My grips were shot so I ripped them off and covered the bar ends with the same tape. We can get longer lengths of it as it's used for Hurley sticks (as in the uniquely Irish sport of hurling). Have you tried filling the bars on your own k bike Browe58?
88KE

Another metod is (haven`t tested it) to fill the handlebar with lead shot pellets.

i want to try the butyl sealer but i couldn't figure out an easy way to take off the throttle meister bar end weights. in the meantime i was hoping someone had tried it and could commcnt on the results. i heard about the lead shot trick as well. maybe a combo of both would work???!!!

I gave that a try. The problem is, the Butyl doesn't like to pushed that far up the tube, at least by a hand caulking tool. If you had a powered one, you might get it to fill up the handlebars. From what I was able to put in, I couldn't tell any difference. But then, I don't think it was a complete job.

Brickee wrote:I gave that a try. The problem is, the Butyl doesn't like to pushed that far up the tube, at least by a hand caulking tool. If you had a powered one, you might get it to fill up the handlebars. From what I was able to put in, I couldn't tell any difference. But then, I don't think it was a complete job.

i think that's what the tube attached to the tip is for. it would allow you to reach deep into the bars.

pump the bars full of expanding foam, trim the ends when dry??

cruise_carter wrote:pump the bars full of expanding foam, trim the ends when dry??

hmmm.... interesting but i think the foam would be too light to absorb the vibration. i know someone on www. chromeheads.org successfully used the lead shot trick to fix vibrating mirror on the r1200c. i'm thinking a combo of lead shot and butyl sealer might work best.

it seems some people have had success...

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/590549-filling-handlebars-with-foam-and-a-killswich-question/

I am tempted to try this sometime this summer

It is inherent in the Mighty K that the vibes reach the rider through the tank, footrests and grips, and sometimes even the seat. The best thing to do is to alleviate the causes of the vibes as best as possible through various means such as intake rubber sleeves (you don't want air leaks), ignition timing (see Rene Z's recent post), valve adjustment, proper TB balance (airscrews are for idle RPM only!), engine/gearbox mount points and spline lube, etc. Satisfactory results will vary.

I have the massive Throttlemeister bar end 'cruise control' end weights and internal handlebar length extenders on my '87 K100RS and all that weight hanging out at the end of the 'bars makes absolutely no, zero, zip, none, nada difference to the buzz. Try tightening the rubber mounts down against a thicker washer as per that post here a coupla years ago. This helps to clean up some of the resonation and has the added benefit of improving the handlebar 'feel' in the bendy bits. I can't find it at the mo'...

I use the thick rubber (non-heated) handgrips BMW used commonly from the late '80s forward, the design with ever-widening circles round the grip from the inside out to the end, and they are the best (of the BMW lot) for vibe absorption and comfort under a glove, and as BMW prices go, are not that expensive compared to the others.

http://throttlemeister.com/



Another less desirable (though still attractive) option, is to purchase a clean, used K75.

Just got back from a ride and have been on the hunt for vibration elimination - hence digging up old threads. Thought I'd stick this as an addition...

Also try taking apart the rubber bushings and re-assembling with some silicone grease. seems to have re-gained some flex in my bars which can only have helped reduce vibration transfer. even if its only a placebo, costs virtually nothing to try! If you wanted more cushion (at the expense of "solid" feeling steeing) you can add another small washer under the large bottom one so the rubber doesnt compress so much. also probably wouldnt hurt to buy a new set of rubbers if they look/feel old/hard

What handlebar vibration?

Soft hands, does it for me.

Here's a thought: On thin, whippy rifle barrels, some guys fit a nylon washer over the barrel. This is about 1cm high and 1 - 1 1/2cm  wide. A nylon set screw is used to fix the washer to the barrel once the sweet spot is found. This cancells out the barrel harmonics and a lot of shooters swear by it.

How about trying the same on the handle bars of the K? One on each side and 'tuned' to remove/reduce vibration. Worth a try?

gunsports wrote:Here's a thought: On thin, whippy rifle barrels, some guys fit a nylon washer over the barrel. This is about 1cm high and 1 - 1 1/2cm  wide. A nylon set screw is used to fix the washer to the barrel once the sweet spot is found. This cancells out the barrel harmonics and a lot of shooters swear by it.

How about trying the same on the handle bars of the K? One on each side and 'tuned' to remove/reduce vibration. Worth a try?

 If you only had trouble with vibration trouble at one frequency it might work. the main issue I'd see though is that real estate on the outside of bars is limited.

I have heard that filling the bars with silicone or lead shot stops the vibration but have yet to see any that have had the treatment.
I have been trying to get some lead shot from the gun shop but no luck and a dive shop I believe can also supply it.
Apparently lead shot here is verboten because the swamps were getting so much lead in the ground that it is commerciable mineable and the ducks were dying from lead poisoning as well as lead shot.

RicK G wrote:
I have been trying to get some lead shot from the gun shop but no luck and a dive shop I believe can also supply it.

I have a small sac.
It is 9cm x 9cm x 1.8cm.
It is basically a paperweight, but is filled with lead shot.
It weighs about 650g.
Cup your hand and think if that was full of lead shot, how many would it take to fill my handle bars.
I think if you fill your bars with lead you will be putting about 5kg in there at least.

rossko wrote:

RicK G wrote:
I have been trying to get some lead shot from the gun shop but no luck and a dive shop I believe can also supply it.

