test drove today! Handle bar vibration? And other comments!

[pigp3n]

lots of good responses here. Bar snake, bar ends. but the best mod I have found for this is
Pro Taper "Pillow Top" grips.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y2XBWQ

[straydogeod]

Semi-off topic rant but from my personal experience:
 
Every bike is a compromise in at least one, if not several ways. I currently own a touring bike and don't like having to compromise in the area of seat/overall height, weight and cost to upkeep so I plan on selling it and picking up an FZ07. As mentioned, vibrations can usually be fixed with heavier bar ends/looser grip on the bars.
 
After enough time in the saddle without a break, every motorcycle is uncomfortable (even touring bikes). If you want a motorcycle to ride hundreds of miles of highway at a time, get a 700 lb+ cruiser. Otherwise, just stop more often to travel further distances and plan routes through windy back roads and you'll have a damn good time on just about any motorcycle you enjoy. While the FJ09 may be a fantastic performing machine, in my naturally subjective opinion, I think it's almost as butt f'ing ugly as a V-strom (and those things are hideous). Yeah, I know riding isn't all about the looks of a bike but I will not own a motorcycle I can't stand the aesthetics of (and I should mention I think the FZ07 is one of the best looking new bikes to come out in a long while, especially in the sub $10k price range).  I've done 400-500 mile days on aforementioned touring bike but still wound up avoiding the highway like the plague and stopping every 60-90 minutes anyway, especially when a lot of highway was involved.  In the end, the best way to travel a long distance in a flat, boring, straight line is in the comfort of a truck with the bike in the bed or trailer behind you.  Highway is lame as hell and should be avoided on two wheels.
 
 
 

[norcal616]

An ECU reflash Will make it feel like there are practically no vibrations compared to the stock ECU settings... If you really want a vibration Free bike get an electric bike

[haze87]

This is my first bike and I started out fairly cautious on it and have recently been a bit more risky with her, but here is my take:
 
Almost every review I've seen that highlights front-end bar vibration also has the rider driving it like a 600 Super Sport. By that I mean, you can look at their RPM's and see they are going 50 in 3rd for sustained periods. This isn't an R6 or Ninja. When I ride it, I certainly will have the bike between 50-80 at gears of 2-4, but it isn't sustained. It's because I'm jumping the gun at a red light, or accelerating quickly. There is a lot of low end torque on this thing and I feel like the sweet spot really is between 3500-8000RPM's. When I'm just cruising with traffic, my pattern generally looks like (See Below) and I really never have an uncomfortable ride.
 
Cruising:
1st: I get out of as soon as possible, I hate it.
2nd: I'll shift out of it around 18-20mph, only sustain it if I'm going mid-teens or below.
3rd. I'll cruise with anywhere between 23-35mph
4th: I'll cruise with 36-45mph
5th: I'll cruise with 46+mph and I'll often just stay in it unless I'm going prolonged periods above 75-80
6th: Use it sometimes for high speed roads? I feel like your accel drops in sixth, could just be my own thought though.
 
If I'm pushing it, the above is nil and void.
 
Edit: Did want to add that a lot of the subtle vibration in the lower gears (2-3 primarily), were diminished with the EJK I purchased when I got the Akra Carbon. Although, I never much felt it in the handlebars, it just felt more like engine instability / shakiness in acceleration.
 

[Guest Ralph]

Cant say I feel any vibration on mine, I can feel the uneven firing pulses at low revs due to
the 270% crank so it fires like a 90% V twin Ba-Bang then a bigger gap then the same again
but It's not annoying or uncomfortable and disappears at higher revs, a throttle body sync
helps I have done 400 miles in a day and the only thing that worries me is the seat gets a
bit uncomfortable.

[gregjet]

I find the MT07 a particularly non vibrating motor. I am currently running Renthal ultra low bars and, although they do have a vibration damping ureathane core it wouldn't kill real vibration. I run no bar end weights and have no noticeable vibration.
This bike has had bolt tension issues and as the bars are rubber mounted so if there is vibration the bars may be loose ( this fault has been posted several times on various forums).
Disagree completely about the MT as being unsuitable as a touring bike.
Did 7000km last year on a TR650. It was wonderful. This bike would be better. Smoother and more power and lighter. I hate touring on heavy bikes. Biggest problem is the tiny tank ( although the brilliant fuel economy helps a fair bit. I would be happy to ride this bike to the other side of Australia and back.
Having said that , Beemer has a real point about the wind. This is a naked bike and you need something to take the wind pressure off your shoulders and helmet. I have a design of upper fairing that works superbly but they are not available commercially ( I make them from a modified Cagiva Raptor wind deflector mold). There must be others. Wind buffetting will tire you faster than almost anything.
Also Disagree about the crosswinds pushing it around. I live in one of the windiest towns in Australia and testriding it across the ring road with a side wind, the most noticeable thing was how little the side winds affected it. Crosswind effect is a function of aerodynamics and caster, not mass.
Having owned a heavy BMW , I would take the MT07 as a tourer over it anytime. But that's just me I guess.
Often do 800km round trip rides and I love this thing ( note it is upper faired though)

[pattonme]

seconded - wind buffet being a source of ache and tiredness. As for side winds, I rode along the Erie coast and had to literally tilt the bike off center and sit on the 'high' side of the seat just to maintain any semblance of a straight line and not get blown across the highway. Crossing the MD/DE bridge one winter day over the grill plate was the most scared I have ever been as I fought to stay in my lane while dealing with the gale of air racing down the river, that the semi trucks alternated between blocking and exposing.

[gregjet]

Just to clarify, Didn't say that the MT07 ISN'T effected by side winds, just that it seems to be effected less than other bikes I have had.

[fusbal]

You CAN turn the FZ-07 into a decent highway bike, and you CAN ride it for hours on the highway. I wouldn't. You're better off getting a faired bike if that's your concern, since the biggest area of highway discomfort with the FZ (for me) is wind - both headwind and the lightness of the bike getting blown around. I got the bike for commuting, which for me is normally between 35-60 mph, not for long highway stretches and I couldn't be happier with it. If I had to ride lots of highway I would have gotten a different bike.
 
I suggest looking at the FZ6R, Ninja 650 (ABS), CB650F, or even the CBR500. I'm also quite enamoured with the GSX-S1000F, but that's a different class of engine.

[gregjet]

A note on fusbal's comments and the subject of this post. The Ninja650 has a quite vibratey motor ( I raced an er6) . Quite a bit of noticeable vibration through the bars. The CBR500, on the other hand, is spooky smooth , despite being a twin. Some have a highway speed tingle though not all.
I do agree a fully faired bike CAN be more comfortable if the upper section doesn't actually INCREASE the wind pressure on your upper body. Many do, unless you get into a more racing position. Usuablly fixeable with deflectors though if you want to tour..