***VIBRATION HONDA CAMPAIGN***

[birdinflight]

Okay, I said that I would collect everyones complaints regarding the vibes on their bikes so I have been given the go ahead by Jaws, so here I am.

Please don't post anything else on this thread, just what I am asking for, it will make my life easier if I don't have to sort through irrelevant posts.

Please use this thread to detail everything about your problem with your bike. If you prefer you can email me direct :

BIF


I am then going to collect everything together, printed out and forward them all under the Club name to Honda.

At present the details that I think we need are as follows:

*********************************
YOUR NAME AND LOCATION

BIKE MODEL/ YEAR/ ETC

MILEAGE

LENGTH OF OWNERSHIP

ANY RELEVANT MODIFICATIONS

DETAIL OF PROBLEM ie. REV RANGE, WHERE AND WHEN VIBES ARE FELT ie. bars/pegs/seat. CLUTCH IN/OUT. ETC ETC

DETAILS OF WHAT YOU HAVE TRIED TO DO SO FAR WHETHER IT BE BY YOURSELF OR THROUGH YOUR DEALERSHIP.
(MAY BE GOOD TO GIVE THE NAME OF YOUR DEALERSHIP TOO)

ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU FEEL IS RELEVANT TO YOUR PROBLEM WITH THE VIBES

*************************************

I shall contact everyone via email so that I can get your addresses. Unless of course you want to remain anonymous which I think would defeat the object.

Any questions or ideas please email me!

BIF

 

[lynchy]

GARY LYNCH
HARWICH, ESSEX
CBR1100W, 1998
12500 MLS
BOUGHT OCT 2002
THIS BIKE HAS A FULL HONDA SERVICE HISTORY.
NO MODFICATIONS APART FROM NOFANGO LUGGAGE, ALARM, INTERCOM AND HONDA HEATED GRIPS.
THE VIBES STARTED AT ABOUT 9000 MLS FIRST FELT THROUGH THE FOOT PEGS.
VIBES ARE THERE ALL THROUGH THE REV RANGE, STARTING TO GET BAD AT 3000, GETTING A LOT WORSE AT JUST OVER 5000
THE VIBES CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE HANDLE BARS, TANK, SEAT AND FOOTPEGS.
AT STAND STILL THERE IS NO CHANGE TO THE VIBES WITH THE CLUCH IN OR OUT.
THERE ARE NO UNUSAL MECHANICAL SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE NO RATTLES OR GRINDING NOISES APART FROM A CLUTCH RUMBLE WHICH I BELIVE IS THE NORM ON THESE BIKES
SO FAR THE BALANCE SHAFTS HAVE BEEN CHECKED, CCT CHANGED , OIL AND PLUGS CHANGED. CARBS BALANCED. ALL MOUNT AND EXHAUST NUTS AND BOLTS CHECKED.
ALL THESE CHECKS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY MYSELF I AM A ENGINEER BY TRADE.

 

[Bruce H]

Bruce H, Somerset.
CBR1100XX-Y Reg'd June 2001
Bought by me Feb 2003 with7500miles
Properly serviced, now on 14000.
Vibes started about 3-4000m ago.
At first only noticeable around 4k but gradually got worse and evident now between 3500 and 5500, most noticeable when slowing down through 4000. New CCT fitted, no improvement. It's a standard bike and otherwise very good.

 

[wedge]

Name: John Wedgwood
Location: Bath, Somerset
Model: CBR 1100 XX2, 2002
Mileage: 2500 miles
Owned for: 3 months

Mods: scottoiler, hugger, screen, mushrooms, no stickers, vfr vtec bars, givi rack/top box, bagster tank cover/bag, 6mm ride height spacer.

Has always been vibey/buzzy, at first I thought it was just because it was a new engine. Vibes directly related to engine speed, not road speed. As you move up through rev range it seems slightly worse around 3500/4000 then again more noticeable at 7000 right to red line, overall it just gets more vibey as the revs increase. Felt through bars, pegs and seat. Although slightly worse under load vibes present with clutch in/out, in gear moving or in neutral at standstill.

