Givi bars causing vibration

[duk2n]

Here's something you can try based on some of the stuff I saw with my Concours.

Put the bike on the center stand. Loosen all four engine bolts (just loose, not out) and run the engine. Rev it up a little bit so it's not just idling. Kill the engine and tighten the engine mount bolts to spec in alternating order (don't do all of one then the other, do right lower, left lower, right upper, left upper or similar alternating tightening).

The theory here is that the engine is fastened up to the frame in an unbalanced state. Once you let it run where the engine bolts are loosened, it "settles" into place. You then re-secure it.

No idea if this will work on this bike. Perhaps you need to figure out if the engine needs to be shimmed to get the harmonics right. If the vibrations are really that bad, I can't imagine it'd hurt anything.

Somehow I lucked out since I installed the Givi bars this past weekend and have no vibration/harmonics issues. If it makes a difference, I never had more than one of the four engine mount bolts loose at a time.

Let us know what you find and good luck to you!

I have dismounted the Givi bars and tighten all (not only the 4 that hold the bars) the engine bolts following your suggestion and in the specific order stated by the service manual. I have not ridden the bike yet, will do tomorrow if weather permits it, but I would say it makes not very much difference, the vibration is still there, maybe not so bad, but still there.

I will keep reporting my findings

 

[L.B.S.]

I have dismounted the Givi bars and tighten all (not only the 4 that hold the bars) the engine bolts following your suggestion and in the specific order stated by the service manual. I have not ridden the bike yet, will do tomorrow if weather permits it, but I would say it makes not very much difference, the vibration is still there, maybe not so bad, but still there.

I will keep reporting my findings

Best of luck tracking this down, be sure to let us know your findings! It sure is frustrating to have some of these little anomalies, eh?

 

[duk2n]

Update: test ride

I have ridden this morning the bike with my ear plugs to see it without the Givi bars there was some difference. No success, I would say it is even worse. So the engine guard bars were just "discovering" an already present vibration.

I have a theory about this and why some members (bikes) experience this and others not:

1. I believe the origen of the vibration is coming from the foot pegs support.
2. You can feel it more in the left side than in the right one, because at the right side there is another bolt tightening the support: the one that supports the muffler.
3. Members with panniers fitted would feel it less because the panniers support is adding another bolt to the foot pegs support.
4. The vibration is not so hard when you're ridding with passenger.

Point #3 would explain pretty well why some members with panniers fitted (Rocker66, Beemerphile...) don't experience this or they think it's a "feature" of the engine configuration. I have soft panniers, and their support is not as "heavy" as the V35 one. After this morning failed test, I removed the panniers support and the vibration was worse.

So I would say Honda has something to do in this area, most of the bikes have some kind of "silent block" (I'm not sure you name it that way) in the foot pegs support to avoid this.

I'm reaching the 12,000 km, so I will have my dealer checking this at that time if I don't find any other theory to test before it.

I'm going to reference this thread from the other "big" one dedicated to vibrations

HTH

 

[dersan]

MAte did you ever ride a harley?twins vibrate,this aint a inline four.MY vibrates too but not as much as my harley.I have the givi bars and givi bags from the moment i bought this bike it vibrates not even when i have puttted the givis it did vibrate after the givis it vibrates.This is a twin cyclinder bike it vibrates

 

[gpd211]

Are you saying the vibration is in the rider's footpegs or the passenger's? I have Givi engine guards and Givi luggage and have some vibrations. The Givi racks attach to the passenger's footpegs so they would have no impact on on the rider's pegs. All engines have some vibration. This is their soul. If you are used to an I-4 this is going to seem severe on this bike. If you are used to a thumper or a V twin it's going to seem pretty smooth. The vibes are part of the bikes personality. Without any vibration you might as well be in a cage. This is the reason I have never connected with any I-4 I've owned. My wife had a rebel (same parallel twin configuration as the NC) and that thing wasn't near as smooth as the NC, but that little thing was working its butt off to get out of its own way

 

[showkey]

This is a twin cyclinder bike it vibrates

+ 2 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. At some level, some find it objectionable, others find it normal, others have not found it.

By the way one thread maybe two is enough............starting multiple threads is not validating your concern or cause.............

 

[duk2n]

The Givi racks attach to the passenger's footpegs so they would have no impact on on the rider's pegs

If you look carefully at your NC700X, you will discover the support for the rider's and passenger's footpegs is the same.

FYI, I have been riding this machine since May, and it didn't have the level of vibration it has now. And no, it's not my first bike

 

[duk2n]

By the way one thread maybe two is enough............starting multiple threads is not validating your concern or cause.............

Who is starting multiple threads?

 

[glenbo]

I don't have crash bars but I do have vibration in the 2500 to 3500 rpm range. If the 'balancing' of the engine works, let us know. There are a lot of people that have the vibration problem.

Mine has had bad vibration through the handlebars since I got it, so bad that in just a couple of minutes in that rpm range, like typical driving on a highway, makes my hands numb. It has gotten worse since the scumbag dealer hack put the heated grips on, and it's almost torture to ride. I hate this piece of junk.

 

[ronecc]

Since 1996 I have only ever ridden twins; one V, three boxer twins, and now two parallel twins. I find the NC has the least vibes, I can actually see in my mirrors. Maybe I am just lucky.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Mine has had bad vibration through the handlebars since I got it, so bad that in just a couple of minutes in that rpm range, like typical driving on a highway, makes my hands numb. It has gotten worse since the scumbag dealer hack put the heated grips on, and it's almost torture to ride. I hate this piece of junk.

If you ever make it a north, we can trade rides for a bit. I'll buy the dinner. I would like to be able to understand the vibe problem. Then I will give Honda some MAJOR CRAP! This needs sorted out. Heck I've been thinking about taking a ride down to Texas, maybe we could meet somewhere.

 

[searsboy]

If you ever make it a north, we can trade rides for a bit. I'll buy the dinner. I would like to be able to understand the vibe problem. Then I will give Honda some MAJOR CRAP! This needs sorted out. Heck I've been thinking about taking a ride down to Texas, maybe we could meet somewhere.

I'm planning a ride to Arkansas in April. I'd be glad to trade out with ya. I have the vibration on my DCT, but it's minimal. IMHO this is a characteristic of the bike and doesn't bother me at all.

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Hopefully we can meet up when you come up. I don't really want to ride a DCT! (Might want one if I do.)

 

[glenbo]

If you ever make it a north, we can trade rides for a bit. I'll buy the dinner. I would like to be able to understand the vibe problem. Then I will give Honda some MAJOR CRAP! This needs sorted out. Heck I've been thinking about taking a ride down to Texas, maybe we could meet somewhere.

I appreciate the invitation, but doubt that I'll ever get there. My S/O had a stroke just over a year ago, and I'm not comfortable going very far from her. And I sincerely hope to have this worthless thing sold to some other sucker in a very short time.

 

[showkey]

And I sincerely hope to have this worthless thing sold to some other sucker in a very short time.

On the bright side, since the 2013 price increase , soon as the 2012 are all sold at the dealers, your used 2012 should be worth $500 more........

 

[glenbo]

On the bright side, since the 2013 price increase , soon as the 2012 are all sold at the dealers, your used 2012 should be worth $500 more........

That's the best news I've had about this debacle. Thank you.

 

[showkey]

That's the best news I've had about this debacle. Thank you.

My pleasure............