Vibration again.

[Bendy toy]

After Tuesday's more than 500 miles on the bike, I really need to sort out the handlebar vibration.
I've now got some lead shot to fill the bars but thinking about making some hollow bar end weights to fill with shot. Stainless tube fittings being investigated.
I want a hefty weight on each end but realise too big could look silly and don't want to do the job twice.
Does the collective think that 50mm dia x 40mm long would look too bulky? The bigger size will hold a lot more volume of shot.

 

[Tractors are go]

Have you considered, slackening off the engine mounts, run it for couple of minutes the re torque bolts, might help.

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[Bendy toy]

Have you considered, slackening off the engine mounts, run it for couple of minutes the re torque bolts, might help.

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I'll try that. Thanks.

I love the bike but vibes are a problem for me.
Planning to use stainless tube and pipe blank plates to make the end weights. The issue is pipe sizes are not entirely convenient. Hence the question on aesthetics.

 

[Delboy777]

Anti vibe Rox risers, did it for me.

 

[Greenman14]

Are you sure it's not just your bike? I found a missing engine bolt and replacing it made the bike run smoother. I'd certainly try Tractor's re-torquing of engine mounts even though the upper bolts are hard to get at and the through mounting bolt needs a big boy's torque wrench to get to 110 NM.

 

[oldnfat]

Bendy, I have the TC GSA and no vibration issues at all. thats not to say that there isn't any its just the harsh vibes are pretty much gone. The AF Xied units we discussed went along way to curing this.

 

[Schtum]

Bar Snake perhaps....? http://www.barsnake.com/order/secure.html

 

[comberjohn]

That noisy exhaust it's going to make it vibrate more.
It's it just annoying or is it aggravating Carpel Tunnel Syndrome?
My Carpel problems are a lot better since I put a set of wrap around the grips things from Nippy Normans.
Expensive for what they are, but much improvement in wrist problems. Always blamed vibration but even the K16 didn't help.
Larger diameter on the grips seems to.

 

[SteveM]

Hey Bendy, I've had these bar end weights kicking around the workshop for years. I think they're off a G650 I had years ago. Not sure how much they weigh but they're solid steel. They're yours FOC if you want them and can be bothered to pick them up, not sure if they're suitable though.

 

[Bendy toy]

The bike has never been as smooth as I want. The Power Commander has helped because it filled in the 4,000 flat spot. But everywhere else is much the same.
There is a coarse vibration though the footrests but the handlebars have a much higher frequency buzz at engine speed. Headlights in the mirrors have a horizontal smudge so I'm sure it's engine.
I had a missing lower frame bolt. A new one probably improved vibes a bit but not enough to matter. I've not yet unfastened and reset all four. A job for tomorrow.
@SteveM - the bar end weights are like yours - solid steel. Anyone would think they'd help but the effect is minimal.
I have Renthal bars with M10 expanding anchor studs to hold the bar weights in place.
The Rox anti vibe risers definitely help but are not enough on a long run. I suspect the super stiff Renthals amplify vibes.
I have some lead shot to fill the bars but Ive found blanking plugs about 6" in. However with a bore of only 14mm there's probably not enough mass effect.
I will find a way to pop out the plugs and mass fill with shot.
For a few £s I can get stainless blanks 50mm dia. With a short length of tube between I'll get pill boxes to bolt to the bar ends. I'm hoping that filled with lead shot they'll absorb the vibes like a dead blow hammer absorbs impact.
I'm going with 50 dia x 40 long.

 

[rocky burns]

Fill the bars with silicone

 

[NZRalphy]

Bendy my TC vibed a lot until I found a faulty O2 sensor. Replaced then a couple of tanks of gas. Balance the throttle bodies at 3500-4000rpm and all is smooth at 4000

 

[Engineer]

My TC had no serious vibration issues at all, sounds like there is something not quite right with this particular bike.

My first hexhead 2005 had increasing vibes between service intervals - due to throttles slowly going out of balance - throttles on the TC never seemed to go out of balance so maybe the O2 sensor problem as mentioned above?

 

[Bendy toy]

Bendy my TC vibed a lot until I found a faulty O2 sensor. Replaced then a couple of tanks of gas. Balance the throttle bodies at 3500-4000rpm and all is smooth at 4000

I don't believe throttle balance is the problem. TBH its no worse than it ever was and probably, I'm hypersensitive to vibration. The balance is due for another checkup so always worth doing.

