Handlebar end weights - Heavy or Extra Heavy?

[Glennn]

Hi Folks,

After a 320km round trip this morning I am still getting tingling in my hands and it is about the last thing that is p!ssing me off about the bike that I haven't been able to shake. Some days I get really tempted to unload it and go back to a cruiser.

But I still persist, so trying to get a consensus from people who have upgrade their bar end weights and if they went heavy or extra heavy (as per this site). From the other thread I found I do read that for some heavier end weights made their vibes worse, I hope that is the exception though, not the rule.

Thanks in advance.

[maxtog]

Still not sure why you are having such issues (perhaps it is your modifications).  My Concours has very little vibration in the grips at all.  I *did* have issues with my ZRX, and on that bike I *did* replace the bar weights with heavier ones and it helped some.   (The theory, anyway, is that varying the weight will change the vibration frequency, with heavier weights causing slower vibration.)  But on the Concours, it just hasn't been a problem.  I did have issue with the ANGLE of the grips causing problems with my CTS but that was fixed with Phil's Wedges.

[Pokey]

Take the bar weights off, find yourself a set of thin stainless washers and install them on the bar end screw "between bar and weight". That "shim" really makes a big difference in vibration and numb hands, at least it has for me and a few others here.

[koval68]

Re-torque exhaust header nuts and check for vibrations.....That did it for me, no more buzz in the handlebars!

[maxtog]

Take the bar weights off, find yourself a set of thin stainless washers and install them on the bar end screw "between bar and weight". That "shim" really makes a big difference in vibration and numb hands, at least it has for me and a few others here.

I saw that in another thread too.  What is the theory behind that?  Lengthening the bar position slightly to change frequency?  Prevention of the weights from touching the grips? 

[Pokey]

I saw that in another thread too.  What is the theory behind that?  Lengthening the bar position slightly to change frequency?  Prevention of the weights from touching the grips?

I figure yes on both accounts, and I know it made a difference after I did it. I also went with Spider grips when I installed my grip heaters recently, they are the best and most comfortable grips I have ever had or used.


http://spidergrips.com/spiderg/models/slim-line-slr-for-sport-road-and-motard/

[martin_14]

Take the bar weights off, find yourself a set of thin stainless washers and install them on the bar end screw "between bar and weight". That "shim" really makes a big difference in vibration and numb hands, at least it has for me and a few others here.

+1!

I saw that in another thread too.  What is the theory behind that?  Lengthening the bar position slightly to change frequency?  Prevention of the weights from touching the grips?

the second, in my case. There's no theory. The bar weight has to be able to move around and if the washers are missing, the weights come into contact with the bars at a certain frequency, which in my bike was from 4200 to 5500 rpm, exactly the cruising speed in German Autobahn. Pissed off is an understatement. I had to fight Kawasaki Deutschland and 3 useless arrogant Munich dealers before some small town dealer accepted looking at it and it took them a couple of days to find the culprit. My bike is smooth as silk ever since.
If somebody is interested in how those bar weights work, google "tuned mass dampers".

[blue14]

Beside adding spacer washers, you can also adjust the balancer shaft in the motor.  That helps a good deal as well.

[maxtog]

Beside adding spacer washers, you can also adjust the balancer shaft in the motor.  That helps a good deal as well.

I would never have expected that to be adjustable- I assumed it was adjusted and balanced at the factory and would be perfect and never change!  What could/would cause it to ever be off? 

Just checked the service manual, and sure enough, they cover front and rear "balancers" plus a procedure for adjusting the balance (which doesn't quite make sense to me, but I am not a mechanic nor do I understand the full working theory on this topic).

[VirginiaJim]

Expect the unexpected, Max.

[Glennn]

Take the bar weights off, find yourself a set of thin stainless washers and install them on the bar end screw "between bar and weight".

Thanks Pokey, sounds like something quick (and free) to try.

Re-torque exhaust header nuts and check for vibrations.....

When I installed the ZX14 headers I used Fuji nuts, but this too could be a decent suggestion as maybe everything flexed a little when I originally installed the 2Bros mufflers.

Beside adding spacer washers, you can also adjust the balancer shaft in the motor.

Here I thought you were taking the ****, but it looks like this can be done too!  Whoda thunked it?!!

