FAQ's about BajaRon Sway Bar Kits
As I get more questions that I think should be included here. I will post them at the bottom with an edit date in BLUE.
I apologize if this appears to be a sales pitch. But, every season we get a great number of phone calls and emails asking the same questions about our Sway Bar Kits. As always happens, inaccurate information can overtake good advise. Now, with the Ultra-Bar, there are even more questions.
Don't get me wrong. These are good, legitimate questions. And we are happy to explain our products and answer any question you might have. I am posting this to hopefully clarify some things and help those who have not yet asked.
Q: Do I need to get the strongest sway bar I can find?
A: No, you do not want the strongest sway bar you can find. I call this suspension component a 'Goldielocks' product. It can be too weak, and it can be too strong. Too strong is worse than too weak. What you want is 'Just Right'. But there are so many variables, this can be difficult to achieve. (See Ultra-Bar explanation below)
Q: Do I even NEED a sway bar?
A: No. You already have one from the factory. However, if you feel like your Spyder/Ryker is trying to throw you off, or you dislike the amount of lean and dive you're getting in turns. If it feels like your Spyder or Ryker lacks stability. Or is being blown around in crosswinds or when passing large trucks. An upgrade to your sway bar system can be the best 'Bang for the Buck' available.
Q: Do you have to ride aggressively to appreciate a sway bar upgrade?
A: No, anyone who rides a Can-Am Spyder or Ryker, regardless of riding style or vehicle loading. will get a great amount of improvement in the areas discussed. However, the harder you ride and the heavier your loading, the more pronounced improvement will be.
Q: Does anyone ever complain that they don't notice any difference once your BajaRon Sway Bar is installed?
A: It is rare, but yes. There have been a few customers over the years say they could not tell any difference. This has almost universally occurred when the owner has put just a few miles on their Spyder or Ryker before making the upgrade. Typically, it takes about 1,000 miles of riding over a reasonably short period of time (Not 1,000 miles in 3 years) to get accustomed to the machine. Before this, you will ride very carefully, and you may not be able to realize the changes made in handling.
Q: What if I get a bar kit and I don't like it?
A: If you get a kit from us and you want to return it. You will receive a full refund. We do not require our vendors to adhere to this promise. Each one is free to handle this as they choose. However, even those who have said they could not tell any difference did not want to return the bar kit. So, we really have not had to live up to this promise more than 2 or 3 times since 2010 when we started making our bar kits.
Q: Which bar kit should I get? The BajaRon Original or the Ultra-Bar?
A: Either bar kit will make a significant improvement in handling, stability and control. Generally speaking, the Original BajaRon Bar works great for the light to medium weight, single rider with a more conservative riding style. We recommend the Ultra-Bar for heavy riders, aggressive riders, 2-Up riders, and those pulling a trailer. The more weight and the more aggressive you are in riding style, the more stress you put on the bar, and the more the Ultra-Bar will benefit you.
Q: Is the Ultra-Bar safe for light riders with little or no compartment storage weight?
A: Yes. This is the reason that we never made a heavier 1-Piece sway bar kit for those in the heavy or aggressive category. Because a sway bar, too stiff for the load, can be less than ideal in low traction conditions (cold pavement or rain). This is why the Ultra-Bar is ideal for those who only occasionally ride 2-Up. It will function like the Original BajaRon bar for a light load, and give you that added stability when the load increases.
I am not talking about Ice or Snow. If you ride a Spyder or Ryker in these conditions, you can expect to have issues, regardless of what suspension components you might have.
Q: Do I have to purchase the BajaRon end links with your sway bar kit?
A: Yes. The factory end links are made of a composite plastic. The bearings have no race. They are pressed into the plastic. While they hold up reasonably well in stock configuration. They will not stand up under the force created by any sway bar strong enough to make a good difference in handling. You do not want to break an end link. If this happens, you instantly have no sway bar at all. All BajaRon Sway Bar Kits are sold with very strong end links. Rated for several times more load than they will ever experience. And engineered to last the life of the motorcycle. Though the current BajaRon end link configuration is superior to the previous iteration. There have been no failures in either product. This cannot be said of the factory end links.
