Death, just moments away

high speed wobble was is a big problem with these frames thats why kosman made a brace kit and sold stablizers for them.it got worse with age as the steering head bearings would get pits it the races.

i got those daily when i was coming up...nothing much to worry about...these old bikes will tell you when your getting in deep...bigger bike...bigger wobble is all....next one gets easier...imo

good tires and better rear shocks will cure it 9 outta ten times...maintenance and correct bike settings aside

Here's a old English video on weave and wobbles. Theres also some cool shots with a 73 Z1 in the demo.

i don't care how much a guy prays if he wrecks at that speed he's gonna shoot on past heaven

well thats why i was asking..and well i've met some engineers and they were quite dumb actually they just knew more then me ..

VenturaRider wrote: Here's a old English video on weave and wobbles. Theres also some cool shots with a 73 Z1 in the demo.

very informative thanks for sharing

seems a little too simple....notice they focus on tire and pressure though....weight equals load on tire .....no hands ma

650ed wrote: I have no personal experience with a Z1 or KZ900, but the KZ650 and KZ1000 didn't have any wobble at any speed when new. Ed

Note: I can say with 100% confidence that the KZ650-C1 did not have any inherent speed wobble when new. Please understand my comment is not based on theory, hearsay, or myth. It is based on my buying a new KZ650-C1 off the showroom floor in April 1977 and riding it for more than 35 years (and I still ride it). For the first 32 years there was absolutely no wobble of any sort at any speed. The shocks on the KZ650 wore out after only 2 years at about 12,000 miles and were replaced with better units. The worn out original shocks made handling in the turns inadequate, but did not generate speed wobble. Three years ago, at approximately 47,000 miles, I experienced a consistent 90+ mph speed wobble because of a bad tire(s). That was the first time the bike ever had a wobble. After replacing the tires the wobble is totally gone. Along with the tires I replaced the steering stem bearings (which had dimpled) with tapered roller bearings and installed new swing arm bushings, but the cause of the problem was the tires.

The year after I bought my bike a good friend bought a new (1978) KZ1000-A2. I rode that bike up to speed and experienced no wobble. My friend and I logged many many miles together, often taking forays into triple digit speeds, and he never experienced wobble. He did not keep his bike as long as I kept mine, but suffice it to say the bike had no wobble when new.

Folks can express different opinions on the internet, and some may have experienced wobble due to bad tires or other components, or even manufacturing defects, and I certainly cannot speak to every model made. However, I can say without a doubt that the 2 models I mentioned had no design related speed wobble issues. If they did, the bikes my friend and I rode would have experienced that problem because I don't believe a manufacturing fluke would prevent a design problem from showing up. Ed

Ya should of tried riding a brand new 77 kz1000,they had lots of issues with pretty much every part on them! :sick: :woohoo:
78 gave them another year to work the bugs out,but between those junk dont-grip tires and the factory shocks and flexing swingarms they were still a dressed up pig on stilts with a big motor in stock form! :laugh:
Good aftermarket rubber and shocks made a night/day differance though

:S

I got a set of fox floats off my snowmobile ..thought i'd use them in the summer ..they are very tune able shocks ..i think everything fairly stiff and all the bearings bushings tight and good rubber...if you get a tank slapper then its just meant to be

The best wibbly wobbly is here @ 3.37 & HE GOT AWAY WITH IT, it was Michael Pearson at last years IOM TT.

The cameraman had a brown trouser moment though

!

Here's a guy who knows how to go through a turn like a man.........