Vibes.

So I haven't had any rides longer than, say 50-100 miles. This morning, I had a work thing about an hour in the opposite direction to my office from home, and rode there and then to the office.

The ride to the office had my right hand (and to some extent my left) numb from vibrations. Looks like it's at about 4500RPMS or so.

My first impression of this bike was smooth and vibe free - I'm sensitive to vibrations, and although I loved the bike, wouldn't by the Ninja 1000 for that particular reason...

Is anyone else having a similar problem? I've got a 400-500 mile ride set up in the next couple weekends, and I guess I'll learn more of how my bike sends the vibes to my hands then, but I'd love to hear if this is a problem with the model or just my particular bike. Is this a known issue?

It's a 2010 VFR1200F.

Very happy with the bike otherwise.

Thoughts? Ways to compensate? Like this bike too much to just sell it. FYI, I hold onto the bike with my legs, keep a loose grip on the bars, and even use a cramp buster on the throttle.

THanks,

 -Dan

So I haven't had any rides longer than, say 50-100 miles. This morning, I had a work thing about an hour in the opposite direction to my office from home, and rode there and then to the office.

The ride to the office had my right hand (and to some extent my left) numb from vibrations. Looks like it's at about 4500RPMS or so.

My first impression of this bike was smooth and vibe free - I'm sensitive to vibrations, and although I loved the bike, wouldn't by the Ninja 1000 for that particular reason...

Is anyone else having a similar problem? I've got a 400-500 mile ride set up in the next couple weekends, and I guess I'll learn more of how my bike sends the vibes to my hands then, but I'd love to hear if this is a problem with the model or just my particular bike. Is this a known issue?

It's a 2010 VFR1200F.

Very happy with the bike otherwise.

Thoughts? Ways to compensate? Like this bike too much to just sell it. FYI, I hold onto the bike with my legs, keep a loose grip on the bars, and even use a cramp buster on the throttle.

THanks,

 -Dan

I got a small amount of vibration through the bars on my bike, but not enough to be a problem, for me. The stock grip diameter was a little too narrow, however, so I swapped in a pair of ProGrip 719 RVGS gel units. They seem to reduce vibes to a point that I don't notice any vibes at all.

Are you sure it's the vibration?

I often get a numbness in my fingers and I've figured out that gripping the tank more with my knees takes the weight off my hands/wrists and the numbness subsides, every time. So I wonder whether it's too easy an explanation to blame the vibes.

Just a thought.

Yeah, it's coming throught the grips. I'm very concious of not holding on too tight - I hold on with my knees and core, and pretty much at any time could lift my hands off the grips without adjusting my body (track school training).

I'm heading on a 300 mile trip this weekend (150 x2) and will see how it goes. Mix of slab and back roads, enough of both to see.

- Dan

This narrow angle V4 does shake some.  I feel it occasionally but never bad enough to bother me.  Have you checked the throttle body balance?  Depending on the miles on the clock, you might consider doing it, as it does help some if the TBs are out of synch.

I have ridden mine on 550+mile days.  What bothers me more is my right hand having to twist the throttle for extended periods.  Not so much the vibes.  If the stock mass damping grip ends are installed correctly, there shouldn't be much.  Since you are complaining more about the right side, I would suspect you might have a similar problem... or at least it's contributing to your discomfort.  I used to have cramp buster on my bikes, but I have found that they don't really help all that much, if at all.  In fact, I kinda think sometimes they make things worse by creating pressure points where there shouldn't be and by altering the grip.  Now I use throttle locks instead.  I use both OmniCruise and Go Cruise 2 (the metal version, not the cheap plastic one).  There are other ones that I'm sure work just as well, may be better.  I would seriously look into getting one before your trip.

To me, the VFR1200 is an "All Day Tolerable" bike, not "all day comfortable".  I like it for what it is.

This narrow angle V4 does shake some.  I feel it occasionally but never bad enough to bother me.  Have you checked the throttle body balance?  Depending on the miles on the clock, you might consider doing it, as it does help some if the TBs are out of synch.

I have ridden mine on 550+mile days.  What bothers me more is my right hand having to twist the throttle for extended periods.  Not so much the vibes.  If the stock mass damping grip ends are installed correctly, there shouldn't be much.  Since you are complaining more about the right side, I would suspect you might have a similar problem... or at least it's contributing to your discomfort.  I used to have cramp buster on my bikes, but I have found that they don't really help all that much, if at all.  In fact, I kinda think sometimes they make things worse by creating pressure points where there shouldn't be and by altering the grip.  Now I use throttle locks instead.  I use both OmniCruise and Go Cruise 2 (the metal version, not the cheap plastic one).  There are other ones that I'm sure work just as well, may be better.  I would seriously look into getting one before your trip.

To me, the VFR1200 is an "All Day Tolerable" bike, not "all day comfortable".  I like it for what it is.

I hear you - maybe the crampbuster isn't helping. I'm guessing the TB's are fine - I have around 3600 miles on the bike (only about 1500 are mine).

Looks like the weekend trip is a bust, so I'll just have to figure it out on another ride.

 -Dan

I've got the Go Cruise 2 as well, very nice and simple to boot. I have never noticed any significant vibrations in the handlebars of my 2010, the only place I really feel significant vibrations is where the seat, tank, and... um... groin area meet.. It's not enough to be bothered by, but it is definitely noticeable.  

I have the same issue. The 1200 definitely vibrates at the bars and causes my right hand to go numb as well. The left gets numb too, but not an issue and not nearly as bad as the throttle hand. I think the added force required to hold the throttle open is the difference. For me, a throttle lock is a must and essentially solves the problem. I'd definitely try one as they are relatively inexpensive. You'll get quite good at using the lock for brief stretches when needed, just enough to eliminate the numbness.

I'm wondering whether playing around with different bar end weights might help minimize the vibration. When I changed over the bars of my 95 VFR to VTR1000 bars, I was surprised that the different bars and weights pretty much eliminated all the hand numbing handlebar vibration I was experiencing for years since I first got the bike. I figured that the different bar end weights (heavier?) is mostly the the reason for it.