Can anyone explain from where the word tankslapper comes? As far as I know it's a front wheel wobble. That hasn't too much to do with the tank. So, what's the history?

For some of us that have had a real tank slapper, when the forks are going lock to lock so fast that it sprains you wrists (as in my case) the other noise is the clip-ons banging on the tank.

(06-01-2015, 02:11 PM)SILJA Wrote: Can anyone explain from where the word tankslapper comes? As far as I know it's a front wheel wobble. That hasn't too much to do with the tank. So, what's the history?

The tank becomes involved when the wobble is so bad that your handle bars cause your hands to hit/slap the tank

It's basically the whole bike "going into one", very violently shaking side to side, lock to lock, front to back with the rider's legs and arms slapping the tank with feet off pegs sometimes, they are truly terrifying, often go on for long enough for you to think "this is it" and start without any notice or warning, usually at higher speeds where the bike is skimming the tarmac and in the worst scenario the rider can be spat off the bike, closest I came was dragged over the front of the bike looking at the front number plate then it sorted itself out and I wobbled on .. smell it ? I was sat in it .. Not much you can do with a proper slapper apart from hang on haha.

And for a visual acount of a tank slapper, this is Paul Orrit getting a ' 10 from Len' going down Bray Hill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiKmPFo6xNA

(06-01-2015, 02:38 PM)Alfie Noakes Wrote: It's basically the whole bike "going into one", very violently shaking side to side, lock to lock, front to back with the rider's legs and arms slapping the tank with feet off pegs sometimes, they are truly terrifying, often go on for long enough for you to think "this is it" and start without any notice or warning, usually at higher speeds where the bike is skimming the tarmac and in the worst scenario the rider can be spat off the bike, closest I came was dragged over the front of the bike looking at the front number plate then it sorted itself out and I wobbled on .. smell it ? I was sat in it .. Not much you can do with a proper slapper apart from hang on haha.

...front number plate...?? there isn't any!

(06-01-2015, 05:14 PM)Amsterdam Wrote:

(06-01-2015, 02:38 PM)Alfie Noakes Wrote: It's basically the whole bike "going into one", very violently shaking side to side, lock to lock, front to back with the rider's legs and arms slapping the tank with feet off pegs sometimes, they are truly terrifying, often go on for long enough for you to think "this is it" and start without any notice or warning, usually at higher speeds where the bike is skimming the tarmac and in the worst scenario the rider can be spat off the bike, closest I came was dragged over the front of the bike looking at the front number plate then it sorted itself out and I wobbled on .. smell it ? I was sat in it .. Not much you can do with a proper slapper apart from hang on haha.

...front number plate...??  there isn't any!

You're showing your tender years here Amsterdam, front number plates in the UK were only abolished in the 80's.

The front number plate on a race bike .. at the front of the bike with a number on it ;o)

(06-01-2015, 06:06 PM)Alfie Noakes Wrote: The front number plate on a race bike .. at the front of the bike with a number on it ;o)

ow right, I see... thought about registration number plate, us lot out here used to happily wave at speed cameras in front of us, suppose the Brittish used to do the same. Unfortunately nowadays, you don't really see them they are more hidden, don't flash a light etc.

Thank you guys. I think I've got it now!

(06-01-2015, 05:32 PM)dommyman Wrote:

(06-01-2015, 05:14 PM)Amsterdam Wrote:

(06-01-2015, 02:38 PM)Alfie Noakes Wrote: It's basically the whole bike "going into one", very violently shaking side to side, lock to lock, front to back with the rider's legs and arms slapping the tank with feet off pegs sometimes, they are truly terrifying, often go on for long enough for you to think "this is it" and start without any notice or warning, usually at higher speeds where the bike is skimming the tarmac and in the worst scenario the rider can be spat off the bike, closest I came was dragged over the front of the bike looking at the front number plate then it sorted itself out and I wobbled on .. smell it ? I was sat in it .. Not much you can do with a proper slapper apart from hang on haha.

