I've ridden enough now to give a review on the Vibronator tuned-rod bar ends.

First, the website link to the units I purchased - Vibranator 7/8"

The actual bar ends are very heavy, which is good. Installation takes all of 5 minutes, including reading the instructions and removing the previous bar ends.

Advice, tighten them very tight, and once you do, they don't loosen up at all.

Do they reduce hand and arm numbness? This is important to me, because the military injuries that plague me are aggravated by handgrip vibration. In a word, YES. They work. I have yet to get numb hands, or any problems in my arms.

Granted, some of this is due to the handlebar configuration (LSL + risers + Superbike High bar) and some to all the weight I have hung on the handlebar, and some to having heated grips with Grab On Grip Covers also.

But to not have any numbness in my hands is a huge improvement from the buzzy handgrips I've had until now.

Worth every penny, and would probably really quiet down stock clip ons.

* Last updated by: privateer on 5/15/2011 @ 4:58 PM *

Hey Privateer, just wondering which Vibronator works with the ZX. They have no listing for this application on their website. I know we're talking 7/8" but a lot of bars are that diameter. Is there a particular application that fits but is just not listed ? Thanks :)

The bars on the stock clip ons have a plug in the ends which is tapped, so your bar ends can screw on and so the bar can be bolted to the clip on clamp.

You'd have to bore that outside plug out (at a minimum) in order to insert vibranators. The vibranators have their own heavy bar ends attached.

There are several possible solutions. You could drill or bore the outside end to remove the plug, if you have a lathe, mill, or decent drill press with a good vice on it. Even then, I'm not sure they are hollow inside.

Or you could cut two 7/8" OD "thick" wall aluminum or stainless steel tubes and put a tapped plug in one end of each so it can be bolted to the clip on clamp. You'd either have to thread it (tube and plug OD), or weld it. I would not recommend a press fit with pins, which would work for less stressful situations.

It was easy for me, since I put real handlebars on mine. I just purchased the "generic" 7/8" version.

Top item on page is 7/8"

And the vibranator kit comes with different size rubber collars in case your ID is slightly abnormal. Mine worked fine on Spiegler LSL superbars as delivered.

* Last updated by: privateer on 1/18/2012 @ 9:17 PM *

Thanks. looks like new bars are in order. Was hoping for the simple solution but, as usual, Mo Money !

lighthouse; I used a different brand of heavier bar ends. No mods necessary. Remove old, and screw on new. Reduced about 15-20% vibrations. Can't remember the brand, but they're out there.

salamander bar end weights

I E-mailed Vibranator twice with a question about which model would fit inside alloy bars with a 13mm inside diameter. They never replied.

What is 13mm in inches? I don't feel like converting it.....

Vibranators are not just simple weighted bar ends, alg8er. I had heavy throttlemeisters on and it helped some, but the Vibranators were a huge improvement in reducing vibration.

The reason you cannot use them in stock ZX14 clipons is they have an attached tuned rod which pulls a whole lot of vibration out of the bar. You need a plain, hollow bar end to stick the rod into, and it cannot contact the inside wall of the bars, or it won't work.

privateer; "The reason you cannot use them in stock ZX14 clipons "
Which is why I thought I'd post an alternative. I was looking at "Barsnake", and went with the weighted bar ends for the same reason. I always wondered if just dumping a bunch of lead shot into the bar would do anything.

I imagine putting a Barsnake in would make a difference, any increase in mass is going to attenuate vibration.

This is the beauty of Vibranator, it combines very heavy bar ends with tuned rods, resulting in grips free of vibration.

If I had kept my clipons, I would have unbolted the bar from each side, chucked them up in the lathe, and bored the outside plug out. And then put Vibranators in them. Heh.