This is our 5th End Link Version. I think we have finally found the perfect component for this application.
Q: What does a sway bar do. And what can I expect for my money?
A: A sway bar is nothing more than a spring attached at each end to your front suspension. It is a torsion spring which means it resists twisting instead of the more common coil spring which resists compression. It works to transfer too much weight from the heavy, outside wheel in a turn, and move it over to the inside wheel which is too light. This flattens out the machine in turns, increases traction at all 3 wheels, and helps to keep the front wheels aligned correctly. Making it easier to turn and much more fun on a winding road.
Q: If I get your Sway Bar. Does that mean I don't need to upgrade my shocks? (Or the reverse question. If I get better shocks, does that mean I don't need your sway bar?)
A: There is a lot packed into this question. And you will get a variety of answers. But here is mine. Simply put. The Sway Bar does things that the shocks cannot do. And the shocks do things that the sway bar cannot do. But their functions do overlap some, and these 2 systems need to work together for you to have the best possible outcome. What many do not realize is the huge amount of improvement that can be gained by getting this right. Most don't know what they are missing.
Both the shocks and the sway bar can stand improvement on the Spyder. But this can be said about most any vehicle. Most never mess with their daily commuter car. It's just not worth it. But the Spyder/Ryker are a different story. People may ride these back and forth to work. But they mostly ride to have fun. Not just to get from point A to point B. Sometimes, there isn't even a point at all, other than enjoyment. Better suspension, tires, and creature comforts can really enhance this part of the equation.
In my opinion, the sway bar is the weakest suspension link. That's why I designed a sway bar. It is less expensive and will give you a great deal of improvement. Very few have opportunity to try it both ways (shocks first and then sway bar first) to make a legitimate assessment of which is best. But I can tell you that if you get shocks that are designed to compensate for a weak sway bar. You're going to get a much stiffer ride. Now, some like this. But many don't. It's just a choice that you will have to make.
Many get the sway bar and upgrade shocks later. Many never upgrade their shocks. The OEM shocks probably need to be replaced at 50k or sooner. How you go about that is another discussion. I recommend you do not purchase shocks designed to compensate for the weak sway bar. Whether you have an upgraded sway bar or not. If you do, be prepared for a harsher ride.
Q: Can I put an RT Take-Off bar on my RS, RSS, ST or F3? (The F3, 2013+ RS, RSS & ST all use the same factory sway bar)
A: Yes you can. The factory RT bar is stronger then the factory bar for these other Spyder versions. And it will give you an improvement. However, our F3 bar is stronger than the factory RT bar. And will give you a better result than you'll get with the factory bar swap.
Q: Did BRP upgrade the sway bar for the 2020 and later models?
A: No, the sway bar remains the same since the 2013 design changes. We have OEM bars from every model and year. We check them against their 2013 counterparts. Contrary to persistent rumor, these bars remain unchanged.
There have been part number changes and 'Superseded' numbers. While a Part # change can indicate a design change. This is not necessarily the case. Many times it simply indicates a change in supplier with no actual change in the component itself. Same component, different supplier. BRP changes the Part # to differentiate the source.
Q: Do you make an upgraded bar kit for all Spyders and Rykers?
A: Yes, we provide an upgraded sway bar kit for every Spyder and Ryker ever produced.
Added 04/22/23
Q: Why don't you put multiple mounting holes in your sway bar as others do?
A: Multiple holes (some have 2, some have 3) may sound like a good idea. We considered it. But we found that very few used the weaker setting. And no one is going to climb under their Spyder to switch settings depending on that day's ride. Most install a sway bar kit and forget about it. It is a maintenance free, One & Done modification.
If the holes are punched instead of drilled. It doesn't add all that much to the cost. Even drilled (which is the right way to do it) isn't a huge amount. Still, we feel that drilling extra holes which the vast majority are never going to use is not cost effective. And though we do not compromise function for appearance. I think the single hole design looks cleaner. Especially if you're going to use the stronger, inside hole. Which leaves the additional holes sticking out beyond the end links.
Another reason is that for best results, the end links need to be mounted in a vertical position. Multiple holes will give you this vertical mounting in only 1 location on the bar. Other mounting points will skew the end links away from this ideal vertical orientation.
