First gen crash

[cowpuc]

Ok I watched the video's My only question is this. What is the best way to handle a blow out on a bike? I have had them on those skinny ten speed tires. Never a motorcycle and I tell you it sounds like a 22 pistol going off when you have a blow out on a bicycle and it gets squirrely but your talking what 10-40 miles an hour on a bike. Now if I am going down the interstate at 60-70 and have a blow out I would assume let off the throttle and no sudden braking. Would you want to tighten up on the handle bars, Loosen up on the handle bars, or Bail? I have had blow outs on cars and everyone starts to scream STOP!!!! all i ever did in that situation was if it was front hold the wheel straight and decelerate and pull off the side of the road, and if it was a rear tire just kind let it do its thing and let off the gas. But I have never seen anyone tell me what the best thing to do when you have a flat on a motorcycle.

 

AWESOME ??'s there Snipe!!! Thinkin ya oughta copy/paste this into a new thread in the Water Hole and in there a little ... Had my share of flats on these scoots thru the years and would LOVE to participate in the subject matter and hear what others have to say!!

 

Another thing I thought of, when probably 98% of people lean forward on a bike they support their weight on their hands which would effectively be pushing on both bars. I'm not saying changing the weight distribution had nothing to do with it but often the first conclusions drawn are not necessarily the correct ones.

 

It also occurred to me that the way Puc loads up Tweeks would probably contribute to weave and probably wheel hop so it is likely he could have more to say on this topic.

 

Keep the air pressures up on the tires, run the mono up to 73 pounds, set of Progressives up front and pack er up and head for the Bonneville Cammy... No weaving or wobbling all the way up to top speed...

 

[snyper316]

Will do @cowpuc btw how fast did you get on the salt flats

 

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[gggGary]

I will call it luck but have never blown a front. A few years ago I stupidly ran a rear bald on a Shadow 1100. The tire blew, 70MPH, I94 center lane, trucks on BOTH sides. So loud I thought it was a truck tire blow out till the rear started to weave. Just cutting the throttle was enough to upset the bike, the weave started to intensify, I had to get back in the throttle to damp the weave and you can bet I was pushing on the bars. I was able to GRADUALLY slow down let the trucks pass and CAREFULLY and ever so slowly steer to the shoulder. where I was able to limp it a half mile to to a rest stop. I was very fortunate, the spoke wheel shadow had safety beads. These keep a deflated tire on the rim, without them the tire can completely unseat and get caught in the chain/fender/swingarm, basically tossing the bike down. For any "dresser" rider when looking at tire wear just looking in one spot is not enough, you need to check all the way around the tire. That shadow had bags and an extended rubber flap below the fender. Even after one spot had gone through the cords till the tube blew. other areas of the tire still looked "ridable". Probably had slid the rear under hard braking some time in the past, putting a thin area on the tread. I was in a hurry to make a meeting that day and delayed looking into an increased vibration I felt as I left home. Could have been my last day on earth.

When the RSV rear got thin on the recent trip to Barber it was the same story there were bald and "not so bad" tread areas. It is pretty easy to slide the rear under hard braking on the RSV. On that trip luck and bit of wisdom found me a trailer ride home so I could put a new tire on.

More than 40 years ago I blew the rear on a Honda 305 with a fat kid on the back fortunately we were going slow at the time and other than some serious left right wobbles we stopped safely.

For more on why handlebar pushing works; google aviation PIO more than a few have died chasing control oscillation.

 

One more "story"; back in the day I WERA roadraced a CB900F with some miles on the front tire the bike would weave on the front straight at Road America above about 100MPH or so, pushing the bars damped it out. Being a "poor" kid I got out the belt sander and ground the cupped "side" tread blocks smooth, that stopped the weave till a new front tire was fitted.

[jeff1]

I had something like this happen to me about 20 years ago with my '86 Goldwing, 2 up pulling a trailer. The trigger at the time I believe was having to brake hard from high speed (70-80 mph). It was the end of a trip I was tired and not paying as much attention to what was going on ahead of me as I should have been. I was able to recover control by backing off on the brakes and then passing car ahead of me on the shoulder. Scared the crap out of me. I don't pull a trailer anymore. In my opinion I think the Goldwing's inherent lower center of gravity was of some help in being able to recover control.

[luvmy40]

OK, just a little more empirical data.

 

Here is what I have experienced with wobble and weave.

 

1984 Harley Davidson FXST, customized. 130mm rear tire, 4" overstock fork tubes, ape hangers and widened fat bob tanks.

 

I never experienced any wobble or weave at any speed on this bike. Loaded up with 2 fully packed GI duffle bags, over sized saddle bags a medic bag on the forks and 2 up at 8mph on the highway and she was as stable as can be.

 

1981 Yamaha Seca 750, factory stock(except exhaust).

 

I never experienced any head wobble at any speed. She did get a bit light in the front end around 65mph and was very unstable over 80mph. An after market wind screen( SlipStreamer Spit Fire) fixed that and she was rock solid up to 100mph. I never loaded that bike down heavily but the wife and I rode 2 up at highway speeds often with no issues.

 

2001 Suzuki GSX600 Katana, factory stock except for a bobbed rear fender.

 

This bike had a constant slight pull to the left(probably due to frame damage from PO) but had no head wobble at all and never exhibited any weave at any speed.

 

1982 Yamaha 750 Maxim, factory stock.

 

This bike has had a slight head wobble around 35-40mph since I got her. With firm hands on the bars, you don't even feel it. It's bad enough that I believe it would go out of control with no hands but it doesn't take any effort to control with even a light touch on the bars.

 

The maxim was also a little light in front at highway speeds. Again, a wind screen made a drastic difference. She's not a 100mph bike but is quite stable with no weave up to 90mph and cruises comfortably at 80mph.

 

1983 Yamaha Venture XVZ12TK, factory stock w/optional rear skirt and trim. No air and (I assume) factory springs in front and 65psi on the rear shock, damper at 4.

 

The Venture has the same slight head wobble around 35-40mph. Barely felt but there. No weave at any speed. She seems to get more stable as the speed goes over 85mph and is rock solid at and over 100mph. My longest ride to date is 150mi and about 60mi 2 up. No trip with any heavy load up yet.

 

I have been told that my Maxim should not have the wobble at all, that it is likely due to worn head bearings or worn swing arm bearings. Evidently, some consider the wobble as design issue with the Venture?

[Matt_P]

Im a vary new street rider, but when I road dirt bikes I sometimes got a wiggle vary similar. the only thing I ever found to correct the bike is to lean the bike as far over as I could and turn the bars with the lean. I know its not always possible but it might help some one. so from what I can decipher is that when I lean hard it forces the obtuse angle between forks and frame, which puts more G forces on the bike vs fork. I found this force is greater than what Is causing the wobble (obvesly wont work in all situations) please experts let me know what you think.