VIBRATION - deciding too much; and living with it.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

The vibration thingy...as the miles roll on, it seems to be getting worse.

Nope, not gonna sell. Nope, don't want this machine - which was built TO PERFECTION in Soichiro Honda's model plant - to be taken apart in search of mysterious malady, on the bench of a backwoods Montana shop.

But, as they say, decisions must be made. There's a fork in the road...take it.

First, how much is too much? This engine starts and purrs smoothly at about 1000rpm. It pulls strong out the gate, and between 2000-2500rpm is smooth as silk. In 1,2 and 3rd gear, that's fine for traffic.

From 2500 to 3000, things get a little buzzy. That's for fast acceleration in traffic in lower gears.

3000 to 4000 things get a bit out of hand. Mirrors are still fine but my left-hand, which seems more sensitive, starts getting the neuralgia tingles. This is the RPM band when accelerating to highway speed on our limited-access signaled arterials.

Above 4000...which I've run it up to to see what happens...or at highway speeds, which out here in the West is about 85...it gets ugly. Just under 5000rpm, the tank starts to buzz. A little higher and I feel it through the well-padded seat.

Is this normal, in others' experience? I know a four is gonna have some harmonic issues. I can live with it...there is so much else with this machine to love. But I don't want the engine tearing itself apart.

NOW. What is a good way to mitigate the buzz through the grips? I have the factory bars and weights. I read the other thread about someone who replaced or tried to replace Honda bars with aftermarket...how exquisitely-engineered were those weights.

Fair enough. Is there a better sort of grip? I wear off-road riding gloves; they help but they're not a full solution. The bars are fine for me. Keep the bars and weights and try heavily-padded grips? I have big hands; a larger circumference won't hurt me.

Thanks for the feedback.

[furious_blue_imp]

Do you have any other experiences to compare your findings with ?
With 'just' a single balance shaft, the engine was meant to NOT be as smooth as it can be.
On the other hand one can tell it is not an unbalanced inline 4 motor.

Vibration is an XS650 anywhere above 5K rpm, or a CB350 at highway speeds. Now those things will rattle the most insensitive hands (every time I pine for the good ole days, I just remind myself of those 2 bikes, in particular).

If your vibration really is out of the ordinary, it could be that your balance shaft needs to be tuned, but I would guess that it came from the factory properly adjusted and snug enough not to turn out of spec.. If it is out of whack, seems like it should be covered under warranty.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

No experience with an in-line four (well, not on a motorcycle)

I had two BMW oilheads - an R1200GS and an R1100RT. The GS was a buzzer as I got it but with proper first service (on the road!) and throttle-body setting, the buzzing was toned down. Sold it as it was a tall bike and I was getting fatter. Not a good match.

The R1100RT was a buzzer, too. High-mileage used; bought for a ridiculously-low price. Sold it for the same price when a non-related issue caused a panic. False alarm but a wake-up to reality.

My Burgman 650 with a water-cooled 360-firing twin (and balance shafts) is a little bit smoother.

My old Honda GL500, with the water-cooled V, was a LOT smoother. There were vibrations from the V layout; but not, IIRC, the buzzing.

My TU250 buzzed a bit, but it was a high-revving small thumper.

So, the answer is...yes and no.

[pekingduck]

The 4-cylinder vibration also annoys me, though most people don't notice it.
If you are saying the vibes have gotten worse, was there a point it changed noticeably? And did you change anything else?
Stock mirrors are an engineered part of the handlebar dampening. An aftermarket exhaust or engine guards can change the harmonics. Did you check torque on engine mounting bolts? That's a critical point on the VFRs and ST1300s.
If the vibes are normal, there's no fear of damaging the engine.

[Elipten_imp]

Mine has some vibration around 3500rpm, what you describe is not my experience on my CB2013 and CB2014Dlx.

I would meet up with another member and swap bikes to compare. And I would start checking all bolts with a torque wrench, starting with the engine mounting bolts.

Is the vibration the same on the center stand or only when riding?

Any modifications or work to the bike?

Let's get some details and explore.


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[pekingduck]

Have you tried gloves with gel padding, or gel grips? I've only tried them for bicycles where they do help. You could change sprocket gearing to change the speed the vibes set in at.
Also, how many miles on the bike now?

