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Post by kenmb on Dec 21, 2022 8:59:52 GMT -6
That is the other piece of advice: if you need modify an existing sled significantly to do what you want you are further ahead getting one already setup. The one I sold had an 1 1/4" x 144 track factory being the Switchback model of the day so dual purpose. Changed that to 1 3/4" and dropped the gearing because it would top out over 100mph. The twin pipes were just something to do. Next sled was the 2010 600 Rmk with 144 x 2" track because I like playing in soft snow. Don't need to go to mountains to use a bigger track. The only time we are on any kind of trail is viewed as a necessary evil to get from point A to B then get off trail again. I started the trail riding game and appreciate the idea of getting out with a group of people and visiting shacks, I simply moved on to the experience of taking a machine into places where a guy challenges himself to make the machine do what I need it to do. Yes, I fall off and/or get stuck and the more I do of both then the better the day was. It's a disappointing day if we can't get a couple of machines stuck.
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Mags
New Member
Posts: 40 Likes: 12
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Post by Mags on Dec 21, 2022 20:00:26 GMT -6
I had a big Vulcan go into high speed wobble as well at 100 mph 25 years ago. Ripped the bars out of my hands. It’s the closest I’ve felt to death in my 47 years. I didn’t ride a street bike for 15 years after that incident.
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Post by northernfarmer on Dec 21, 2022 22:52:48 GMT -6
I had a big Vulcan go into high speed wobble as well at 100 mph 25 years ago. Ripped the bars out of my hands. It’s the closest I’ve felt to death in my 47 years. I didn’t ride a street bike for 15 years after that incident. Looking back on that experience did you have any theories on what initiated the high speed wobble and by that, such examples as environmental conditions like a side wind, grooves in the highway from heavy traffic, a bump, mechanics of the motorcycle such as the front tire or any issues with the front forks. I believe some motorcycles by their design are more prone to do this then others as well.
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Post by jcalder on Dec 21, 2022 23:21:54 GMT -6
Oh here we go with the "600 is as good as an 800" garbage.
I've had them all too. 440's, 500's, 600's, 700's, 800's and my most recent is an 850. I've also had everything from a 121 to a 166. I think I have 9 sleds in my shop right now.
While I still love ripping around on my 440 XCR's my 800 Switchback and my new 850 XCR (limited use obviously) are my favorites. My 600 Dragon is fun too but just doesn't have the snap of the bigger bores.
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Post by hardrockacres on Dec 22, 2022 7:38:00 GMT -6
jcalder, That's why my Winder has the tunes...so I have some decent snap. compared to the yamaha my 800 sks is like comparing a 440 to an 800. Its still fun, but when you hit it at 60 you wonder where all the power is.
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Post by meskie on Dec 22, 2022 7:43:02 GMT -6
jcalder, That's why my Winder has the tunes...so I have some decent snap. compared to the yamaha my 800 sks is like comparing a 440 to an 800. Its still fun, but when you hit it at 60 you wonder where all the power is. It would be hard to go back to a 800 or 850 after having my turbo Yamaha. Mine only has the 190 kit on it. I bought my son a 600rmk a couple years ago and that thing is fun to throw around in the snow but it’s hard to get used to the limited power band on it.
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Mags
New Member
Posts: 40 Likes: 12
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Post by Mags on Dec 22, 2022 19:12:36 GMT -6
I’m going to blame the bike but who knows, happened so quick. I remember glancing down and thinking I’ll quit being a fool and let off at 100. Wobble started rite at 100. Started slowing down when bars ripped out of my hands obviously, then got more violent and thought was for sure going to die. Then applied rear brake and reached for the bars and by some miracle the grips landed in my hands and all was good. Was on good highway straightaway, no cracks or pebbles that I recall, nice day, no wind. It wasn’t my bike, friend had bought it, I took it for first and last test ride.
