Head shake

OB_Samlee

Registered
I have 600 miles on my 2000 Busa and I am having minor head shake or handlebar wobble that gets worse over 100mph.
I know the bike has a steering damper but I am considering buying a better unit that is adjustable. ANY help!!
 
Its got nothing to do with the damper, something else is wrong. Get it back to the dealer.
 
That is what your warranty is for.... You paid for it, might as well use it....
 
Weird, but I thought my bike was the only one---I even put new tires on a bit early thinking it might have been them. It's actually worse with the new tires. It used to be a scary thing to get it up to 150mph but now anything over 130 mph is downright impossible!
SAMLEE WE NEED TO TALK MORE! TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE ETC. ETC.

Take it back to the dealer and say what? It shakes at 130mph?

[This message has been edited by Mabusa (edited 12 July 2000).]
 
Mabusa

Yes! Tell them exactly that, The bike is cable of much more, The dealer knows this. They have access to Suzuki techs... Maybe a shot in the dark, but you never know!



[This message has been edited by adowell (edited 12 July 2000).]
 
I get a headshake when I bang 4th gear at ~130mph... always.

From then on, the bike is stable as a rock to an indicated 174mph.

It doesn't shake it's head at any other time.
 
samlee, listen to hangman.Your suspension setup can definatly be the cause.At only 600 mi. the first thing I would do is check that every nut and bolt is torqued down,then go after setting up your suspension for your weight,riding style.Never trust a dealers prep job. Later
 
Well, you might be onto something with the rear-end.

This weekend, I hope to find some reason for my chain having tight and loose spots. I mean, not just one or two tight spots... it's ridiculous. (1600 miles on stock chain.)
 
maybe ya oughta clean and rewax it once in a while. Dont understand the smartass reply above, have you not seen videos of guys like gixxer running wheelies up to 160? Are you a big dude, like over 200? Sitting way back and doing revlimiter 4th shift I wouldn't be surprised at a little tire dance---I'm skinny(165) and mine does. That is if you make any horsepower. I DO.

my worthless .02
 
Another thing to look for might be loose steering head bearings, my 99 had loose bearings, not enough to cause head shake but still loose.
Jim
 
Courious Mike-----I have had exactally the same thing with my 99 and 00. Hit 4th gear hard at max revs and you will get head shake, but just lightly and just for a half second. Maybe its just our bikes.
 
Earl,
Do me a favor. If sometime in the future, you ever "figure out" what causes the shake, please post.
I'll do the same.

The bike seems fine everywhere else.
I'll speculate that you and I are such damned skilled riders, and we shift so perfectly, we actually create a mini-wheely at 130mph... and the wind disturbance at this speed causes the wheel to wobble until it comes back down to earth.

Either that or our head bearings are too tight. ;)
 
More often than not, problems that cause front end steering effects are actually coming from the rear.........

Check the back properly first. alignment, balance, wear, chain & sprockets, suspension travel etc you know all this guys!

I would suggest, not having ridden the bike, that your rear wheel is either out of alignment, as DM suggested, or out of balance.

just my 0.02cents

Nuts
 
my 2 cents

start with dialing in suspention. the bike is put together in a hurry, like mine was. the front forks where set at 2 different settings, rear tire was not straight, and the rear sag was too much.
the rear sag put the front end too hi and would head shake when slamming 4th.
adjusted rear sag to 35mm and wow what a differnce. smooth as silk
the only why to get the front dialed in is to replace the springs with some good aftermarket ones. stock ones suc! unless you weight 100 lbs and ride naked.

with the rear end on stand check you rim to be true and straight.
 
Years ago I street raced a 1984 turbo 1240 Suzuki in Memphis. It was awfull and every time I would hit 4 it would tank slap like something possessed. I had a guy viedeo a run at Jackson drag strip and noticed by the time I hit 4th I was a lot further back on the bike and fanned the clutch a lot harder than the lower gears. I was pulling the handlebar to the left every time I hit 3nd and 4th. Hell maybe thats our problem. I know my suspension is as good as it can be. I check the alignment with strieghtedges every weekend. Also all the adjustments are spot on for me. So in my case, maybe its just me.
 
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