One of the hardest things about riding a motorcycle is numbness in the hands. Especially on highways where the engine is operating at high rpm for long periods of time, it can be so bad that you can no longer hold on to the grips! This problem is especially common on small-displacement motorcycles and off-road models. The cause is a resonance phenomenon caused by engine vibration. This is the same phenomenon that occurs when you hit a steel bar with a hammer and it resonates. The vibration of an engine whose pistons and shafts are driven at a tremendous speed is much greater than you can imagine, and depending on the model, the vibration can cause bolts to come off by itself, or even break the blinkers. If you were to hold the steering wheel of such an engine, of course, you would go numb.
However, as a rider, it would be tasteless to completely eliminate vibration. It would be convenient to feel the moderate pulse of the engine while eliminating unpleasant vibrations, but there is actually an item that can fulfill such a wish!
The name is "Handle Weight". There are various types of handlebar weights, such as those that replace bar-end caps or are built into the handlebar pipe, and they are called various names such as handlebar weights or inner weight handlebar balancers, but in short, the idea is to make the handlebars heavier to and eliminate vibration! In short, it is a custom part with the idea of weighting down the handlebars to eliminate vibration. Installation is easy and the effect is outstanding. A reassuring ally for long-distance riders. However, if you think about it calmly, attaching a weight to the handlebars should have the same effect.
In this issue of MotoHack (DIY), we will introduce you to the owner who came up with this idea and made it himself!
Mt. Katsu Deru T. uses Kawasaki's dual-purpose model KLE250 Anero. Although the Anero is equipped with a parallel two-cylinder engine that produces relatively little vibration, its 250 cc displacement means that it must maintain high rpm for long periods of time on the highway. That's where the handlebar weights come in. Even if you think about it, the Anero, released in 1993, is quite a rare motorcycle. Custom parts are not abundant either. So the DIY spirit of not giving up led to the creation of a homemade handle weight.
Handle Pipe Vibration Reduction Homemade Bar End Weights
Work Process 1
Compared to the TT250, the Anero has less vibration because it is a two-cylinder, but even in 6th gear it revs at 12km/h per 1000rpm, so at 90+ km/h on the Meihan National Highway, it spins at 8000rpm all the time, so the slight vibration makes my hands numb. So I tried to put weights inside the pipe handlebar. But where is the handlebar grip?
But I've seen it before, so I guess it's not an obscure item is a 6mm diameter bolt and I can't find one that fits with a good weight. I had no choice but to make my own.
Some of the materials were bought anyway, so some of them are not used, but I will post pictures of the parts I prepared.
- Two 6mm long nuts, one stainless steel and one plated on steel (M6x30)
- Two 6mm 90mm long screws, steel, unichrome plated
- Two 6mm 60mm long screws, stainless steel
- Two 6mm 65mm Vivid Bolts in stainless steel with hex head screws, better than + screw screws.
I bought them.
- Lead plate with double-sided tape on the back for vibration reduction, about 1 meter by 5 cm wide for 700 yen (6 USD) at a store selling rubber mats, urethane sponges, etc.
- Rubber washer, slightly smaller 13mm to match pipe handlebar inner diameter
In this case, I used 2 long nuts (steel), 2 bolts 90mm + nuts and washers in a small bag, and rubber washers.
The rest, until next time. I'm sure I'll have a lot of extra parts, bolts, nuts, etc. because I do this kind of thing all the time, but that's just my nature!
We challenged ourselves to create weights with generic parts to match the caps on the grip ends. Some of the other parts of the caps are not even motorcycle parts, so customization is a matter of ideas.
Work Process 2
The parts of the grip end of the motorcycle are in the blue box. Instead of the nut circled in red, use the long nut in the red square and attach a weight to the end of it. As shown in the photo, place a 6x13 rubber washer in the head of the screw and secure it with a washer and nut of a smaller diameter than 13. Tighten to the extent that the rubber is not deformed, but use Loctite to prevent loosening. Install a nut and long nut on the end of the screw. Use a double nut to secure the screw in place with a double nut, and while you're at it, use Loctite. This is assembled in place of the standard nut. But as a precaution, make sure that the long screw can fit inside the pipe handlebar. The pipe handlebar is bent around the base of the grip, so be careful. Use a long screw as long as it will fit. When the long screws, long nuts, rubber washers, and other nuts in place of the above nuts are completed, wrap a lead plate tightly and tightly around the screw threads, etc. The finished product is ready to be used.
The structure is quite simple, but the workbench underneath shows the results of meticulous calculations.
The installation is very strict because if it is done improperly, it could fall off during riding.
Work Process 3
I weighed the finished weight and found it to be almost 200g. I attached it to the motorcycle to complete the project. I won't post a picture of the finished state from the outside, as it is no different from the first, but you can try a test ride and see the reduction in vibration. Fine adjustments can be made by adjusting the length of the screws, the amount of lead weight wrapped around the lead weight, and the condition of the rubber washer at the tip, if you are willing to remove it. However, since the degree of completion varies depending on the individual and the characteristics of the motorcycle, please adjust for fun.
Here is the completed handlebar weight! The weight is 200g, which is a standard size, but the fact that it can be fine-tuned to your preference is an advantage that cannot be obtained with commercially available parts.
Thank you for your valuable ideas, "Katsudel T's" who introduced the "Homemade Bar End Weights to Reduce Handlebar Pipe Vibration".
*The articles on MOTO HACK are composed and reprinted from user contributions. The effects and methods described are at the discretion of the user, and Webike is not responsible for any problems that may occur.