Different ideas are great. It's what makes the world go around. I do not mean to bash anyone's product. This is just our reasoning for doing a Sway Bar with a single end link mounting hole.
Q: Can you determine the strength of a sway bar by comparing diameters?
A: Yes, and NO. (Don't you just love when someone says that?) But seriously, if you know the metallurgy and the tensile strength of the steel used. And if both bars are using the same steel. Then Yes. You are comparing Apples to Apples and bar diameter will give you a rough idea of which is stronger. I am told that there are 5 different tensile strength levels in off the shelf spring steel. Nearly all sway bars are made from the lowest version. This is for several reasons. Being easier to fabricate and the least expensive of the group being the main two. We tried using the highest tensile steel but were not able to fabricate it to our specifications without damaging the steel. We bumped down to the 2nd highest and found that it worked very well. It kept our bars small enough to make installation easier while providing the strength we desired.
The other advantage to using a higher tensile strength steel is that it resists fatigue better. Any spring will lose strength over time with usage. But a high tensile steel will retain its original strength through many more cycles than will ever happen on a Spyder.
Added 06/24/23
Q:If I already have your BajaRon Original 1-Piece Sway Bar Kit. Should I upgrade to the new, 3-Piece Ultra-Bar?
A:The answer is, 'Maybe'. It depends on how you ride. The Original Bar still offers the same great improvement in handling it always has. However, if you ride 2-Up. Are heavy and or Tall. Pull a trailer or load heavy storage. Are aggressive in the twisties or any combination of these factors. The Ultra-Bar will provide better management and handling than will the Original bar. Many in these categories have done the switch and have been very happy with the results.
For a light to medium weight, conservative single rider that doesn't load heavy baggage and does not spend much time in the twisties. The Original Bar will probably give you all that is needed.
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This is, by no means, an exhaustive covering of this suspension part. I may add to this Q & A list as questions come up.
Have a Great, Happy and Enjoyable Riding Season everyone!
Ron (bajaron)
search for the term "what causes bump steer?" and all Ron's FAQ's will make sense
Thanks for the FAQ's Ron! I just bought a 2015 Spyder RS SM5 two weeks ago with original Kenda tires on it (8,500 miles on the odometer). My first Spyder. The tires still had tread, but handling was scary. I had a death grip the whole way home...65 miles. I had a feeling that the tires were the problem, so I immediately starting searching for tire replacement options. The internet searches kept landing me on Syderlovers forum. I have gotten some great tips and have already changed out the tires [to car tires]. Thank you Spyder Lovers! I hope to give back some of my tips, too.
After hours of searching about why the front end kept jumping around on uneven roads, I finally came onto the correct term...bump steer. After looking at videos of the science behind what causes bump steer, it was clear that due to the Spyder front suspension physical design [which Ron has addressed in previous threads], bump steer cannot be eliminated, but only minimized... by limiting wheel travel [up and down].
This is why all stock Spyders need spring compression maxed and tire pressure minimized...to reduce wheel travel. This is what Ron's Sway bar does, like he says, at your most cost-effective solution to the problem. It does not do anything for dampening the travel, only reducing travel, so if you still want to tweak your ride for even more comfort on bumpy roads, that's when Elka's, etc. come into play. So, if you've already replaced the tires, have some toe-in on the wheels, balanced the wheels, minimized the tire pressure, and maximized the spring compression, and still have wheel pull on uneven roads...then you need a sway bar to get to the next stage!
That's where I'm at as of this morning. The new tires made it absolutely rideable now, so I'll test ride full spring compression and 18 PSI in front. If I don't like, I will purchase a sway bar. If anyone has a used one, I'll definitely take it off your hands regardless. I'll be checking the "for sale" threads. I hope this helps everyone.
Baja Ron Swaybar... what is it and what does it do..?
Sorry for the newbie question but I'm a really green newbie, not only to Spyders but to motorcycles in general...
People seem to swear by these Baja Ron swaybars and I have no ******** clue what they are, what are they supposed to do, and why people like them so much...
I got myself a 2021 Spyder RTL last week, so I was wondering what was I missing...
Is anyone willing to briefly explain it to me in layman's terms...?