...front number plate...??  there isn't any!

You're showing your tender years here Amsterdam, front number plates in the UK were only abolished in the 80's.

Hang on ... tender years! haha, I quite like that one!
We never had them at all, not that I've seen... indeed, probably... only just ... tender!!!

If it's properly gone in to one you have to hope it sorts itself out - you can't do anything else apart from hang on, thankfully most of 'em do but they can go on for what seems like ages. A very basic example is a shopping trolley wheel - as you push the trolley the wheels reach a speed / frequency and they'll shake from side to side.

At my first Manx I was heading down the Sulby Straight, pre resurfacing, at a good rate of knots when my Ducati went into a massive tank slapper, something it had never done before or since.

It was obviously only going to end one way when a quote from Ray Knight popped into my head re tankslappers 'stamp on the back brake'.

Excellent advice Ray, it worked. If only you had thought to add that it would be wise to pump the front brake to get the pads back in contact with the disc.

That years Manx ended in a rose bush in the front garden of the house at the end of the straight, after my first enthusiatic application of the brakes resulted in the lever coming back to the bars, as did the second and third.

On the bright side, the Ginger Hall were extremely welcoming, providing an ice bucket for my rapidly swelling wrist and several pints of bitter, for medicinal purposes only you understand.

In my youth, and early days on motorbike, I remember the somewhat older guys telling us young pups tales of tankslappers.. and their advice at the time was... if you got one accelerate out of it.
Hmmmm..
Luckily I never experienced a full-blown tankslapper.. but had more than a few wobbly moments due to front forks being filled with 10% oil and 90% water. Well no one told me that fork seals could fail !!!!!! lol..

All I know about them is if one of my bikes gets one , it will have a for sale sign slapped on it on its return home if it makes it that far ,

.

(06-02-2015, 12:07 AM)Shooie Wrote: In my youth, and early days on motorbike, I remember the somewhat older guys telling us young pups tales of tankslappers.. and their advice at the time was... if you got one accelerate out of it.  
Hmmmm..  
Luckily I never experienced a full-blown tankslapper.. but had more than a few wobbly moments due to front forks being filled with 10% oil and 90% water.  Well no one told me that fork seals could fail !!!!!!   lol..

That was what I was told, too!

(06-02-2015, 08:26 PM)Steady the Edward Wrote: All I know about them is if one of my bikes gets one , it will have a for sale sign slapped  on it on its return home if it makes it that far ,

.

Eddy! New avatar!
Are you going to Ilkley?

Not sure how you're mean't to accelerate when the bars are smashing themselves against the lockstops and your feet are off the pegs, a proper high speed slapper has you sat there until it sorts itself out or not .. the application of back brake might work but the physics of that will make the bike stand up - ok in a straight line, not with any lean angle involved. Just hang on to her

Sparks whats with the trying to confuse me !! why would I be going to Ilkley moor ba tat ?

yes changed the avatar "with a little help from my friends" as it says in the song , shhhhh Malcolm dont tell ,


.

(06-02-2015, 09:16 PM)captainsparkledotcom Wrote:

(06-02-2015, 12:07 AM)Shooie Wrote: In my youth, and early days on motorbike, I remember the somewhat older guys telling us young pups tales of tankslappers.. and their advice at the time was... if you got one accelerate out of it.  
Hmmmm..  
Luckily I never experienced a full-blown tankslapper.. but had more than a few wobbly moments due to front forks being filled with 10% oil and 90% water.  Well no one told me that fork seals could fail !!!!!!   lol..

That was what I was told, too!

(06-02-2015, 08:26 PM)Steady the Edward Wrote: All I know about them is if one of my bikes gets one , it will have a for sale sign slapped  on it on its return home if it makes it that far ,

.

Eddy! New avatar!
Are you going to Ilkley?

Cap Sparkle.. and we lived to tell the tale or the "stories" of dering-do tankslappers.