Steering damper, but it's a bandaid fix.

Tire pressures, steering head bearings too loose, forks too high in the triple clamps, rear raised up too high. These can be contributing factors towards a tankslapper. More specifically on the forks and rear being too high, is that the attitude of the chassis is changed to the point that rake and trail are reduced, sacrificing stability.

Man I am glad your ok.Look on ebay for the side cover if i see any I will email you.

so are there some specific measurements for all of these or how does one make sure he's not going to get a slapper? is it in the manual somewhere? any suggestions are appreciated cause now I am not even sure I want to get on my bike before I check all of this stuff...

Start here: http://www.peterverdonedesigns.com/introduction.htm

Your bike hasn't changed since you last rode it, and it hasn't done this before for however long you've been riding it, so unless you can duplicate the conditions that caused your first tankslapper, it's probably not going to happen again.

I need more information, so muster up your diagnostic skills, and tell me what you can recall from what happened in more detail.

Quote from: Soaringor if I actually releazed the brake without wheels being aligned but suddenly I  feel like I am a rodeo rider trtying to stay in the saddle when the front of my GS goes left and right trying to get rid of me

Define:

Quote from: Soaringthe front of my GS goes left and right

And: "without wheels being aligned"

I read about your 'accident' several times. I hope I learn something new that keeps me on the seat of the GS for many miles more.

At least you feel well enough to post about it.

Quote from: Soaringso are there some specific measurements for all of these or how does one make sure he's not going to get a slapper? is it in the manual somewhere? any suggestions are appreciated cause now I am not even sure I want to get on my bike before I check all of this stuff...

Is your bike stock? Are the tops of the fork tubes flush with the tripleclamp? Tire pressures?

The next thing to do is to set suspension sag, as per the link I supplied.

Hey Scratch, nice link! Looks like a deep well of knowledge

as for definitions

I just remember that at MSF we were told that you cannot let go of the brake still you straighten the bike, so that both wheels are in the same direction.

and for the front going left and right, that's "as is", handlebar was going from one side to another (two or three times before I was kicked out of the saddle) and I had no control over it whatsoever. Also as far as I can remember the road surface became different at the highway entrance, don't know if that played a role as well...

Quote from: scratch

Quote from: Soaringso are there some specific measurements for all of these or how does one make sure he's not going to get a slapper? is it in the manual somewhere? any suggestions are appreciated cause now I am not even sure I want to get on my bike before I check all of this stuff...

Is your bike stock? Are the tops of the fork tubes flush with the tripleclamp? Tire pressures?

The next thing to do is to set suspension sag, as per the link I supplied.

bike is stock except for mirrors tires are good as I checked them recently, but I am not sure what do you mean by "Are the tops of the fork tubes flush with the tripleclamp?"

Possible the road irregularity may have something to do with it. Was there a significant edge between the two different surfaces?

and I don't think I'll be able to recall anything else. I was going 35-40 the sign at the entrance stated 20mph so I reached for the brakes, then I remember thinking that I shouldn't brake in the turn and another thought that you don't wan't to let go of the brake if your bike is not straightened up. I am not sure if I actually reacted on any of these thoughts. the next thing I know my handlebars goes from one side to another, the bike was not leaning or at least not that much, at that point I was on new road surface and in a few sec I was flying and landing on my right side, I think it felt like I was kicked up a little but may be that's just an impression.. so just like i said, I don't think I can remember anything else.. unless you ask for something specific, then I might be able to remember something more

do you mean whether there was a bump? I don't think so, although not too sure, those who ride to ACH and on the way back take 210w might correct me here.

ok, here's some more info I found on tankslappers, for those who might be interested.. a friend of mine with tons of experience told me that most probably the slapper happened because I was holding the handlebar too tightly (and that makes sense because I got spooked and most probably DID grab the handlebar with all my strength) and that is the worst thing you can do. you need to do just the opposite, relax your grip and teh slapper won't get to a violent stage and will die soon because of the rotating front wheel momentum. My friend had a chance to try it with this:

http://www.superbikeschool.com/machinery/braking-bike.php

and the first time when he braked haard holding on to the handlebar the slapper happened way before the wheel locked, when he tried second time with relaxed grip, there was no sign of a slapper till the wheel locked..

hope this helps someone to avoid this stupid mistake, as instinctively I think most people would grab the bar when scared instead of letting it go easy...