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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Handlebar vibration
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Message started by SirWilhelm on 12/18/05 at 17:51:40

Title: Handlebar vibration
Post by SirWilhelm on 12/18/05 at 17:51:40

Like most things (mine's better than yours), I was told by my Kawi riding daughter that my S40 ('05) has a lot more vibration in the handlebars than her Vulcan. So not taking this slam to my bike lying down I have researched and I have searched the forum for ways to get the dampening improved. Someone said that there already is a dampening plug in the ends (obviously not enough or not the right consistency to absorb the vibrations).
Is there a way, other than drilling the plug or replacing the handlebars, to add dampening material to the ends? Like drill out one end, pour epoxy and bb's from one end to the other (no, that is way too much work). The snake has to be pulled thru, so both ends have to be open.

I know several years ago we started adding some dampening into the shafts of golf clubs to stop the vibration up the shaft and into the elbow. I know that really helped, but that was a slug we could get from Golfsmith to slide into the shaft. It worked, which is why the Bar Snake seems like such a good idea. The snake has more surface area to spread the vibration over. So how do we fix this? Surely Suzuki didn't actually weld inside the handle bars, as I would think that would weaken the material at that spot.
That seems like a lot of expense to put in something and weld it in place.
Has someone drilled into the end to see just what is actually there? I just don't want to take everything off of the bar, put a new one one with better dampening when there is an easier way.
Super mechanics, what is the answer?
Bill in the Wilds of West Texas

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by babbalou on 12/18/05 at 18:23:44

Well, about 2 hours ago I learned that the Barsnake is a ripoff. I have Sportster bars without bar end weights so my mirrors are useless. There is NO possible way of getting a barsnake into the handlebar. I tried per the instructions & snapped the wire 3 times pulling on it. Tried again with a piece of steel cable wrapped around a wooden stick & pulled on that. Goes in 5 inches & stops. Poured boiling water through the handlebar to expand it & refrigerated the Barsnake to shrink it. Same results. Some say filling the bar with silicone helps some, some say it doesn't. Others say caulk works, others say it doesn't. Some say filling it with lead shot works, if you don't mind a 10 pound handlebar. Me, I'm going to find some lead slugs someplace & hammer them in. Oh, the Barsnake now comes in a liquid kit for extra $ but I'm not too keen on giving them more of mine.

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by SirWilhelm on 12/18/05 at 18:44:28

On one of the search pages someone said that the inside was blocked. Do the new ones have an empty space?
I have seen the weights you add to the ends but I don't know if the S40 stock bar will accomodate them.
I love the Japanese standardization. Each brand is different enough to make inter-model exchanges hard.
But you were able to thread the wire so it must be hollow. The idea of dampening is to get it about mid vibration range (think of the sine wave in chemistry or physics) along whatever is vibrating. Like the golf club shafts, you wanted it about 1/3 of the way from the grip to catch and slow the vibration, so I would think that the same is needed for the handlebars.
I don't want to get gel gloves, and all that just to get it to ride smoother. Someone has the answer.
Tnks for the reply.
Bill in West Tx

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by babbalou on 12/18/05 at 19:00:58

My stock S40 bars had weights but the Sportster bars I use now don't. Some like these Grip Puppies: http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GPSMALL&Category_Code=new
If nothing else, they're cheap. :)

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by jimbrough on 12/18/05 at 19:01:02

On a long haul out west, I got used to the dance of the headlights in my mirrors a bit. But it still was a pain all the way. One time I got a little bored and noticed a bunch of lights coming in the mirrors so I pegged her and took off! Turns out on of the cars caught up to me and passed me - he was a cop! He must have been going on a call somewhere cuz he just waggled his finger at me - I couldn't even tell what colour his car was in the mirrors!

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by Ed_L. on 12/18/05 at 19:06:16

I kind of like the buzz I get while riding, it's a big single after all. The vibration really isn't that bad, maybe different grips would help your hands. I put different mirrors on my bike last year and noticed that they vibrate a lot more, probable due to the thin rod they are made out of. Babbalou, sorry to hear about the problems with the Barsnake, maybe a couple lead plugs would work. I would think lead shot in silicon caulk would dampen the vibration best.

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by RadarORiley on 12/20/05 at 09:03:16

My son-in-law has an IronHorse, it vibrates like a bed in a Rent by the Hour Motel! My little Suzuki is a smooth little Sweetheart next to his.

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by vroom1776 on 12/20/05 at 09:11:07

look up something called "sorbithane." It's a rubber meterial that is very good at absorbing vibrations. A lot of research labs use it with optical tables and such. Anywya, if you can get some cheaply, you could replace the rubber under the stock risers with sorbithane. I bet it would help a lot.

Title: Re: Handlebar vibration
Post by Savage_Rob on 12/20/05 at 10:21:15

Yeah, sorbothane is used a lot for shoe insoles.