Taken to Chiswick Honda who adjusted drive chain, said he did balancer shafts but he hadn't taken the fairing panel off so its unlikely, and told me that mine was no worse than their demonstrator. Crucially the mechanic told me that later bikes have a reputation for being harsher which did seem to vindicate my complaint.

I have checked and adjusted balancer shafts (this seemed to improve gear change but nothing else), checked engine, and most other accessible, mounting bolts. Tried heavier bar end weights. Checked chain and sprockets. Tried some aftermarket exhaust cans (no cat) but no difference.

I tried a 7000 mile, 2002 model at Honda Salisbury before buying my bike from Lloyd Cooper in Watford. The bike I tried was as smooth as anything, I distinctly remember having to keep looking at the rev counter to see what speed the engine was doing.

 

[CBR1000FL]

i bought my blackie with 3,000 miles on clock was as smoth as silk got vibe aboy5,000 miles adjusted the balance shafts, back to being as smooth as silk again they were quite a bit out .

 

[Fodder]

Hi Bif

Just mailed you my details, many thanks for taking this on, you are a bit of a star :k

Poor response to this thread so far. I think some people may not realise that they have a problem, or perhaps some may be a little embarassed to admit it. COME ON FOLKS! THIS NEEDS SORTING!

 

[birdinflight]

anymore for anymore.............???

so far a total of 8 complaints!!

Seems like some of you are hiding???

I distinctly remember more folk than that vibrating!!!!!!!!

 

[Trev]

Smooth, rough, then smooth

2002 Bird (bought March 03, new but pre-reg by dealer). V. smooth for first 1500 miles, then got progressively rougher until 4k, then has begun to smooth itself out. It's still a bit vibey before it's warmed up and done fifteen miles or so, but after that OK. Have had balancer shafts checked - apparently (allegedly?) all within tolerance. It may start to vibrate again, but to date it seems to be sorting iteself out. Go figure... (Of course, it could be that I've just got used to the way it is).

Trev

 

[eugen44uk]

vvvviiiibbbbeeeesssss

Bike perfect until it went in for a new front disc and tyres, 1 week later the vibes appeared. She is still smooth up until around 4K then gets distinctly viby through bars and pegs. It smoothes out just after 5K, it has been getting smoother recently. The tensioner and balancer have been checked, the Chain & Sprockets are new, engine mounting bolts correct torque, wheels balanced and aligned, plugs checked, downpipe tightened from one of the cyclinders (This made quit a difference, somebody mentioned this in another thread). I have an old carbed bird that has done 7k in the last 6 months, all weathers and speeds with no other problems (Apart from the dodgy disc). The vibes can be lived with, its just an irritation knowing there coming. It is worse coming back down to 4K than going up.

 

[scruffygit]

Numb bits

John Williamson, Australian -02 model ('03 plate), no relevant mods but got a DB screen to cut down on the buffeting around my helmet.

I bought her with 1100 miles on the clockand now has covered 5500. She has always been a little busy through the bars and pegs - enough to give me numb thumbs and fore-fingers after about 1 hr and pins & needles in my feet after as little as 30 miles depending on how I'm riding. The wife has a similar complaint about her feet - she finds the GSXR600 better! Worse vibes are around the 4500-5000 region - bad news for M-way cruising.

 

[jez]

Here goes (for what it's worth after 1 weeks ownership !)
2002 injected bird,FSH,5600miles,live in northumberland,standard apart from hugger.
normal "big across the frame four secondary vibes" but only when under load/accelerating (feels the same as my cbr1000f) and only when under 5000 rpm. At a steady 95mph its as smooth as a mill-pond.
Is this normal?,overall it seems smooth for an 1100 but dont' know just how smooth it should be.....any opinions ?

 

[davet]

No vibration at all 12,000miles since jan 2003 & i have rear sets on with on rubber covers or mountings.

My hornet vibrates but only at tick over:dunno:

 

[BigC]

Good vibrations???

