Anti-vibe Bar Mount

[user 213]

In your testing you might try some polyurethane, possibly of different durometers, to see if that dampens vibes better than rubber. Commonly used in Mt. bike applications for various shock methods instead of, or in conjunction with springs/shocks. Looking at some of those applications might give you some ideas as well. Linkage forks come to mind, as do seat post dampening systems.

 

[johnny80s]

I'm mainly interested in pursuing the pad-under-the-handlebars option out of curiosity. I didn't start this thread to see what options there are to quell vibrations (the "Try Searching" suggestion would definitely have applied) but, instead, to find out any information or warnings others had about putting a rubber layer under the bars.

Funny how you have to keep saying the same thing over and over.

 

[Bogey907]

Have you tried riding your bike while not placing all of your upper body weight on your palms thereby cutting the blood curculation to your fingers and also pinching the nerves in your wrists. When you feel tingling in your hands while riding your bike, take notice of your elbow joints. Do you have to release preasure on your hand grips to be able to flex your elbows. Are your feeling discomfort in your elbow joints. If either of the last two comments apply then you are leaning on your bars! Try placing more weight on your butt, try wiggleing your fingers once in a while when riding. If you must lean back to do this, you are leaning on your bars. Take notice of presure being placed in your palms while riding. I you have preasure, you are leaning on your bars. Your arms should be relaxed and so should be your hands when riding. Master this and not only will the tingling become nonexistant, but your riding ability will improve.

I've only had a Feejer for a couple of years, so I won't give forum member #19 riding advice, but I have to second what griffithds said here.

 

[meosborn]

In your testing you might try some polyurethane, possibly of different durometers, to see if that dampens vibes better than rubber. Commonly used in Mt. bike applications for various shock methods instead of, or in conjunction with springs/shocks. Looking at some of those applications might give you some ideas as well. Linkage forks come to mind, as do seat post dampening systems.

That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking about starting with. Now, where to get what I need...

 

[Moon Man]

Two stupid and probably off topic pieces of input:

When is the last time you changed your plugs?

Do you use risers to take the weight off your hands?

And as for the mount. my main worry would be isolating the bolts, i have some ideas for that, but they would require a machined handlebar with a modified attachment type.

I hear you on the vibes, my old inline four was a rubber mounted in a steel frame, and it was silky smooth. Of course, it didn't go as fast as the feejer.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I'm mainly interested in pursuing the pad-under-the-handlebars option out of curiosity. I didn't start this thread to see what options there are to quell vibrations (the "Try Searching" suggestion would definitely have applied) but, instead, to find out any information or warnings others had about putting a rubber layer under the bars.

Oh.

Got kids? Take one of the punctured inner tubes off the pile in your garage and cut a vibration damper out of that.

Let us know how it works.

My bet is that a little more engineering will be required.

 

[meosborn]

I'm mainly interested in pursuing the pad-under-the-handlebars option out of curiosity. I didn't start this thread to see what options there are to quell vibrations (the "Try Searching" suggestion would definitely have applied) but, instead, to find out any information or warnings others had about putting a rubber layer under the bars.

Oh.

Got kids? Take one of the punctured inner tubes off the pile in your garage and cut a vibration damper out of that.

Let us know how it works.

My bet is that a little more engineering will be required.

No kids yet. Besides, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to want a type of rubber that is a bit more substantial than the type they make inner tubes out of. That's where the polyurethane comes in. They use that on suspension bushings so I'm sure it can withstand the pressures that will be involved. My only problem is finding some that is flat instead of the shapes they make them for bushings. Also, finding the time to do anything other than think about it.

I wonder if the person that tried this out before (per OCfjr's post) might have tried using that type of rubber (inner tube rubber) and that's why he lost the dampening effect when he torqued down the bolts enough to maintain sufficient control.

Bogey907 - I'm definitely not above receiving riding advice. I did show up here fairly early on when the forum was created but I'm not a professional rider. But, as I mentioned in post #19, griffithds' advice sounds an awful lot like the Master Yoda Riding Position and I do already practice that.

As noted by johhny80s, I've said a few times that I am aware of other options out there for this 'problem' but I'm going to try this out and see what it does. Hopefully, I'll have some good information to tell everyone after I figure it out.

This forum has been a great source of information for me over the years and I'm excited that I might be able to contribute something at least interesting to read. Maybe interesting to try even.

