bar ends

Fido said:
I guys, I was told if I put heavier bar ends on my ST it would cut down on engine vibration, anyone know if it's true or not?
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I have oem Honda bar ends on all my bikes. The ST13's are by far the best,,, having never experienced a tingle. The others don't work nearly as well,,, and that is the result of design differences. They are true "inertial dampeners, Scotty" (always wanted to say that). But,, I have seen many bar ends systems,,, poorly installed,, usually being altered after addition of new grips or hand heaters,, or brush guards. And such mod's reduce or eliminate the systems effectiveness. This was the case on my own ST13,,, on the left side only,,, and I had to correct the issue to get it working as well as the throttle side. So bottom line is, to make sure the bar end weight is fully suspended in soft rubber, against the inside diameter of the handlebar.
 
Fido said:
I guys, I was told if I put heavier bar ends on my ST it would cut down on engine vibration, anyone know if it's true or not?
Click to expand...
You are on an ST,,, right ?? Both the 11 and the 13 are generally very low on the engine vibration scale,,, unless something is amiss with your balancing shafts. Other sources of vibration should be considered. Vibe in the handlebars is also reduced down at the join to the upper triple tree bridge. So you might want to inspect there as well. My ST13 has quite a bit of flex there,,, due to the rubber mounting to my riser blocks (Heli-3). My PO suffered from the tingles,,, so he added silicone grips. I did sense vibrations (in the grips,, seat and pegs) with my 1980's in-line dohc Honda's,,, and then took steps to reduce that. The ST13 is silky smooth by comparison ,,, cheers,, CAt'
 
Bar ends won't limit the vibration of the engine, they will just change the resonant vibration in your handlebars to a different frequency. If you are experiencing vibration through the grips, changing the weight on the end of the handlebar will change what rpm is more effective at passing the vibrations to you.

If you need to reduce vibration, you need to know what your current bar ends weigh and then you can judge and see if you need to change.

My ST1100 had 10 ounce bar ends. I changed them out to 14 ounce. My FJR1300 had 4 ounce bar ends and I used my old ST1100 bar ends to change them to 10 ounces. Vibrations reduced both times at the rpm's I ride at. Going heavier will usually change the vibration up to an rpm that you won't normally ride at for extended periods of time.
 
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As said by @Catmandu2, (ok, suggested), bar end weights change the resonant frequency of the handlebars, so they no longer amplify or wiggle in response to the largest vibration the engine makes. I'm not going to discuss the vibration, my old Triumph vibrated, my ST does not. However, my VStrom came with an aftermarket gadget called Vibranator Bar Anti Vibration inserts which was nothing more than a tuned mass damper. I suggest you read this to learn more about these things. Go to the section on automobiles - the harmonic balancer on the front of a crankshaft does the same thing as the Vibranator. Back to this device (the company is no longer in business) - it is nothing more than a steel cylinder threaded onto a piece of threaded rod. The steel rod 'floats' or wiggles at the end of the threaded rod while the other end of the threaded rod is locked tightly into an expanding sleeve at the mouth of the handlebar*. This tuned mass damper is designed to vibrate slightly off the resonant frequency of the bars, thus reducing the amplitude of the bars' wiggles. Screwing the steel cylinder in and out along the rod will change the dampers freq of vibration, and this is calculated by the designing engineer, and, I would imagine, fine tuned before these are sold. The cylinder is locked to the threaded rod with a nut.

A bar end weight is a crude way to reduce vibrations, but whatever works is good. As I said in my first sentence, the appropriate weight will change the frequency at which the handlebars wiggle, if the weighted bars frequency is different than the engine's vibration freq. they will not vibrate as much.

You can probably experiment by pouring shot (know any skeet or trap shooters who reload?) into the handlebars, or trying different bar end weights. You might also check out this website.

*If you don't get the picture, think of a long, thin stick. Attach a fist sized lump of clay to the end of the stick. Grab the other end and wiggle it. The stick will bounce up and down (vibrate) at a certain frequency. Your hand corresponds to the expanding collar that fits flush with the end of the handebar, the clay end is wiggling inside the handlebar. If you move your hand rapidly up and down at different speeds, the clay will either remain motionless or bounce up and down, sometimes wildly. At the appropriate speed (frequency) the clay will move in opposition to the handlebar and dampen out the amplitude of its vibrations.
https://www.jpcycles.com/motorcycle-handlebar-damper-kits
 
I added some very large bar ends and the reduction in felt vibration was noticeable. I don't recall the vendor/manufacturer off hand but there were two sizes both heavier than stock. Chose the heavier version and was pleased. They immediatly felt smoother and that may have been a confirmed bias. But once on the road my hands definitely felt better longer before getting the Needles and Pins Tingle. YMMV.
 
I like the ThrottleMeister bar ends. 'Specially in stainless steel - they look nice.
Although they are a little pricey, you also get a pretty nice, adjustable throttle lock for free!
Vibration?
I really haven't noticed any on my ST1300. Not at the grips, anyway.
EDIT: looks like they have closed shop, but you should still be able to find the actual product from other vendors. The link is now changed to a relevant thread here in St-owners. SO it looks like I better order mine quick while they are still available.
Always enjoyed the throttle lock, looks nice but is stealthy. You wouldn't know its function if you didn't ride a bike.
EDIT again: after Googling and clicking, it appears the beloved ThrottleMeister (new in the box) may be made now in Unobtainium.
Dang. Waited too late. grrrr...
 
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