Ever since a bought the Z back in 2008 I�d noticed that the vibration was much worse with a full tank of fuel. As the fuel got used up the vibes gradually disappeared until about three bars on the fuel gauge and then everything smoothed out. I always just assumed this was a trait of the bike. However�

Last night I had the tank off to check the valves. Whilst taking a break to warm my fingers up with a cuppa, my eye caught something I�d never noticed before � how the tank�s anti-vibration rubbers were fixed to the frame with cable ties. What actually seemed odd was that the ratchet heads of the cable ties (sitting in the grooves in the rubber) were all aligned pointing upwards from the top of the frame rail. It dawn on me that the rubber can�t compress at all like this; all that�ll happen is the tank will sit on the hard nylon heads of the cable ties transmitting, not absorbing vibrations.



Sure enough, under the tank there was evidence of rubbing (both sides) that suggested the anti-vibration rubbers had been doing naff all for the last six years! The tank had clearly been sitting on the cable tie heads when it was full of fuel. When less than half full there was obviously just enough rubber sticking out proud of the cable tie�s heads to absorb some of the vibes.

After all these years, and I�d taken the tank off maybe a dozen times, I�d never noticed this before!

Anyhow, to cut a long story short, I put some new cable ties on, with the heads facing inwards at ninety degrees to the frame rail top, filled up with fuel this morning... and bingo, my full tank vibrations have gone!

Maybe next time you have the tank off, take a closer look at the orientation of the cable ties on your rubbers if you're suffering the same�

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Blimey is that all it is? I've had the dreaded vibrations since day 3 (the first time I had a full tank since purchase back in 2009). I've often wondered why but as you say it only happens when the tank is brimmed full so soon drops to an acceptable level. I'll have a look myself in the spring. Thanks.

Very clever observation Pleiades. Soon as my tank is empty enough it's coming off.
I've suffered from the same symptoms but thankfully have owned it under a year.

Cracking detective work there Holmes! Must take a look under the Le Cochon Noirs tank.

Dave

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If you can read this you're faster than you look...

Ah intriguing. I will check next time I have the tank off. Always at 4k rpm.

Yes, extremely good deductive work, Poirot!

Thanks for that. My bike has always vibrated like a jackhammer after I fill the tank.

Disappointed!! My cable ties don't face up. And my bike vibrates pretty bad especially around 3k rpm. Worse on full tank but never disappears. Oh well... back to the drawing board.

That's a shame. Obviously they're all slightly different and it isn't going to be the same for everyone then. Worth a shout though, and didn't/doesn't cost anything!

I should clarify that moving the cable ties doesn't turn the Z into a silky smooth delight - it still vibrates, just not any worse now with a full tank!

Interesting that your vibrations don't decrease as the fuel levels drops?

Mine were worse from 3600-4000rpm, and much more pronounced on a full tank.

I do think that it really doesn't take much of a change to some small factor/fitting/accessory, or mounting bolt torque to radically change the vibration characteristics on the Tenere. For example, when I fitted the Touratech bash plate the vibrations and resonance changed, not really any better or worse, just different.

The Z seems particularly sensitive to anything that fixes to the engine mounts, how tight loose they are and the same applies to the tank mounts too. I've always suspected things like crash bars that fit to the front engine mounts and to the front tank mounts aren't going to helps things as they'll tend to transfer vibrations from one to the other?

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My vibrations do decrease as the fuel lessons.
When I bought it crashbars were already on it and they mount to the tank. I'll have to remove them and do a comparison, likewise the baseplate.
Keep those tips rolling in Pleiades =D>

Good work there...I shall have a look when the tank is off next...