dash buzz!!!!

[stonewall]

i've got over 700 miles on the versys now.  rode up hwy. 129 in GA from gainesville to the NC line the other day.  ran up and down blood mountain three times for fun.  loving the bike and the new metzelers BUT now i've got a hellashish dash buzzzzzzz.  it rears it's ugly head runninng between 3500-5000 RPMs.  first i thought it was my windshield.  i went to lowes and bought some rubber washers so there was no way in the world it could vibrate.  after all that, the buzz was still there.  then i started listening a little better and i think i've pinpointed the issue.  the black piece right above the instrument panel is the culprit.  if i put my hand on it, the buzz disappears.  take my hand off, it friggin' buzzes like crazy.

anyone else have this experience?  any quick fixes before i start taking thing apart?  i know things are going to loosen up and i can stand a little buzz here and there.  but, this one is persistent in an RPM range that i'm in for the majority of my riding around town.  irritating!!! 

any advice would be appreciated as always.

[kawman10]

Hello Stonewall
 My Buzz was above my Headlight, black plastic ring. I cut thin rubber pieces and fit them between the red 2 plastic pieces,  pushed them between the black headlight ring and the black plastic under it, and my buzz went away. Going out to take a few pics now. brb

[stonewall]

Hello Stonewall
 My Buzz was above my Headlight, black plastic ring. I cut thin rubber pieces and fit them between the red 2 plastic pieces,  pushed them between the black headlight ring and the black plastic under it, and my buzz went away. Going out to take a few pics now. brb

i think that's the bad spot for me as well.  i'm going to see if i can do the same thing to my bike tomorrow.  help cure that dang blasted buzz!  thanks, kawman!

[golfmuch]

I remember the uk site talking about the fix. Someone went over it quite extensivley with pics and everything.I keep wondering if I'm hearing it yet. Maybe iys good to get old and hard of hearing.

[GTversys]

Yep,  it is the center black piece over the dash.  Get some foam insulation 1/2" is fine.  Comes in a roll at home depot or lowes, pull off paper on one side to reveal sticky side.  You only need like 2" long, put it under the front of the dash piece where it attaches forward, done deal after that, no more buzz.

Windshield will buzz if slightly loose but not like that dash does.

[stonewall]

thanks for the advice.  i'm on it today.  get this buzz behind me!!!

[Machog]

I'm sure you bike is still under warranty-if so take it back to the dealer. I remember reading that this is a Kawasaki re-call and will be fixed at no charge. Can't find the link at the moment, but they should fix it for nothing if you don't want to do your own fix. Its probably coming up to a service at that mileage so get it done then?

Machog

[Cupid Stunt]

Very common problem and as if I remember correctly it was covered under warranty in the UK

[Krazo]

There's a thread on here and one on the UK site where they beat it to death, and yes, there is a warranty number available. HOWEVER, its a hell of a lot easier to fix it yourself than try to educate an American dealer! They are afraid it may cost them money and time, so they will fight you like you were stealing their food stamps. Ignorance breeds stubborn aholes.

So, if  you want to cure it, take off the windshield (4 screws), a couple side panels (six screws ea.) the dash/panel cover...several cheapo pop-out fasteners. You'll find a 1.75" wide by .5" tab at the front center of the panel. Slip a 1.75 section of bicycle intertube over the tab and put the bike back together. Buzz is cured forever, and you just practiced opening up the top of the bike for future farkling. Use the power screw driver, and its over in ten minutes. AND, you get to give the one digit salute to the dealer the next time you go by!

[BobT]

Exactly. My dealer wants you to drop it off for the day. For a 10 minute fix! And they are always whining that they don't have enough work. They want folks to drop a bike off for the day for a Oil Change, and then charge $75.00. (No, they have never changed my oil) Why don't the Dealer Service Departments wake up?

[stonewall]

There's a thread on here and one on the UK site where they beat it to death, and yes, there is a warranty number available. HOWEVER, its a hell of a lot easier to fix it yourself than try to educate an American dealer! They are afraid it may cost them money and time, so they will fight you like you were stealing their food stamps. Ignorance breeds stubborn aholes.

So, if  you want to cure it, take off the windshield (4 screws), a couple side panels (six screws ea.) the dash/panel cover...several cheapo pop-out fasteners. You'll find a 1.75" wide by .5" tab at the front center of the panel. Slip a 1.75 section of bicycle intertube over the tab and put the bike back together. Buzz is cured forever, and you just practiced opening up the top of the bike for future farkling. Use the power screw driver, and its over in ten minutes. AND, you get to give the one digit salute to the dealer the next time you go by!

i've fixed the buzz myself.  might be a little overkill on my part, put i used gray foam weatherstripping with the adhesive backing.  i put some around the area where the black tab goes in above the headlight and i also layer three strips on top of each other and place it on top of the instrument panel a few inches back from the front so it wouldn't show unless you're looking down past the instruments.  now, there's constant contact between the top plastic part and the instrument panel to help dissipate any vibration.  figured while i was freezing my butt off with the parts stacked in the grass i'd do everything i could think of to keep that buzz from reappearing and fill in the slack space between the instruments and the top panel.

seems to have worked because there is NO buzz!  keeping in my fingers crossed.  thanks for all the info.  i have registered at the UK site now.  lots of info over there! 

[Krazo]

seems to have worked because there is NO buzz!

Way to go!!

[stonewall]

seems to have worked because there is NO buzz!

yep.  ridden the past two afternoons and not a hint of buzz.  just glad it's a quick fix even if it appears again.  nothing like a buzz you can't pinpoint and cure!!!

[golfmuch]

Just did the anti buzz procedure. Took the over the top route. Is 12 foot of insulation too much? The bike feels top heavy now. Have'nt had time to test drive yet.