Sunday Times jumps on the bandwagon
- Thread starter APE
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Perspicacious
Registered user
Tank slapper?
For what it's worth (which might not be very much), this is my take on the tank slapper issue.
I've been riding for 33 years. My first bike was a 60cc Deltek Rockhopper that started with with a rope. I grew up in country New South Wales surrounded by a 1,000km of dirt tracks in the bush that demanded to be ridden, and this was back in the days when the coppers didn't care what you did (within reason). I've ridden motoX, sport bikes, sport tourers and dual sports. I have done just about every stupid thing you can do on a motorcycle. In all that time, I don't think I have gotten a wheel off the ground.
I once had a real tank slapper on my Kawasaki KR-250 (aka the Green Mosquito) I bought from my brother-in-law when I was 18. Hit a bump at pace and the wobble started and WOULD NOT STOP. 23 years later it remains etched in my memory. I will never forget the horror of the positive feedback: too fast, no control and it just got worse. After a few seconds, it stopped. Good luck; not good management. I rode slow for at least 2 minutes after that tank slapper.
That bike was a flighty, twitchy, smoky little 2-stroke bastard which no 18 year old (10 foot tall, bullet proof and a rock-hard cock) should ever ride.
I've now done 4,000+km on my R1200GS WC: highway, tight mountain twisties, sweeping country roads, rough dirt roads and all weathers from perfect sun through rain, snow and fog. I've ridden no-hands on cruise control because I could. I was the tosser who bumped the STOP switch when I was reaching for the mode button in the dark in the rain at 117km per hour.
There is no tank slapper issue on the R1200GS WC.
For what it's worth (which might not be very much), this is my take on the tank slapper issue.
I've been riding for 33 years. My first bike was a 60cc Deltek Rockhopper that started with with a rope. I grew up in country New South Wales surrounded by a 1,000km of dirt tracks in the bush that demanded to be ridden, and this was back in the days when the coppers didn't care what you did (within reason). I've ridden motoX, sport bikes, sport tourers and dual sports. I have done just about every stupid thing you can do on a motorcycle. In all that time, I don't think I have gotten a wheel off the ground.
I once had a real tank slapper on my Kawasaki KR-250 (aka the Green Mosquito) I bought from my brother-in-law when I was 18. Hit a bump at pace and the wobble started and WOULD NOT STOP. 23 years later it remains etched in my memory. I will never forget the horror of the positive feedback: too fast, no control and it just got worse. After a few seconds, it stopped. Good luck; not good management. I rode slow for at least 2 minutes after that tank slapper.
That bike was a flighty, twitchy, smoky little 2-stroke bastard which no 18 year old (10 foot tall, bullet proof and a rock-hard cock) should ever ride.
I've now done 4,000+km on my R1200GS WC: highway, tight mountain twisties, sweeping country roads, rough dirt roads and all weathers from perfect sun through rain, snow and fog. I've ridden no-hands on cruise control because I could. I was the tosser who bumped the STOP switch when I was reaching for the mode button in the dark in the rain at 117km per hour.
There is no tank slapper issue on the R1200GS WC.
I'm at 3000m on mine, and like you, I've had absolutely no evidence of tank slappery. The closest I can get is that with just one vario pannier on (the left hand one, for what its worth) when no-handed on cruise control at 40mph (blame the average speed cameras for that) the bars develop a very slight wobble. But it is _very_ slight, ie not enough to stop you from riding no-handed. I'm sure it's just the asymmetric aerodynamic of just having the one pannier fitted.
Cheers
Jimmy
herrdirektor
Registered user
Compared to Perspicacious I drive like an 70 old lady. 
Also in my case no tank slappers, or anything that comes close. I wouldn't want a steering damper, even if I would get money for installing it. The handling is the way I want it, especially when making tight turns at very slow speeds.
Also in my case no tank slappers, or anything that comes close. I wouldn't want a steering damper, even if I would get money for installing it. The handling is the way I want it, especially when making tight turns at very slow speeds.
Go on and tell us Perspicacious, what happened? Did it spit you over the top???
Perspicacious
Registered user
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