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Trying to get the knee down on the 636 but having major dramas. The front end seems to wobble a little when trying to get the knee down. I get the bike over to about 40' then I get this wobbling from the front end. It isn't that bad but I can feel the front end is not liking it. Not sure if it is suspension settings, tyre's (Michilin pilot power) or me on the bike.

Any idea's of the things I could look for to help figure it out.

could be tyre is cold?

Are you carrying your weight on the tank and not the bars?

The sun maybe shining but the tarmac is still cold! Be careful. Its probably your suspension!

I'd get the suspension set up by a near by guru first

RedexRobB wrote:could be tyre is cold?

Are you carrying your weight on the tank and not the bars?

Don't think it's a cold tyre as it does it even after a good ride, but then as Scott metioned the roads aren't that warm yet so maybe not getting enough heat in the tyre??

zxr_oli wrote:I'd get the suspension set up by a near by guru first

Been thinking about this but wanna try and save a bit of money. If all else fails then will probably take this option.

RedexRobB wrote:could be tyre is cold?

Are you carrying your weight on the tank and not the bars?

I do feel as though I put too much weight on the bars, especially the inside handle bar. Maybe get some of that stompgrip stuff for the tank to get more leg grip. After watching superbike school you should be able to let go of the bars with the leg gripping (obviously not when cornering )

So next job, get tyres well warmed up, and get weight onto tank not bars. See how I get on!

Could you Kd on the zxr? If no, then its 95% down to your body position. Plus, if you've only jsut got the bike, is it whise to be pushing it at this early stage? My best mate bought a brand new p7f zx6 and wrote it off within a month pushing too hard.

Scott221 wrote:Could you Kd on the zxr? If no, then its 95% down to your body position. Plus, if you've only jsut got the bike, is it whise to be pushing it at this early stage? My best mate bought a brand new p7f zx6 and wrote it off within a month pushing too hard.

What's that in your sig "One Life, Live It" he he

Seriously I do see what you mean though. Trying not to push it too hard at the mo. Thing is I was knee down all the time on the ZXR400 and had toe sliders down a couple of times. I could push it through the corners, but with this new 6R, I still have about 2cm of chicken strip left and it wobbles even before that. Thinking it is my body position, pressure form me on bars, or the suspension isn't quite right. Personally, the more I think about it the more I think it is me just needing to get my position right and getting the confidence on a larger bike. The 400 was a perfect size for me and the 6R is just on the limit of size for me I think.

The front is slighlty lower than the back aswell, but I don't wanna loosen the rear preload. May even look at lowering the rear just by 1/2 and inch to get the bike level. I did notice that when going round corners at around 30mph when I turn the wheels it feels as if the bike want's to oversteer ie the bars feel as though they are trying to turn more?

I've got a 2004 ZX6R and it handles a dream..................no wobbles at all of course it does have full race suspension and an Olhins steering damper.

One thing I do notice is that it is very much bum in the air riding position (more so than my GSXR600K2) and very much different from my zxr400s maybe yer knees are much higher now .................

check the edge of your tyres if its not been riden hard before you get a ridge that gives nasty wobels when leaning over.

Also of course check tyre pressures and suspention set up (best to return any new bike to the stock settings)

I've found that most times when a bike feels unstable banked over it's because the rider is tensed up more than an Austrian kid in the family basement.

If the back has been jacked up a lot that could well upset it by making it want to turn in way too fast - which might be ok on a track but you really don't want it on the road...

If I were you I'd get it back to the stock settings as others have said, and then see if that cures it.

How old are the tyres do you know? When i got my vfr the tyres were about 4 years old, they looked fine but slid like crazy if leant over!! New set of tyres cured it.

However thats still not a cheap option! lol. As has been said, back to stock and start again.

Could always take it on a trackday to get ure confidence up Last time i went to mallory there was a bloke there who would work with you through the day to set up your suspension for £35, sounds like a good deal to me

I had my 636 tyres off the edge when trying to get my knee down on it, (you know that little triangle off the side of the tyre? I wore the top off it trying) so I reckon your suspension or body position. I have a habit of tucking myself into the bike when cornering and thus not dragging my knee. That and I'm too short.

Oh, and you might be gripping the bars too tight, so feeling it more - try just pushing the bar with just your thumb under it, I mean, leant over that far you don't need to be covering clutch or brake anyways, but keep a looser grip and it'll feel less freaky.

Would defineately reckomend some Stomp Grips, there ace.
Ive got a link for setting suspension
http://www.moto-racing.co.uk/Guides/mot ... R%20WEIGHT

stop pushing for the knee down to start with, and rather than pushing your knee towards the floor pull the knee backwards instead.

it sounds as if you have some positioning and control issues and the best way i can tell you to improve your cornering relaxtion and position is to start going around left and right hand corners one handed. using your knees to shift your body off the seat with just your throttle hand on the bars start to take corners with one hand only. left handers will be more difficult and feel weirder than right handers to start with and start off practising this slowly i dont want to see you falling off trying, only go as fast and lean as far as you are comfortable with, theres no need to push it you will improve over time.

doing all this with only one hand means you cannot grip that bar with your single hand and expect to turn a corner very well at all and you'll learn to relax your grip on the bars and let the bike do what it does. it's a good control exercise and helps your positioning as you wont be able to twist your body around the tank and use the bars to hold you up.

i'd be disinclined to say the wobbles are occuring because of poorly setup suspension, i dont think your ability is pushing the bike that far and your far better learning to ride the bike rather than trying to make the bike learn to carry you. and again dont struggle to go knee down, it's a big cause of accidents and if your desperate to do it then go for a track day and after a few laps you just can't help getting your knee down. but only once you've sorted out your body positioning to a point at which you are comfortable.

Thanks for all the info peeps. Have been reading through the posts and looking at all the different things. I have looked at the tyres, suspension settings and my body position. I am in agreement with most that it is ME that is causing the issue. Reason being, I am not really pushing it that hard when I am trying to get my knee down, so with stock suspension settings, correct tyre pressure etc etc I should not have any problems. I would say I am too tensed up as it's a new bike and I don't wanna wreck it so am not relaxed like I was on the 400. Had a look at the suspension guide, and the bike is set up as needed (great link btw) and will be getting some stomp grips on next trip to George Whites

I reckon I am putting too much weight on the bars due to a bad body position so this is what I need to work on. I went to Poole Quay Teusday night and on the way home tried a few things (no one handed corners tried to take my hand off once and toad myself, bollox to that) but I did try holding the bars less and moving my weight around. It did make a difference although still no knee down.

Got a track day booked at Brands Hatch on the 20th so will be able to get some practice in and see how it goes from there. Hopefully get a pic with the knee on the deck and will post if I do!!

God I miss my 400!! Next bike will be a 400 with a 6R lump in it (perfection!!)