Front end wobble/"tank slapper" FIX (I did it!!!)

[Brando]

I've had this ongoing high speed tank slapper problem. I've taken it to several shops. Each shop had it's own idea. One said it was surely my steering head bearings that needed replacement. Another said new Mezler lazertec tires. Another said a steering dampner. Others said my forks needed upgrading to progressive springs and valve emulators. All valid suggestions. But, after ordering new tires I ran accross an article on alignment so I thought I'd just check. Well, turns out my front tire and my rear tire were not aligned. They had set my back tire to the marks on the swingarm...wrong. This made my rear tire actually point to the right in relation to my front tire when my front tire was pointing straight ahead. Bottom line: I made the correction and drove it. Man, I can go 100-110mph on bumpy roads and not get any shake...just steady as a rock. If you haven't done it..it's easy...just read up on these links. Oh, and a bonus...my brakes stopped pulsating as well.

http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/sportryderswheelalignmentmethod.shtml

http://motorcyclistonline.com/howto/stringalign0402/

[rkubik]

excellent

always wondered if alignment made any difference, now we know. Science marches on.