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Vibration - probably nothing?


maltpress

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Weird one this morning - for the first time in about 2000 miles I could really feel the bike vibrate today. Noticed it first through left foot peg. High frequency, like an orbital sander or something, and as the ride went on I was able to notice it through the whole bike.

 

I didn't notice it on Friday night coming home from work; only thing I've done with the bike all weekend is wheel it out of the garage, clean and dry it (only very gently hose, no power washer), up on paddock stand to clean chain oil off the rear wheel (I do tend to overspray), normal checks (oil, lights, tyre pressures, brakes).

 

Wheeling it is a little noisy, like a slightly rubbing or sticky brake pad (like when your car's discs get a little surface rust over a wet weekend) but nothing new - it's always been a little like that. 

 

My initial thought were, of course, catastrophic, but there's nothing to indicate any major problem and it is very, very sudden. I'm now wondering if I just noticed it more this morning for some reason - perhaps because I'm a lot more relaxed on the bike now and able to think about things like that? Maybe it's always been like that - or that washing it has put a little grit in the brakes and it'll wear its way out?

 

I do love commuting by bike but I really wish I had more of a frame of reference for what's right so I wasn't always irrationally worried it was going to fall apart under me.

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trisaki

Tight chain  - find the tightest spot in the chain and check to see if you ever about 35mm of slack 

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Thanks @trisaki - I'll check tonight. I need to get to know my neighbour better. He's ridden forever so he can probably help with that. The measuring will be fine - it's the adjusting I fear...

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4 hours ago, maltpress said:

Weird one this morning - for the first time in about 2000 miles I could really feel the bike vibrate today. Noticed it first through left foot peg. High frequency, like an orbital sander or something, and as the ride went on I was able to notice it through the whole bike.

 

I didn't notice it on Friday night coming home from work; only thing I've done with the bike all weekend is wheel it out of the garage, clean and dry it (only very gently hose, no power washer), up on paddock stand to clean chain oil off the rear wheel (I do tend to overspray), normal checks (oil, lights, tyre pressures, brakes).

 

Wheeling it is a little noisy, like a slightly rubbing or sticky brake pad (like when your car's discs get a little surface rust over a wet weekend) but nothing new - it's always been a little like that. 

 

My initial thought were, of course, catastrophic, but there's nothing to indicate any major problem and it is very, very sudden. I'm now wondering if I just noticed it more this morning for some reason - perhaps because I'm a lot more relaxed on the bike now and able to think about things like that? Maybe it's always been like that - or that washing it has put a little grit in the brakes and it'll wear its way out?

 

I do love commuting by bike but I really wish I had more of a frame of reference for what's right so I wasn't always irrationally worried it was going to fall apart under me.

Its a HONDA, it won't fall apart or fail,  iv had varios hondas (exclusively ) for 25 years, !! just ride it man !:blink:

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alhendo1

What model do you have?...does it vibrate at idle or is it only on the move?

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18 minutes ago, alhendo1 said:

What model do you have?...does it vibrate at idle or is it only on the move?

 

NC750X - manual - only noticed it on the move to be honest.

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SteveThackery

FWIW, I agree: probably almost certainly nothing.

 

 

Edited by SteveThackery
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Check wheel bearings as well.  Give the wheels a wiggle and see if there is any play.  Bearings do actually go pop sometimes....  I've had that happen (on a Honda CBF500 too).

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5 minutes ago, makman said:

Check wheel bearings as well.  Give the wheels a wiggle and see if there is any play.  Bearings do actually go pop sometimes....  I've had that happen (on a Honda CBF500 too).

 

That's certainly a concern. I'll have a go before I go home.

 

It could also be that I was using an orbital sander all weekend and now it's me who vibrates constantly...

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suffolk58

My thought, for what it's worth....could a tyre balance weight have fallen off?

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2 minutes ago, suffolk58 said:

My thought, for what it's worth....could a tyre balance weight have fallen off?

This, too, is a possibility. I don't *think* I knocked one off when cleaning the wheels - I think I kept well away from them - but it could have happened. I'll check this as well.

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Grumpy old man

It could be it's always  been there but once you have noticed it you tend to concentrate on it and it becomes worse that's spoiled many a ride for me but I know what it's like you just have to check things out.

 

Good luck

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Vibration disappears with the clutch fully in. Weird. I have tendonitis at the moment after a particularly hard run this weekend so maybe I'm more sensitive to something always there.

