Vibration in grips at 3k-5k RPM...any way to correct?

[Chris Wilson]

There seems to be a report of "hand numbing vibration" in the original post" and if the dampners are original then nothing is being ignored, its actually being well considered.

And as you say, it all going to vibrate at some point but the aim is to reduce not eliminate.

Chris.

[VtwinStorm]

7 hours ago, Chris Wilson said:

Yes, use the stock bar end wieghts as stoppers jamming in a length of rubber hose that is just longer than the available internal length and has its OD just smaller than the ID of the bar.

This is assuming of course that your clip ons are hollow!

This should negate some of the waves travelling up and down each end.

Chris.

I will check on these in the Spring. Lots of hand-numbing vibes at 3k-5k RPM.

[PJPR01]

You can also use a Crampbuster, I find this indispensable on all of my bikes to eliminate any wrist cramping, but it also tends to isolate some of the vibes to the palm of the hand, not the fingers or wrist.  On the other hand a well tuned V11 should be pleasant to ride at that rpm level, so I'd get quite a few more rides in to see if it's really behaving oddly or just a question of bonding with the bike.

However, above 6k and on up, the bike does smooth out a lot...just depends if you like to ride at higher RPM's or not...I'll call this hooligan territory for lack of a better word as the responsiveness is instantaneous, but I'm sure you're used to that also with the Ducatis.

Either way, it's fun figuring it out and tinkering, as long as there are no bolts loose anywhere, and these bikes do require inspection of every bolt on a regular basis as I've been told by Chuck, Mike at MPH and others...and it's true!

[VtwinStorm]

2 hours ago, PJPR01 said:

You can also use a Crampbuster, I find this indispensable on all of my bikes to eliminate any wrist cramping, but it also tends to isolate some of the vibes to the palm of the hand, not the fingers or wrist.  On the other hand a well tuned V11 should be pleasant to ride at that rpm level, so I'd get quite a few more rides in to see if it's really behaving oddly or just a question of bonding with the bike.

However, above 6k and on up, the bike does smooth out a lot...just depends if you like to ride at higher RPM's or not...I'll call this hooligan territory for lack of a better word as the responsiveness is instantaneous, but I'm sure you're used to that also with the Ducatis.

Either way, it's fun figuring it out and tinkering, as long as there are no bolts loose anywhere, and these bikes do require inspection of every bolt on a regular basis as I've been told by Chuck, Mike at MPH and others...and it's true!

Yes. As for the bolts, that is what loctite is for.

I'm more a fan of midrange RPM, but I will find the right cadence for the Guzzi in the Spring and go from there.

[VtwinStorm]

1 minute ago, LowRyter said:

I think they are solid bar inserts, not just bar ends.  

I'll take them out in the Spring and see if the rubber is missing inside.

[LowRyter]

Sorry, the clip on them selves are solid.  My bad.  I have a handlebar conversion and the take off parts in a box.  I think the bars are filled with lead shot.

Typically the bars shake at idle and smooth out.  3k+ is the sweet spot.

[guzziart]

FWIW, my '03 Lemans had an annoying hand numbing vibration between 3500-4500 rpm when I bought it in '15.  The original owner installed DAS Mototec clip ons that I thought might be the problem but after reading posts that others had the same issue with oe bars, i let the clip ons stay.  I installed a pair of "heavy" bar ends (don't recall the brand), gave the bike a "decent tune up" and somehow the vibration is no longer hand numbing. 

[VtwinStorm]

3 minutes ago, guzziart said:

FWIW, my '03 Lemans had an annoying hand numbing vibration between 3500-4500 rpm when I bought it in '15.  The original owner installed DAS Mototec clip ons that I thought might be the problem but after reading posts that others had the same issue with oe bars, i let the clip ons stay.  I installed a pair of "heavy" bar ends (don't recall the brand), gave the bike a "decent tune up" and somehow the vibration is no longer hand numbing. 

Yes. Might need to find some heavy bar end weights...this vibration in the grips is the only fault I have with the V11 Sport.

The rest of the machine is indeed pure motorcycle bliss.

Well, and the brakes are weaker than I like...

