Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I purchased a used (1700 mi) 2006 F4i back in March from a reputable Honda shop. At roughly 2500 mi I picked up a lite RPM dependant vibration. I am at 3000 mi and the vibration has gotten worse. I can feel it in the tank, pegs, bars, etc. It gets worse at higher RPM's and the bike feels slightly down on power. However, the vibration is inconsistent from ride to ride. It never goes away, but will get worse or better.

I consulted with the GM of the shop, who is also a friend, and he said to check the torque on the frame bolts and header bolts, as well as change the oil. I have done both of these with no change in the vibration. Last week the battery quit taking a charge so it has a new battery as well.

I also recently noticed that when I am at an idle, and I apply the brakes, the vibration gets slightly worse!

Any suggestions? Does this sound like valves out of adjustment or possibly an ignition or stator problem? I am lost.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Frame bolts=motor mount bolts?? I'd check those out.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I have almost the exact same problem - I took it to the shop on Tuesday to have them take a look. I will reply to this thread with their outcome.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

nfamousdevil:

Yes, I am referring to the motor mount bolts. I checked the torque and they were good.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

The solution is to learn to live with it [:@]

All f4i's buzz and vibrate, usually after a prolonged ride my hands and feet are buzzing. its just how these bikes are.

You can get bigger bar ends to help with the clipon's vibration.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

BoRKa: Your response is similar to what I have read. However, with this being my first street bike I am not sure what is an acceptable amount of buzzing.All I have to compare it to is how the bike was 500 miles ago. I would expect a buzz if it had 10,000+ miles on it. Three fellow riders have road the bike and two thought it was fine, the other didn't. It was smooth as glass, the exhaust notewas smooth,with only a slight buzz in the bars. I simply don't want to keep riding it and do significant damage.

kiker14: Please let me know what you find out with your F4i. (What year is yours and how many miles?)

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Hey, I'm going to call the dealership today for an update - It's an '06 with approx 2,700 miles. Stay tuned...

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Kiker14 - Any word on your ride?

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Is it stock or does it have an after market exhaust or anything? That could possibly introduce vibrations.

My vibration problems went away when I got my PCIII working properly

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

It is bone stock.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

FYI I called the dealership today, they said that there was potentially something very wrong with my bike and they are going to dismantle it tomorrow to continue their troubleshooting. They said that they "heard" something wrong - I don't know if they even tried to ride it or rev it or anything like that.

I will keep you all updated.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Be careful with them "troubleshooting", all that will be considered labor hours. Hopefully they at least gave you an specificidea of what they considered to be a real problem.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Sounds like a stealership at its best. Good luck.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I talked to the guy already, he said he's going to charge me for 1 hour of troubleshooting only - and if whatever they "find" is covered by honda's warranty then I don't have to pay anything at all. I have a good relationship with these guys, they won't screw me.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I talked to the shop again - he said that they have put aside 1/2 day on tuesday to dedicate to my bike, and if it isn't covered under warranty (which he suspects it will be) that he will cut the hours in half and cut the hourly rate in half. I'll update on tuesday.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

i disagree Borka. My 02 doestn vibrate that much. My hands would get a little but I changed the grips and put some heavier bar ends and there is nothing. Now there is still slight vibration rattles in the bike, but all bikes have that. you bike may not be timed right???? that would definately cause vibration and a loss of power

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Fasthound,

You said it was RPM dependent but it was inconsistant, are you sure it isn't speed dependent like a wheel out of round or something?

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Humm?......Interesting?

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Ive read in several places that the cam chain tensioner wears out fast on these things andproduces vibrations. May want to have a look at that. Most recommend replacing it with a manual one. Only problem with that is you have to tighten it periodically by hand. Give us an update when you find what it is.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

kiker14, thanks for the update. If you are comfortable with it, I would like to compare the last few digits of our VINs to see if they were manufactured close together.

I am nearly positive that it is not a wheel out of balance. The vibration is present at idle and increases with a shot of the throttle while in neutral.

I have thought about the CCT, but I wouldn't think they would go out at 2700 miles.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

so what SHOULDNT be vibrating on a f4i..?