I fitted new O2 sensors when the failing black painted coils screwed up the old ones.
O2 sensors are now in a bag tucked away as I have a PC-V fuelling corrector on the bike.
Throttles balanced with a TwinMax (they do work). Tickover improved and pulling away but no detectable difference on the road.
I have a sticking idle stepper motor (intermittent) but once rolling that sorts out and again has no effect on the road.
It has open cans but baffles made no difference to vibes. They did mess up the PCV fuelling (thats another story).

Through all of that motorway vibration has been an issue and has never really got better or worse.

Rox Anti vibe risers helped more than anything but only when fitted near vertical. Use them as pull-backs and they can't stop the Boxer vibes. They were amazing on the Yamaha and helped on the GS though not as much.
Because the risers are tall I fitted low rise McGrath bend Renthals. They are stiff FatBars but probably no more than the OEM FatBars. Put a knuckle against the steering head and its really buzzing. The same at the bar ends is a lot better but 4 hours on the bike leaves hands stiff for days afterwards.

I ran the bike with the Twinmax strapped to the tank. Throttles stayed in balance from tickover up to sensible speeds. Vibes were the same. It was certainly much nicer to use in town.

 

[jwpzx9r]

I have an MTD heavy duty rotavator with a 6.5hp B&S motor on it... it is smoother that my GS To be fair the GS is a bit lumpy but I have no issues at all re mirrors or handle bar vibs yes there are vibs but they are low frequency so I don't find then a bother... actually quite nice getting the feedback of that big boxer engine banging away going up a steep hill

 

[Mac One]

My last bike was one of the early GSA twin cams and after a recall to change a reluctor?? with which the dealership had great difficulty ( had the bike for 10 days, had to order camshaft parts from Germany etc etc.) the bike was running roughly. I had it back to them a few times and they said everything was within tolerances. I took the bike to another dealer and by the time I rode the 60 miles both my hands were completely numb from the vibrations, I drove it in to their workshop and before I even parked the bike one of the technicians said the timing is out on your bike, one or two teeth, when I asked him how he knew, he said ( I kid you not) I can hear it and smell it. Anyway I traded the bike in as it was, against the one i have now, so I never did get the story of the eventual outcome. So, you didn't buy your bike in Dundee did you???? Bendy.

 

[Bendy toy]

My last bike was one of the early GSA twin cams and after a recall to change a reluctor?? with which the dealership had great difficulty ( had the bike for 10 days, had to order camshaft parts from Germany etc etc.) the bike was running roughly. I had it back to them a few times and they said everything was within tolerances. I took the bike to another dealer and by the time I rode the 60 miles both my hands were completely numb from the vibrations, I drove it in to their workshop and before I even parked the bike one of the technicians said the timing is out on your bike, one or two teeth, when I asked him how he knew, he said ( I kid you not) I can hear it and smell it. Anyway I traded the bike in as it was, against the one i have now, so I never did get the story of the eventual outcome. So, you didn't buy your bike in Dundee did you???? Bendy.

Very interesting. I wonder how to check the timing without taking off the timing cover. Its a 2008 (single cam).

Saying that, it pulls like a train (with PC-V). I nearly S**t myself the first time I pinned it in 3rd it was so quick. Misaligned timing would surely affect performance but worth a look certainly. Sort of on that subject the tappet clearances are correct.

BTW, it originally came from Surrey.

Dave

 

[Banditsteve]

Hope u get to the bottom of this problem mate as mine vibrates too. Lovely at 70mph but vibes start about 72 or 73 and just stay there all the way up to whatever speed u like. My tyres are on the list of things to swap at some point and it has the original pattern tourances on at the moment which are quite knobbly but I will be replacing them with either the Tourance Next's or Pilot Road 3 or 4's which are obviously road biased and see if that makes any difference. I have already fitted some grip puppies which helped a bit but as this is my first GS (2008) I have nothing to compare it to. It might be completely normal
Good luck with it mate!


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[Pukmeister]

Sometimes my 2008 single cam runs super smooth, sometimes it has a rough edge to it. I should really use the GS911 to log some data and get to the bottom of it, but wouldnt know where to start.

 

[autogs]

Very interesting. I wonder how to check the timing without taking off the timing cover. Its a 2008 (single cam).

Saying that, it pulls like a train (with PC-V). I nearly S**t myself the first time I pinned it in 3rd it was so quick. Misaligned timing would surely affect performance but worth a look certainly. Sort of on that subject the tappet clearances are correct.

BTW, it originally came from Surrey.

Dave

reg number?