2015 RT-SE6 Vibration Under Load

[Paddlegradient]

I've got about 4,500 miles on my 2015 RT-SE6. Since mile 0 at above 50 MPH, when I go up a hill or crank on the throttle (great fun ) the entire bike vibrates. When I'm doing 75 on the interstate the bike is glass smooth.....until I go up and overpass at which point it vibrates dramatically. As soon as I'm on the down side it smooths out. My dealer who sold the bike has a pretty poor service department and said "they have no idea but would be glad to keep the bike for a week or two and sort it out". I have a Can-Am trailer which really drives up the vibration factor-even when empty.

Thanks for any advice.

[4 MARIE]

The "current model" RTs have a well known problem of a Harmonic Belt Vibe
at right around 4000 RPM. Yup, 75mph in 6th.

I believe after following this topic on here for a while, that the people WITH the vibe,
outnumber those WITHOUT it, by about 20 to 1.

There are belt tensioners sold by "smooth spyder" and others, and your belt tension and alignment
can also have an effect.

You are sharp to notice that the "vibe" is worse under load than on coast down or trailing throttle.
Myself I have learned to drive around it. Faster, slower, different gear, etc.

[Dennis in Lodi]

Thanks to reading threads on this subject I found the happy media for the vibrations like you are describing. 1st link below is for the belt tension checking device. For my bike about 200 lbs of tension on the krikit device takes out the worst of the vibrations. A friends bike does well at 180 lbs of tension. The stock tension seems too tight. As a quick test, try turning your belt at mid sapn and see if you can turn it 45 degrees. If not, it is tightened to the stock tension which I feel is too tight. I backed off my tension screws about 7/8 of a turn looser and most of my vibration smoothed out. When I checked it with the krikit device and found it was reading about 200 lbs.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gt...xhgBoCYSnw_wcB



The second link is a video on how to use the Kritkit tension tester. My box had no directions with the package.


No harm in trying a softer tension to see if there is improvement.
Dennis

[Bob Denman]

Let your dealer have the bike, and tell them to find and fix the problem...
My 2014 1330 is about as smooth as a baby's bottom; even when pulling in top gear from as low as 40 mph.
Something ain't right...

[PMK]

Ours stock had vibration in the common over 70 mph range.

I recently reset the tension per the TSB specs. Absolutely smooth with minimal vibration during accelleration when at speed. Also like you, overpasses change the load and we get a very slight vibration that immediately subsides once back to steady cruise.

New tension spec is where it's at for us.

PK

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks to reading threads on this subject I found the happy media for the vibrations like you are describing. 1st link below is for the belt tension checking device. For my bike about 200 lbs of tension on the krikit device takes out the worst of the vibrations. A friends bike does well at 180 lbs of tension. The stock tension seems too tight. As a quick test, try turning your belt at mid sapn and see if you can turn it 45 degrees. If not, it is tightened to the stock tension which I feel is too tight. I backed off my tension screws about 7/8 of a turn looser and most of my vibration smoothed out. When I checked it with the krikit device and found it was reading about 200 lbs.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gt...xhgBoCYSnw_wcB



The second link is a video on how to use the Kritkit tension tester. My box had no directions with the package.


No harm in trying a softer tension to see if there is improvement.
Dennis

... I lowered mine from day one to the 180 lb. using the KRITKIT because I feared Bearing issues sometime down the road.....However I have the benefit of NO VIBRATIONS ALSO........Try it, less tension ( within reason ) is not going to hurt anything.....Mike