I am noticing that my Classic seems to have some vibration that I haven't noticed before this riding season. I have made some changes and thought maybe one of these might be the culprit. The vibration isn't bad but my arms are a bit tinglely after a ride. Last fall I had the IDS installed by my dealer and did put a few hundred miles on it before putting it away for the winter and I didn't notice any vibration. That is one possibility I think, and will have it checked. The other possibility I'm thinking is I added the nostalgic classic saddlebag guard rails. I know they tightned my pipes when I put them on because I've always had a loose left tail pipe that chirped and drove me nuts...it doesn't do that anymore and I think it's because of the rails. Anyway, was wondering if any of you have added the rails and noticed any change in the way your bike felt afterwards?

 

Check the easy things first. All the brackets on the exhausts and mufflers. Also check heat shields, motor mounts, and anything that has been loosened in the last 6 months. Lastly, before you go to the stealer, put it on the lift, tie it down. Start it in neutral and get down and look it over. Nine times out of ten you'll be able to see what's happening, if not hear it! BTY you can take a screwdriver and use it as a stethiscope, putting the blade end on your engine, exhaust, mufflers brackets, motormounts, or whatever may be loose, and you'll HEAR the problem often times when you can't see it. Hope this helps, CCRyder

 

Put those same rails on mine, haven't noticed anything.

Make sure you do as bigskyhd advised....get off the bike and listen closely. I say this because I've found that the windshield reflects a good bit of motor noise back at you, but it's always hard to tell where it's coming from. If you have a windshield bag, also check that out...those things (and what might be in them) rattle like an SOB, but sometimes it sounds like it's coming from somewhere else.

 

I'm not hearing any noise or rattleing. Bike is pretty quiet.
I feel it in my arms and face. Not bad but I didn't notice it before. Probably not a big deal but it is noticable. I've read on hear before that adding accessories can change the feel of the bike and was wondering if it could possibly be the saddlebag rails, as they mount to the rear bracket of the tail pipes.

 

Pipes are rubber mounted at the mufflersand are supposed to be able toabsorb some vibration. I saw a thread where someone pushed their mufflers in too far and at up, the slack in the mnt. and got extra vibration from it. If those brackets sre made for your bike they shouldnt do that right? I put a rubber mn.t on my chopper at the end at it stopped my teeth from chattering.

 

Just for Haha's pull the cover off the handlebars and check that your bar bushings are tight and not the cause of the vibration. I also have read where an inspection of the bars showed a cracked bar causing vibrations.

Good Luck

Frank

 

I have the rails on mine and haven't noticed any above normal vibration. Tire out of balance maybe? Good luck with it.

 

As others have stated, I doubt the nostalgic saddlebag guards are the culprit. I put them on my FLHT and they didn't cause any changes.

 

Front motor mount? I had to replace mine on my 06 RKC. HD has a new improved version.

 

Check the upper pipe mount on the left side, it is just below the Y outlet and can only be seen on the right side looking back at the exhaust pipe. Mine was really lose and was the problem of a chirp I had that i could not find. Also really check you pipes to be sure they are not cracked as well. Don't ask me how I know this!