I've just bought a 4 month old 2003 Bird with 3,500 miles. It's just been serviced and is in mint condition. Within an hour of driving I noticed strong vibrations through the footpegs, form about 3-4500 revs. It was enough to make my feet go numb and I've never had that on any bike before.
This seems to smooth out again about 5000 but the vibration patch is right at cruising speed.

I'm just about to put my '99 Bird up for sale. It's done 18000 miles and is smooth as silk, always has been right from new.
Is this just a problem with newer Birds or was I just lucky with my first one ?

 

[redbird 2]

Paul Cofield
2000 CBR1100
23000 miles
owned 2 years
Hugger,10mm spacers in the top of forks(to get right preload)
4mm Spacer on top of rear shock
Double bub. screen

Vibes bad between 3-5k
Vibes felt on bars ,foot pegs and tank.
have fitted new CCT,new tyres(bt020)adjusted balancer shafts and checked chain and sprockets.
THE BUGGER STILL VIBRATES

redbird 2

 

[ara]

VIBRATION HONDA CAMPAIGN

Name: Leftheris Aravanis (member name ara)
Location: Salamina Greece
Model: CBR 1100 XX3, 2003(now)
Mileage: 3000 miles
Owned for: 4 months

Model: CBR 1100 XX-W, 1998(my previous)
Mileage: 45000 miles
Owned for: 4 years

First of all sorry for my English

About vibrations on ours birds I thing have the solution.
Many years ago one of my best friend (died with his bird in a stupid accident 3 years ago) owned a bird exactly like my
They have the same color; we take our bird the same day, same days of running always in high ways push some time very hard in to the limit.
At 6 month with 13000 meters on our metes my friend bird start vibrations at first only noticeable around 4k but some kilometers after go worse and between 3500 and 5500 rpm.

Here in Greece the service dealers are only for change oil and filters in our bikes so we try by our selves to find what going wrong (both we are very experience in technical matters because we serving ours bikes from 12 years old)

First we check all bolts in engine and frame we found correct, then we agree and we thing the problem it was in balancers adjustment then we notice a different between my and his bird a slight different in punch mark alignments in front balancer.
We do the dynamic adjuster in the front balancer a slight difference appear but is not the solution the eccentric movement of the balancer shaft move the shaft fwd and aft and adjust the space between the balancer gear and have as result this quit and smooth gears changes that and only that nothing to do with the balancer weight timing which is the our problem.

From the factory all birds coming under correct timing of balancer weights so what happen and in some birds coming vibrations.

Gent open the work shop manuals (Honda or Haynes) and take a good look in our devil.

Between the weight and the gear there is rubbers dampers this is with my humbly opinion the problem, this happen because in the adjustment procedure there is a big hole between whine and clatter (when turning the shaft clockwise whine and anticlockwise clatter) in factory some japs they don?t have very good ears so the limits its close to tight or lose and the rubbers dampers coming weakly soon and change slight the timing of the balancer and have vibrations.

The solution.

Some of birds including my friend bird we change the fwd balancer rubbers dampers and needle bearing and vibrations after adjustments disappears (coming smooth better than my) we are lucky because the fwd balancer its accessible if remove the oil sump with engine on frame.
For the aft need remove the engine and crankcase separation.

Advice

Before proceed in this job do some dynamic adjustments in both balancer one its time test and then return to original position and then to the other test again and when fill some different tight up and proceed with other again some birds shall be coming smooth again at low rpm if vibrations coming close to 8000 leave like this, your bird do that because they want to keep you sharp.

If you proceed this job always change also needle bearings because I don?t really now if it whose the rubbers dampers or needle bearings the problems (both looks like new)

Our birds is not the same every one is different learn to live with them kept shape and sharp and throttle some time to limit its very happy there.

