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03-05-2011, 12:25 PM | #1 |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Pittsburgh, PA area
Posts: 785
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Passenger backrest vibration
Question, see if anyone else has this problem and what they did to fix it.
I have the stock passenger backrest on my 2005 Nomad. It vibrates enough to drive my wife crazy where she has to stop and scratch her back. At first I thought she was nuts, but she lifted up her shirt and her back was all red from being itchy. Yes, the backrest is bolted tight, it's just the vibration from the engine. Same thing happens when my boy rides back there, and he's not a little boy either. The only way my wife can take it for more than a mile or two, is to put a small pillow under her coat so it doesn't cause itching. Anyone else's passengers experience this? I've seen some other comments on the web about the Nomad and passenger backrest causing itching. If you had this problem, what did your passenger do to stop the problem?
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2005 Kawasaki Nomad VBA #1608 KZR #25622 Login or Register to Remove Ads |
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03-05-2011, 12:47 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Deer Park, TX
Posts: 513
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Passenger backrest vibration
Yep, I'd say it's a common problem.
My wife noticed it but didn't complain too much. It got a little better after I put rubber washers between the back rest and the bracket. After I installed the V&H pipes, it got worse. I've been trying to think of a way to put a black sheep skin pad on it. Some have bought Mustang pads but I'm shooting for a cheaper solution first. |
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03-05-2011, 01:23 PM | #3 |
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Montreal QC
Posts: 12,034
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Passenger backrest vibration
I'm not sure but I think there was a thread about this maybe a year back.
I just asked my wife as she has spent some long hours on the back of my bike. No issues for her at all, but she did ask what type of coat your wife wears. My wife wears either a heavily padded leather MC jacket or a ballistic nylon Joe Rocket jacket depending on the temp or her mood.
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Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136 |
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03-05-2011, 01:36 PM | #4 |
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Passenger backrest vibration
My wife didn't ever mention this problem, and we rode many 600+ mile days together, but she also always wore a heavy motorcycle jacket.....FirstGear Kilimanjaro. So maybe it is differences in bikes, or maybe just the jacket. Mufflers were stock, baffles in.
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03-05-2011, 03:59 PM | #6 |
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Passenger backrest vibration
I should of mentioned, everything is stock for pipes. She has tried different jackets, shirts, etc. I've tried to think of something to 'slip on' it for when she rides but haven't quite thought of a good solution yet.
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2005 Kawasaki Nomad VBA #1608 KZR #25622 |
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03-05-2011, 05:48 PM | #7 | |
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Montreal QC
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Passenger backrest vibration
Quote:
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Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136 |
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03-05-2011, 07:50 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: (SE Louisiana)
Posts: 8,340
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Passenger backrest vibration
My wife had the same itchy back until I added the tourpack with the wraparound backrest. The OEM backrest vibrated because it was mounted so solid. The trunk has a little springback in the mounting bracket which lessens the vibration.
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2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482 |
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03-05-2011, 07:52 PM | #9 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Stoney Creek,ON Canada
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Passenger backrest vibration
I also have an '05 and deal with the same issue. My wife can't put up with the vibration very long. I have a gel type seat pad (folded double) I mount on the back rest which cushions much of the vibration and gives her a lot more comfort for longer rides. I have discussed this in a thread at length here some time ago which resulted in no real resolve. I imagine some bikes are worse than others but I do believe it's an inherent characteristic of the bike. I notice that vibration at the base of the backrest isn't bad but as you move up towards the top of the backrest it intensifies greatly. The vibration is also most noticeable in a certain RPM range. I just sat on and ran an '08 and feel the 'same' sort of vibration I feel on my bike. I'm wondering if guys that have installed aftermarket trunks/tour packs in place of the stock backrest have noticed an improvement for passenger comfort ?? Any more help/suggestions on this issue would certainly make me a happier camper.
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03-05-2011, 08:03 PM | #10 |
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Stoney Creek,ON Canada
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Passenger backrest vibration
Cajun - did u install the Mutazu/DMY style trunk?? If so..what do u think of it...durability/construction etc. How did u mount it? If you have any pics they would be helpful. Thanks
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03-05-2011, 08:39 PM | #11 |
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Passenger backrest vibration
I've got 16,000 miles on it now. I don't notice any vibration myself other than regular motorcycle vibrations, but then again, I'm never on the back riding as passenger. I have Mustang seats on it with the driver backrest, no problem there.
No abnormal vibration in the handlebars, don't know if the passenger backrests vibrates differently at different RPM's.
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2005 Kawasaki Nomad VBA #1608 KZR #25622 |
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03-05-2011, 09:49 PM | #12 |
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Location: New Braunfels, Texas
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Passenger backrest vibration
I had the problem when I had a tall Cobra backrest mounted directly to the fender struts. When I got a Jardine quick release backrest the problem abated. The Jardine mounts on "spools" attached to the fender strut, so it is slightly isolated.
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Brik VBA #1047 07 Electra Glide Ultra (43,300 & counting) 03 Nomad - 37,972 (traded 5/6/13) 99 Nomad - Only a memory since 4/27/13 |
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03-05-2011, 10:35 PM | #13 | |
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: (SE Louisiana)
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Passenger backrest vibration
Quote:
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2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482 |
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03-05-2011, 11:31 PM | #14 | |
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Montreal QC
Posts: 12,034
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Passenger backrest vibration
Quote:
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Norm Ward 2008 blue / silver nomad kawanow / VBA #01136 |
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03-06-2011, 11:03 AM | #15 | |
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Passenger backrest vibration
Quote:
My only advice would be to try and isolate the backrest with rubber dampeners to reduce the vibration, or replace the backrest with a tourpak.
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