 

[jimefjr]

I get some numbness in my throttle hand, so I started putting my index and middle fingers up on the front brake lever and it goes away...

 

[jjsC6]

This is a pretty humorous thread. Numb right hand is one of the most common complaints about the FJR. I've tried all the common fixes that have been discussed for the 3+ years I've had the bike. Nothing has helped except a throttle lock to give me a break every 20 minutes or so.

I have thought about exactly what the OP has asked about, but have not tried it.

Best of luck.

 

[YAM TOM]

Funney i also thought about a rubber pad under the handle bar mount. Vibes start at about 4000 r.p.m.s makes my fingers tingle and can also feel it in the seat. Never had this problem before with any other bike. My previous bike was a suzuki bandit it actually went down the road much smoother than my f.j.r. Love the new bike but this is just one little issue

 

[Sir Price]

Someone else tried the rubber pads under the handlebars. The problem seemed to be that it made the steering feel very unstable and if you tightened the pads down enough to avoid that, the vibration reduction was lost.

I had a similar vague steering experience when I had a Skirtster so I made some you beaut spacers that added more tension on the rubber blocks, this enabled me to get the steering input feeling OK. Until then it felt like I was steering a bowl of jelly.

 

[lazbm]

Meosborn,

I have asked exactly the same question here - https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...=115579&hl=

Brodie provided a logical answer as to why it would not be such a good idea.

And, a rant here - https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...19743&st=20

Sure there is a high frequency vibration (buzz) in the RHS bar, and, hence, people try different sorts of things from grip puppies to riding positions. Seems like the degree of that vib is different for different bikes. Therefore, those with lesser vibs can't understand what the fuss is all about.

Recently got my bike serviced at a dealer whose service manager rides a FJR too. He too mentioned that the vibration is quite pronounced on his bike, and his hand goes numb - he just lets go off the throttle every so often to fight this issue. And he is a well-built individual, not a puny.

Granted the riding position of some of us puts a lot of weight on the bars - but that doesn't mean we ought to change our riding posture and not look for a solution for the root cause of the issue.

Here's a thought. Why is the vib so pronounced on the RHS compared to the LHS? Does it imply that the LHS being fixed vs. the RHS throttle being "loose" makes the latter vibrate more. Does that provide an opportunity to dampen the throttle tube somehow instead of going to the triple tree area?

If you find a solution, I will be glad to avail it too. This is the biggest problem I face with my bike.

 

[meosborn]

I have heard from more than one source that the RHS is worse than the LHS. I haven't found that to be true on my FJR. I have a little more problem with my right hand than I do with my left but I am under the impression it is because I never let up on my grip with my right hand. That is one reason that I picked up an Audiovox CC and will be installing it later this year (holy crap there are a lot of parts in the box!).

I have finally found a source of some polyurethane rubber that is 3mm thick and comes in a sheet that is 12" x 12". Unfortunately, it's about $56. I must admit that considering some of the feedback that I have received on the forum as well as just thinking about the different problems with this solution, I hesitate to spend that much on some rubber that I may very well cut up and then end up throwing away.

I found the rubber at the McMaster-Carr site. Does anyone else know of a source for polyurethane rubber? It's a bit tricky since polyurethane rubber comes in so many forms.

Also, lazbm (bum or boatswain's mate?), your links come back with: "Sorry, the link that brought you to this page seems to be out of date or broken." Or at least they did when I tried to open them.

 

[lazbm]

Also, lazbm (bum or boatswain's mate?), your links come back with: "Sorry, the link that brought you to this page seems to be out of date or broken." Or at least they did when I tried to open them.

Links work now - thanks for pointing out.

Also, thanks for giving me a way out with boatswain's mate - but, I will stick with bum.

 

[meosborn]

So, after reading those links, I can't say as I know any more than I did before. That is, it might not work. But, on the other hand, it might. Now I just need to decide how much the answer is worth to me. Especially since I just bought some Manic Salamanders from Vasil.

 

[cool_cynic]

Just out of curiousity, has anyone else gotten the bike up around 80 (~4k rpm in 5th), and grabbed hold of the throttle cables near the throttle housing? That seems to be the sole source of vibration on my FJ. They seem to be transmitting the vibrations of the motor directly to the right grip. Try it if you haven't, you might be a little surprised at the buzzing frequency of those cable housings. ......wonder if there would be a way to dampen those?