Author Topic: Rubber engine spacers  (Read 7425 times)

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1thump

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Reply #15 on: May 06, 2015, 06:05:33 am
Ya, I took them off last night, most of mine were barely hanging on, all of them came off just using my hands. Went for a ride today, I think its louder but probably because I was trying my hardest while riding to hear something different. All in all, unless they were there for any reliability reason, I cant see the need for them. Im not sure if it looks better with or without though. The black lines that they put on kind of broke up the gray engine, but it does looks cleaner without. Will see how it goes.
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KD5ITM

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Reply #16 on: May 07, 2015, 02:27:23 am
Now hears something to think about... the singing of the fins on the motor is what you call a harmonic, in other words a vibration.  the vibration you feel when you are riding and it makes  your hands hurt is a long wave length vibration or a slow vibration.  a harmonic is a very short or fast wave length.  short wave lengths can be very damaging.  has anyone thought about the long term effects of removing the rubber
spacers?  over lets say 4,000 miles of that harmonic and vibration what could the effects be to the motor.  could the fins get hair line cracks in them over time?  or could something in side the motor get damaged in some way?  It may look cool to remove them but what would the long term effects be?

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Good Vibes

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Reply #17 on: May 07, 2015, 03:31:56 am
I've had mine removed for over 9 months and can't say I noticed any difference in noise.  My bike came with the RE Sports muffler fitted by the supplier, so maybe that masks some engine parts noise that owners with the standard RE muffler fitted. My rubbers are also in a drawer with a couple in pieces, but haven't found any just cause to replace them, and it sure looks a whole lot better with just the fins.
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Jellyroll

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Reply #18 on: May 07, 2015, 04:41:47 am
KD, naw, you're waaay overthinking this. The harmonics that the rubber is trying to dampen is strictly from the engines' internals making noise. That noise is transported throughout the engine, and since the cylinder they are contained in has cooling fins on the outside, it basically acts as a speaker does. However, these harmonics are not powerful enough to be destructive, they simply attenuate the air surrounding the fins and cause what some people hear as irritating valve noise. This engine doesn't run at high enough rpms to cause anything close to that. If you're that concerned about it, leave 'em on. I pulled them because I'm A: not concerned with valve noise, I'd much rather be able to hear it so I can tell if there is a problem with the valve train,B: they look like shit, and C: I've always considered them a hinderance to maximum cooling.
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Arizoni

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Reply #19 on: May 08, 2015, 12:45:11 am
I took the rubber dampers off of my RE on the day I rode it home from the dealers.  Truth be known, one of them volunteered as I was pulling into my driveway by falling off.

This is Emma2's Homecoming so that happened 4 years and 17,400 miles ago.

Having spent 39 years working in a company that makes gas turbine and jet engines I'm familiar with vibration and the high cycle fatigue it can cause so I have kept a close eye on the fins.

There is no sign of damage or cracks in any of the engines fins and I think this is largely due to the low frequencies the big, slow running engine makes.

Yes, the high revving 2 strokes often had problems with high cycle fatigue in their cooling fins but the low revving RE does not.
Jim
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iRideRoyalnVA

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Reply #20 on: May 09, 2015, 02:42:08 am
I had mine off for 2 riding days now n I think it's running smoother without them! Lls
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