I've had my bike out the last couple days and have had several scary experiences...tank slappers. They weren't as bad as some videos I've seen but it still managed to scare the **** out of me and I had to roll off the throttle and let it run its course (a few seconds).

It seems to happen upon heavy acceleration in third gear several seconds after leaving second (around 100 mph or so). It just seems my front end is getting too light even when I'm holding it down for dear life. Is there something going on with my front suspension that is causing this? Or what else could it be, I don't want to keep experiencing tank slappers every time I get on this thing

 

You need a dampener but I can tell you how to tame it down without one.
Loosen up your upper triple clamp bolts (Allen bolts and large bolt). Then get a flat head and turn the spinners under that upper clamp way tight with the flat head screw driver and hammer then retighten everything. This should make sure steering feel slightly stiffer and in the motocross world its known as a poor mans dampener.
Next you need to stiffen your forks up; stock setting is 2 turns out from all the way in on both compression and rebound. Set yours at 1 turn out from all the way in on both compression and rebound.
Don’t be scared to tighten your head (steering) bearing nice and tight, they can take it and have loosened anyways from break in. just dont go so tight that the front gets darty or notchy.
Try this out and you will be impressed I promise

 

ohh and be sure your tires are balenced.

 

Compression is the top flat head slot and rebound is the bottom flat head spot on the forks correct?

Before your post I just read up on recommended suspension settings from a previous thread

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_...dex.html#honda

I set the compression (if it is in fact the top) 2 turns out, and the rebound (bottom flathead) to 2.5. So you think I should just do 1 turn?

BTW, when I went to adjust, the rebound dampening screws were uneven from side to side. The left fork was like 3-3.5 turns out and the right one was a little over 1 turn out. I would assume that would be part of the problem too

edit: I thought about balance too, but I tested that theory and just gradually climbed to over 100mph to about 120 and had no problems at all

 

Think rebound it up top...i forget i get mixed up with my Twin Chamber showa forks on my Suzuki dirt bikes all the time.
Yeah if one setting is way off it could act up.the setting i gave you are to tame down your front end more then they are to give you a great smooth ride. i use these setting right now due to im a new owner of a 954 and i have not got a dampner yet...really helped alot. i tryed tuning it out for a whole day.

 

I'll try these settings for now to see if it helps, if not I'll try what you recommended. Thanks for the help

 

Get a dampner, its the nature of these bikes.

 

Really I think the stock settings of 2 turns out are too soft for aggressive riding. The bike is to busy with them settings and anything softer then 2 turns would be even worse IMO.
Yea a dampener would fix this but if you workout most of this problem without a dampener then it will be that much better with a dampener when you do apply one in the future.

 

its time for gpr or scotts...

 

BTW rebound is on top and compression is on bottom. Showa Twin Chamber forks for Honda and Suzuki motocross bikes are the other way around and I always get twisted because of this.
I wonder when we are going to see Twin Chamber designs on sport bikes or even the KYB SSS design.

Anyhow YES you need a dampener, but when going straight WOT in 3rd gear you should not be getting any head shake. So either way there is an issue that needs to be addressed and buying a dampener may help hide the problem and even save your *** once or twicebut it wont fix the way you have yourchassis set up. A slow wobble could still show itself either way.

Is the bike lowered?