| Author | Message | ||
     Thefleshrocket |
I use my 1125R mostly for commuting but also for some backroads riding. When commuting, I almost always short shift under 5000rpm, and even on backroads group rides, I rely on the torque and rarely go too far over 5000rpm. Yesterday, I was heading to a client about an hour away in the middle of nowhere, so I took some backroads there and really gave the bike a workout--redlining the first three gears and most of the way to redline in fourth a bunch of times. Holy crap, this bike feels like the motor is full of a bunch of rocks at higher RPM. Under 5000rpm where I usually ride, it's relatively smooth. Not buttery smooth like my Speed Triple or even very smooth like my VFR800, but tolerable for long distances nonetheless. But after about 7000rpm, the vibrations increase greatly. Now I'm guessing that this is just nature of a 72 degree V-twin--it's inherently hard to balance and even with balance shafts, its level of smoothness will never lull someone into thinking that they're riding a Gold Wing, but has anyone had any success at tuning their 1125R to be a bit smoother? (My 1125R has a Barker and the matching EB R ECM.) The reason I ask is that, like I mentioned, my Speed Triple and VFR are smooth-running bikes--I can spend extended periods of time at high RPM without feeling like I'm riding a washing machine that's out of balance. That's how my Daytona 675 was, as were my SV650S and SV1000S. (My CBR600F2 gets a little coarse over 7000rpm, but it's still a lot better than the 1125R.) I like being able to use the entire RPM range without too much discomfort. And I've once again been thinking about getting a Ducati, specifically a 999S, because a 90-degree V-twin is inherently balanced and should be a lot more tolerant of high-RPM escapades, and because a 999S should have similar riding dynamics to my 1125R. (Here's an old thread I posted a couple years back. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/600226.html?1289100129 ) | ||
| Jdugger |
I honestly never really noticed. I think it's pretty smooth around 6k -- perhaps its smoothest. It does make a lot of vibes, but not too bad, IMHO. In-line 4s and other engine configurations will have different behaviors. The Ducati motor is smoother, for sure. | ||
| Duphuckincati |
Are you most aware of it at the pegs, seat or bars? If the bars the "Vibranator" weights help a noticeable amount. But yeah, it's not the smoothest thing out there. My V-Strom 650 feels like a sporty Gold Wing in comparison. And I had a 900SS and Speed Triple too, I don't clearly recall the 900SS being all that super-smooth though. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
on mine 7k is horrible through the pegs | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
On my ride home today, I railed on it some more. The vibration is primarily through the clipons and pegs. I haven't tried the Vibranators but probably ought to. The chassis vibration isn't terrible--I could live with it if my hands weren't being horribly vibrated. I'd probably better not mention the Ducati to my wife--I just added the Speed Triple (albeit as a trade for my Daytona 675). | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Holy crap, Vibranators are $109 plus shipping. Seems pretty excessive for some fancy bar ends. <sigh> | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
http://www.vibranator.com/product_p/s03-b01-r04-n0 2-m01-t150.htm | ||
| Jdugger |
Buckshot in the bar tubes will work wonders... | ||
| Timebandit |
If the price of a vibranator scares you off, don't even think about Throttlemeisters. With options, they could end up costing almost twice that. | ||
| Timebandit |
JD, I'm really surprised to hear you say that you don't really notice it. Does that mean that it doesn't bother you, so you don't pay it any mind, or does it mean that you are in-tune with what the bike is telling you and you don't consciously pay attention to it any more? Personally, I embrace the buzzes & vibrations that define this bike; it's like putting my hand on a horse's neck to feel it's pulse as it gallops. I'm surprised that anyone who's owned an 1125 for any length of time could be surprised by the change in the bike's personality when it's unbridled. I thought that by now everyone was familiar with the fact that the character of this bike changes dramatically when you open it up to let the engine breathe. That's why some people intentionally avoid riding this bike where it makes power, why some people ride the bike where it makes power and don't pay much attention to the buzz, and why some people intentionally seek the buzz, sensing the subtleties in the noises and the vibes like they're the pulse of the bike. There are some people who have developed their senses to the point that they don't even pay attention to them consciously. I think that the buzzing of the bars something good, not something bad. I embrace the idiosyncrasies of the changes in vibration and sounds at different RPM, tuning into them to sense exactly what the motor is doing. I think that cultivating an ear for the motor noise and a feel for the buzzes in the hands and feet are part of becoming one with the bike. IMO one of the greatest features of this bike is that it does feel differently at different RPM and it communicates it's status to the rider so effectively. I don't like riding an IL4 where the motor feels like a sewing machine. I find the differential buzzing of the bars and pegs to be a great attribute. I like to use it as a visceral tachometer to keep me advised of exactly where I am as I run up through the powerband, without ever having to look at the tach. The last thing that I ever want to do when approaching a rev limit is to take my eyes off of the road and look at instruments, and I imagine that the experienced track riders feel the same way. When I feel the transition when the bars start buzzing I know exactly where I stand in terms of available RPM without ever having to take my eyes off of the road. When I feel the buzz transfer from the bars to the pegs, I know exactly what that means. To me, developing my senses to the point that I never need to look at the instrument cluster is all part of attaining the state of Zen enlightenment. But then I'm not a commuter. This bike is what it is – It's a V-twin, not an IL4, and it's a 72-degree twin, not a 90. It's a different animal that has a character all it's own. With that said, there are a number of ways to approach the buzz in the handlebars: A. Embrace it; B. Damp the vibration with weights; C. Hide from the power band. My personal preference for tactile feedback is (A) riding on the buzz. I've recently added some Throttlemeisters that have damped out a lot of the feedback. (B). I don't really like the result, the damped vibrations make the communication of the bike far less distinct and much more subtle. I don't like (C). To me, that's like riding a gelding. | ||
