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Kinetic Structures Motor Mounts

Started by Rusticwater, April 10, 2019, 09:28:49 AM

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Rusticwater

They offer Harley motor mounts (link) using steel mesh based vibration dampening technology utilized in aircraft engine mounts. Does anyone have any experience with them? Thinking about the Dyna mounts in particular...
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koko3052

No experience with them but after looking over their site I would be foraging around the aircraft forums to see if they really use them & ask opinions there also.

rbabos

Those aircraft mounts are for turbines, which don't shake but need to be strong obviously. Rubber is your friend for harleys.
Ron

turboprop

These mounts hit the FXR Wheelie community about a year ago. The claim was they were stronger, better, sexier, would bake bread, chicks would dig them, etc. <yawn>  I think the fad for them has passed.

Chopper House made or is still making a very different style of front motor mount for bagger and FXR frames. Instead of the typical oval piece with a round isolator, they have 'cross bar' type of thing that attaches to the highway peg mounting bosses on the frame with a rubber isolator on each end. Looks very strong but it replaces the entire front engine mount and lacks the means to attach the stabilizer link. The guys that paid $300 for them all say they are stronger, better, sexier, they bake bread and chicks dig them. <double yawn>

I don't understand the issue some have with the rubber mounts. Seem to work just fine in my stock bagger and my 150hp FXRs.
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guido4198

I just put one on my 1985 FXR.
It works great. Can't comment on how it compares to the newest/latest/ greatest mounts from the Motor company ( they've had what....4 different "versions" so far "A","B", "C", "D"..??), or any aftermarket supplier of of a "rubber donut" type front mount like Drag Specialties, etc. Didn't try any of those. When it became apparent that the front motor mount needed replacement I did a lot of reading trying to decide what to try next. I have no idea who made the one that I took off. It was a simple black rubber "lump", and was in pretty bad shape. I decided to try something different, just because. There are some Urethane mounts available but while they have a great reputation for "tightening things up"...I was more concerned about vibrations when cruising at highway speed.
I'm completely satisfied with my Kinetic Structures front mount.
I'll just continue buying bread and impressing chicks some other way.  :SM:

Rusticwater

Quote from: guido4198 on April 11, 2019, 03:25:24 AM
I just put one on my 1985 FXR.
It works great. Can't comment on how it compares to the newest/latest/ greatest mounts from the Motor company ( they've had what....4 different "versions" so far "A","B", "C", "D"..??), or any aftermarket supplier of of a "rubber donut" type front mount like Drag Specialties, etc. Didn't try any of those. When it became apparent that the front motor mount needed replacement I did a lot of reading trying to decide what to try next. I have no idea who made the one that I took off. It was a simple black rubber "lump", and was in pretty bad shape. I decided to try something different, just because. There are some Urethane mounts available but while they have a great reputation for "tightening things up"...I was more concerned about vibrations when cruising at highway speed.
I'm completely satisfied with my Kinetic Structures front mount.
I'll just continue buying bread and impressing chicks some other way.  :SM:

Thank you for sharing your hands on experience. Did the mount come with any documentation or warranty? Their website mentions the wire elements are replaceable...any thoughts on how long they might last? Aside from the fact that you just replaced a worn out OEM mount, does this design seem to offer additional stability? Was the installation an exact swap out of your old mount or did it alter the engine geometry somehow?

And lastly, because in coastal Maine the roads are loaded with sand, how prone to collecting/retaining road debris is that wire mesh? One of my primary concerns would be that mesh acting like a sponge for grit, road tar, etc. and then the grit would grind the mesh apart...

