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Message started by Susan on 08/12/04 at 12:10:36

Title: Buzzing on the Right
Post by Susan on 08/12/04 at 12:10:36

Have noticed an odd thing and am wondering whether it happens to anyone else.

Once my speed gets over about 50 mph, the bike vibrates more (makes sense as vibrations probably increase with rpms).

What I don't understand is why I feel the vibrations intensely in my right foot but not in my left foot. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a reason for it? Does it have anything to do with the pipe being on the right?

Edit: I modified the title in an attempt to reduce spamming into this thread. We'll see if it helps.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/12/04 at 14:09:14

Never noticed a difference. Is everything tight on the right? Exhaust pipe, muffler clamp and heat shield tight? Rear brake lever adjusted correctly?

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by sunny on 08/12/04 at 14:30:10

could it be the way you are holding your foot?

just this morning i noticed a big difference in the amount of vibration which changed depending on whether my toes were pointing more or less upward.

don't forget the wind doesn't pass around the right side of the engine in exactly the same way that it passes around the left due to the pipe's location...

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by cphilip on 08/12/04 at 16:35:51

Double check your tires for both cupping and then if they are wearing smooth double check the air pressures on them and have someone balance them again. Might be just a hair off. Nothing like tires to make something a bit out of wack get exagerated. They make all the difference. There will always be a bit of bounce and stuff as speed increases but anything in the tires will exagerate that and transmit that to your feel.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Honda_fan on 08/12/04 at 17:22:04

Mine does the same. The vibes are the worst at 65MPH indicated and smooth out at 70. I always feel it the most in the right footpeg. Others have reported similar conditions on the Be_Savage group.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Pat B on 08/12/04 at 23:56:54

I noticed the same thing on my bike. I did check the tightness of everything and it was good and tight.

Quote:

The vibes are the worst at 65MPH indicated and smooth out at 70.

That's the solution that I use. Just run at 68-70, and it's all good.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Susan on 08/13/04 at 06:25:29

Honda_fan wrote:

Mine does the same. The vibes are the worst at 65MPH indicated and smooth out at 70. I always feel it the most in the right footpeg. Others have reported similar conditions on the Be_Savage group.

Everything does seem to be tight on my bike. I went back into the archives on the other forum wondering if anyone had a solution. No one did. The consensus seems to be that it is best to either ride slower or faster. Someone did suggest gel pads in the shoes for long trips.

Thanks to all who have responded.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/14/04 at 04:10:32

Susan wrote:

All bikes have a certain RPM where vibration creates harmonics through the frame....obviously, some have very little, but most do have some. That sets up a kind of harmonic that gets amplified through the frame or the handlebar. My old XS 850 seemed to do it at about 60, and at a time when speed limits were lower (a long time ago :o) the vibration would put my hands to sleep on the interstate. The most annoying thing about that old Yamaha....

I haven't really noticed this with the right footpeg on the Savage. Maybe it has to do with the Highway Hawk footpegs on mine. They are heavier than stock and that might dampen some of the vibration. Has your footpeg been damaged at all?

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Susan on 08/14/04 at 08:47:37

Interesting thought about heavier footpegs... Mine have not been really damaged just a little scraped where I laid the bike down but I wasn't going fast at all -- I was pulling out of a gravel parking lot over a bump and the front wheel made it but the back wheel didn't. I was hardly going at all so I can't imagine its damaged. I do like the heavier footpeg idea.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by klx650sm2002 on 08/14/04 at 09:20:25

I too think the heavier footpeg thing is a good idea, people use bar end weights to get rid of handlebar vibes.

Clive W

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by wrench on 08/14/04 at 10:51:22

> I too think the heavier footpeg thing is a good idea,
> people use bar end weights to get rid of handlebar
> vibes.

Like a handlebar, you will notice more vibes when your foot is out near the end of the peg than when closer to the engine. An end weight on the footpeg will probably be the answer. I think Suzuki is still using hollow square tubing as a core for the footpeg so it should be easy to swedge a lead slug into it end. Drop a bunch of fishing weights or lead shot down the tube and pound them with a rod and hammer. Or, melt some lead and pour it in.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/15/04 at 03:09:05

A little over 4 years ago, I laid my Savage down (the last time I hope). My speed was about 35 and the right footpeg took a good hit. It wasn't totalled, just bent, and I took it apart to see if I could salvage it.

The inside of the stock peg, isn't hollow because it contains a spring mechanism that allows the peg to move up and down. That is a good thing for a spill, but I don't think it allows room for added weights.

As Clive stated, there are bar end weights that can be added to the handlebar...which brings up another topic. My grips are much more comfortable that stock (like my spouse's), because I added the Kuryakyn grips and they are much heavier and made of steel with rubber inserts. I can easily ride long distances without gloves, if I want.