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I notice my bike vibrates more when I've been riding for a few hours. But it seems to run smoothe after I've not ridden it for about a week, the same feel as if you just changed your oil. Sounds like maybe you might have carbon buildup in the cylinders or maybe your spark plugs might not be gapped properly, or even your fuel injectors are notoperating properly. Try some injector cleaner with your fuel on your next fill up. Do you know if the bike was broken in properly, or was the previous owner racing it at high speeds before the first 1000 miles? The engine might be ruined if it hasn't been broken in properly. Try different gas, also, and see if the vibrations disappear. I have nearly 7000 miles on my bike, and it runs smooth as the day I bought it. I change the oil and filtermyself and didn't take it in for a tuneup yet, but it performs beautifully. I do notice that it runs (idles)a little more louder at stops, though. I'll probably have it tuned up at about 15k.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

just as an FYI, I have no problem comparing the last few on the VIN - I'll take a look when I get her back... Also, I personally did break my bike in very carefully, only revving past 6 or 7k rpm a few times before the first big tuneup (at 600 miles) I've read various debates on the "proper" way to break in an engine and I felt that I definitely was leaning towards the conservitive side.

The dealership said they wanted 1/2 a day to look into it fully, and that it is going to be the first bike they look at tomorrow, I'll shoot this thread an update once I know more.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I am not to concerned with how the bike was broke-in. It was owned by a 50-year-old man that traded it in for an Interceptor because he riding position was a little too agressive. In addition, the primary concern over proper break-in is the correct seating of the rings. The bike does not seam to be burning any oil. Although, the spark gap question is a good one. Does anyone know an easy way to access the plugs?

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

So I called the dealership and here was my mechanical answer: "There's a ghost in it" ... the senior tech said that last week he heard a "crunching" noise upon start-up so he wanted to take a half day to diagnose it. This morning he said the noise had disappeared.

As far as the vibration, he said that it vibrates the same as the other f4i that they have in the shop.

looks like I'm going to get my bike back today with no improvement, and now I have something in the back of my head that there is something else worse with my bike going on. Wonderful.

Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance to this thread - I guess these bikes are just a bit buzzy and you have to get used to the vibration, maybe buy heavier bar-ends and some bigger/padded gloves :-/

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Thanks for the update. I don't know which is worse, knowing they couldn't find a major problem...or them finding a major problem!

I am going to keep trying new things until I find something. If/when I do I will share what I find. If I have not found anything by the time it gets cold or it continues to get worse, mine is going in the shop as well. I will continue to post what I try and find.

Next week my F4i, vibration, and I will be riding the Dragon!

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

<vent>

I'm not giving up yet - I took my bike back and on the ride home (10 miles) it was still vibrating and even knocking a bit at times (very very rarely). Once I got home, i kept it in neutral and revved it very slowly. At about 3000rpm, the clutch handle was vibrating violently, and at 4,000rpm it smoothed out. Then again in the upper RPM's it would vibrate violently.

I plan on taking it to ANOTHER dealership next week - although I have a good relationship with the dealership it was at, I think when they are swamped they do not do a very good job at really looking into the issues and managing time properly.

</vent>

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Yea welcome to the world of dealerships!!!! They don't care about people, the only people that even PRETEND to are the sales guys. If your bike isn't on fire infront of their eyes they don't care and will say nothing is wrong with it, especially under warranty. They make a lot more money after the bike is out of warranty and you pay for the service they do rather than when Honda pays them when it is in warranty. The best story I had was my first winter with the bike I had brought it in before the season ended and asked them to look at something. A week later they called me and told me the bike was fixed and ready. The problem still occurred and when I went to pick it up I had a bill over $100! They winterized my bike!!!! I tell them I'm NOT paying for it as I didn't ask for it to be done and after arguing with the jerk off he finally just said fine and dropped the charge. I went to start the bike and guess what? No battery in it. lol I had to argue with him that I'm missing the battery and he said that I must have taken it when I dropped it off before I had it winterized. wtf?! I NEVER HAD IT WINTERIZED! I thought we already went over this? hah So he goes in and finds either my battery with my last name written on it and 06' F4i or just any battery and writes that stuff on there, appologizes and I leave.

