[ABS0LUTEric]

So i went out for a ride today, and saw a nice straight road ahead of me, so i did what anyone would do on their GSXR. I'm shifting out of 1st into second full throttle clutchless, i usually except the front tire to come up a little when i get on her this hard, but what happened when the tire came back to the ground i was not expecting. Yeah, so that was my first time with the whole tank slapping thing. Needless to say i was scared shitless, i thought i was going down for sure. the bike slowed and it eventually straighten its self out I'm ok, my shins took a beating as i barley hung on to the bike and they dangled off slapped against the bike.
So now I'm kinda freaked out about the whole thing, and alittle scared to romp on my bike. Friday im leaving for Mid-Ohio to do my second track day, I need some confidence back in my riding. So my question is, is the stock steering dampener on the GSXR a POS?? i mean im sure its better then nothing. Is it worth the 400-500 for a GPR or Pitbull or even a Arrow? does anyone recommend what to buy and from where. I'm thinking about the GPR VR4 from sportbiketrackgear, iv order allot of stuff from them and they seem pretty good

Thanks for any help you guys are able to provide..

 

[tatsu]

I don't have an answer for your damper questions but after watching the video posted on here about suspension tuning. It couldn't hurt to take that into consideration?

Check it out
http://www.gsxr.com/showthread.php?t=64750

 

[PacificGSXR1000]

Thanks for surviving and be a lesson giver to others. Watch out for getting the front end light. Rough road and a light front end don't mix well like you found setting it down a little rough. Bumps in the road can set you up for the same trick. Even a great damper can go into a tank slapper but the better dampers set to hard will prevent it most of the time. One thing to always remember hehehe don't fight it by grabbing the clip ons and trying to stop it. I gotta laugh because survival says heck yah fight the heck out of it but once its ripping back and forth in its occilations like you found out your fighting it wont stop it and if it does start to settle down one of your inputs is going to be full tilt putting the wheel to one side so the darn thing will swing from stop to stop again. Anyway just remember even a brick house damper can get beat by conditions being right for a tank slapper like you found the forces are pretty powerful. You have to weld the forks straight to never get them.

Know the conditions that promote the tank slapper which is the front end light. Watch out for known rought spots when flying it. Getting ditched off the bike flying over a bridge isn't funny but the little rises can get you into a light front end then wham wham wham helpless as a noodle riding the bike. Congradulations on surviving it and work on not getting the front too light at the wrong spots. But if you are going to be wheeling there aint no hope of knowing when the next time could be

Oh yah figured you already know not to be gripping hard figuring you are steering by holding tight to the bars which you probably were doing coming down. Don't be riding gripping the bars hard or something like it. Get away with as light of a feel on the bars as you can get away with. Human input away fron the natural track the wheel wants to take is going to start the first occilation which can expand into a full blown tank slapper. Have fun and ride safe. Remember don't set your self up flying it gripping the bars hard and such.

 

[Mister Tee]

Normally the stock steering damper will still allow some minor headshakes, which can be unnerving if you aren't used to it but it does the job. A good aftermarket damper is nice, and worthwhile though.