Bar end weights?

[gs2sv]

hey all, ok here is my question. I was looking to purchase some cool bar ends for my gs500, but i notice that the stock bar ends are pretty big and heavy. I'm thinking that the purpose of this is to help deaden vibration in the bars, right? The thing is that my cockeyed sense of reason tells me that by putting more weight at the ends of the bars actually creates more vibration. Am I wrong about this? If so please explain why. thanks all.
lou

[nicebelair]

well I look at it this way, what is harder to shake, something that is heavy or somthing that is light? therefore i believe that weights would help keep vibration down

[Cal Price]

I have some blue ones to match the tank, I simply thought of them as extra protection to keep the expensive parts a bit further off the deck if you drop or flip the bike. Never realy considered vibration but they fit by expanding the rubber bung that slips inside the bar-end, you can "waggle" them but there's no vibration.

[glenn9171]

They are mounted using rubber bushings for the same reason as engines are mounted using them.  Rubber or other soft materials absorb vibrations.  The weight helps with this.  

Myself, I had taken the bar ends off and installed some bar end mirrors and didn't notice any more vibrations that there was before.

[acoustimate]

They are mounted using rubber bushings for the same reason as engines are mounted using them. Rubber or other soft materials absorb vibrations. The weight helps with this.

By that logic, you're trying to stop the bar end from vibrating, which doesn't make a lot of sense.  Then I would recommend removing the bar ends altogether.

I can't say exactly why we have weights at the end of our handlebars, but I can tell you this, length and weight effect vibrations of a bar.  Maybe they (whoever designed or introduced the use of bar weights) found that the resonant frequency of the handlebars occured right at cruising speed so by adding the weights it made the resonant frequency of the bars high enough such that it never became a problem.  If I didn't have a meeting in 15 min.  I'd type out some equations for you...sorry.

Fact is, however, during the windstorm a couple weeks ago, my bike was knocked over and my barend was bent.  We bent it back before a ride to Annapolis, and on the way, it flew off and shattered.  I've been riding without it with no noticable difference--other than looking lopsided, having only one.  I plan on replacing it...

[The Buddha]

Yea... Bar end's dont do crap atleast in case of the GS...Handle bar angle, position, body weight you put on the bar etc help to keep vibes down... but weights dont.
Cool.
Srinath.

[dgyver]

Vibration is more noticeable in I4's than in twins. The twins have more of a pulse than the I4 buzz.

[gs2sv]

thanks for the info everyone. I installed some new bar ends that are lightweight alu but i haven't had a chance to ride it and see if it feels any different. Vibration on the GS has never been much of an issue to me so hopefully the new ends will feel the same. they sure look cool.(silver)
thanks again
lou

[500rider]

acoustimate:

so by adding the weights it made the resonant frequency of the bars high enough such that it never became a problem

Considering your "signature text", I had to reply.  Doesn't adding mass to the end of the bars lower the natural frequency?

I think that would explain why the bar end weights seem to have more of an effect on I4's than twins.

Hmmm.

R

Sorry for being a smart ass.

[acoustimate]

no smartass-ed-ness about it.  

You're right, the resonant frequency is inversely proptional to length.  In the most basic sense, frequency is proportional to c/L^2 for a bar attached at one end, as L get's big, frequency gets small, therefore lower.  

I was being flippant, and making a point, thanks for hitting it home.

[Briggs]

I would have to disagree. I have found after riding for more then 45 minutes my hands are tingling, almost buzzing. I do not have bar ends because, they were broke when I got the bike. I look forward to trying some out. ...Mark