Ok...so what is the overall consensus on the vibes on the FJ

[crfan1]

After having done a lot of research and being in the market for an FJ, my one main concern is the fact that people claim this bike is very buzzy at the crucial crusing speeds of 60-75.  However, it seems not everyone complains about it so I am pretty confused by the whole thing, haha.  Mainly just curious how it feels through the bars.  Without the ability to actually ride one, I would love to hear from you guys on this subject.  I am not overly sensitive to it but if it is present in the mph range I listed (that is where I spend a lot of time) it may wear on me in the long run.....
 

[toast]

From experience on my own bike, it is extremely smooth. At idle even on a cold start up it hums along with only the tiniest vibration if you really look for it. On the freeway its like glass. The only "vibration" you'll feel at 65-70mph in high gear (it's rpm related not speed) is a slight engine coarseness at medium and heavy throttle. I can't feel it in the bars, for me its centered in the seat and pegs. At a steady speed or light throttle the bike is very smooth without any vibes.
 
When I first got the bike I did feel some buzz in the bars but it went away after a couple hundred miles. Seriously, vibey is not a word I'd use to describe this bike.

[root]

I agree with toast. It takes medium to heavy throttle to get the vibes between 4500 rpm and 5500 rpm. To clarify, I consider it light throttle to maintain speed. The majority of the time, you will get up to speed and then the vibes will go away. Even though you are cruising between the dreaded "viby" rpm range, the vibes are only present for me during acceleration.  Personally, I like the vibes during acceleration. It adds a sense of excitement.  I would not like it if they never went away though.

[stephen]

I have been having problems with the vibs.  Within 20 minutes my hands are numb.  I have balanced the throttle bodies, put on grip puppies and still no better.  I have had back to the dealer, no joy.  My next option to try is filling the bars with sand.  
The vibs are different in different modes.  In A mode I get the best relief..
 
also sometime when I reach for the front brake quickly I get what i can only describe as a slight electric shock....
 
Will keep posting here if i get a solution.

[hooligans3]

I agree with toast. It takes medium to heavy throttle to get the vibes between 4500 rpm and 5500 rpm. To clarify, I consider it light throttle to maintain speed. The majority of the time, you will get up to speed and then the vibes will go away. Even though you are cruising between the dreaded "viby" rpm range, the vibes are only present for me during acceleration.  Personally, I like the vibes during acceleration. It adds a sense of excitement.  I would not like it if they never went away though.

+3 with toast. 
I am coming off of a 2007 Honda 919 (inline 4-cyl), and it was one of the smoothest bikes i have ever had the pleasure of owning across the whole RPM range. That being said, I felt more vibes in the grips and pegs at highway speeds (65-85) on the 919 than I do on my FJ-09.
 
The FJ is "viby" when you are on the gas, and it is a smile inducing sensation. Reminds me of my 2009 Speed Triple (which I wish I had never sold), only smoother and more refined.

[thruster8999]

Just a thought... do people stll get the vibes after a ecu flash?

[crfan1]

Thanks for the info guys! That is what I was hoping to hear....that would be very similar to the Triple on my Tiger and I think that thing is pretty damn smooth!
 
Feeling vibes on acceleration is a non issue!
 

[chris618]

I dont feel any excessive vibes, none that bother me anyways. I had ecu flahed early and noticed it being much smoother, but can't comment on vibes as it doesnt bother me. It has more than my goldwing did and less than my ktm.

[sxx360]

A lot of it depends on what you've been riding. I came from a 500 inline twin and this triple is loads smoother and still has that vibration when accelerating.
 
As far as you @stephen I think riding posture and habits as well as gloves can play a huge role as well, supporting your weight on the bars with your hands will create that sensation as it just transfers right to your bones instead of the vibrations being absorbed by your skin.
 
My right glove seems to wad up and cut off circulation in my fingers after a bit and that feels about the same as riding a really vibey bike. I think my glove wads up because the return spring on the throttle must be a lot stiffer than my last bike

[GoldenPenguin]

I haven't noticed any excessive buzzing of any sort, even with my full graves exhaust. There's a natural vibration that comes with any bike, but its nothing out of the norm, and I have ridden a lot of different bikes.

[crfan1]

Thanks...you guys are making me feel better about it, hehe

[db5304]

I do recall feeling the vibrations that Stephen mentioned on the cluth and brake lever when the bike was newer.  However I actually reached for the bars this past weekend on a 100 mile trip and thought to myself "Hey, I remember these buzzing a lot more previously".  The only thing i did related to the bars was replace the stock grips with the heated grips.  This did require removing the bar ends/guards and re-tightening them down as well as the throttle housing.  
 
Have you checked to ensure the allens on the bar ends are tight?  I also remember the vibration feeling worse earlier on, but I can't explain what would make the vibrations lessen as miles are added to a bike.  Maybe I've just become more used to it.  I can say it is nothing compared to the ninja 250 I had, that thing would give you numb hands.  I remember my FZ6R being smooth, but that was an inline 4.  
 

[ayrton]

No vibrations.  Not an issue.  It's  got balance shafts.
You want vibration - try a BMW boxer engine.
 
 

[jimf]

No vibrations.  Not an issue.  It's  got balance shafts. You want vibration - try a BMW boxer engine.
 

Huh?  Boxers have perfect natural balance.  I've never ridden one that had much in the way of vibration.  Smoothness is one of their hallmarks. 
Not so BMWs parallel twins on the F800 series, though, they are pretty buzzy once you get them wound up a little.  Or the F650 single, which had some pretty good vibration.
 
The king of vibration if you ask me is the Sportster (or Buell Ulysses, essentially the same engine).  If the engine is rubber-mounted (Sportsters got rubber mounts in the mid-2000s) then it's just hilarious watching the engine bounce all over the place inside the frame at idle.  Those things vibrate so much that various bits regularly fall off just from metal fatigue in the bolts and brackets.  Truly.
 
 

[jimf]

Regarding the FJ, IMO you have to be pretty damn picky to complain about its vibrations. It isn't touring BMW smooth, but it's still a rather smooth engine through almost the whole RPM range, excepting from about 4500-5000. Even in that range it's only a little bit buzzy, and better in that range than most of the other motors I've owned were anywhere in their rev range.
 
For instance, when highway droning for hours on end I have gotten tingly fingers if I'm cruising in that RPM range -- but nothing like the fingers-went-totally-asleep that I used to get from the SV650S in similar circumstances (and that is a pretty smooth L-twin).
 
If that's a problem for you then gel gloves can help, or do what I do: If your fingers are buzzing, click down into 5th to change the RPM until it goes away. The FJ's motor is more than flexible enough to do highway speeds in either 5th or 6th. Or even better, don't do highway droning.