Anyone actually installed Aprilia Engine Kits on 998 V-twin Spyder?

[wtmjr]

After reading this thread and others and thinking about using an Aprilla ECM, some thoughts on How To address the loss of torque. Perhaps using a low-profile rear tire would help but the suspension would have to be raised to level the trike. Also, replacing the rear sprocket with a larger one. But that would require a longer belt. Without custom machining, where would you get one? Would the DPS and or ABS still work? Just how interconnected are these modules? Perhaps leaving the stock BRP ECM connected and isolating the engine using an Aprilla ECM might work, but what would the effects on the VSS system be? I think you would also need an Aprilla throttle body, injection system, and adapt an air filter and positive crank case ventilation system. I think for me this is a bad idea. Time, money, and uncertainty. Nothing is ever simple, is it?

[wtmjr]

Thank you, Freddie, Baja Ron, Mike - Bluenight911, Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie for sharing your valuable time and knowledge with me. You are all great, I don't know yet how to Start a new post, post pictures, or contact individuals.

I am feeling a little depressed because it seems to me at this point the only way to fix this thing is to take it to a dealership - after I find a way to get it there. For me that means waiting until next April or May whenever tax refunds arrive. Bummer!

But the bright side of putting my Spyder to sleep for the winter means I will have time to get back into my tinkering. Watch and clock repair. I don't make any money doing that, I have never charged anyone for repairing their watch or clock, but it's fun and not very taxing. I just finished an Anniversary Clock and a Cuckoo Clock for a friend of my wife, and a watch for a friend of my son (grandson we are raising two precious boys 5 and 12).

My wife bought me this Spyder because she overheard me telling her ex (we always invite him and his mother over for holidays) that the only thing I really miss is riding. I have ridden bikes my whole life, all kinds, starting with a mini-bike I built when I was eleven. I sold my last bike 20 years ago (a chopped 73 Honda 750-4) but didn't replace it because I could not justify the expense. My new wife had 3 kids and shortly after (about a year later) my health nosedived.

Needless to say, I was very excited about getting a new ride after 20 years. She had no idea it would be such an ordeal and expense. Neither did I. (During the heat wave this summer, working on it put me in the hospital!) So being unable to get it on the road is very disappointing.

I think I may take today off to give myself some time to shake the glum. You know, I think I'm anxious about what I may find when I try riding it in limp home mode. More Gremlins?

Sincerely, William

[wtmjr]

Sorry for all the ooops. A reply didn't seem to be posting. So I repeated it until I found the page selection boxes. So, I just backspaced them all because I can't find a way to delete them... Newbie error.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thank you for the thank you ..... click on the Forum box (near top of page) ..... click on General Discussion ..... Then click on the Red '+ Post New Thread' link above the top left of the list of threads .... This starts a new thread (all the rest of the posts in that thread are posts either from you or anyone else that responds to your THREAD) ..... Mike

[Peter Aawen]

Sorry for all the ooops . a reply didn't seem to be posting. So I repeated it until I found the page selection boxes. So, I just backspaced them all because I can't find a way to delete them. Newbie error

PLEASE don't do that, just drop any of the Moderators here a Private Message (PM) and we will fix it for you!

You can send us a PM by clicking on any Green Username (to the left of our posts) or by clicking on Notifications up in the Top Right of any page, then Inbox from the drop down list that will appear; typing the correct username of the person you want to contact in the Recipient Users box (if you want to send to more than one recipient, add their usernames too, but use ; to separate them - but leave no spaces after the username & before the ; please, cos just like normal punctuation, it needs to follow the very end of the previous word, and THEN you add a space before the next username/word/sentence! ); adding a Title; and filling in the Text before clicking Submit Message (down under the RH corner of the Text field). Once you've sent your PM, you need to watch for the flashing Red Notification up in the top RH corner of any page to tell you that you've got a reply!

The facility for posters to delete their own posts was removed a fair while back because it was harming the Forum's standing/reputation with all the big search engines and we were being dropped down the priority (& sometimes off!) their results pages, making it less viable for the Owner & our Sponsors to keep operating the place for little/no return on their investment! That's one of the reasons there's Moderators here now, we have other ways of removing your unwanted posts from public view, ways that don't harm the Forum's ongoing operation! Thru this & other efforts the Forum is no longer quite so threatened with closure, but gutting your posts doesn't help that either, it's almost as bad as just deleting them, so please, don't do that anymore!

