133 to 5 south transition (down here in SoCal) because of road repair. They tried to tar together two pieces of road that look like freakin' tectonic plates at massively different heights. I saw it and did a lean into it to try and hit it at a more perpendicular angle. Full tank slapper. I was used to tank slappers on my dirt bikes in the whoops, so I just kept the throttle constant, didn't panic, and let the oscillations cancel out with a loose grip. Woke me up for sure!

RedOctober · November 7th, 2012, 02:25 PM

Last weekend at the track I took my 250 out just for fun. Converted it to GP shift (to match Daytona)...everything going well until at the end of the day I was in 2nd gear, at redline, and downshifted instead of upshifting.
The video shows that the headshake lasted less than 2s. It felt much longer than that, with the rear fishtailing and front handlebars going left to right.

One other fun point which JUST occured to me as I am writing this: With woodcraft clipons installed the front brake lever tends to get engaged at full left turn. So it's lucky that the front didn't go full stop to stop, or I would have tucked the front on top of everything else and gone down.

As far as tires are concerned: I run BT-003s on the 250 but I'm in TX. We don't get that much wet weather. I still have a pair of BT-045s sitting in the garage, these are supposed to be better for the wet. Sadly the new BT-S20 rubber isn't available for the ninjette. Supposed to be better than 003s on track and in wet.

October 30th, 2012, 03:43 PM	#1
SabreValkyrn ninjette.org member Name: Joel Location: Bellingham, wa Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2017 Motus MSTR (Kara), 1990 Ninja 600R (ZX600C3) (Scrappy) Posts: 185	Tank slapper; I dislike road repairs I was riding along at ~70 MPH on I-5 around 1pm in standard Washington October/November weather, lots of rain all day. No one was around me, I was in the right lane, checked my blindspot, then looked forward and my rear tire broke loose. It felt like the back tire went left and right at least 3 times. Left foot almost hit the pavement, and left hand slipped off the grip. I want to thank every "close call" post on here, they saved me from going down. I squeezed my knees against the tank and kept my throttle as smooth and weightless as possible. The bike recovered in the middle of the lane too. So. I'm not dead. Which is good. Thinking back on it, I must have hit a road repair and my slight shift in weight to check my blind spot just made the rear tire hit just right to break loose. So yeah, thank you everyone for "don't do this" posts.

October 30th, 2012, 05:34 PM	#2
csmith12 The Corner Whisperer Name: Chris (aka Reactor) Location: Northern KY Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much. MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13	__________________________________________________ Goal: Shake A Million Hands \| Look through the corners \| Track Day Prep \| Closest track? \| The Mid-Ohio School

October 31st, 2012, 07:36 AM	#4
tcbmellowd Kawakaze Name: Daniel Location: SoCal Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): 09 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: 111	You live to ride another day! Glad you're still with us in one piece. __________________________________________________ Mods:\|Progrip 728 Blue Aluminum Grips\|Custom LED Integrated Tail Light\|Flushmount Turn Signals\| Fender Chop\|CBR250 Hugger\|ProGrip Rim Tape\|Blue CF Vinyl Seat Covers\|

November 6th, 2012, 08:56 PM	#8
lolibater ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Napa, CA Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2005 ZX6R, 2011 Sprint GT Posts: A lot.	Happy to hear you recovered from that. I hate that feeling when the back end gets all wiggly. What exactly is head shake? __________________________________________________ "The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear." - Gandhi

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November 1st, 2012, 12:46 PM	#7
LessIsMore Road and Track Junkie Name: Joe Location: Northeast Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2007 GSXR 600, 2006 Ninja 250 Posts: 6	Nice job on the save. Best thing you can do in just about any situation where the bike gets unsettled is stay as loose as possible on the grips while maintaining neutral throttle and keeping away from the brakes. People have such a tendency to grab and try to control it and/or jam on the front or rear brakes, all of which will typically cause you to end up on the ground. Sounds like you handled it properly. It's a great feeling when those reactions become second nature and you find them saving you from bad situations (shouldn't happen TOO often on the road but it does). And yes, a tank slapper is where the front wheel is moving violently from left to right causing the handlebars to "slap" the tank left to right. Also not to be confused with "head shake", which sometimes leads to tank slap (some use the terms interchangeably but not every head shake leads to tank slap).

November 6th, 2012, 09:50 PM	#9
KELPHYN ninjette.org guru Name: Calvin Location: Quesnel, B.C Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R (sold), 2013 300SE Posts: 276	What shape your tires in? Maybe time to think about new ones.

November 6th, 2012, 10:49 PM	#11
KELPHYN ninjette.org guru Name: Calvin Location: Quesnel, B.C Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R (sold), 2013 300SE Posts: 276	Wasn't saying you had bald tires. But at 5000miles they are probably passed half worn out, starting to square, and the rubber is harder. Not a big deal in warm summer months, but cold, wet weather. . . Something to think about.

November 6th, 2012, 11:18 PM	#12
SabreValkyrn ninjette.org member Name: Joel Location: Bellingham, wa Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2017 Motus MSTR (Kara), 1990 Ninja 600R (ZX600C3) (Scrappy) Posts: 185	Any recommendations? I do mostly in-town or freeway and I ride all year round. And it's rainy. Cuz Northwest.

November 7th, 2012, 01:04 AM	#13
KELPHYN ninjette.org guru Name: Calvin Location: Quesnel, B.C Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R (sold), 2013 300SE Posts: 276	Usually run BT-45's myself. Find them to very good in the rain, predictable feel in the corners, descent mileage (5000-6000miles) good all-round performance. Tried Kenda's once, good gripe but had a high speed wobble. Avon Road Rider's, good mileage, but not very confident inspiring in corners. some days griped really good, next time would slide out no warning. Thinking of Sport Demons or Corsica's next. Talking about mileage, I probably change out my tires sooner than most and general change front and back at same time. Even though front has lots of tread it usually is hardening I feel it sliding in fast corners. So it goes to. But that's me. Good tires are cheap insurance as far as I'm concerned.

November 7th, 2012, 07:38 AM	#14
phorensic ninjette.org member Name: Matt Location: SoCal Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R, 2000 XR650R Posts: 13	I got into a full lock-to-lock tank slapper on the 133 to 5 south transition (down here in SoCal) because of road repair. They tried to tar together two pieces of road that look like freakin' tectonic plates at massively different heights. I saw it and did a lean into it to try and hit it at a more perpendicular angle. Full tank slapper. I was used to tank slappers on my dirt bikes in the whoops, so I just kept the throttle constant, didn't panic, and let the oscillations cancel out with a loose grip. Woke me up for sure!

November 7th, 2012, 02:25 PM	#15
RedOctober ninjette.org member Name: Andrei Location: Austin, TX Join Date: Aug 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250, 2008 Daytona 675 Posts: 212	Last weekend at the track I took my 250 out just for fun. Converted it to GP shift (to match Daytona)...everything going well until at the end of the day I was in 2nd gear, at redline, and downshifted instead of upshifting. The video shows that the headshake lasted less than 2s. It felt much longer than that, with the rear fishtailing and front handlebars going left to right. One other fun point which JUST occured to me as I am writing this: With woodcraft clipons installed the front brake lever tends to get engaged at full left turn. So it's lucky that the front didn't go full stop to stop, or I would have tucked the front on top of everything else and gone down. As far as tires are concerned: I run BT-003s on the 250 but I'm in TX. We don't get that much wet weather. I still have a pair of BT-045s sitting in the garage, these are supposed to be better for the wet. Sadly the new BT-S20 rubber isn't available for the ninjette. Supposed to be better than 003s on track and in wet.