Installation was pretty easy, I used Dawn dish washing soap for lubrication. I had to cut off the left grip, so go ahead and buy a replacement if your planning to install one. All totaled it took about an hour.

Conclusion:
It did reduce the bar vibration at higher rpms, but does nothing to reduce the bar shake at lower rpms.
Did it live up to the advertising claims?........not on my bike. Reduced the vibes at higher rpms maybe 20%? The vibration on my bike really wasn't bad and smooths right out past about 2500 rpms. I bought the Bar Snake thinking it might help the bar shake that just seems indicative of the Dynas.

I could see where the Bar Snake would benefit older Sportsters more so than newer rubber mount bikes.

http://barsnake.com/

 

Conclusion:

a waste of money? [:'(]

 

Well, I've not made a long trip since installing it, maybe the reduction in vibes over a long trip will justify the $30.00 ? I'll have to revisit the thread after doing so.

I'd say older Sporty owners would see the most benefit from the Bar Snake.

 

Good post, thanks for the info. I was wondering about the functionality of it...and soemone asked me about one. Now I know...

Mac

 

From their website:

Sounds like an ad for a gay biker bar.........................

OK- my sick humor.

On a more serious note- We went to Timonium bike show last week, and I finally bought a set of those custom made silicone earplugs. It was interesting to see that the material works like an epoxy, the silicone material and a few drops of "hardener", then it was injected into my ear (A safety plug is placed first to protect eardrum)..
This polymer "snake" can only dampen the vibrations to the extent of its' actual CONTACT the inside of the bar. I am thinking a better design is a material that can be injected to FILL the bar cavity, then be allowed to harden (With minimal shrinkage or air bubbles). I worked with lots of vibration dampening items on the submarines.

How tight did this snake fit into your bars? I have a couple of old sets of bars laying around- now I may have to play... That silicone they used for my earplugs might work really well.

[sm=goodidea.gif]
BRUCE

 

The Bar Snake is a very snug fit and has to be lubed to even get it installed.

The company also makes a liquid pourable mix for unusal bar shapes and Ape hangers, etc..

 

I think the key is understanding the difference between vibrations and shake.... The process of filling the hollow tube removes the "resonance" from it, but the shake is transmitted thru the bike itself. The higher the "vibration", the more stress to the hands, wrists. The snake should reduce the higher freq. vibrations, but I think will not address shake since the source is quite different!

BRUCE

 

I had good luck once with filling the handlebar of a bike I had with child's play sand - vibration was greatly reduced. Fill it from the "dead" (non-throttle) end of the bar so you don't grit-up the throttle.

 

That seems extreme