Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: PlaynInPeoria on August 12, 2013, 08:43:08 AM
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It seems like I have developed a bit of a weave. It used to be ok, but now when I am leaned over and going fast, the head shakes a bit, not really quicky like a tankslapper, but enough to be distracting. Fairly new Pirelli Angel GT's on the bike, maybe 3k on them. I was going to increase my front rebound damping, but it was nearly maxed, so I backed it out to 5 clicks out. This didn't seem to help. I backed off my rear preload to slow down the steering, this didn't help either. Maybe I should have put the front rebound back where it was and seen what changing only the rear preload. I prefer to change only one thing at a time and see how it goes, but in this case, I made a mistake and forgot to put the front rebound back before changing the rear preload.
My tire pressure is pretty low (38/35, I can't remember which is front and rear), but is SUCH a pain to change. I bought some of those valve stem extenders which you screw on, change pressure, then remove. I will try to bump the cold pressure up to 42 on both and see if this helps.
I am open to other suggestions. Thanks for your input.
Thanks
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I am really of no use when it comes to the mysteries of suspension setup. But one thing for sure- before you go making changes and such, you really should get the tires back to around 42/42. 38 is 10% off but not terrible. 35 is really pushing it- you should probably be getting an alert on low pressure at 35. (Good way to wear out your new tires!)
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I am really of no use when it comes to the mysteries of suspension setup. But one thing for sure- before you go making changes and such, you really should get the tires back to around 42/42. 38 is 10% off but not terrible. 35 is really pushing it- you should probably be getting an alert on low pressure at 35. (Good way to wear out your new tires!)
I agree with Max, the C14 is a heavy bike. Start with the recommended pressure before trying to adjust anything else. My C14 has never acted like that in a corner.
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My connie seems to be the most tire pressure sensitive for handling bike I've ever owned.
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I am really of no use when it comes to the mysteries of suspension setup. But one thing for sure- before you go making changes and such, you really should get the tires back to around 42/42. 38 is 10% off but not terrible. 35 is really pushing it- you should probably be getting an alert on low pressure at 35. (Good way to wear out your new tires!)
I had it apart for a while while doing the brake unlinking. I got lazy, I was riding the FZ1, which I hadn't ridden much except for our Sunday morning hooligan rides, I had forgotten how much fun that bike is. I always seem to ride the C14 because it's easy with all the storage and they have nearly identical levels of performance despite having totally different feel.
Anyhoo, I bolted it back up from the brake unlink and fired it up, looking for warnings on the dash etc. Then I dropped it in gear on the center stand and ran it up to 105 or so indicated and ... I'm kidding. I did put it in gear and spun it a bit in 1st and 2nd at low rpm just to see if the traction control would be ok. Then I take it for a spin nice and easy up and down my street, all is well so I take it for a slow ride. 10 minutes into it and I get this massive OMG warning I had never seen that totally freaked me out for the first 5 seconds, all it was was low tire pressure. 32 is apparently the point at which it warns. That's when I discovered how hard it was to put air in these tires, what a pain in the ass!
I will throw some air in the tires and see what happens and report back.
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Adding air is easy; it's getting a pressure gauge on the stem that's tricky!
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This is what I use. Seems easy enough.
http://tinyurl.com/lxmhfk9 (http://tinyurl.com/lxmhfk9)
You may have loose head/stem bearings. Have you checked?
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I have a very standard floor pump that is a piece of cake.
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White cake with white icing?
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White cake with white icing?
racist!
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racist!
OK fine- "European American cake with European American icing"
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:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: To both posts.
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And this is one of the reasons I like it here so much. I can laugh my ass of with abandon at least once a day. :finger_fing11:
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+1 on the pressures being brought up to 42.
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as for the mid corner head weave : used to have it too . Until I learned to relax on the bike and ride it properly.
.
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The problem with this issue is that it virtually could be anything in the front end from wheel bearings, tires, suspension set up, air pressure, handle bar pressure.... It's a maddening problem to diagnose.
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+1 on the pressures being brought up to 42.
But of course. 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. It should certainly be adequate for C14 tires.
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Lack of preload on steering neck bearings.
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Try Murphs 90 degree valve stems at the next tire change.
http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=494 (http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=494)
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But of course. 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. It should certainly be adequate for C14 tires.
So, I should have retired at 42?
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And this is one of the reasons I like it here so much. I can laugh my ass of with abandon at least once a day. :finger_fing11:
:thumbs:
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What are the common causes of head shake / tank slapper? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmHU-gtlOKo#ws)
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I aired both ends up to 42 last night and took a ride, it was dark and I was not fully ATGATT so I took it easy. It felt very different, amost chopper-esque. I could feel how much taller it was in the front.
I rode it to work and will take a ride tonight through some curves after my workout and report back. I can't believe this didn't fix the problem. Logically it explains it (used to be great and then wasn't, but I changed nothing) and also just going by the major change in feel I noticed last night.
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as for the mid corner head weave : used to have it too . Until I learned to relax on the bike and ride it properly.
Yeah, I should definitely stop sucking as a rider. I'll work on that. Thanks.
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Fairly new Pirelli Angel GT's on the bike, maybe 3k on them.
In what condition is the front tire?
(I, too, am trying to stop sucking as a rider.) ;)
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Angel GT, maybe 3k on it.
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as for the mid corner head weave : used to have it too . Until I learned to relax on the bike and ride it properly.
Yeah, I should definitely stop sucking as a rider. I'll work on that. Thanks.
And that's when the fight started...
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:rotflmao: And I totally missed that.. :'(
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Is there a 50 or 55 in the rear?
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55. I loved it for a while then suddenly it started weaving. Maybe I started pushing harder because I unlinked the brakes.
Wait, could it be Kipass?