I don?t want hear complains for the brakes again. Tell me who have a crash from breaking with a bird.
This bike is for the real road and not for circuits and in the real word nothing go faster from a point to point from a blackbird (in ground or in air)

I like my bike it?s designed for a reason only.
Keep me free


:-:

 

[ZedBird]

I have just bought a 2003 Bird after a very happy relationship with a '99 version. I am experiencing severe and rough vibes starting at 5500rpm in any gear. These seem to stay until redline. The bike has now done 5500kms and it has shaken since birth... Back to the`dealer, but I'm really pissed off..

Cheers

 

[ZedBird]

Maybe "severe" and "rough" was overstating the issue, but I was (and am still) pretty annoyed about buying a brand new bird with a vibe, when my last bike was so smooth.

The bike has been back to the dealer a number of times to try and track down the source of the vibe, but so far with no luck. They have used a pen like device that measures the frequency of vibes in the engine in an effort to track the source. The balancer shafts have been checked and they are OK. Dont think it is injector related, but if anyone else has experience then advice would be gratefully received. The vibe is a tingle through the footrests and handlebars beginning at 5500rpms and seems to continue through to redline. It feels like a race bearing assembly out of adjustment, you know how a worn bearing can oscillate and grate. It could be a bearing with excessive end float or it could be a dynamic weight imbalance of rods, pistons, crank. That's what it feels like. However, the source is still a mystery. Other new Blackbirds tested by the dealer have a similar characteristic, but the older Birds don't. Go figure!

It seems like my choice will be to either accept the problem, or have the engine torn down and re-assembled but without any guarantee that the problem will be solved or even located. And that would also leave me with a non-factory assembled engine, not really what you'd expect having paid out the dosh for a new bike.

Maybe its a Monday bike. Maybe Honda's factory tooling is getting worn and the assembly tolerances are not what they should be.

All is not bad though. A couple of weekends ago, I rode a friend's Hayabusa for a good trot. My baby has got nothing on that bike for vibes, so maybe I have overstated my case. The Hayabusa has built in vibes that no Blackbird owner would ever accept, and are much more severe than mine through the whole rev range. Brakes not up to the same standard and handing not exceptionally improved. I wouldn't swap the Bird for any other comparable bike. Nothing beats it for overall smoothness, reliability, handling and build quality. If you doubt that, then get down and have a real good look at the other brand choices available.

Not happy, but still a believer!

 

[Keith Stubbington]

New June 2003

Portsmouth motor cycles

6750 miles.

No vibes as yet in any revs, but rattely noise always from cold start, seems to come front of engine after 2 mins warm up. gradally clears after quater mile. Returned bike back to supplier they fitted new cam chain tensioner but it didn't clear noise, I put up with it cos I'm pissed off with complaining.

First Bird 1998 carb model had same problem after 20,000 miles with noise but not as bad, sold it at 38,000 miles
Any ideas what noise is??

 

[Samster]

Keith - I reckon the noise from cold may be the clutch - my '00 model started doing this from about 6000 miles all the time until I sold it with over 30000 on it.................was much worse if I hadn't used it for a week or so...................

Hang on a minute - just re-read your post - your saying the noise appears after 2 minutes warming up? - tensioner then - mine was on it's 3rd when I sold it...........Jaws reckoned the X11 tensioner was better...................

ZedBird - I know exactly what you mean - I think it's the chain mate - lube it and adjust it and I reckon you'll notice a difference in the frequency of the vibes you're getting and where they start to appear. Mine had something sounding very similar - 'oscillating and grating bearing' as you put it - it started at a fraction under 100mph in 6th.................play with the chain...........

I understand people being pissed off if they've owned a Bird before that was like silk and then bought a newwun that's rougher.................but at the end of the day as I always say, you are riding a motorbike - you should expect vibration and wind blast, that's what biking's about isn't it?

 

[Keith Stubbington]

Yo Samster

Yep I take in all you said, but my bird is still only 6 months old goddamit .......thinking back it started just before the second service about 4k.....thats when the tensioner was fitted, my 98 bird started much later, and not as noisy.
Thing is my ZZR1100......sh1t did I have one of those......was perfect in the rattle department.
Has anybody else had this problem or am I just being to fussy......how about yours m8 does it rattle?????:dunno:

Keef.