Front End Plastic Vibration/Buzz/Rattle Fix

Today I took the W tupperware above the headlight off to troubleshoot where my low rpm plastic vibration/buzz was coming from. 

First thing I saw was that 2 windshield screws were missing. The nut inside the bushing pushed through quite easily and forced me to remove even more plastic to get back in place. Using the male end of a headphone cable I cut, I got it back in place. Then I put some foam (came with our jogging stroller - white) back behind it to secure it tight so that when putting the screw in, it would not get pushed through again. 

Once the windshield was fully secured, I noticed that there is a small game between the edge of the windscreen and the highest corners of plastic, both painted and black. I used more of this jogger foam and wedged it underneath the windscreen before I tightened the top windscreen screws. Using one blade of the scissors, I trimmed the foam to fit and not be visible.

Upon reattaching the W and starting her up, even with some hard revs, quiet as can be :D I don't know how durable that foam is but its easy enough to get and replace once a year or two if the buzzing returns. 

I can add pictures if my descriptions aren't very clear. I hope this helps someone. I searched through the forum and most every comment was on the low rpm vibration being fixed by sliders or belt replacement. I understand low rpm vibration is going to happen mechanically and wasn't bothered by it. It's when this amazing machine rattles and buzzes its plastics that you almost wish you were riding something else - especially when you start her up at work for your co-workers to check out. 

In case the topic and explanation wasn't clear enough, this is a fix for vibrating plastic that causes a buzz/rattle/chatter on the front end plastic at low RPMs. 

Cheers!

I had the same thing happen when I replaced my oem shield with a tall GIVI....it would buzz at certain speeds and bumps....when I replaced the tall GIVI with an AirFlow the problem was fixed by the mech. that changed it ...he did it properly (different mech. from the first install).
You never know what you get when you change Mechanics....I would like to do all the work myself,however, time is of the essence with me as of late.
I pray I will have more time when I retire in December,; we`ll see.

Good luck with having more time when you retire. I swear I have a lot less. I think it may have something to do with the older you get the faster time flies. I find myself watching TV and reading these forums till late, then I sleep half the day since I have no requirement to get up. I end up pissed at myself for not getting up and wasting my morning but here I sit replying to your post at almost two o'clock AM. 

In my case the loud noise during clutch engagement was coming from the floating instrument cluster.  I removed the windshield cover (garnish?).  Just below the shield there is a cable that connects the front lights.  Its retaining clamp is screwed to the cluster.  I bent the clamp  straight toward the front of the bike. It is slotted so I used one cable tie from that clamp to the cross bar just ahead of it and snugged it.  It was a quick and very inexpensive fix.  I used another cable tie to secure the cable firmly in place.

Thanks for posting about this!  I have a vibration at low speeds, and assumed it was my tall Givi shield.  I replaced my Vmatic belt at 13K since my light was coming on all the time, so it's not that.

I have figured out the only way to cure that vibration is to switch out my shield for the Airflow, or the MAdstad   

So I thought that I had gotten everything with my fix but after having a friend listen to my front end while revving, at least for me, the bottom corners of the W tupperware buzzes still. I will likely use some more foam down there to keep outward pressure, since it's not a screw holding it on but a funky, almost G-shaped tab. The most noticeable stuff addressed earlier has not returned.

The screen is mounted on rubbers so that it can move.  Try some of the red rubber grease on each side of the screws, that will let it "slide" about without squeaking.