[docc]

1 hour ago, VtwinStorm said:

Yes. Might need to find some heavy bar end weights...this vibration in the grips is the only fault I have with the V11 Sport.

The rest of the machine is indeed pure motorcycle bliss.

Well, and the brakes are weaker than I like...

Fresh Brembo pads, fluid bleed, and especially rotating and equalizing the piston action across all pistons in each caliper can work wonders on the brake feel.

[Pressureangle]

I have about 5 pounds of lead shot I was going to put in the bars on the '85 LeMans, but after the engine work the vibration went away and it wasn't necessary to try out. Might give it another go in my '74 Aermacchi this spring tho.

[p6x]

My Six cents;

There is a thread of my looking for a right end bar weight because it fell off. I rode with no weight because it took a long time to locate one, and I can attest the vibrations are unsustainable. Very easy to compare between the left and the right hand side without weight.

 

[VtwinStorm]

5 hours ago, p6x said:

My Six cents;

There is a thread of my looking for a right end bar weight because it fell off. I rode with no weight because it took a long time to locate one, and I can attest the vibrations are unsustainable. Very easy to compare between the left and the right hand side without weight.

 

In the Spring, I will unscrew both side caps and see if perhaps one of the weights, or both, or the rubber bushings are missing within the clipons.

Hell, it may have been off just half a degree in tuning, and now is totally smooth. Well, smoother.

I only got to ride her 30-45 mins the one time before any reconditioning was done to the machine, so who knows?

[docc]

1 hour ago, VtwinStorm said:

In the Spring, I will unscrew both side caps and see if perhaps one of the weights, or both, or the rubber bushings are missing within the clipons.

Hell, it may have been off just half a degree in tuning, and now is totally smooth. Well, smoother.

I only got to ride her 30-45 mins the one time before any reconditioning was done to the machine, so who knows?

I would wager it was more off than that. I know I said this before, but you may be vastly relieved by what it feels like after a couple Decent Tune-ups.  Also, it is important to balance the Guzzi throttle bodies "at some rpm" (2500-3000 or so) rather than at idle. Not all technicians agree or do this and their balance will be lovely at idle, but perhaps considerably off at the rpm we actually ride.

I don't mind a lumpy idle, but want it as silky as a Guzzi gets at 4-5000 and up.

(Okay, they're Guzzis, so not "silky."  Maybe "leathery" would feel just right . . .)

[VtwinStorm]

2 minutes ago, docc said:

I would wager it was more off than that. I know I said this before, but you may be vastly relieved by what it feels like after a couple Decent Tune-ups.  Also, it is important to balance the Guzzi throttle bodies "at some rpm" (2500-3000 or so) rather than at idle. Not all technicians agree or do this and their balance will be lovely at idle, but perhaps considerably off at the rpm we actually ride.

I don't mind a lumpy idle, but want it as silky as a Guzzi gets at 4-5000 and up.

(Okay, they're Guzzis, so not "silky."  Maybe "leathery" would feel just right . . .)

"Lambskin leather" smooth wouldn't be bad for my Guzzi V11...My Ducatis are almost as smooth as a Honda 750 Four once off idle. My Triumph Daytona 1200 is nearly vibration-free...smooth like glass, as to be expected from any inline-four.

Just four months and I will finally get to put my big Guzzi through her paces. I think about it almost daily. She has such character, this bike.

[Lucky Phil]

6 hours ago, VtwinStorm said:

"Lambskin leather" smooth wouldn't be bad for my Guzzi V11...My Ducatis are almost as smooth as a Honda 750 Four once off idle. My Triumph Daytona 1200 is nearly vibration-free...smooth like glass, as to be expected from any inline-four.

Just four months and I will finally get to put my big Guzzi through her paces. I think about it almost daily. She has such character, this bike.

Well that's because it's got 2 balance shafts. A flat plane in line 4 is not an inherently smooth engine, not by a long shot. I've got a physical problem with my right hand outer palm and little finger from many touring klms on a couple of K100 BMW's back in the day. No Guzzi will ever be as smooth as a Ducati V twin because of the crank orientation. 

Ciao