Author Topic: Easy handlebar mod (Read 6604 times)

F-106 · « **on:** June 11, 2011, 12:24:02 AM »

Was looking over my handlebars while cleaning the bike last weekend. I noticed each bar had a plug at the end of it. I removed them see that the bars were hollow inside. Thinking this could be part of the cause of the viberation I get at freeway speeds, I decided to fill the inside of the bars with something. After sleeping on it I went down the next day to the hardware store and got me a tube of the heavyest caulking I could find. I filled the bars and let it sit for a few days. The results were outstanding, it cut the viberation down by 50%. It was a cheap mod at $2.59 but my hands don"t go to sleep after 20 miles. I am going for a 60 mile ride in the morning on differant types of roads so we will see how well it works.

sas mayhem · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2011, 02:23:46 AM »

Great job !!! Let us know how it turned out.

Cheers
Ron

sroby · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2011, 05:20:53 AM »

Great Idea from a great Airforce Flight Line guy . I like thinking outside the Box. I have also used B.B,s load that sucker up and then seal it up they work great also. Regards Steve

ATC Buckeye · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2011, 06:17:37 AM »

Mine are filled with lead buckshot. I've done this on many 4cyl bikes with good results.

Pfloydgad · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2011, 06:31:04 AM »

The buckshot is a great dampner. I have had my Heli-bars on both my Connies, and filled them with bs and then I poured a 2 part epoxy resin in with them. Talk about a solid fit, absolutly amazing what the diff. was. They have been packed in there for 16 yrs now, and still damping the crap out of vibration.
Everyone ride safe.
Greg

Gitbox · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2011, 01:18:10 PM »

So what caulking did you get exactly?

snarf · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2011, 01:59:20 PM »

I tried using bb's. I didnt like them. I ended up using a chunk of grounding rod. The OD of the bar is a perfect press fit. Each piece come out to being just a touch over a half pound.

George R. Young · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2011, 02:27:24 PM »

One of mine contains the emergency footpeg bolt, the other a hank of electrical wire.

F-106 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2011, 04:38:25 PM »

The brand name is DAP, Acrylic latex caulk pluse silicone

Quote from: Gitbox on June 11, 2011, 01:18:10 PM

So what caulking did you get exactly?

F-106 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2011, 04:42:14 PM »

The results on this mornings ride were good. No hand numming over a 60 mile ride. Far better than I was exspecting. I can still feel a small bit of viberation but nothing like it was before.

Quote from: sas mayhem on June 11, 2011, 02:23:46 AM

Great job !!! Let us know how it turned out.

Cheers
Ron

jworth · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2011, 05:17:56 PM »

Sigh. Sure miss the old forum content. This was discussed at length over there. In any case, one thing I wonder about is if you are going to suspend dense masses (buck shot) with a matrix (silicone/epoxy) would it be better that the matrix material be rigid as in epoxy or springy like silicone.

T Cro ® · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2011, 07:40:17 PM »

It is surprising that the caulking damped out any vibration at all as it does not have any real mass or weight which is what is needed to absorb vibration. This has been tried over and over again since 86 without real rarlable results. Real results have been netted with the use of packed leadshot the finer the better (# 9 dustshot) if you do not pack it solid it can make matters worse. Also look up a product called barsnake it is a heavy viscous damping rubber product that is designed to help.

F-106 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2011, 09:42:22 PM »

Well, I don't know what to tell you other than this for me. Perhaps due to the fact I am not running the barend weights and Goldwing aftermarket grips may have netted me the results I got. Also i know if you do not fill the void in the bar 100% that could contribute to getting less than quality results.

Quote from: T Cro ® on June 11, 2011, 07:40:17 PM

It is surprising that the caulking damped out any vibration at all as it does not have any real mass or weight which is what is needed to absorb vibration. This has been tried over and over again since 86 without real rarlable results. Real results have been netted with the use of packed leadshot the finer the better (# 9 dustshot) if you do not pack it solid it can make matters worse. Also look up a product called barsnake it is a heavy viscous damping rubber product that is designed to help.

GeeBeav · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2011, 10:12:33 PM »

How were you able to push the caulk all the way through?

F-106 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2011, 10:41:06 PM »

I used a 12 tube. I heald up to the end of the caulking tube. Prefilled the tube before insering it into the handle bar. Ran it down till it bottoms and then pulled back about 1/2 inch. then i gave it 5 shots then pulled back and inch, 5 shots pulled back an inch and so forth till the 12 inch tube was clear of the bar end. The trick is you want to overfill the bar so to speak and this will ensure the entire bar is filled and you have no voids. I ended up using 1/2 a tube for both sides. I hope this helps

Quote from: GeeBeav on June 11, 2011, 10:12:33 PM

How were you able to push the caulk all the way through?

Nosmo · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2011, 11:27:07 PM »

ALthough my bike was never a real bad "buzzer" I did fill my bars with birdshot a few years ago, along wiht adding the heavy type Throttlemeister. I'm pretty sure I might believe it may have made a noticeable difference, perhaps.

T Cro ® · « **Reply #16 on:** June 12, 2011, 06:34:39 AM »

Your last post helps fill in the blanks as to why you've seen some benefit from filling the tubes with sillycone; having removed the bar weights more than likely increased the vibrations as those are damping weights that help quell the tendency of tubes to vibrate think wind chimes. So filling the tubes with any material has some effect; some small some larger than others. If you had a way of melting down some lead and pouring the tubes full that would have a very large damping effect over any lighter material.

F-106 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:02:53 PM »

I understand your points. However, removing the barend weights with the stock grips made no differance in the viberation of the bars on my bike. The viberation was the same at 65mph with or without the weights. When I changed grips the viberation decreased by I would say 30%. After filling the bars it brought the level down another 50% . So, i have an improvment of 80%. I can live with that. You will never completely remove all the viberation out these bikes no matter what you do. But that does not mean you can not try!

Quote from: T Cro ® on June 12, 2011, 06:34:39 AM

Your last post helps fill in the blanks as to why you've seen some benefit from filling the tubes with sillycone; having removed the bar weights more than likely increased the vibrations as those are damping weights that help quell the tendency of tubes to vibrate think wind chimes. So filling the tubes with any material has some effect; some small some larger than others. If you had a way of melting down some lead and pouring the tubes full that would have a very large damping effect over any lighter material.

F-106 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:06:10 PM »

Thanks to all of you that replied to this post. Every day is a school day.

GeeBeav · « **Reply #19 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:08:37 PM »

Quote from: F-106 on June 13, 2011, 01:06:10 PM

Every day is a school day.

VIBRATION (no "e")

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Author Topic: Easy handlebar mod (Read 6604 times)