The stock Dyna front mounts have a notorious record. I've already replaced mine once (with another OEM unit) because it collapsed, so it's just a matter of time before it needs replaced again. The Kinetic mount claims to be a "direct replacement" while also offering additional stability.
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Nastytls

Quote from: rbabos on April 10, 2019, 04:09:11 PM
Those aircraft mounts are for turbines, which don't shake but need to be strong obviously. Rubber is your friend for harleys.
Ron

They claim just the opposite.

rbabos

Quote from: Nastytls on April 11, 2019, 09:09:15 AM
Quote from: rbabos on April 10, 2019, 04:09:11 PM
Those aircraft mounts are for turbines, which don't shake but need to be strong obviously. Rubber is your friend for harleys.
Ron

They claim just the opposite.
Only pointing out not one single piston engine mount listed for aircraft. They shake big time compared to the jet engine mounts, either the mains or the apu.  For me, gradual set compression and  metal fatigue comes to mind with constant movement as in the case of the HD paint shaker. Might work but I'm skeptical.
Ron

guido4198

Rusticwater...You're welcome. Seemed like a good idea to post actual EXPERIENCE with the product rather than opinions.
I'll try to address your questions. Please remember...I put one on my 1985 FXR, not a Dyna.
1.) There is a small booklet of installation instructions that comes with the mount. After speaking at length with Harry at Kinetic Structures about the mounts and general mesh dampening technology, I took advantage of the opportunity he offered to also communicate with Frank Vidal at DirtyCustomz in Mesa, AZ.  Figured that Frank is a "Bike Guy" rather than an engineer and could more directly relate to my motorcycle related questions. I actually made the purchase from Dirtycustomz.
2.) Warranty was simply expressed...if it breaks, we replace it. THAT SAID.... they are up front about possible wear-life of the mesh. They sell replacement mesh "bushings". When I inquired about longevity, they told me they have FXR's that have run 20,000 mi. without needing replacement. Gimme a couple years, and we'll talk about that again.
3.) Installation was very much a "direct replacement". The usual steps are involved...jack up the bike, support the motor from underneath. There are a LOT of U-Tube videos out there to help you along. I'm NOBODY'S idea of a "wrench"...but even I managed the swap with ZERO problems.  On the FXR, the mesh bushing is a little taller than an OEM rubber mount. As a result, it was necessary to loosen the front engine mount bracket for clearance. On my bike...once I had the motor supported I just went ahead and took it off to give the whole thing, and the general area a good cleaning. After you have the new mesh mount in place torquing it down to 35 ft-lbs is recommended. Once again...that's on an FXR.
4.) As far as sand, and road grit...of course only time will tell for sure but I will tell you that on the FXR mount, once things are torqued down there's not much space for anything to get inside and create a problem. One last note,
I'm not a high performance rider. I do long days on the Interstate more than anything. Cruising 70-75 mph there are NO vibrations worth mentioning. I can read the numbers on the front license plate of a car coming up in the adjacent lane.  (Note: FWIW, I also run Velva-ride engine stabilizers)
I've had a lot of issues keeping exhaust systems on this old FXR over the years. I bought it new in '85. I'm hoping the reduction in "shaking" I'm seeing now will help resolve that problem. FXR exhausts are getting hard to find..!!
Hope this helps.
EVERY other aftermarket front mount currently offered may be just as good, possibly better. I don't know. After reading all the pros and cons and widely divergent opinions about all the other options available for my bike... I decided to go with the Kinetic Structures SS mesh system...just to try something different. Just checked my log.I've run it right at 2,000 mi so far. Seems like a good choice at this point. 


Rusticwater

guido4198, thank you again for the lengthy response. I know the FXR is a different design from the Dyna, I used to have an '88 FXRS but that's just a fond memory now.

I can't carve canyons in Maine like I did in Colorado but the roads here are just awful and can catch you off guard. I've considered putting on a front stabilizer like a Sputhe occasionally and have looked at alternative front mount designs like the Predator. I just stumbled across the Kinetics product recently and watched their videos. I got to thinking that if they offer additional stability over the OEM mount, and it's a direct replacement, then maybe I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak. The fact they manufacture products to FAA standards is a good selling point.

Frankly, rebuilding a mount instead of replacing it sounds kind of appealing. I'm still concerned about how that mesh might collect road grit, I keep a very clean bike!

We just had another 9 inches or so of snow this week and I'm finishing up a variety of winter projects (neck bearing service, new wheel bearings, etc.) so my interest is purely academic at this point as I haven't given a good look at the front mount recently (although it's only 15' away right now, hmmm...)
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