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Captlusk
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 12:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

A good friend of mine test rode a Uly and a Lightning recently. The bikes both had about 130 miles on the clock. I was disappointed to hear that in his opinion there was a large amount of vibration present with both bikes. I used to ride a S-3T and was expecting a lot of shaking at idle with the XB, however, my friend said that on both bikes there was a large amount of vibration up to about 2500-3000 RPM when things smoothed out. He said it felt like parts were shaking off the bike.

Is this normal for the XB's? If not, what would cause this? I cannot imagine vibration like this not being ranted about in magazine articles. Anyway, I would be very interested in you XB owner's impressions on this subject.
Thanks in advance...
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M1combat
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 01:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I wouldn't call it "vibration" because it's a fairly low frequency but with some good magnitude. They certainly smooth out quite a bit above 2500 but I've never been bothered by the shake below that. It's much more pronounced at WOT from low RPM than when just picking up speed at moderate throttle openings. Almost no shake at all at steady throttle at low RPM though. It not like there's a bunch of shaking at 35MPH in second just cruising along or anything, just when you whack it open from low RPM.
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Roc
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 01:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That is close to lugging the motorcycle in all but 1st gear. Ride the bikes above 3k and they vibrate less than the tube frames, the 9's even more so.
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M1combat
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 01:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Good point... I try to keep it above about 2300 in all but first, where I'm regularly at 1400 or so putting around town. If you're real careful with the throttle it's not lugging but yeah, it's close.
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Molly_hatchet
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 02:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

my 9 is my first buell and the vibration was the least of my worries...now that fact that it sounded like a handful of nickles in a blender that scared the crap outta me...but vibrations...its not so bad....the girlfriend seems to like it.
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Daves
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 09:15 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Depends on what your friend is used to riding and if he went into the test ride looking to like the bike or automatically dislike the bike.
Yep they shake at low RPMs, it is a 45 degree V-Twin.
Nature of the beast.
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Alchemy
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 10:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Off topic a bit but ..... Is there a write up somewhere about the design philosophy of the 45 degree V-twin engine? Somewhere on the Web? I am interested in the reasoning behind 45 degrees vs 50 or 35 for example.

Each engine approach has pluses and minuses. What of the sound, vibration, idle, valving, weight, cooling, carburetion etc.

I would find this interesting technically if it exists.
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Prof_stack
Posted on Saturday, July 22, 2006 - 11:19 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The vibrations diminish over time as the miles go up.
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Captlusk
Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 01:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yeah, it could be that he did not know what to expect from a 45 degree V-twin. He was riding a Triumph Tiger when I first met him (my bike now) now he rides a ST1100. Thanks for the input guys. One of these days I'm going to get down to the dealer and try one myself.
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Diablobrian
Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 01:38 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

first hand knowledge is the best way to make a decision.

No matter how much you trust your friend, he isn't you.
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Steve_mackay
Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 - 02:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Captlusk, I own a '98 S3T and an '06 XB9SX. I can tell ya, there is no comparison. The S3T shakes worse at all engine speeds VS the XB.
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