I love dealerships! =D

Mike

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Well i have a 06 i purchased new(zero miles on it)..It has a slight buzz to it,also depends on the rpms..Nothing that worries me because most of it is common to the bike.As you get use to the bike the vibrations actually get less (because u adjust your riding style etc)..My f4i buzzes no more than my interceptors did 15 years ago.

As far as lack of power,your butt dyno it is usually wrong..99% of the time..Been thru that arguement in the world of cages for YEARS..Guys use to tell me they could "feel" a 5~10 hp gain ...NOT.Want to see if its REALLY down on power get it dynoed.Thats the only real way to tell.
If the bike wasnt timed right it would bend something esp since its chain driven.

This isnt a luxury car its a bike,some vibrations are NORMAL.Like peaple at work the complain that their truck rides rougher than their car..DUH its a TRUCK not a car..

Im a auto tech by trade so i look at things in a different way than others do.So please take no offense but sometimes these things are normal and you can chase your tail forever to fix something even the engineers didnt fix.

Best way to see if its normal is to ride or sit on another f4i EXACTLY like yours (same year and close to the same mileage).If it does the same thing ,its normal.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Hey white99gt, I agree completely with what you are saying. What bothers me about the current situation is that the dealership agreed that there was ::something:: wrong - they also had another 06 f4i in the shop and when they compared, they agreed that min vibrated more than the other, and that it sounded different.

I do not expect a motorcycle to have no vibrations - but also do not think that the level of vibration that I am experiencing is "normal" I also did not like the "clunking" sound I heard.

I personally have not noticed any lack of power - on my ride home, although it was very buzzy - I had no problem getting right up to ~85-90 mph.

I have contacted a second dealership, if they can take a look at it within the next two weeks I will take it there, otherwise I'm going to wait until November or December when the dealership is less busy to see if they can give it a second crack.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

I would take it to a different shop even if you have to wait..Mainly due to the reasons some of the other guys stated.We all work off flat rate.But some rather piss off a good customer during warrenty times(which means they wont come back when its up and their work becomes customer pay).

Not every dealership has this kind of tech.Personally (even though i wrench on cars),would rather take a hit now and fix a customers issue while under warrenty,to make sure that customer comes back after it runs out.Its not like these bikes are like cars..It can not be that hard to check out..Hell im sure with the engines and such that honda has a reman program(aka exchange) if there is a tranny/motor issue..Its not like its gonna take them 2 days to r&r it if there is a issue..



Mine is going in for its first service(600 mile serviceon thursday).So ill see how my dealership treats me.I only give a dealership one shot at my money ,after that they will never see me again..

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

White: You tell it how it is and I appreciate that. My F4i has always had a slight buzzing in the bars and I knew this was normal. What I, and I believe Kiker, are feeling is way more extensive than that.

I have also noticed a rougher idle since the vibration issue surfaced. My first plan of attack is to look at the plugs if I can figure out how to get to them.

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Ancient thread dig up....dude if you are still around..whatever happened??


My F4i has welll I would not call it vibrations..I would call it buzziness but a very distinct buzziness...feels like I have one of those mild joy buzzers in my hand


Someone said earlier that his CCT could not be bad as he only has 2700 on it...mine started rattling at 2800 and is now pretty pronounced at 4000 miles.


Dealer said he could probably get it covered under warranty (have extended) so lets hope that is true


I think i read here in another thread that the CCT can cause vibrations in the bike??




Goose

RE: Solutions to a Vibration Issue?
 

Hey i wouldn't get too worked up about it, most of ourmachines are just like that..everything makessome kind of noise and orvibration. Most likely youhave pulled up behind a harley havent you? Notice how the ridersometimes looks like they might vibrate off their bike lol, i think its pretty funny since some of them cost like $40,000.But yea those guys dont bring their bikes back to the dealership to get checked out.It's just how some things are made to run. NOW with that said....once you get to know your bike for yourself you will learn what is normal and what isn't. When you do notice something that seems out of the ordinary do think about the worst outcomefrom the issue. Mainly your body, others out there and then your bike. Sometimes it is worth it to have it looked at because honestly we truely have no protection when wereout there. I personally don't believe it is worth it to not haveyour bikelooked at just to save a few bucks....if you go down or even stall out it is very scary due to the cages that just don't care about our safety. Good luck with your issue and ride carefully.