Handbrake on RT - Opinion

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

thanks for the tirade
I'm sure it makes you feel better but it makes no sense
Getting answers to questions is how we learn and why we ask.
Getting pointless questions instead of answers is useless.

" L ", ​I'm sure this makes no sense to you either .......... Mike

[loisk]

My issue is with my right knee. The sitting position is such that I get a catch in my knee when I move my foot to apply the brake. The pain is pretty intense and I also feel it in my hip. It hurts so bad that I’ve even had thoughts of selling the Spyder. My wife and I love to ride, but I just can’t keep dealing with the pain. This handbrake may be just help with my problem.

I know exactly what you mean.

Perhaps because i am not tall or wide - I cannot even sit on an rt without right hip seizing up.

The st was better for me than the Rs.

The f3s is best for me, as it is easy to tweak the height of the brake pedal, and the footboard location, and add a backrest - no more hip seizing or knee going on strike.

I know this doesnt help with your rt issue, but at least may give some clues.

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

When I bought my 2014RT-S I ordered it with the ISCI hand brake. A farkle? Hell no.
I needed it. Some people here need such things. If you don't need it there's no need to
make any remarks about it.
It doesn't work as well as any motorcycle front hand brake, but it still works for me. It's all
I need.
Can't believe such sarcasm and rudeness about something that has nothing to do with what
some people want.
Next thing, will somebody criticize a want for a frunk lid decal?
Chuck

RinconRyder, you have accurately described my problem. This convinces me that this add-on is exactly what I need. Thanks for that.

[johnsimion]

Sometimes why people want something for their Spyder it is just none of our business.

Questions in a thread (by other than the OP) are often asked with the hope that having more information as to why, will result in better information being given. All too often the questions are posed to show the vast knowledge of the questioner, rather than a sincere desire to help the original poster with his/her question. And, yes, many asking do actually have a lot of knowledge about Spyders but, as noted,-sometimes it's just none of our business why someone wants something.

Would you question someone's choice of a meal--why do you want fish, what are you wanting to accomplish by eating fish? Or, do you really need the fish dinner?

Very often, people want something just because they want it. Nobody here needs a Spyder. We have them because we want them.

Well, I thought Peter's response was very good. I have no health issues at all but when I bought my Spyder, my first thought was that I wanted to get the handbrake because I was coming over from a motorcycle and it felt weird not to have a handbrake on this "motorcycle-like" thingy that we call Spyder. After riding it a few miles I realized that it would be totally unnecessary. So, when I read Peter's response, from my own perspective it made perfect sense. The OP didn't identify his physical issue and IMHO Peter handled it politely and I think it's all been cleared up.

[Easy Rider]

After riding it a few miles I realized that it would be totally unnecessary.

For YOU.

After about 7 months and 3000 miles, my feeling that I need one hasn't changed.
I still occasionally reach for the lever that is not there.
And sometimes fumble with my foot to properly find the pedal.

Things that you learn and become burned into your brain over 50 years are hard to un-learn.

I have my kit and will be having it installed soon.

[Bob Denman]

"Georgia"
If you can justify the expense, and it keeps you riding: buy it!
ISCI is a GREAT Company, and they build high-quality stuff for our bikes.

But to try and start a scrum over opinions that you asked for: not cool...

[GA_Spyderman]

After weighing all the info and comments, I have decided to go ahead and get the handbrake. One of our kind forum members has offered a used one at a much reduced price over a new one. I really believe it will benefit me a lot. I'll have to get the short reach lever, because I have small hands, but that's OK. Thanks, guys .

[Bob Denman]

, and I hope that it fulfills your every riding need!

[RinconRyder]

After weighing all the info and comments, I have decided to go ahead and get the handbrake. One of our kind forum members has offered a used one at a much reduced price over a new one. I really believe it will benefit me a lot. I'll have to get the short reach lever, because I have small hands, but that's OK. Thanks, guys .

One other "benefit" of using the hand brake.....

The Spyder gets all upset when you fail to remove your foot from the foot brake. You will not have that problem using the hand brake.

[trikermutha]

" L ", ​I'm sure this makes no sense to you either .......... Mike

Does the "L" stand for Lover?

[Petrom714]

mild disability in lower legs--while i can apply gas pedal in car nearly perfectly, a nanosecond delay on right foot getting onto the brake pedal made me decide to install the handbrake isci--its great, im still new to all things can am but am practicing using both the hand, and foot brake separately, together, etc...10/10 recommend--only caveat is the distance of the lever to the bar is quite the stretch and also have to learn to not accidently throttle up while reaching for the handbrake

Thinking about installing the ISCI handbrake on my 2014 RTL. Has anyone put this on their Spyder? What do you think, and do you have any regrets?
It's such an expensive farkle, I want to be sure before I pull the trigger on the purchase.
Thanks in advance.

