Mastiff Vibration is killing me!

[Bodskis]

Vibration is causing me physical pain after I ride my Mastiff, I wake in the middle of the night with excruciating pins and needles, has anyone any ideas as to ways to solve this?

I checked the handlebar rubber mounting bushes and they dont look too bad, but all the same I added extra rubber washers from a plumbing shop with no real change. Friends have suggested foam grips and bar end weights, has anyone tried these?

Hope someone can help

Carl

[angustoyou]

Bar end weights are the norm on road bikes, and are there to try to stop vibrations through the bars. That would be my first step, apparently heavier is better than light, so go steel not alloy.

I've also heard of a product called a bar snake, or something similair. The theory is that a jelly / rubber like substance fills the bars, and stops them from vibrating / resonating. Used to be popular on the off road scene. Less so now, but I think that has a lot to do with alloy bars becoming the norm,instead of steel. Tap a piece of metal against a steel bar, then an alloy bar, and hear the difference. Nobody makes tuning forks out of alloy! Ours have steel bars as standard, I've swapped to alloy, but the internal diameter is smaller, meaning you couldn't run bar end weights. I had thought of filling my bars with silicon sealant, which would seem to do the same trick.

You could try putting a section of bicycle inner tube around the bars, where the clamps attach, and I had also considered removing the engine mounting bolts, and slipping a piece of old inner tube between the frame and engine, to try and absorb a bit of vibration.

After swapping to allloy bars though, I've not bothered trying anything else, as it's ok for me.

The cheapest thing to try is gripping on less hard, hold on loosely, and use the webbing between thumb and forefinger as your main grip. It makes a difference.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

bar snake, or something similair. The theory is that a jelly / rubber like substance fills the bars, and stops them from vibrating / resonating.

HAM RADIO operators put rope or a rubber hose inside the elements of there large
Beam antennas to cut down on gusty winds getting them
going in a harmonic cycle that can cause them to break

rubber auto fuel hose in my w8jk array
with out it i might get 2 years before its down in the yard
going on 11 years now
makes it heavy to put up but the ends do not look like a bird trying to fly in the gusty wind i get here in winter

dave

[comanche91]

The Bar Snake worked for me killing the vibrations and harmonics. It was immediately noticeable. I'd get tingling in the arms and shoulders for hours after riding; now no more. It was hell trying to pull it through the bar, lots of silicon lube helped. I've heard that spray insulating foam helps too but have not tried it.

[Bodskis]

Thanks for all the advice people, bar ends on the way! Will silicone sealer work like the bar snake? Got loads of it!

[Bodskis]

Thanks you guys for all the help.

I have filled the bars with good quality sealant, put rubber washers by the dozen wherever I could alover the bike and fitted bar end weights and life is much better.

Went back to the doctors and he explained that I am 18 years older than when I was a courier and what did I expect if I lept headlong into 70 mile motorway trips. If you think about it, its like going to the gym and spending a whole afternoon working out after 18 years off and boy would you hurt for a couple of weeks!

To add to my troubles, my carbs do really need a cleaning and splutter and cough when I back off the throttle causing vibration which doesnt help. Do carb cleaners and fuel additives really help? I'm always nervous about dismanling carbs!

[DAVID THOMPSON]

Carb major clean
that's a winter job
there not easy to get off a 660
dave

[Bodskis]

I was afraid of that, just wondered if anyone knows of a decent fix without 20hours of frustration or a £80 bill. Its a quite disturbing bike to ride and only pleasurable when using handfuls of throttle because when I back off it grumbles and complains. I know that it shouldnt be like that, its like riding an angry Pit Bull.

[edfmaniac]

Buy a can of Seafoam and put some in the gas and oil. Make sure that you are 6 or 7 turns out on the idle mixture screw as well. That should help with the popping unless the pilot jet needs to come out. Messing with the adjustment that controls lag time on the secondary carb may also help you. Mine has a completely different character with two turns of that screw.

[Bodskis]

Thank you, I will give it a go.

[ericetz301]

Nearly all big singles suffer this problem,
I fitted the bar end weights, they helped, then foam grips, a little better.
Then, and I`m not sure where the idea came from , ``lets put some put lead shot in the bars``, leaving enough room for the pellets to jiggle about and soak up the vibes.
And it worked ! nearly all the vibration has been damped out

[radiograf]

Firstly I would go back to your doctor and get him to refer you to a hand specialist as it sounds like you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It could also be a problem with your neck.
Secondly I tend to use Beeston style grips on my bikes, as I've found these the most comfortable over the years.

[Baggy_Al]

I suffer from loss of feeling, loss of dexterity and pins and needles (but no pain)in the two outer fingers on my right hand, my daughter is a physio and she sent me to the docs, loss of feeling and pins and needle in the thumb and first two fingers is normally carpal tunnel and is generally a wrist problem, the outer two is cubital tunnel syndrome and caused by a problem with the ulna nerve and can affect the neck as well, my problem is in the elbow. I have had checks to determine the speed along the nerves(half what it should be) and waiting to see a specialist next month. They may also check for diabetes, depends on your age and size. You need to get the doc to refer you asap, if muscle wasting occurs it may be permanent. Check out cubital and carpal tunnel on google and see if symtoms match yours.
I ride a Baghira and a vibey BMW1100s, don`t know if there is a connection!!

Al.

[Nobog]

Check your motor mount bolts. Oddly my Mastiff was nearly vibration free, significantly smoother than my Tour, at least when new. After 5k miles they were about the same, ride all day no problem. Never used bar end wts on either.

JK

[DAVID THOMPSON]

baggie al said
diabetes

sensitive feet and toes and the bottoms of feet sore ??? do get it looked about
and just because your young dont let it go
dave

my legs are going may get an other 5 years in then the rt125 gets a side car