Braking technique check if you please
 

I know if we really scrub off speed too quickly that the rear of the bike can lighten and dance a little underneath you.
We've seen the GP bikes do it all the time.

Well yesterday while exiting the highway in a mmmmm rather hurried fashion. Coming down from 80mph to say 35 to make the exit ramp entry I had the rear wiggle markedly. Not stepping out , but definitly the " weight shift wiggle and boogie woogie".

So was I just being a dopey **** and scrubbing speed way to quickly...or might I need to readjust the rear Ollie?

Oh circumstances had me scrubbing off the speed in an estimated distance of maybe 10 bike lengths. maybe...thats a big guess

All comments accepted, smart azz or otherwise.

I wouldn't think the rear would need adjusting but how was your front set?

I had a BCP and "accidentally" did a stoppie once. A friend was already stopped at a light. I thought I would pull up along side him and stop REALLY fast just to freak him out. Turns out I freaked myself out since the back of the bike came about 1 foot off of the ground! Dumb, I know... when the back end of the bike landed on the ground he was shocked I could do that. I had no idea you could either.

Anyway, I found out first hand you can raise the back of an 1100S but you've really got to be on the brakes.

How were you applying the front and rear brakes? Is there any bumps on the exit ramp to make added dancing?

Flatty, I've had mine do the James Brown many times, and mines abs. Its good braking buddy. Probably more body weight transfer to the front than anything else. JMHO. If you weren't out of control and the bike did just what you wanted it to, then its just good braking! Awfully quick slowing based on what you said. Woo Hoo ! If it wasn't directly straight line braking, then at that speed decrease you should experience that sensation. Once again, JMHO. I love the James Brown experience. Makes me smile.

You hooligan you! :D

It reminds me too I am having fun.

Dear Mr. Butt1,
Your candid description of the " weight shift wiggle and boogie woogie" is simply caused by not having enough 'junk in your trunk'. BMW Motorad would advise you to add ballast to the rear of the bike in the form of a female companion- preferably one that understands the importance of the boogie woogie dance. This will alleviate certain parts from 'rising' but may have other 'side effects' which may or may not be hazardous to your health (please see a phyisican after 24 hours of pure riding enjoyment). If added ballast is a solution not to your liking, then living with said 'boogie woogie dance' is, by all means, normal at these accelerated braking rates.

Sincerely,

Mr. K

Wouldn't it get rather painful after 24 hours? :D

some of the dance is caused by the front end.
after trying motoyoyo's beefier triple clamps, i've noticed that most of that boogie goes bye-bye.
under harsh braking, the front wheel is trying to escape...it wants to go anywhere that force isn't being applied. the tire squishes down, the tread wants to wander around, and the forks flex. when all this up-front physics fun is transmitted down the chassis it meets the unusually light rear wheel, which is often just barely skimming across the ground.
it's a tail-wagging thing.
two simple solutions: get the beefier triple clamps, or hit the brakes even harder to get the rear wheel off the ground (so it can't wiggle).
there's also a bit of left/right fed into the bike by you. it's almost impossible to hold the bars straight while you squeeze the front brake lever. one arm is going to be dominant over the other, even if it's just a very small percentage. this can also give the front end the illusion of escape ("hey, if i squirm a little to the left, knowing this guy is heavy-right handed, maybe i can get out from under all this pressure.").

bottom line: the wiggle isn't overly threatening. you can look at it as an indication that you're getting great response out of the front end, and that makes the bike happy....so it wags it's tail.

the rear wheel would lock when braking the victory. softened the rear shock a notch, and solved the problem.

Great input guys thanks!

The left / right fed in by the rider, no matter how good, is enormous compared to that allowed by the triples.. Hard braking will do that as weight transfers off the rear. No amount of shocks, forks, clamps, or other money will change that.

...did anybody mention ABS in this thread?

Also, if you're downshifting at the same time, the wagging will be greatly intensified. DAMHIK

My Fish-Flop Flexy-Frame Airhead GS would do the hard braking boogie-woogie even worse...I'd always just let it have it's head and flow with it...the "drama factor" faded with each successive encounter.

OTOH, check your Frame Weld Tab down by the Shift Lever / SwingArm area since these are known to crack on the older models. Maybe have a good look over the rest of the frame too when you get a chance.

I assume Swartzy didn't notice anything amiss last year when he did your Clutch Job but it never hurts to check.

you did

jeez rog, and i was trying to be SO KIND about it....yet here you are, you bubble-burster you.....

yep. tis true. and most guys don't even consider the "pressure on the appropriate opposing footpeg to accomodate/counteract the dominant arm" thing.

don't even tell anybody that i slightly shift my hips to accomodate/compensate for the broken collarbone on the weaker side.


ssshhhhh....

dang, it's almost like you've been spending time on the "i can't lie..it is what it is" racetrack.....learning the finer subleties and nuances and stuff....

next thing ya know, you'll expose our rabbit out of the hat trick!