Author Topic: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures  (Read 4221 times)

Offline martin_14

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buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« on: June 23, 2012, 07:49:03 AM »
This topic has been going on for a while and many asked me for pictures. So far I politely replied that I didn't want to undo any wizardry that my dealer did to my bike to stop that unbearable buzz at 4500 rpm. But now Jim intervened and threatened me with... well, he didn't threaten me  ;D but I though it was about time I looked at those washers. This forum has been a constant source of invaluable information and I thought it was about time I gave something back, so here it is:

Taking the bar end weight...


Here it is the bar end with the washer...


And the washer apart...


This is how it looks without washer...


and this is how it looks with washer...


The washer is 1,5 mm thick.
I got an idea and assembled the bar end weight again without the washer and started the bike (I've been driving today, so the engine was warm). The buzz started at 3500 rpm and got worse at 4500, and everything seemed to fall into place again at 5500, running silk smooth at 6000 rpm and above.
Then I took the weight out, put the washer and screwed the weight back. Started the engine and sure enough, buzz is gone. I'd swear the bike got at least 10 HP more!  ;)
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Offline mike

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2012, 08:36:37 AM »
 :thumbs:

Offline VirginiaJim

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2012, 10:45:59 AM »
It's not clear enough....we need more pictures. :P

Thanks, Martin.   We appreciate it.
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Offline C1xRider

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2012, 01:17:24 PM »
For those who are interested, I tested washer sizes from 1.0mm to 2.5mm, and ended up with 1.6mm (closest SAE size to 1.5mm).

Effectively it helps cancel out the vibrations in the grips.  On mine, it didn't help with the levers, or any other part of the bike.

Helping with vibrations in the grips does increase the length of time you get to ride though, so it's certainly worth trying.
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Offline gonzosc1

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2012, 01:18:07 PM »
you lucky dog, my instrument panel buzzes at all speeds, not an easy fix cuz I don't feel like tearing it apart... :o

Offline gPink

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2012, 02:01:36 PM »
you lucky dog, my instrument panel buzzes at all speeds, not an easy fix cuz I don't feel like tearing it apart... :o
This might help.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=9060.0

Offline BigAlan

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2012, 03:40:10 AM »
Do you actually remove the bar end weight or simply try different washers? The vibration through the handlebar is terrible.

Alan
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Offline martin_14

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2012, 06:18:59 AM »
Do you actually remove the bar end weight or simply try different washers? The vibration through the handlebar is terrible.

Alan

funnily, the first dealer I went to told me to simply remove them. Yes, that helped, but there was a kind of roughness all over the rpms that I didn't like. A year later I learnt that those bar end weights are nothing less than TMDs: tuned mass dampers. Interesting little fellas. As you can see from the 4th picture, the weight was touching the grip and couldn't "work". Or that's my theory.
Build bridges, not walls.

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Breaker19

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Re: buzz at 4500 rpm: washer solution with pictures
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2012, 06:30:18 AM »
Then I took the weight out, put the washer and screwed the weight back. Started the engine and sure enough, buzz is gone. I'd swear the bike got at least 10 HP more!  ;)

This makes a lot of sense, especially since I had mine off yesterday to install the Throttlemeister, so I saw exactly how the weights are attached.

On other bikes, the bar end weights are affixed into the opening with an expanding rubber fastener, such as those used in other applications. Obviously, on the C14, they are bolted directly into the end of the bar.

Essentially, the bar weights affect the frequency of the vibration. It makes complete sense that changing the way the weights are affixed, by adding or subtracting washers, will absolutely affect the frequency in which the vibrate. It has to.

By adding washer(s), the length of the bar ends is extended, changing the frequency dynamics. Also, when the bar weight body is flush against the rubber grips, it will clearly respond differently to vibration, than if held away by a narrower point.

This is akin to other bike's vibration solutions like filling the bars with a lightweight, expandable material, etc. It all changes the vibration frequency of the material.

The part I didn't think of until this excellent material was posted, is the almost infinite adjustment ability of this trick. Heck, one could go down to a vacant lot or less traveled road with a pocket full of washers or shims and Allen wrench -- and solve most vibration issues with a few experiments.

Kudos and plaudits to the author!