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Excessive Vibration

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ladyrider1977

Member
I recently got a 2002 Sportster 1200 Custom for Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I love the bike! However, I have noticed that when I get up to certain speeds, I can barely read street signs! Sometimes I even come back home with a headache. I know that this particular year/model of bike is a rigid mount so there will be some vibration expected. Yet I don't think the excessive vibration is normal. The bike has loud (short) pipes on it. I am fairly certain that the baffles have been taken off the exhaust. I have no idea as to what the exhaust system is.

Any suggestions as to how to fix this problem? Thanks! :D
 
The only suggestion is to replace the exhaust system with something similar to the stock system which should help with a bit of the vibrations. The rigid mounts like the sporty and softails before the counterbalanced engines in the softails were filling rattlers. Possibly a rubber mount in your future.
 
had a sporty and at about 65 it was numbing i switched to a better set of handle bar isolaters and it helped,jel
 
Yes, very nice Valentine's Day present! LOL And no, I am not gripping the handlebars too tight. I have been riding for awhile now. :) I posted a pic of the back end of the bike. Also, does anyone know anything about air suspension?
 
ladyrider1977 said:
I recently got a 2002 Sportster 1200 Custom for Valentine's Day. Don't get me wrong, I love the bike! However, I have noticed that when I get up to certain speeds, I can barely read street signs! Sometimes I even come back home with a headache. I know that this particular year/model of bike is a rigid mount so there will be some vibration expected. Yet I don't think the excessive vibration is normal. The bike has loud (short) pipes on it. I am fairly certain that the baffles have been taken off the exhaust. I have no idea as to what the exhaust system is.

Any suggestions as to how to fix this problem? Thanks! :D
Click to expand...

Also check out this idea Glider has posted in the self-help section:

Bar Snake - Harley Davidson Community

TQ
 
Way to go TQ, sport bikes used bar end weights, but the Bar Snake (no not what most people immediately visualize) is a dampening device in the bar to absorbs vibration, kinda like a sand filled "bean bag."

You may also want to use touring grips that are softer rubber or foam to squelch additional vibes, but smaller in diameter so you actually "hook" your fingers 'round them instead of "gripping" them. If your hands feel "cold" after the ride, you are hanging on too tight.
 
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