Bad vibrations

[6ixShooter]

O.K.
I'll do my best here! For the last couple of days (about 12) I have been hearing, but most recently feeling a bad vibration/sound. It is coming from between my feet on the left side. I think I have a clutch problem as I have been having trouble with shifts lately. I'd like to know what steps I should take.


The bike is a:
1993 Katana 600 with 21,259 miles
Thanks in advance for the help and i I would be happy to answer questions that will help!

[Anonymous]

Check tire pressure, check oil level, and check clutch cable tension. Then report back.

[6ixShooter]

Tire pressure good, oil level good. Clutch cable tension very bad. Real loose. Now what?

[ThAzKat]

I would also check the front sprocket nut torque and chain tension

[The CyberPoet]

Re: Bad vibrations

For the last couple of days (about 12) I have been hearing, but most recently feeling a bad vibration/sound. It is coming from between my feet on the left side.

Do you have a center-stand?

If so, pop the bike up on it, start her up, let her warm up, and then see if she has the vibration in neutral on the center stand at you increase the RPM's via the throttle. If so, it's in the engine.

If no vibration, then still on the centerstand (front tire against a wall or other solid barrier), put it in gear and accelerate, working up through the gears. Vibration or not? If you get vibration now, but didn't before, it's in the transmission, chain, sprockets or rear wheel axle assembly.

Still no vibration? Then it's in the front wheel axle, handlebars, steering assembly or the tires (most likely tires). Examine the tires closely for wear, cupping, scalloping.

Double check while riding:
See if you can make the problem occur at the same RPM in two different gears (indicates it's internal to the drive system components), or if you can make the problem only occur at a specific speed irrelevant of the gear (indicates that it's unique to the tires, suspension, axles, or steering components).

Time to narrow it down!

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[md86]

Clutch cable tension very bad. Real loose. Now what?

Um , adjust it .

[kwebbel]

Tire pressure good, oil level good. Clutch cable tension very bad. Real loose. Now what?

Since you're asking...

http://www.katriders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26157

[6ixShooter]

Alright. I adjusted the clutch cable and the vibration went away. Before I was having to use my entire left hand to operate the clutch, now I am able to use just two fingers. The sad thing here is that I had a new cable installed by a local shop that I use regularly and trust. I had no idea having the cable adjusted would make that much difference. Thanks for the help. Just out of curiosity, why did having a loose clutch cable cause problems? What went on in there?

[md86]

That adjustment just takes up slack in the cable and related compontents . Only thing I can think of is either the lever was bouncin around .