[Nitrowing]

Okay, I've got to ask this.
What vibration?
My 500 doesn't vibrate. Yeah, at tickover as it's a big single but, still - not much. Certainly not when I'm riding.
Yet I see lots of threads and responses about all this vibration.
Either
A] I don't think it's excessive
B] I got a magic, vibration free bike
C] People are too sensitive

It's not like I don't know both sides - my HD was atrocious at tickover, literally shaking my eyeballs at standstill - my GoldWing, which I rode for 3 miles with the dustcap sitting on the pillion seat.

[ace.cafe]

The crankshafts are not all built the same from one bike to the next. The amount of vibration varies because some cranks are trued better than others by the factory.
Just because yours has low vibration is no indication about the others. You got lucky, others were not so lucky.

[AzCal Retred]

I'm with Nitrowing here. Vibration is pretty subjective. We had customers in the olde days bang on about their Gold Wing's terrible vibration. After all us shop pups rode it, all we could do was look at each other & shrug. Big singles have never bothered me. My Pre-Unit Bullet has a happy spot, that's where I keep it. With 22 ravening BHP on tap you either go with the flow or break your bike out of stupidity, trying to make it do what it can't.

[Nitrowing]

My Pre-Unit Bullet has a happy spot, that's where I keep it. With 22 ravening BHP on tap you either go with the flow or break your bike out of stupidity, trying to make it do what it can't.

Well, I certainly don't rev the nuts off it - I've left it running rich at top end as it starts complaining - which discourages over-eager wrist action. The bike isn't built for it.
It's certainly not vibrating at any point in the rev range though.

[Bilgemaster]

Yeah. I'm perfectly OK with my Iron Belly's mild vibes too, such as they are are. Just lucky, I guess. If they're excessive I've heard that loosening and retightening the engine mount bolts whilst idling can often ameliorate "buzzy" ones.

[Adrian II]

I think Ace has the explanation. If you got one of the better ones, just carry on enjoying it.

A.

[tooseevee]

      My '08 seems pretty much vibration-free, but I have no other one to compare it to. I only know that I don't detect anything worth comment. So much so that I've reconsidered paying double the cost (with shipping) for one of Hitchcock's really good looking SS, adjustable head steadys just for the looks.

       I'll just paint this one black and put it back on.

      (I know. I could have used steadies. Chose not to).

[Morgan65]

I love the vibration! I have many air cooled 500cc singles. Yes the are all different but very similar, love them all! The vibration makes me feel a very important part of the bike. No need for a tack here just shift up or down to the sound of the pipe and the vibes of the bike. This way it lets you keep your eyes and mind on the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. If you want a smooth and a fast bike there are many other choices. If you want ride something with some soul it’s hard to beat the older UCE and down 500 RE singles. Just my $.02 cents.

[Karl Fenn]

I love the vibration! I have many air cooled 500cc singles. Yes the are all different but very similar, love them all! The vibration makes me feel a very important part of the bike. No need for a tack here just shift up or down to the sound of the pipe and the vibes of the bike. This way it lets you keep your eyes and mind on the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. If you want a smooth and a fast bike there are many other choices. If you want ride something with some soul it’s hard to beat the older UCE and down 500 RE singles. Just my $.02 cents.
[/quote[/i][/b] I think part of the vibration is part of the big single experience l rode lots of British singles in the 70s they mostly vibrated broke mudguards and such like, of course cranks were always an issue, cranks knocking out is not a new phenomenon quite common in those days point of fact.

[Morgan65]

I love the vibration! I have many air cooled 500cc singles. Yes the are all different but very similar, love them all! The vibration makes me feel a very important part of the bike. No need for a tack here just shift up or down to the sound of the pipe and the vibes of the bike. This way it lets you keep your eyes and mind on the road and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. If you want a smooth and a fast bike there are many other choices. If you want ride something with some soul it’s hard to beat the older UCE and down 500 RE singles. Just my $.02 cents.
[/quote[/i][/b] I think part of the vibration is part of the big single experience l rode lots of British singles in the 70s they mostly vibrated broke mudguards and such like, of course cranks were always an issue, cranks knocking out is not a new phenomenon quite common in those days point of fact.

I haven’t had a serious/catastrophic failure with any of my RE Bikes. All in all they have been a real joy to own and have been super reliable bikes. Yes, like with any single cylinder bike Loctite is your friend here.