Tank slap ?

[bobsnew]

Has anyone had experience of a harsh vibration steering wobble on their 1300 GSA, it occurs between 45/48 mph, it's behaved in this fashion from new and has just had its 1st service. Mechanic 1st diagnosed wheel off balance and added weights. No difference, then replaced steering damper, same result. Another front and rear fitted, no difference.forks changed, same result, they theorise possible shaft out of balance, or chassis twisted. Any one had similar issues and what was the result. To add, you can ride through the unstable speed range.?

 

[Engineer]

Has anyone had experience of a harsh vibration steering wobble on their 1300 GSA, it occurs between 45/48 mph, it's behaved in this fashion from new and has just had its 1st service. Mechanic 1st diagnosed wheel off balance and added weights. No difference, then replaced steering damper, same result. Another front and rear fitted, no difference.forks changed, same result, they theorise possible shaft out of balance, or chassis twisted. Any one had similar issues and what was the result. To add, you can ride through the unstable speed range.?

Do you mean a real 'tank slapper'? or just a small wobble? i.e. do the bars go from side to side hitting the tank? Either way something is seriously wrong.

 

[Smartbazza]

Hi Bob, I have done about 16k miles on 1300gs's and have not experienced this. I would say the ride is the best quality of any bike i have had before (when it's working but that's a different story!)

Barry

Has anyone had experience of a harsh vibration steering wobble on their 1300 GSA, it occurs between 45/48 mph, it's behaved in this fashion from new and has just had its 1st service. Mechanic 1st diagnosed wheel off balance and added weights. No difference, then replaced steering damper, same result. Another front and rear fitted, no difference.forks changed, same result, they theorise possible shaft out of balance, or chassis twisted. Any one had similar issues and what was the result. To add, you can ride through the unstable speed range.?

 

[Pukmeister]

Steering head bearings ?

 

[theoneandonly]

make sure the fault is logged against your bike .
if they can't replicate it ?
they can't diagnose it ,
which means they can't fix it.

an out of balance wheel , would get worse the faster you go.
take the damper off , and try .
i'd look at s/arm bears and rear wheel bears , and anything at the back , might as well balance the back wheel while it is out .

 

[Guru Gora]

If you’ve purchased it from a main dealer, I’d demand a new bike.

It’s designed to travel long distances in comfort.

It can’t do that safely so it’s not fit.

They’ve had chances to rectify.

New bike please.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bobsnew]

Hi Bob, I have done about 16k miles on 1300gs's and have not experienced this. I would say the ride is the best quality of any bike i have had before (when it's working but that's a different story!)

Barry

This is a bike belonging to a friend of mine, it's his 2nd 1300 GSA , the problem disappeared when he removed the supplied bmw top box, and didn't effect any other bike?

 

[bobsnew]

Do you mean a real 'tank slapper'? or just a small wobble? i.e. do the bars go from side to side hitting the tank? Either way something is seriously wrong.

 

[bobsnew]

Its not uncontrollable, and disapears when above that range, I've ridden alongside audits clearly an unacceptable problem, and shakes sideways until getting out of that 3 or 4 mph zone.

 

[Smartbazza]

does it have electronic suspension? you mention that it happens when the top box is fitted hence i am wondering if it is caused by the load over the rear wheel?

Barry

 

[bobsnew]

does it have electronic suspension? you mention that it happens when the top box is fitted hence i am wondering if it is caused by the load over the rear wheel?

Barry

Yes it has the auto suspension

 

[Oldrat]

Its not uncontrollable, and disapears when above that range, I've ridden alongside audits clearly an unacceptable problem, and shakes sideways until getting out of that 3 or 4 mph zone.

Film it?

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Wheel bearing?

 

[Smartbazza]

Yes it has the auto suspension

there have been issues with the rear suspension.

Barry

 

[TaskMule]

This is a bike belonging to a friend of mine, it's his 2nd 1300 GSA , the problem disappeared when he removed the supplied bmw top box, and didn't effect any other bike?

Almost completely unheard of on a gs, something is not right. Definitely not something that can be diagnosed through a second person on a forum

 

[bobsnew]

Yes it has the auto suspension

Almost completely unheard of on a gs, something is not right. Definitely not something that can be diagnosed through a second person on a forum

I agree, it's not right and it's puzzling the stealership, but we all know some issues are kept quiet, hence the question is raised on here.

 

[iRider]

This is a bike belonging to a friend of mine, it's his 2nd 1300 GSA , the problem disappeared when he removed the supplied bmw top box, and didn't effect any other bike?

Have you checked the floating top box mounting plate hasn’t been fitted incorrectly causing it to be rigid to the bike?

 

[tw99]

There was someone on here recently with play in the swingarm bearings that BMW claimed was "normal", which it looked anything but. Might be a factor here ?

 

[karlp]

This is a bike belonging to a friend of mine, it's his 2nd 1300 GSA , the problem disappeared when he removed the supplied bmw top box, and didn't effect any other bike?

the top box mounting plate moves from side to side

Is it too loose

Be it right or wrong - I have altered mine so it does not move

 

[botus]

Has anyone had experience of a harsh vibration steering wobble on their 1300 GSA, it occurs between 45/48 mph, it's behaved in this fashion from new and has just had its 1st service. Mechanic 1st diagnosed wheel off balance and added weights. No difference, then replaced steering damper, same result. Another front and rear fitted, no difference.forks changed, same result, they theorise possible shaft out of balance, or chassis twisted. Any one had similar issues and what was the result. To add, you can ride through the unstable speed range.?

ask they read the tips document on the frame and swinging arm play - not to do nothing - but for them to consider the rear of the bike might be driving the front wobble - some bikes get slop on the swinging arm that comes from how they bolted the bike together at the factory

if I were the garage I'd swap the front wheel from another bike and take a quick spin, if still there, put the demo bikes rear wheel on as well and try again - wheels and tyres can do strange things that don't make sense sometimes