It might just be the idea of vibration dampening that helps.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Jon on 08/15/04 at 10:38:40

> The inside of the stock peg, isn't hollow because it
> contains a spring mechanism that allows the peg to
> move up and down.

I got curious and disassembled the right footpeg on the S40. I did not find a spring, the footpeg rubber acts as a spring to keep the footpeg level. There is a rectangular tubing skeleton under the rubber approximately 1/2 by 3/4 by about 4 3/4" long. There is a forged slug in one end that is drilled for the pivot pin. The slug is spot welded in three places and appears to be inside the tube about half its length. But, there is empty space in the other half of the tube that would accept melted lead if you drilled an access hole in the tubing. The S40 doesn't vibrate as much as my earlier bikes, but I would have definitely tried this weight idea in the pegs on the vibra-massage '88.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Jon on 08/15/04 at 12:08:11

One other thing about the right peg vibration... There is a small part that fits over the peg pivot pin that has a rubber pad on it. The pad goes between the footpeg tab and the bracket's travel stop and acts to damp the vibes. If that little widget is missing from your bike, or its rubber pad has rotted away you will get a lot more peg vibration. The part can be seen in the exploded view at BikeBandit and is labeled number '10' (next to part 5) on the 'Footrest' page. I can't get a working direct link so just look up OEM parts for a 2002 LS650.

* http://www.bikebandit.com

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/16/04 at 02:27:08

Jon wrote:

I might have described it wrong when I said "spring mechanism". I know there is no spring, but the unit operates as a return to allow the peg to move upward. Filling it with any material could prevent that action. Rather than drilling and filling, a set of new pegs would be easier.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by wrench on 08/16/04 at 09:18:01

> I know there is no spring, but the unit operates as a
> return to allow the peg to move upward.

Compression of the footpeg rubber does that task.

> Filling it with any material could prevent that action.

Pouring lead in the tube will not interfere at all with footpeg folding, or anything else.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/16/04 at 13:24:23

Speculation. However as I've always tried lots of things, many off the wall, maybe melting lead would be a good solution. I'd like to see a photo when it's done.

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Susan on 08/17/04 at 13:06:03

Thanks to all who have provided suggestions and advice. I am going to try heavier footpegs to see if that will help.

I am interested in the Highway Hawk comfort pegs but can't seem to find a seller in the U.S. Bikercom.com has them but I have to pay shipping from Europe. Anyone know where to get them in the U.S.?

Title: Re: Vibrating on the Right
Post by Greg_650 on 08/17/04 at 14:51:34

If you look in the topic "How long do shocks usually last"...which may be on a tangent...you'll see a picture with my Highway Hawk pegs.

I think that I may have gotten them from Europe though. At the time I was crazed, had to have them, couldn't live without them, and just plain didn't look at the shipping cost anymore than I had to. I just wanted them :o

Title: Re: Buzzing on the Right
Post by Susan on 08/31/04 at 16:06:01

Just wanted to update this topic in case anyone else with the same problem is out there. I did purchase the Highway Hawks from a company out of Europe. They definitely helped dampen the right side vibration. I can still feel it but it is much better.

For additional details see the topic Footpeg Options (http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=RubberSideDown;action=display;num=1093535796).

Title: Re: Buzzing on the Right
Post by guitar52 on 06/14/06 at 05:45:09

Hey susan, I have almost the same kind of thing going on with my 06 S40. Vibes and buzzing felt on the right side of the gas tank around 50. Lets up at 60, you know thumpers are a "VIBE" thing anyway, thats part of the "Grove'.......YEAH BABY!!!! Sorry... went retro and Austin Powers on Ya.

Title: Re: Buzzing on the Right
Post by steelwolf on 06/30/06 at 06:14:11

I know it's not "buzzing" but maybe the same solution will work for it too. I was having trouble with the air flow around the right side. It seemed that at highway speeds the air would try to push my foot off the peg. I put a fork bag on the crash bars and that cleared it right up. Air flow around both sides seems to be the same now.

Title: Re: Buzzing on the Right
Post by Savage_Rob on 06/30/06 at 08:22:18

If you look above, you'll see the original topic called it vibration - not buzzing but I changed the title of the topic/thread in hopes of reducing the amount of spam that had been inserted into this thread alone. Since then it has dropped off a lot but it may be sheer coincidence.

Title: Re: Buzzing on the Right
Post by bobtreat on 06/30/06 at 11:50:55

I had similar vibs and buzz you talk about,but after a few thousand miles it went away.Thought it was because was'nt broke in. :o