Thanks for the responses everyone, a couple of things to try.

[gPink]

Thanks Pokey, sounds like something quick (and free) to try.

When I installed the ZX14 headers I used Fuji nuts, but this too could be a decent suggestion as maybe everything flexed a little when I originally installed the 2Bros mufflers.

Here I thought you were taking the ****, but it looks like this can be done too!  Whoda thunked it?!!

Thanks for the responses everyone, a couple of things to try.

Translate this to American for us non Aussies. 

[Glennn]

LOL hahaha sorry about that.  Taking the ****, like telling a blonde to make sure she checks her headlight fluid before going on a trip.

When he said to adjust the engine's counterbalancer I first thought fair shake of the sauce bottle, old son - but the subsequent replies show that he wasn't having me on 

[maxtog]

LOL hahaha sorry about that.  Taking the ****,

"Peeing in the wind"?  (A futile activity)
"Peeing in your pants"?  (Excited about something and can't wait)
"**** off"?  (Make someone really upset or being really upset, or telling someone to go away)
"**** poor"?  (Really poor, or really bad)
"Who peed in your cornflakes"?  (Who ruined your day?)

But "thought you were taking the ****"...  that is something I had not heard yet.  Not even from my  Aussie friend (although he has been here on work visa so long, I think he is thoroughly contaminated).

[Rhino]

Early on I bought some Throttlemiester's throttle locks. But I didn't like them for throttle lock but still keep them on the bike because they are excellent bar end weights. I don't feel any vibration.

[Riverszzr]

 The total state of tune of the engine will also be an area to look into. especially the throttle body sync and the valve clearances along with the counterbalncer damper adjustment.

 If you have one cylinder say with intakes at .004" and another cylinder at say .007" they both will run differently (many variables but cam timing will be slightly different, combustion efficiency slightly different etc...) so you could easily get vibration from one or two cylinders being stronger or weaker than the other cylinders...

 But as far bar end weights go, most of the people I know who buy them go for the heaviest and have good results.

 To answer your question on counter balancers and how can they get out of adjustment........rubber dampers is most of your answer, but mechanical wear attributes some of it.

 

[katata1100]

The total state of tune of the engine will also be an area to look into. especially the throttle body sync and the valve clearances along with the counterbalncer damper adjustment.

This is what I am thinking. My Katana 1100 is a buzzy beast, but the thing that tamed bar buzz best was a thottle sync. Treat the cause, not the symptom.
My '11 C14  was super smooth when new, but at 15,000 miles, I am feeling more buzz. As valves break in, clearances change and really, the throttle sync is off. I'll probably wait a few thousand more miles, get a valve adjust/throttle sync when summer is over.

[Glennn]

Thanks for the reponses, guys.

Because the vibration was introduced immediatly following the install of the dual two bros setup I am currently putting it down to the change of flow with the pipe not having any cats (06-07 headers).  I've got an email question into Fuel Moto USA to see if they have experience with this and if a PCV with a map to match my setup could also assist.

But as far bar end weights go, most of the people I know who buy them go for the heaviest and have good results.

In the mean time I have ordered the heaviest weights from HVMP to give them a run around the block.

[pistole]

I would never have expected that to be adjustable- I assumed it was adjusted and balanced at the factory and would be perfect and never change!  What could/would cause it to ever be off? 

Just checked the service manual, and sure enough, they cover front and rear "balancers" plus a procedure for adjusting the balance (which doesn't quite make sense to me, but I am not a mechanic nor do I understand the full working theory on this topic).

- the "adjustment" of the balancer shafts are in respect of gear lash (ie , the play in the drive gears of the balance shafts).

- so , it doesn't change the "balance".

- hence the manual specifies listening for the "whine" to determine how much lash is appropriate.

.

[pistole]

- as for the heavy bar end weights , i experimented alot and the conclusions are somewhere on a diff forum.

- long story short : the stock weights are "elastometric" , ie they are not simple weights but rather weights tuned with a rubber damper. You can tell this by wiggling your stock bar ends (they move and are independent of the bars itself).

- removing your stock bar-ends and simply replacing it with a big lump of metal will make the buzz WORSE.

- what you need to do is to ADD weight to your stock bar ends.

.