BBs Rule!!!

[Dudley]

Well, I have been reading this forum since the end of last year and have gotten a LOT of good information. Scotty turned the switch for me on this idea. I went to Walmart and bought 2 containers of 1500 count BBs. I then loaded each half of the handlebars with the contents (one container per side). The difference is one that I cannot find words to describe. Just came back from about a 150 mile run and the whole concept of handle bar feeling is changed...it seems to steer better, my hands didn't get to the point where my throttle hand needed to stretch, the burning that I always felt between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck didn't happen, I had to constantly monitor my speed (80 MPH felt like 60!). Yes, it seems crazy! Best $8.oo I have ever spent on the Spyder!

[Cajunborn]

I am assuming your vibration went down significantly. Great idea I will try it myself.
Anybody else has any anti-vibration ideas

Thanks

[BRPjunkie]

How did you do it, just turn the handlebars, use a funnel and let gravity do the rest?

[Dudley]

There are other mods to address the vibrations, but non this inexpensive. The vibes were greatly reduced! Can't wait to do 300 miles and see the difference! Felt like a different Spyder!

[Dudley]

How did you do it, just turn the handlebars, use a funnel and let gravity do the rest?

That's it. I turned the handlebars so that the side I was filling had a down slope, emptied the container into a bowl, picked up what I could manage at one time and let them slide between my middle and 3rd finger as a channel, held the bowl to catch what fell, left enough space for the end plug. Presto! Lost one BB!

[Some Guy]

Wow! That's a great idea. I must have missed the original post. I'll be stealing BBs from all the local kids tomorrow!

OK...anyone who knows me knows that I'M the kid with the BBs!...or am I?

But seriously...I'm glad I saw this post.

[NancysToy]

"You'll shoot your eye out!" Well done, Dudley!
-Scotty

[BRPjunkie]

"You'll shoot your eye out!" Well done, Dudley!
-Scotty

Remove the bar end cap, back up 20 paces, load BB gun and shoot BBs into handlebar one at a time. More of a challenge than the finger method. Think I'll stay with the funnel.

[NancysToy]

Remove the bar end cap, back up 20 paces, load BB gun and shoot BBs into handlebar one at a time. More of a challenge than the finger method. Think I'll stay with the funnel.

Red Ryder BB rifle, of course.
-Scotty

[dltang]

"You'll shoot your eye out!" Well done, Dudley!
-Scotty

A Christmas Story? You know, I've never seen that movie but I know that line.

[BRPjunkie]

Can I get more in at once if I use a shotgun?

If it has a really tight pattern. Maybe you could just use a slug.

[ptoemmes]

A Christmas Story? You know, I've never seen that movie but I know that line.

You absolutely need to fix that.

It's on cable all day Christmas Day. I mean like 24 hours straight back-to-back.

Pete

[BRPjunkie]

Since everyone is shooting, shoot holes in my theory. 1/2 copper pipe slides nicely inside bars. Cut 9 inches for each side, fill with BBs, lead shot, uranium (if available). Seal ends with silicone plug. Place in handlebars and replace end cap. Isn't the greatest result acheived by getting weight near the ends of the bars. This would avoid the mess of 3000 BBs and can be removed easily by simply fishing the home made anti vibe bars out. Maybe it's not enough weight, maybe not solid contact with the bar, maybe too easy to really work. Fire away!

[Tom in NM]

Dudley, this is news to me too. I will go searching for the thread.
Great idea - I suppose it works like those dead-weight hammers.

Thanks for the update.
Tom

[Dudley]

There are several other mods that address the vibration issue, but none this inexpensive. And 3000 BBs...took less than 20 minutes from start to finish and it works for me. I just wanted to share this simple working mod. Less than $8.00.
My thinking, simple as it is...the BBs are snug enough to absorb the vibrations, while each BB works to dissipate the vibrations as they travel between BBs.

[Firefly]

Since everyone is shooting, shoot holes in my theory. 1/2 copper pipe slides nicely inside bars. Cut 9 inches for each side, fill with BBs, lead shot, uranium (if available). Seal ends with silicone plug. Place in handlebars and replace end cap. Isn't the greatest result acheived by getting weight near the ends of the bars. This would avoid the mess of 3000 BBs and can be removed easily by simply fishing the home made anti vibe bars out. Maybe it's not enough weight, maybe not solid contact with the bar, maybe too easy to really work. Fire away!

I don't think you'll get the same results as with just pouring the BB's in. The idea is for the BB's to absorb the vibrations - so they should touch the actual bars. Also, with the bends in the bars you couldn't get your 1/2 copper all the way in.

I installed a barsnake and it works well.

[bone crusher]

I've never heard of this before but it is truly quite interesting!

I have the throttlemeister and I thought that it reduced vibration a lot...

I guess I don't have the problem with hands/UB, etc...then again, posture is more important than anything else for dissipation of energy, esp. for the spine...as far as the hands go, if BBs work, then it sounds like a good solution...

[bjt]

Well, I have been reading this forum since the end of last year and have gotten a LOT of good information. Scotty turned the switch for me on this idea. I went to Walmart and bought 2 containers of 1500 count BBs. I then loaded each half of the handlebars with the contents (one container per side). The difference is one that I cannot find words to describe. Just came back from about a 150 mile run and the whole concept of handle bar feeling is changed...it seems to steer better, my hands didn't get to the point where my throttle hand needed to stretch, the burning that I always felt between the shoulder blades at the base of the neck didn't happen, I had to constantly monitor my speed (80 MPH felt like 60!). Yes, it seems crazy! Best $8.oo I have ever spent on the Spyder!

[rleathen]

You need to be carefull when doing this because there is a small hole in the handlebar that allows BB's to get inside the multifunction switch housing on the left handlebar. This caused me much grief when my turn signals stopped functioning correctly because the BB's started to interfere with the mechanical operation of the turn signal switch. See the forum thread below:

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=11115

[Dudley]

Can anything be done to seal the hole? I am the one who posted the BBs, so far no problem with mine.

[rleathen]

I took off the multifunction switch housing from the handlebar and the simplest solution would be to wrap a piece of tape over the hole. When the housing is put back on the handlebar the registration pin would push into the tape thus still doing its job of stopping the housing from spinning on the handlebar and hopefully stopping any BB's from getting through the hole. I have not checked the throttle side housing just yet.

My only fear with this solution would be that over time the tape might wear and eventually allow the BB's into the switch housing again.

[Dudley]

I took off the multifunction switch housing from the handlebar and the simplest solution would be to wrap a piece of tape over the hole. When the housing is put back on the handlebar the registration pin would push into the tape thus still doing its job of stopping the housing from spinning on the handlebar and hopefully stopping any BB's from getting through the hole. I have not checked the throttle side housing just yet.

My only fear with this solution would be that over time the tape might wear and eventually allow the BB's into the switch housing again.

Thanks. I really like the difference the BBs make, so really don't want to have to remove them. I will look into the tape fix.

[0228lisa]

Thanks. I really like the difference the BBs make, so really don't want to have to remove them. I will look into the tape fix.

New grips did the trick for me.

[irish2themax]

I have the KewlMetal 5" pull-back bars...will have to look to see if they can use the same method.

[LittleJohn]

Another option
http://www.barsnake.com/

You might be able to simulate what teh bar snake does by putting the BBs in a rubber tube, say maybe from a hardware store bulk roll of dishwasher drain tube, or the like.....just a thought.