Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: JetJock on May 31, 2012, 11:13:51 AM
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2010 C14 and this bike has always had a buzz that's very noticeable. Levers literally hum and lately it even seems to be getting worse or I'm just obsessing about it more.
Yes, it has risers and the stock grips. The vibes used to be most noticeable around 3500-4500 rpm, but now it seems (or again, I'm obsessing) to be too many vibes everyplace in the powerband.
So . . . is mine an exception and I need to (gawd, I hope not) take it to my dealer? Are your Connie's smooth at the handlebars and no vibes to speak of?
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I don't notice it through the bars (I have grip puppies, risers, and Oxford heated grips) but I do notice it through the tank when I am hugging it with my knees. Only around 3500-4500 rpm at half or less throttle. Doesn't bother me in the least. You checked the motor mount bolts yet?
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No on the motor mounts, but I'd have the dealer check that I think, because I'm lazy and have no spare time. Seems like a bit of a warranty issue if I can complain about excessive vibes.
Do your levers literally buzz? Mine do, both of them. Noticeably so.
But I don't notice any vibes through the tank or frame, but I think we sit differently or something.
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My 08 w/ stock bars & BMW tapered grips has always had some vibration. Nothing dramatic, but enough to be wearing on longer rides. I do not recall the levers actually buzzing.
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Martin had a vibration on his 08 in the bars that was solved using a washer on each side. Don't know the details, though.
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My behemoth is smoothest bike i've owned. My ZX14 was almost as smooth (but lacked KiPass).
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/seebike.jpg)
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My 09 has a buzz but more in the dash area, maybe the windshield mechanism or something, just not sure exactly where it is (not the bars). I've tried to ignore it but it kind of gets on my nerves a little.
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(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/seebike.jpg)
Steve, based only on this picture, I believe your trouble was/is located above the seat, behind the gas tank but in front of the rear wheel.
:)
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After riding that farm tractor I call cruiser (still love it though), I just do not notice any vibration at all! Get on a HD (not sure about newer ones) and then talk about vibrations! :rotflmao:
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Steve, based only on this picture, I believe your trouble was/is located above the seat, behind the gas tank but in front of the rear wheel.
:)
Hmmm...I don't notice any trouble spots in that particular area. ;D
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Can we get less oogling of Steve's GF (nice, very nice and we admire him even more than usual) and hear some explanations for the vibes? Or fixes.
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Imo, it is hard to determine how much of 'vibes' you are talking about. On my bike, if I light touch the levers, I can feel the vibes or buzz, but you cannot 'see' it (unlike my fatboy). But during daily driving, those vibes do not affect me at all. I did 'feel' more vibes when I had stock grips on. Now that I wrapped some tennis grips, I do not 'feel' them anymore. So, do you 'see' these vibes in the mirrors or levers? Or do you just feel them when you lightly touch them or do you feel them when you have a grab the levers? You see, this can be so subjective.
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I know what you mean about the levers buzzing. At 55 in 4th if I touch them it's quite anoticable vibration. Went for a 3 hour ride yesterday with the wife and the vibration felt through the tank and pegs and grips (through the grip puppies) did start to get annoying. What strange is sometimes at 55 the vibes are there and sometimes at the same speed they are hardly noticeable.
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Imo, it is hard to determine how much of 'vibes' you are talking about. On my bike, if I light touch the levers, I can feel the vibes or buzz, but you cannot 'see' it (unlike my fatboy). But during daily driving, those vibes do not affect me at all. I did 'feel' more vibes when I had stock grips on. Now that I wrapped some tennis grips, I do not 'feel' them anymore. So, do you 'see' these vibes in the mirrors or levers? Or do you just feel them when you lightly touch them or do you feel them when you have a grab the levers? You see, this can be so subjective.
Well the vibes aren't as bad as a HD. If they were, I'd be checking to see if the engine had lost all its mounts and was being held in by the Tupperware. But yes, this is what I experience. Buzzy levers and buzzy throttle housing to the point where I get some numbness after an hour.
I need to put the foam grips over the stockers and see if that makes a difference. REALLY annoying me lately.
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I know you are looking for fixes not much help here but to comment on my 10 smooth no noticable vibrations.
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Weighing in on my 2011 C-14 in all black-is-beautiful: there is a definite vibration at the grips at highway speeds, seemingly regardless of what gear/RPM I'm pulling to be at speed. I have the grip puppies on, for better or worse, probably for the better. Thinking of trying the heavy-weight end caps. It's not a big problem.
How are your tires?
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How are your tires?
Tires are original OEM and only 4400 miles. Doesn't at all feel like a tire issue since it's been this way since new. My ST1100 was totally smooth so the vibes from the Connie are a surprise.
Going to ride a friend's ZX14 to see how his is. He claims it's smooooth . . .
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Well the vibes aren't as bad as a HD. If they were, I'd be checking to see if the engine had lost all its mounts and was being held in by the Tupperware. But yes, this is what I experience. Buzzy levers and buzzy throttle housing to the point where I get some numbness after an hour.
I need to put the foam grips over the stockers and see if that makes a difference. REALLY annoying me lately.
... or the brakes, or the engine, or the price.