[jbim]

If you need a hand brake for physical reasons then I say go for it. If not, I would say ride the Spyder the way it was intended to be ridden.

Before I bought my Spyder I thought I wanted a manual with clutch lever. Then I rode an RT and an F3 and realized the SE6 is quite enjoyable as is. For those coming to Spyder from a 2-wheel, I would suggest the conversion would be easier if they went right away with the SE6. That way, it's easy to train your brain to not think clutch or brake levers. I think BRP should drop the clutch and go solely SE6.

[stevencovert]

My issue is with my right knee. The sitting position is such that I get a catch in my knee when I move my foot to apply the brake. The pain is pretty intense and I also feel it in my hip. It hurts so bad that I’ve even had thoughts of selling the Spyder. My wife and I love to ride, but I just can’t keep dealing with the pain. This handbrake may be just help with my problem.

New hip, Bursitis, knee pain. I'm getting ready to pull the trigger myself. Once on the bike I am comfy as get out (2016 RTS), can ride for 8-10 hours no problem. The biggest thing I am looking forward to is stretching out on the LaMonster pegs and not worrying about getting back to the brake pad in a hurry. I'm 6'5" and cannot tell you how much more comfy it is to use those pegs and stretch legs out. That is a real, valid reason for the upgrade IMHO - not using highway pegs to be comfortable, knowing things are gonna pop, catch and groan trying to get to the brake pedal in a hurry!! GO FOR IT!!

My 2 cents

Steve

[stevencovert]

I had one and I ended up returning it.
I used it for about 1 month but found more times than not that I would roll the throttle while applying the had brake.
The original lever that comes with the hand brake is quite a reach. Thinking that might be it I ordered their custom lever which is bent in closer to the the handle bars but it still didn't work for me.
I do not have any limitations and only wanted one as I like to ride with my feet on my highway pegs.
I will also add that ISCI customer support is top notch and you can buy the hand brake with confidence!

Thanks for that input. Very useful! I am getting ready myself to buy the kit and didn't think of the reach and position of the lever! I've been on two wheels so long I expect them to be within a good tolerance.

Steve

[stevencovert]

After weighing all the info and comments, I have decided to go ahead and get the handbrake. One of our kind forum members has offered a used one at a much reduced price over a new one. I really believe it will benefit me a lot. I'll have to get the short reach lever, because I have small hands, but that's OK. Thanks, guys .

I'd like to hear your experience with it! Also grats on getting it cheaper than new.

[Easy Rider]

Just got mine installed and have two "issues" with it:

I need a different lever, due to short fingers.

I want a softer return spring for the kit itself. The combination of the return spring on the stock brake mechanism PLUS the extra return spring
on the lever mechanism makes the pull too stiff......making it feel like the brakes are "soft" when using the lever.

I think both of these things have been addressed on here before. I am searching for those posts right now.

[blitzkreig]

Well ...

I NEEDED the hand brake NOT because of my knees (although after having bought the RTL in 2014 I have had BOTH knees replaced last year ... LOL)

I needed the brake to grab just SOMETHING with that hand!

After having ridden motorcycles with a hand brake for over 50 years I was reaching for AIR, time and again. It was rather bothersome to fumble at almost every stop.

As a matter of fact, the hand brake on my 2 wheeled motorcycles does about 99% of the braking. I rarely use my foot brake. Rarely. And I still ride all of my other BMW motorcycles.

The foot brake alone on my RT requires a fair amount of force to stop all three wheels and a heavy bike. I augment my foot braking with my hand brake when I must stop short. Even then I am not able to get the ABS braking to fire up unless I really brake hard with both my hand and foot at work ... and I am on sand or gravel!!! I have never gotten the tires to break loose on dry pavement ever with foot AND hand working the brakes.

I use the hand brake alone when coming to a normal stop on the RT and I do it without thinking about it.

[Easy Rider]

Sometimes why people want something for their Spyder it is just none of our business.

Make that MOST of the time.

But then there is a BIG difference between politely asking the reason and ASSuming something and throwing around insults.

Like several others who have posted about this........I keep grabbing for the front brake that isn't there.
After 50 years of "training" to do that, it isn't likely that I can "untrain" the response.
I feel that I "need" it for safety reasons.

[Easy Rider]

I use the hand brake alone when coming to a normal stop on the RT and I do it without thinking about it.

My lever needs a LOT of force to get a good grab from the brakes.
The return spring on the kit itself is really stiff; added to the return force from the stock system, it is WAY more than I'm willing to live with.

Just spoke to ISCI and all they said was: "We're sorry that you don't like it but there is nothing we can do. It needs to be that stiff."

Am I the only one with this problem ?
I could swear that I saw another owner who had that problem and "fixed" or replaced the return spring to fix it.....at least partially.
I have started a search but the search engine here won't let you be very specific and there are over 200 threads to slog through.