 

Bearings seem fine, no movement. Going to check chain up on a stand now.

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Well, neighbour came round to give me a hand tonight and confirmed what I'd suspected since I got the bike... chain way, way too loose. Tightened up to spec and that's as far as it'll go now, so new chain and sprocket set time. Ah well.

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Rocker66
18 minutes ago, maltpress said:

Well, neighbour came round to give me a hand tonight and confirmed what I'd suspected since I got the bike... chain way, way too loose. Tightened up to spec and that's as far as it'll go now, so new chain and sprocket set time. Ah well.

Glad that you got that sorted and that it was nothing serious.

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That is kind of the best case scenario. Bike always goes better with new C&S on there! 

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I do feel like a bit of a numpty. I used to be really confident with technical stuff - had an old MG, taking spanners to it every weekend - but I feel completely deskilled nowadays. It seems so obvious now that the chain needed replacing.

 

I can't seem to find a Haynes Book of Lies for the NC750 - is there a general workshop manual for regular bike servicing stuff? I can't really rely on my neighbour for everything, but he's the only person I know any more with any experience with bikes.

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My bike developed a slowly worsening vibration over a period of about a year.

In the best male tradition...I ignored it!

 

On a ride back to Essex from Lincoln, late at night I decided it 'probably' wasn't right and I should do something about it.

 

I then remembered I hadn't checked the tyre pressures....since I've owned it.

 

1 check later...

Rear 17 PSI

Front 26 PSI

 

Ooeerrrr missus.

 

Restore to 42 rear and 36 front and all is well again, so worth checking those if you haven't already.

 

 

 

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That must have been handling like you were riding on ice. You can pick up TPMS for around £35 so if you can’t be bothered checking the tyre pressures at least it would let you know when they drop below a safe level.

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12 hours ago, Tbirdx said:

worth checking those if you haven't already

Yes, all checked and all fine. Chain has definitely had it; after neighbour helped me adjust it to somewhere close to proper tension, taking the adjusters pretty much all the way out, it's been kind of noisy. I made the decision to use the car for a couple of days until the new chain is on. At 50 miles a day, mostly dual carriageway, it didn't feel worth the risk.

 

Got a chain and sprocket set (DID ZVM-X, JT sprockets) which arrived at work today and I'm glad I've come by car - it's heavy!

 

I'm now thinking about buying a terrible cheap 125 or similar to take apart and restore so I can learn how to do stuff like this, front forks, brakes etc myself. Very tempted to do the chain, to be honest, but I should probably wait until I've reminded myself which end of a spanner is which.

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Grumpy old man
6 hours ago, maltpress said:

Yes, all checked and all fine. Chain has definitely had it; after neighbour helped me adjust it to somewhere close to proper tension, taking the adjusters pretty much all the way out, it's been kind of noisy. I made the decision to use the car for a couple of days until the new chain is on. At 50 miles a day, mostly dual carriageway, it didn't feel worth the risk.

 

Got a chain and sprocket set (DID ZVM-X, JT sprockets) which arrived at work today and I'm glad I've come by car - it's heavy!

 

I'm now thinking about buying a terrible cheap 125 or similar to take apart and restore so I can learn how to do stuff like this, front forks, brakes etc myself. Very tempted to do the chain, to be honest, but I should probably wait until I've reminded myself which end of a spanner is which.

Hi Adam

You're not on your own. i came back to biking after a 35/40 year absence and found I'd lost a lot of confidence when it came to DIY, I use to do all my own work on bikes, cars and a lot of work on the trucks I was then driving. The confidence is coming back slowly but what I realise is I enjoy riding them more than I do repairing them.

Good luck

Lloyd

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9 hours ago, pjm said:

That must have been handling like you were riding on ice. You can pick up TPMS for around £35 so if you can’t be bothered checking the tyre pressures at least it would let you know when they drop below a safe level.

 Oddly, no, it handled just fine. I noticed no difference in the handling at all. Just less vibration, and we were two up as well. :blink:

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Dunnster
9 hours ago, maltpress said:

 

 

I'm now thinking about buying a terrible cheap 125 or similar to take apart and restore so I can learn how to do stuff like this, front forks, brakes etc myself. Very tempted to do the chain, to be honest, but I should probably wait until I've reminded myself which end of a spanner is which.

Don't do that, save your cash, the NC is an easy to service bike. Just take your time and work methodically. If your lacking in confidence, I'm sure your neighbour will look over your shoulder and help you out. 

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