Told friend what had happened and seriously suggested he never go that fast on that POS. Haha
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Post by northernfarmer on Dec 22, 2022 19:58:03 GMT -6
Don't you hate it when something awful happens and there is no explanation for it, I am sure there was something but like you say nothing you could put your finger on. Assuming this was either a new bike or one with few miles on it but could very well be a front tire that was out of balance. The reason I asked was that I had experienced high speed wobble years ago on someone else's bike and it didn't have that many miles or years on it. While it very well could have had some inherent issues as per the bike model, I was under full throttle climbing a river valley grade and that grade was starting to crest the hill and the bike gaining a bit more speed and I hit a bump or could have been a multiple ripple in the pavement and was going about 95 and suddenly the bars were moving quick from side to side and in that instant cut the throttle and it didn't take long and it quit doing that. It never did throw my hands off the bars and there is no way to fight it as the power in the wobble is greater then what a human has to control it. Yes that startled me all right and thought in that instant "this is it !" but I came out of it ok and not from skill either. Come to think about it I never told the owner of the bike as to what happened ( a relate ). A few years later I drove the same bike again although not at that speed but I was on gravel roads and he had put new tires on it of a different brand and boy did it handle a lot better on gravel with the different tires, shows how different some tires can be and the pressure may have been different as well. I never have gotten my bike license as I planned different times to get a street bike but with the shitty roads we have up here and having to do some gravel to get to the highway and the short season, I just never did. Here and there I have tried out other peoples bikes though, all illegal as was my wobble experience. Good thing I didn't experience that when I tried out a crotch rocket doing 155 as I swear at that speed if a bee hits you it might knock you off the bike. Funny how with a bike like that I could drive along at 125 and that seem like I was idling along wind resistance wise as that extra 30 mph seemed like a wall of wind is hitting the rider.
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Post by generalchaos on Dec 23, 2022 9:28:57 GMT -6
My ‘74 Kawasaki H1 500 triple has a little dampener below the handle bars. I don’t know if it helps much with the death wobble.
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Post by northernfarmer on Dec 23, 2022 10:16:46 GMT -6
From reading about steering dampers and there are purely mechanical ones and then fancy electronic ones that vary the resistance according to speed so the resistance is low at low speed when one wants to turn the bars more aggressively but at high speed it becomes a lot more firm. The gist I get is that they can help, perhaps avoiding the event to happen in the first place but if it does happen that it helps control the violent movements. Apparently the electronic units have been standard equipment on various sport bikes for quite a few years now which I expect is for a good reason.
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Post by Bigtalk on Dec 23, 2022 16:53:17 GMT -6
Rode motocross and enduro bikes but never rode any road bikes except a Harley, but that doesn't count right? (and a Moto-Guzzi) Wouldn't the rake angle of the forks make a huge difference to high speed stability, along with suspension design?
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Post by northernfarmer on Dec 23, 2022 18:36:23 GMT -6
That is a very good question about fork/rake angle and how much effect that has on high speed wobble. It does make a large difference as to straight line stability at the expense of handling at lower speeds and being able to make high speed curves as otherwise racing bikes would have a large rake angle which they don't. Does that mean a large rake will eliminate a high speed wobble, so far have not seen an article that digs into that aspect. Here is an article that makes a comment on a specific Harley build design that has an inherent issue and I rather doubt it has a steering angle like a racer but it goes to show flex will initiate the problem. There is a video down the page on this link which captures various high speed wobbles and no it doesn't inspire confidence but shows how the bike handled and in some cases what triggered it ( cat walking ).
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Post by northernfarmer on Dec 23, 2022 19:31:32 GMT -6
Here's some serious horsepower under the hood of that sled, surprised he can even hang on with that much acceleration.
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Post by hardrockacres on Jan 6, 2023 7:19:04 GMT -6
Brought this unit home last night. Snowchecked unit that someone didn't want. Should be a good trail sled vs my 146" and 153" sleds.
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Post by wheatking76 on Jan 6, 2023 17:59:36 GMT -6
i upgraded over Christmas aswell i found a renegade backcountry for a good deal so i picked it up and sold my just regular renegade pretty quick, seems like you talk to alot of "interesting characters" when you have a sled for sale
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