| Battyone |
Vibration? what Vibration? I launch at 6k never drop below 7k after that and run her up to nearly 11,5k over the line -in 5th- smooth as silk. Only rough at fire up,but you get used to the clatter until the camchain tensioners pump up. Richen the fuelling up,that'll smooth it out. On the road mine was only rough below 4k. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
Im old - I used to always ride with minimal gloves back east (in the cold - had to "feel" that front end especially in the wet) - my hands hurt now if I have too small a dia grip to hold on to for too long - I use these: http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycles/GRIP PUP.html not too costly and if you don't like them you can easily cut them off... IMO I-4 have a (hi-freq) buzz that will numb your hands, big twins seem to have a "throb" (low freq) that does not. | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Funny thing was I didn't notice the buzz in the pegs until after the remap. Then again I was noticing thee herky jerky of an epa approved map so.... | ||
| Kicka666 |
Get yourself a GS500, great commuter bike, no HP below 5K or after 5K. The 1125 is a smooth reving engine, maybe you have a loose Rotor??? | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
Could be. It's an 08 I don't recall that being a big issue but worth looking I'm sure. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
"If the price of a vibranator scares you off, don't even think about Throttlemeisters. With options, they could end up costing almost twice that." It's not the price itself that bothers me, it's the principle of paying more for something than I think it should be worth. If the Vibranators were $50, no problem. $60, still okay. $70, pushing it, but maybe still justifiable. Beyond that, I just feel like I'm getting ripped off. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Are you using a Barker quiet core silencer? Before I put in the quiet core it seemed like the bike revved faster and was smoother at higher RPM's. | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
I had the quiet core installed a while back, but it has been out since last Fall at least. It didn't really seem to have an effect on quieting down the bike, so out it came. | ||
| Jdugger |
> JD, I'm really surprised to hear you say that you don't really notice it. I don't notice it because I'm *busy*. Tracks in Texas are tight, for the most part relatively short, and VERY bumpy. Bar and peg buzz is the least of my concerns. I noticed the buzz on my street 1125r. Back when I used to ride in the Ozarks a lot I had throttle meisters in the bar ends. After that, I found the 1125r in stock trim to be "All day" comfortable. We often rode 450-500 miles a day of nothing but twisties and it never bothered me. | ||
| Dannybuell |
front wheel balance? front fork fluid sludge and stiff? | ||
| Timebandit |
> *busy* I guess that's the 3rd option that I wasn't smart enough to figure out! I'm kinda surprised to hear you say that the tracks are short. I wouldn't have expected that -- you know, there's that stereotype that says everything is big in Texas. > Throttlemeisters First, they are pricey, but they are worth every penny. Base price is $150, color & milling could add maybe $40 to the price; at $190 you'd be looking at one expensive set of bar ends. I use the plain stainless heavy ones that cost $150. Expensive, yes, but they are worth it. They have a built-in cam-type throttle lock that's difficult to machine and that's what makes them expensive. On the bright side, the "heavy" model is really long, and really works great as a slider. My BMW boxer got punted about 75 feet when T-boned by a car, and slid on the left bar end, the bag, and the cylinder head. Much to my amazement, the stainless bar end kept the front end of the bike off of the pavement, and the stainless in the bar end was so tough that it wasn't ruined by the slide. Barely a scratch, hardly noticeable. I still use that TM, and I really have to look for the scratches to notice they're there. Being so heavy they *DO* damp out a lot of the buzz. Too much, IMO, but if you don't like the vibes you'll probably love them. | ||
| Timebandit |
> All-day comfortable. Know what you mean. I top-off when I leave the house, and I don't stop until I need to refuel 2-3 hours later. Try doing that on an 1198. | ||
| Jdugger |
The tracks in Texas are short because they are mostly Country-Club type tracks instead of event tracks. Of the tracks we race on in Texas, MSRH, TWS, MSRC & ECR, only TWS is an "event" track. You can buy a membership at the other three and ride as a member several times a month. So, the tracks are a little smaller, just from the financial reality of building and maintaining an national or international length circuit. They are also not built to the same standard as a major circuit, but cost millions less. The rumor for MSRC and ECR is both were built for roughly $5 Million. By comparison, Barber was over $50 Million. Like a lot of things, it's a trade off. But, I ride on a local circuit almost *every* weekend. Lots of guys gripe about Texas track facilities, but then again, they are lucky to get one day every other month, and at 4-8x per day what I pay... I say it's a decent trade. | ||
| Timebandit |
Too bad that the only tracks in my neck of the woods are ovals. *sigh* | ||
| Orman1649 |
+1 on the virbronators...def worth the money | ||
| Geedee |
Have a look at HVMP bar ends by Badwebber Johnnylunchbox. Happy with mine. http://www.hvmp.com/ |
