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QUESTION: How can you tell if excessive engine vibration, at idle, is a problem? If the engine is vibrating too much, what issues, in order of priority, should one check?
DETAILS: I have a 98 Yamaha XL1200. The first couple of years I'd ride it frequently. I could tell by sounds, and the ride, if there were issues I needed to look in to. In the last couple years though, I only pull the thing out to ride it a couple weekends a season. So, I'm not as confident of being able to tell if I could be experiencing engine difficulties. I rode it for the first time this season this past weekend. It rode GREAT at speeds above 8 mph. At idle though it just seemed to be excessively vibrating. Maybe not, given my infrequent use. I just don't know. But, I could hear a rattle (kinda sounded like metal on metal) that I can't recall hearing in the past.
I looked over the engine and couldn't see any obvious issues. I replaced the engine myself with an SBT rebuilt about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm not mechanically inclined, but SBT documentation made the process easy and I was able to successfully do it myself. So, I know a little about the engine.
WONDERING IF: Engine Mounts - Reached down into the engine comparment and felt the mounts and bolts. They appear tight. Tried to physically move the engine around inside the comparment and it appears OK. Wondering if I need to go through the trouble of getting a wrench onto the mount bolts to make absolutely sure they are tight? That would be a pain in the tail though. Shimming - When I did the SBT rebuild I checked the shimming and did not have to make any adjustements. Wondering though if I need to go through the trouble of getting down to that coupler and checking the shimming again? Again, another pain in the tail.
Would welcome any input into simpler ways to know if engine vibration is a problem, other things to check, et al.
Thanks.
DETAILS: I have a 98 Yamaha XL1200. The first couple of years I'd ride it frequently. I could tell by sounds, and the ride, if there were issues I needed to look in to. In the last couple years though, I only pull the thing out to ride it a couple weekends a season. So, I'm not as confident of being able to tell if I could be experiencing engine difficulties. I rode it for the first time this season this past weekend. It rode GREAT at speeds above 8 mph. At idle though it just seemed to be excessively vibrating. Maybe not, given my infrequent use. I just don't know. But, I could hear a rattle (kinda sounded like metal on metal) that I can't recall hearing in the past.
I looked over the engine and couldn't see any obvious issues. I replaced the engine myself with an SBT rebuilt about 3 or 4 years ago. I'm not mechanically inclined, but SBT documentation made the process easy and I was able to successfully do it myself. So, I know a little about the engine.
WONDERING IF: Engine Mounts - Reached down into the engine comparment and felt the mounts and bolts. They appear tight. Tried to physically move the engine around inside the comparment and it appears OK. Wondering if I need to go through the trouble of getting a wrench onto the mount bolts to make absolutely sure they are tight? That would be a pain in the tail though. Shimming - When I did the SBT rebuild I checked the shimming and did not have to make any adjustements. Wondering though if I need to go through the trouble of getting down to that coupler and checking the shimming again? Again, another pain in the tail.
Would welcome any input into simpler ways to know if engine vibration is a problem, other things to check, et al.
Thanks.
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