Mirror vibrations
 

back in June I undertook a 2,500 mile trip and ever since then I've been trying to track down the source of an annoying vibration that's making the mirrors practically useless at higher speeds.

Initially I thought it was the chain as the bike had done 13,500 miles by the end of the trip � chain and sprockets were all changed out to no avail. next I turned my attention to the tyres as the rear was worn out and needed replacing, the front was a bit out of balance and was getting low too, so new Anakee 2s all round � still the vibes persist.

I don't think it's the engine as the mirrors remain clear up to about 60mph regardless of gear (and therefore revs), but past 60 things start getting a bit fuzzy � by 70mph the mirrors are vibrating sufficiently that I can't really tell what kind of vehicle is behind me if they're a little way back.

I know it's a big old single and vibes are to be expected, but I hear so many people on here saying their bikes are getting smoother the more miles they do � mine seems to be going the other way (it currently stands at 15,200 miles).

What speed do the mirrors become vibey on your bikes???

Mine did the exactly the same initially. After six months of having the bike I ended up putting on some Touratech extensions on the mounts because I was getting pi55ed off looking at my shoulders in the mirrors and the by-product of this was the vibes disappeared!

Thanks for the tip � hadn't thought about that (was considering trying different mirrors though). I'm coming around to the thought that it's just a phase my bike's going through. I guess, after 15,000, things like bearings and bushes, even the rear shock and fork oil, are no longer factory fresh and perhaps that's all contributing.

Clearly more vibes are getting through to the front end than before as the zumo rattles away in it's TT rubber-mounted cradle far more now than it did on the trip.

I have a TT satnav mount and I noticed the same, but I think it's the rubbers on the mount that get sloppier. I've wedged a length of petrol pipe behind the two plates on the mount to provide a bit of damping as the two plates move parallel to each other in the same plane as the primary vibes on a single - it works too!

http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/a.../TTdamper2.jpg

Have you fitted some handguards perhaps? Could it be as simple as losing the bar end weights cause the handlebar to make more vibration?
I recently took off my Acerbis handguards from Offtheroad and put back the original bar end weights and I could really feel the difference in vibration, though I haven't paid any notice to the mirrors.

Handguards came off well before the trip and the original weights went back on so it's all factory standard at the moment

Vibrating Mirrors Permanent solution: Unscrew Mirror from the holding bar, instert a large dollop of bathroom silicone sealer inside the mirror casing, i.e. behind the mirror. Leave to dry = Hey Presto! The rubbery consistency of dried slilicone will dampen the vibration for ever.

You can also use expanding foam but then you need to cut the excess with a stanley knife because that stuff has the tendency to expand 10 times what you "squirt" ;)

Top man, that fix makes complete sense to me � looks like a trip to B&Q tonight. :-)

I guess that works on the same principle as bar-end weights

(I'll avoid the expanding foam though, previous experience and my garage will testify that the two of us don't get on all that well)

Have any of you ever come across mirror isolators? A mate gave me this link, but it doesn't list Yamaha as a suitable fit (they use a 10mm thread)

Any idea what the thread diameter for our mirrors is?

http://www.getgeared.co.uk/LOUIS_Mot...ration_Dampers

They won't work on Yamahas because the right hand mirror has a left hand thread (unless they are supplied with thread adapters), if they're not you can get them from may accessory shops and are very cheap. Such as these...

http://furoreproducts.co.uk/mirrors/...-adapters.html

You can then fit any mirrors you like.