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Have you tried gloves with gel padding, or gel grips? I've only tried them for bicycles where they do help. You could change sprocket gearing to change the speed the vibes set in at.
Also, how many miles on the bike now?

The gel grips will probably be the next step.

I really don't want to mess with sprocket size - yet. Frankly, I'm not comfortable putting the engine under load like that at under 2500rpms. Motorcycle manufacturers no longer publish horsepower and torque values on their engines - and it's a loss, because seeing where the torque peaks tells me if this engine is a screamer or a lugging tractor engine.

If it's happier at lower RPMs...I can keep it under 2500 for about 2/3 of my riding. Problem basically solved! If it's a screamer, designed to wind up...then I'm gonna cause problems making it lug.

Mine has some vibration around 3500rpm, what you describe is not my experience on my CB2013 and CB2014Dlx.

I would meet up with another member and swap bikes to compare. And I would start checking all bolts with a torque wrench, starting with the engine mounting bolts.

Is the vibration the same on the center stand or only when riding?

Any modifications or work to the bike?

Let's get some details and explore.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Haven't tried it on the center stand.

The vibration is absolutely the engine and not tires. I've run it up and pulled in the clutch; and it all goes away.

No mods. Only 300-mile service. One "oops" - feeling in the dark for the side-stand, I accidentally toed the gearbox into first, engine idling. The usual: A lunge forward and the engine stalled. I'm assuming no serious damage because there's no change in the smoothness of the gearbox shifting.

It didn't seem to change anything; but I was still "breaking it in" and didn't want to rev it above 3000 in that time period.

The 4-cylinder vibration also annoys me, though most people don't notice it.
If you are saying the vibes have gotten worse, was there a point it changed noticeably? And did you change anything else?
Stock mirrors are an engineered part of the handlebar dampening. An aftermarket exhaust or engine guards can change the harmonics. Did you check torque on engine mounting bolts? That's a critical point on the VFRs and ST1300s.
If the vibes are normal, there's no fear of damaging the engine.

Seems they're worse. It may just be because I'm getting more free with the throttle as the engine wears in.

But I seem to remember it smoother up to 3000. It may be just familiarity. There wasn't a sudden change, like something coming loose inside the engine.
I see on another thread here...a former member traded in his 2013 for the buzziness.

I also see here...reference to "adjusting" the Balance Shafts.

ARE they adjustable? Here's what's going on. I'm in a small town in the Bitterroots...a very-wealthy town, with a university in it; but smallish. Honda has one dealer; the one I bought from...the owner IS the sales department. BMW sells a lot here. Harley sells a lot here. KTM sells a few here.

Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, not so much.

The Honda dealer/owner...had this one. Don't know why he bought it; but the way he tells it, it sat on his floor for a year. He had never ridden one and didn't know anyone who had. He had NO CLUE.

He wasn't even pushing it. It was like...there...I guess after a year with it, he figured I wouldn't be interested in it, either. It was only pre-delivery, when he tested it out before turning it over to me, that he saw what it was...yes, he's a rider; a rider in his 60s. The target market; and he was bubbling like a kid when he came off it.

Point? He doesn't KNOW these things. Nobody in town knows these things - I'm probably the only owner this side of Idaho with one.

So...if there's a need to set the Balance Shafts...references and TSMs and anything else, would be a great help.

[pekingduck]

Well, I don't think the balancer shaft is at fault. It is gear driven with a rubber dampener, as found on most Honda inline 4s, and really need no adjustment here. There are no bulletins on it on any subject. Trying to chase something that isn't broken is a bad road to go down.

This is something nearly impossible to quantify - it's all perception. What bothers you may not bother the next rider.

Few dealers have sold more than one or two, and most have few miles, so there aren't many "experts" around.
I've been riding continually for 45 years, 100+ bikes, still commuting daily on one. When I first rode a CB1100, I probably felt like your salesman. Wow! Perfect! Bliss! Now with some miles, the vibes are my main complaint. There are no perfect bikes, and likely never will be.

[Lord Popgun]

The only adjustment for the balancer is for lash adjustment.

[dr_rock_imp]

Do you notice that the vibration seems to get better above 5500 rpms? I notice it between 4k and 5k but its not horrible .