Vibration in right handlebar grip?!

[Zack]

Hi there,
Don't know where exactly where to put this post, general or mechanical help so I'll try here first.
I have 2007 FZ6 and for years already I am experiencing subtle vibration in my right hand side grip. It's not like Harley where on traffic light stop whole bike, including tips of handlebars shakes. You can't see it but I feel it after 20-30 minutes of ride. My fingers go numb from tip to palm.

1/2 hour ride to anywhere is not bad but very long ride may be unbearable. Exactly that kind of trip is coming up. I am moving my bike back from Sarasota to Toronto. Sold house and joyrides time under Florida sun are over. Time to go back.

I was thinking about wrapping right grip in thick foam and taping that with, what else but duck tape. If Matt Damon taped half of space ship on Mars I guess I can tape FZ6 hand grip. Any better suggestions?

 

[gnyce]

Do some digging into the forum here - there are lots of questions/answers on vibration, too much to remember/quote. Possible solutions - and what you go with - might depend on your mechanical ability. For example, you could do bar ends on your handlebars (easier), or you could do a throttle body sync (slightly harder but not much - there are instructions on building your own manometer, pretty easy), or find Final Impact's treatise on vibrations and spark-plug wires (probably the most involved). LOTS here. IMO, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is and what will alleviate it, so go easier first.

Or - start here - http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-...n/57611-aluminum-bars-vibrations-what-do.html

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Besides the above, you might try "Grip Puppies".

I have them and love em... Takes some getting used to with the slightly larger diameter.

From what you describe, they should take care of your issue..

There are other "makes" of foam grip covers. I've found the original Grip puppy last the longest and doesn't absorb nearly as much water as the cheaper ones...

 

[Zack]

Thank you for both suggestions. I am reading on other people experienced same thing. I already replaced grips. Bought silicone ones, thicker than stock, software, but that didn't do a thing

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You WILL feel a difference with the "Grip puppies".

Also, I wear leather "Olympia brand", vented, leather gloves that have gel inserts inside the palm.

Those also help depending on the gloves you have..

 

[FinalImpact]

What you describe is a high frequency harmonic as road vibes do not induce that numbing effect.

If you can change spark plugs, you can fix this issue.
Read the first post here. It seems the 07 to 09 crowd has more of an issue with the plug wires being loose inside the sparkplug caps... hint the caps screw onto the wire and an become loose and cause that numbing vibration you speak of.
A cure for bad vibrations

Because cruising rpm is outside of the range of throttle body idle speeds, it is unlikely a TB sync will help this issue.

Grab some new plugs and follow the link above.

 

[bricksrheavy]

Ehhhhh... Just realized the high resonating vibration that manifested itself around 8k RPM's is a result of a missing screw (one of four) that's holding the radiator to the bracket.

This being my second bike and my first 4 cylinder, and having read about the buzzines of the Fazer before buying it I thought the 8k vibration was normal. D'oh!!!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Thanks for the update (and honesty).

Glad it was an easy fix!!

 

[bricksrheavy]

Thanks for the update (and honesty).

Glad it was an easy fix!!

I'm not the OP, just hoping my story might help him finding the source of his problem.

 

[FinalImpact]

Vibe is not normal. I have a faired version and when that coil wire to cap goes astray, it makes all kinds of vibes. The most obvious being the mirrors get all blurry. As it now the mirrors are rock stable from idle to redline and at any speed.
Not to jade your findings but its probable the bolt is missing from an ignition induced vibration and 8k # is a tell tale sign your cap to wire is at fault....

Good luck.

 

[zixaq]

I dunno. I get bad vibes around those RPMs as well, and I've changed my plugs, adjusted the valves and trimmed/tightened the plug wires twice with no difference.

There must be another culprit outside of the spark plug cap connector, but that is worth a shot, as it has worked for others.

For me, it's worse in the footpegs than bars. My feet will go numb after 20-30 minutes.

 

[FinalImpact]

My pegs are mounted solid, no rubber bushing and I don't notice any vibes....

You might clean and lube chain with good grade petroleum product and if the peg vibe is still there, check the rear wheel alignment. The chain will induce vibes into the chassis if the rear wheel is askew!

Is yours an S1 or S2?
A How to String Align Your Wheel.... I did this and it took away a layer.... bike is vibration free.

One question; can you confirm the peg vibration is not engine rpm related? If it is the chain, it will be vehicle speed but not engine/gear selection dependent. Confirm by going a steady speed but do so in every gear so as to vary the RPM.

 

[FinalImpact]

I finally swapped in 06 coil packs that fixed it. No one appears to sell 7.5mm solid core stranded plug wire unless you want to large quantities like spools of it!

 

[zixaq]

Definitely RPM- and not speed-dependent. S1 (2004). Coil packs?

 

[FinalImpact]

Its cheap enough but a role of the dice.
So, new plugs gapped at less then 0.028", all wires cut twice, and they thread down snug to caps and still has rpm related vibes that make you numb?

Did you pull the caps apart and clean them? Measure resistance?

If it is really that numbing vibe I'd say you try the coil. Let me say that on one ride it got so bad I had 40miles to home and I wanted to throw the thing in the ditch. It runs perfect but the vibes are hell! So older coils went in even after I just cut the wires.... so ya, it can be worth it. Persistance paid off or we would not know this today.

 

[Zack]

I already read 10 pages deep thread started by FInalimpact. Very interesting. Somehow I believed to be lonely sufferer of vibrations problem contributing it to myself and age. However, it looks like that FZ6 is "buzzy" bike.
So based on suggestions in this thread and everything I read in Finalimpact's thread I am taking bike to Granny's Motorsports in Sarasota first. Will change oil, filters, lube chain and cables and also replace spark plugs. Check spark plug cables. I hope to find something worn and wrong there, otherwise that service will not really solve anything.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I can almost guarantee they'll say it's normal...

But good luck! Plz post back your results..

 

[FinalImpact]

The buzz is not normal and can be attributable to many variables. Collectively combined, they are evil.

That said, all can be addressed at home with a little TLC...

By order of severity on mine for vibes above 4k:
1 - Plug cap to wire / ended in coil replacement **
2 - OEM exhaust bound in rubber mounts
3 - Drive chain / wheel alignment
4 - Drive chain synthetic lube is not as good as petroleum
5 - Oil quality. After 1200 mi dumped 3 qts of Mobil 1 and went to Amsoil. Night and day difference.

These brought harmony and smoothness. At some level reduced vibes but really helped make it accelerate smoother.
6 - Valve lash, make them match
7 - Ignition advance
8 - TB sync... it wasn't off far so no real help.

FWIW loose fasteners on the fairing never made the vibes worse. They simply helped me see and hear that the chassis had a vibe and exploited it. Hence me saying, fix the source of the vibes and there is no need for snake oil and grip puppies. Well unless you have giant hands! :thumbup:

Bottom line is these bikes can be vibration free.
** Thread A Cure for Vibrations, Spark Plug Caps Mind you this really applies to waste spark ignition systems.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Any updates Zack??

 

[Zack]

Any updates Zack??

Not yet. I am planning that trip to Sarasota and back for end of May, beginning of June. I need good weather window of 3-4 days. Ride back to Toronto will take 2 days to complete. I need to get ready with ideas and solutions otherwise ride back will be painful. It would be easier if it is left side so I could rest hand from time to time.

I'll definitely tell story here how it went. By the way this was my trip Toronto to Sarasota few years ago: http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-...to-sarasota-fl-2-days.html?highlight=sarasota