KTM headshake

[KTM200/stevo0987]

I got a 2004 200exc about a month ago and ive got headshake about 7 times at about 80kmh and boy did i shit myself (not literily lol) ive taken it to the dome valley mx park twice and both times i get really bad headshake in the whoops,im about 55kg 15 years old, the front suspention is perfect it hasnt bottomed out yet which is good cos i do like to do jumps,the back suspention is nice but it has bottomed out 3-4 times but yea im sure you get the idea.i dont want to spend any money until i get my topend done then i will try get my suspention done for me..

[p.dath]

I'm a road rider myself, so don't have experience with your kind of bike, but that doesn't sound right to me.

[gspiggs]

sounds like steering head bearings shouldnt be too hard or expensive to replace

[BoristheBiter]

What he said.

Also are you pulling back on the bars or using the engine to lift the front out of the whoops?

And you didn't say what terrain you are riding.

[Hitcher]

I thought this was going to be another "waving" thread.

[noobi]

More than likely the springs are too light, and the shock is probably not set up as well as it could be. PDS KTMs are really picky about sag and spring set up. Even so, the pre 07 chassis favoured quick turning over high speed stability, so you may just have to live with the shake.

You can have the suspension resprung/revalved or both to suit your riding ability, which is not cheap. Or you can try playing with what you have and try to find a set up which minimised head shake.

A steering damper is another option, but they are more of a band aid for ill set up suspension, and they aren't cheap either.

Sorry to be such a sour puss, but I don't think you'll find a straight forward and simple solution to head shake at high speed.

[KTM200/stevo0987]

ok haha sorry, the terrain i ride in mostly is our farm witch i have a 70ft jump with almost a flatlanding it bottomed out the back 3 times and the front hardly moved and i ride on mx tracks alot and a few trailrides a month i would say, i can live with it but its just annoying and i cant ride my fastest because of it,

[KTM200/stevo0987]

What he said.

Also are you pulling back on the bars or using the engine to lift the front out of the whoops?

And you didn't say what terrain you are riding.

I tried doing that on the last 15 laps of the track and it seemed to get better but its still hanging around abit

[Ocean1]

Before you do anything set the front and rear sag to the book. Then spend some time getting the damping set up at least close. THEN if it's a bit twitchy drop the rear preload 5mm. Try again. If you want it yet more stable lower the forks in the clamps 5mm. Try some more.

[nzspokes]

Real man would be doubling and tripling the woops. Just sayin.

[ktm84mxc]

Ahhhh the dreaded KTM head shake myth or fact ?
It all comes down to set up the sag should be 95mm static sag 25mm, at 55kg your probably to light for the standard springs which are the norm for 65-70kg.
How do you have the bars set up ? if to far back it'll handle like a chopper, check the wheel bearings and steering head ones also. Try lowering the forks in the clamps just don't go above the caps.
Fit a new front tire a good one MS3,MT32,Geomax51 etc.
It's not a MX bike it's designed to cut a path through a forest so suspension is set up for that.

[KTM200/stevo0987]

Hmmmm so my bikes had a few cartwheel lessons around the paddock (my brother crashed it and was in hospital for a week)... since then i decided to start thinking,ok so first thing i did was drop the forks in the clamps as much as i could (so they were level)... i think im gonna need a stiffer rear spring, the back sits real high when no one is on the bike and i dont make much of a difference the compression is turned nearly all the way in (6 clicks back) mostly because its really soft and ive tried keeping my body weight on the back of the bike but still happens. its worse when i stand up when i sit down i dont get much but my back gets a beating... we were thinking about getting new triple clamps to change the rake and stuff... Any one know about suspension that could help? PLEASE!!!!! need it sorted before woodhill 2 man starts

[KTM200/stevo0987]

Oh and if you watch this vid of me at the dome valley mx last week you will see alot of headshake!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piv8ddJ9y3U

[BoristheBiter]

Oh and if you watch this vid of me at the dome valley mx last week you will see alot of headshake!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piv8ddJ9y3U

The only real head shake i noticed was what the camera was mounted to.
How loose are the head bearings? if you have the bike on a stand (not the side one ) how free is the front end? like if you spin the bars does it hit the stops and bounce back or does it stop dead?

And it might have been the angle of the camera and shadow but it looked like your elbows are down.

I do just think the suspension is FUBAR. strip it, clean it and reset it. you might even find something else is wrong when you do.

Unless you really know what you are doing I would leave the position of the forks, rake angle etc to the experts.

[KTM200/stevo0987]

The only real head shake i noticed was what the camera was mounted to.
How loose are the head bearings? if you have the bike on a stand (not the side one ) how free is the front end? like if you spin the bars does it hit the stops and bounce back or does it stop dead?

And it might have been the angle of the camera and shadow but it looked like your elbows are down.

I do just think the suspension is FUBAR. strip it, clean it and reset it. you might even find something else is wrong when you do.

Unless you really know what you are doing I would leave the position of the forks, rake angle etc to the experts.

Thanks man i seen to ride in a "casual" position. When i spin the bars it hits the stop and bounces back...