But back to topic, it's just as Jim recalled it: I had the vibes and, after using the thick tape under the triangular plate under the windshield, I took it to a dealer and he took half a bike apart until he noticed that the washers that go between the bar weights and the grips were not there. He added them and vóilà! Smooth as silk. In fact, the only bike smoother than my C14 is the K1600, which is slightly more comfortable but with the sportiness of a church (and the price too).
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What washers? I just took my bar weights off and there are no washers. I looked in my repair manual and don't see any washers in the exploded view either.
... or the brakes, or the engine, or the price.
But back to topic, it's just as Jim recalled it: I had the vibes and, after using the thick tape under the triangular plate under the windshield, I took it to a dealer and he took half a bike apart until he noticed that the washers that go between the bar weights and the grips were not there. He added them and vóilà! Smooth as silk. In fact, the only bike smoother than my C14 is the K1600, which is slightly more comfortable but with the sportiness of a church (and the price too).
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I placed two washers on the throttle side spacing the bar end out. Settled things down nicely.
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What washers? I just took my bar weights off and there are no washers. I looked in my repair manual and don't see any washers in the exploded view either.
My question too! My bike doesn't have the washers! What's the part number? I need some washers!
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That's a real good question considering the parts diagrams don't show them.
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Hhmmm. Well I see what tomorrow's experiment is going to be. Fingers crossed.
I placed two washers on the throttle side spacing the bar end out. Settled things down nicely.
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I placed two washers on the throttle side spacing the bar end out. Settled things down nicely.
+1
check the part #92033 in this diagram (http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/2008-kawasaki-concours-14-abs-zg1400a-handlebar/o/m148938sch549536) from Bike Bandit. The washers I have are 1.5 mm thick, but the purpose is to space them from the handle bars.
Sorry I didn't take pictures, but I'd have to take the bar ends out and I'm still just waking up ;D
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My '91 katana 1100, even with a perfect always had a bit of a buzz. As I got older,
I developed arthritis in my hands and despite gel grips with gel wraps, with finger less gloves w/ gel inserts with gel gloves over them, on long trips my hands would hurt. Hell, I'd double down on celebrex and pop a few codeine after a days ride and they'd still hurt!
Enter the '11 C14. First drive on it ever was 22 hours in two days. My hands didn't hurt one bit. Bike is as smooth as an electric motor.Smooth as Bill Clinton at a singles bar!
My point here is that your bike should also be that smooth.
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+1
check the part #92033 in this diagram (http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/2008-kawasaki-concours-14-abs-zg1400a-handlebar/o/m148938sch549536) from Bike Bandit. The washers I have are 1.5 mm thick, but the purpose is to space them from the handle bars.
Sorry I didn't take pictures, but I'd have to take the bar ends out and I'm still just waking up ;D
You should be up by now... That part is a snap ring not a washer, so you are saying they replaced that with a washer?
And that your's were missing?
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2010 C14 and this bike has always had a buzz that's very noticeable. Levers literally hum and lately it even seems to be getting worse or I'm just obsessing about it more.
Yes, it has risers and the stock grips. The vibes used to be most noticeable around 3500-4500 rpm, but now it seems (or again, I'm obsessing) to be too many vibes everyplace in the powerband.
So . . . is mine an exception and I need to (gawd, I hope not) take it to my dealer? Are your Connie's smooth at the handlebars and no vibes to speak of?
No, you are not the only one. See this thread : http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2496.msg42589#msg42589 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2496.msg42589#msg42589)
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You should be up by now... That part is a snap ring not a washer, so you are saying they replaced that with a washer?
And that your's were missing?
What Martin was trying to say is to add a spacer washer between the bar weight and the bar itself. Pushing the weight out another 1.5mm helps it cancel out the vibrations in the grips (but only the grips) a little better on some bikes. It does nothing to stop the levers from buzzing though.
That picture points to where the washer should go. I think that clip in the diagram is just there to keep the bolt from falling out of the bar weight, when you remove the weight. Interesting, as my 2010 doesn't have them.
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What washers? I just took my bar weights off and there are no washers. I looked in my repair manual and don't see any washers in the exploded view either.
Get them at your local hardware store. They did not come with the bike originally, and are not in any of the diagrams.
Martin's mechanic actually figured out to add them, not that they were missing, which helped his situation (and mine).
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+1
check the part #92033 in this diagram (http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/2008-kawasaki-concours-14-abs-zg1400a-handlebar/o/m148938sch549536) from Bike Bandit. The washers I have are 1.5 mm thick, but the purpose is to space them from the handle bars.
Sorry I didn't take pictures, but I'd have to take the bar ends out and I'm still just waking up ;D
That's NOT a washer. It's a snap-ring according to the description
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Not sure how this is going to work with the ThrottleMeister installed. Which includes a number of washers if I recall, in order to get the proper tension adjusted.
And NO, the vibes were there before the TM was installed.
Still, looks like worth experimenting with.
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I understand using a washer on the left grip but how are you using a washer on the throttle side? It would seem any washer that goes between the grip and bar end weight would affect the throttle.
Get them at your local hardware store. They did not come with the bike originally, and are not in any of the diagrams.
Martin's mechanic actually figured out to add them, not that they were missing, which helped his situation (and mine).
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Washer actually sits in the bar end. There is an insert in the bar itself that extends beyond the throttle grip and tube. Washer never comes close to the throttle.