I have a small sac.  So I have heard (photos are not required despite what BlaKey will say).
It is 9cm x 9cm x 1.8cm.
It is basically a paperweight, but is filled with lead shot.
It weighs about 650g.
Cup your hand and think if that was full of lead shot, how many would it take to fill my handle bars.
I think if you fill your bars with lead you will be putting about 5kg in there at least.

5Kg is ok so long as the BuZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ goes.

what about sand mixed with a little portland? it it were added dry, it would fill the bars cheaply....add water and let harden....My first thought thinks it would crack, my second thought goes to the metal mail box post I filled with it at my parents house to prevent bad drivers who constantly knocked it over's to continue to do so.

its been hit a lot ,with no loss of its mass integrity or cracks

As an alternative to shot if you cant find any, you can roll up a bit of lead sheet (roofing offcuts) an poke it down the straight ends of the bars (with enough room to spare for the bar ends) I've done this before and rolled it round a bit of thin threaded bar. This lets you extract it if you change your mind.

I did think that this method would be preferable to the lead shot as you dont want to add rigidity to the lower portions of the bar as this may actually transmit more vibration. However, I've since changed my mind and I think that using lead shot should remain flexible enough in the tube not to increase its stiffness.

I have some sheet left over so will do the K as well and see how it feels.

cheers

Johnser wrote:

I have some sheet left over so will do the K as well and see how it feels.

Its no worse... but its not the holy grail of bar soothers. with one in one side and the other empty, I think I can feel the difference but I might test it out on someone who doesnt know which side has been filled.

I used a set of foam handlebar grips - got them from motoworks or motobins.  They are pretty cheap and do a good job of isolating most of the vibration. I also have a set of end weights fitted - the BMW ones, not the aftermarket aluminimum "just for show" ones.

The other method I use is to keep the engine spinning above or below the vibration zone.  My K really smooths out over 4k revs so I tend to drive it either above that, or tootling below 3k, depending on my mood.

Johnser wrote:. . .  try taking apart the rubber bushings and re-assembling with some silicone grease. seems to have re-gained some flex in my bars which can only have helped reduce vibration transfer.

My bike has the same problem and will try tackling it next winter.

edit:
Have read a number of old articles, test drives, etc. from the 80s, and one mentioned handlebar vibration above 6K rpm. So, it does seem to be an intrinsic problem. I'll have to give this some more thought.

My bike was smooth enough in the past that I never gave much thought to quelling the vibes in the handlebar.  On my way home from the BMWMOA rally that all changed.  The darned thing was buzzing like crazy. So much so that I'm home now but my right thumb and index finger feels numb.  
I now think I need to chase intake leaks in the throttle body area or...?

Rickg you would have a mate that changes tyres? go ask him for the lead weights he takes off. they will be in a bucket awaiting the fishermen to come and buy it, you want the longer ones that clip on. With a piece of wire wrap and atail to hang out of the bar ends you can shove the twin lead pieces into your handlebar and follow it with some more till you get enough to quell the vibes, if you fail to be satisfyed then use the wire to pull them out. If it works good if not then give em to the fishermen/ Oh yeah 8gauge is abit too thick for this job finer wire that wont break would be the go

Reckon I'm with TWB on this one. Set up the bike as best you can and live with the results - some vibes are a feature of the bike.

What would putting 5kg of mass in your bars do for your steering? Would it make any difference, would it make countersteering need less force?

Cheers  
Dave

5KG thats way too much lead try 2 or 3 ounces tops just shift it along in or back out to find where it quells the best 5kg on bump steer would be impossible to control too much inertia

I'm surprised no one has commented on Vibranators. 
 http://www.vibranator.com/
I have K1100 bars on my K100RS, so the Vibranators cannot be used due to the closed ends.

has anybody seen or tried these???

http://www.barsnake.com/

Hello all, most noticeable source of buzzing from handlebars were handlebar weights. Test is simple: when feel buzzing while driving cover the weights with both palms. In my case buzzing dissapeared. Next step is to isolate weights somehow.
Best regards

How about filling 'm with ordinary sand?
I be trying this as soon as my electrical problems are over. I'll let you guys know.

And if it's not enough: pour it up with molten lead? superlarge bar-end weights? 

brickrider wrote:I'm surprised no one has commented on Vibranators. 
 http://www.vibranator.com/
I have K1100 bars on my K100RS, so the Vibranators cannot be used due to the closed ends.

 I've never heard of them So I'm going to try my wife's Rampant Rabbit.

gunsports wrote:Here's a thought: On thin, whippy rifle barrels, some guys fit a nylon washer over the barrel. This is about 1cm high and 1 - 1 1/2cm  wide. A nylon set screw is used to fix the washer to the barrel once the sweet spot is found. This cancells out the barrel harmonics and a lot of shooters swear by it.

How about trying the same on the handle bars of the K? One on each side and 'tuned' to remove/reduce vibration. Worth a try?

Ha we did that experiment in school.

Yes, it works, the washer interferes with the natural frequency of the tube [handlebars] and modifies it so that it can cancel out the vibration.

Sometimes the switchgear and location of it can act as a damper but not in all cases. A change in diameter, thickness or length of handlebar can also do it but its a case of trial and error. So can end weights. As none of us have the scientific equipment we can only do trial and error.