vibration

[toucan]

i just got back from testing a 2002 GS1150 with 4000km on it. at about 4500 rpm and up vibration can be felt primarily in the foot pegs and as the revs go up the vibration gets worse. it happens in the first four gears (or three), i didn't have enough road to check the rest.
do they all do that, sir?
i want to buy the bike, but not if something is going to go bang 500km from civilization.

my r80st (1982 airhead) is a lot smoother, but then it only puts out about 20kw at the moment. My ex-girlfriend put out more, especially with my ex-friends.
cheers

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

hi toucan,

a lot of reviews in magazines i've read talk about GS's and vibration, i have to say it's something i've never really noticed too much myself.... maybe i'm just used to it.

but, GS's can be smoothed out quite a bit by removing the catalytic converter and dumping a special plug in the fusebox which controls the cat. the usual reason for doing this is to release a few BHP from the engine, but i reckon it makes the bike run much sweeter as well.

either way - the vibration you talk about very probably ISN'T a sign that something is wrong with that particular engine.

pr0ne

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

and, thinking about it!

the bike you mention probably hasn't had its 6000 mile service - and so the vibration may be a result of the engine still bedding itself in. my bet is that once it's had this service and valves adjusted and all that, i would probably be much smoother anyway.

pr0ne

 

[toucan]

thanks for the reply, i am gonna test ride another tommorrow and see what its like. i also read in the technical forum that the oil levels can do it.

 

[Smartbazza]

I`d guess it`s the way they all are. I commute daily on my GS and thought it was smooth until I rode a mates Bandit 1200 - the gs felt like a tractor afterwards.

 

[MikeO]

It'll be the valve adjustment and/or the throttle bodies being out of balance. The 1150 engine shouldn't have intrusive vibration above about 1500rpm if it's in balance - the onset of the type of vibration you describe is a sign that the bike needs a service.....

Mike

 

[Panzer Patrol]

Yup, probably just due for a service or injector balance

 

[Tokoloshe]

Yes.

I think I know one of your ex-friends...

 

[toucan]

not surprised

with a name like that (tokoloshe) i am sure they sleep very lightly.