[wtmjr]

Okay. I won't. But how do you (PM?) a moderator? Sorry I am not just new to this forum, or any forum for that matter, or any type of social media, Facebook etc... I used to type my sermons on a computer, and I used one to produce my radio program. Other than that, just EBay searches and movies.

[BajaRon]

Okay. I won't. But how do you (PM?) a moderator? Sorry I am not just new to this forum, or any forum for that matter, or any type of social media, Facebook etc... I used to type my sermons on a computer, and I used one to produce my radio program. Other than that, just EBay searches and movies.

Like Peter said. Just click on the green Peter Aawen (in this case). Or any green user name, since this is how the forum designates all of its moderators. This will take you directly to the Personal Message (PM) page and you're good to go.

All forums have quirks (if you can all it that). Because it's a tough world out there and survival sometimes depends on doing things that users, like you and I, don't necessarily understand.

Like riding a new bike. You'll get the hang of it. It's not rocket science.

[wtmjr]

Yes of course. I did understand your reasoning. I just didn't expect it due to lack of experience in this arena. I will no doubt create more fowpaws as time goes by. There are several questions I could ask. But one of them would be much easier if I could post pictures. There is a connection I would like some help identifying. Also I noticed several people have not done much work on their trikes themselves. I wonder if some photos of my trike with all the body panels removed would be useful to anyone.

[Peter Aawen]

From another thread about posting pictures:

Here's an explanation on how to post pics from the Forum Support & Testing sub-forum:

Are you trying to insert an image or add an attachment thru the 'Manage Attachment' facility??

I find that if you really want everyone to be able to see your images etc regardless of the images size or the viewers screen size &/or have less sizing issues etc during loading (cos by doing it this way the system here will look after most of that sort of stuff for you instead of you needing to do all that before trying to 'Insert' the image or host it elsewhere etc! ) then you should try to use 'Manage Attachments' as follows:

1. Open a Post Reply or Advanced Post screen so you can see the text insert field;
2. scroll down past the 'text' field of a 'reply to post' or 'advanced post' screen) then select 'manage attchments';
3. hit 'Choose File', selecting where from in either the '... from a computer' or '... from a website' boxes, then chosing your image file & hit 'done' (if that's the word/label your device calls the 'submit' button ) - do that one at a time for each image/vid as often as you need to in order to select your chosen images/vids - altho I find that if you limit yourself to attaching no more than 5 (five) attachments per post, it's far more likely to work for you and more likely that all your potential viewers will be able to open your post in order to see/read it ;
4. then hit the 'Upload' button in the bottom right corner of that box & wait for the system to upload the pics/vids (yes, it might take a while - usually it'll take somewhat longer than you might think it should! );
5. Once the pics/vids are uploaded, each of their address lines will appear in a little window below the 'upload files from website' box, at which time you can select 'close this window' from the bottom middle of that 'manage attachments' page, & then preview or submit your post with all its attachments appearing as thumbnails so that when they are selected by any viewer, they should be scaled accordingly to fit their screen, no matter how small/large each image might be!

Help any?!?

The Forum Support & Testing sub-form is here:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...rt-amp-Testing


And below is a link to Lamonster's vid on how to post pics at the top of that ^^ same sub-forum, but be aware the vid is getting a bit long in the tooth now & I'm not sure there haven't been a few software/platform updates along the way:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...-on-this-board

[wtmjr]

Cool! Thank you both. Sincerely William.

[wtmjr]

Well, I did it! I zip tied the radiator and dangling wires and display panel. I got it up to over 60 mph (100 kmph) before I chickened out. The front end was pretty squirrelly. But it sure has some oomph. It started cutting out at 3800 rpm as expected. I have not checked the error codes yet, that's next. I wonder if it was so squirrelly because of the light weight without the body panels? They are pretty heavy, especially the upper fairing and frunk. The brakes sqealed. I'll look into that. It might just be because I cleaned them, but it stops in a straight line. The good news here is at that speed I can ride around town without a problem. Yeah! Well, I'm going to check the codes now. I have a lot of work to do replacing the body panels. Especially since it's been so long since I removed them, I don't remember in detail how it all goes back together. But I'll sort it out.

[Freddy]

The front end was pretty squirrelly.

That will be due to the wheels being toe-out (from the factory). A small amount 1/8" of toe-in will fix it.

[wtmjr]

Cool thanks Freddy. There is nowhere in The Grants/Milan area to get it Laser aligned, will a regular alignment shop work?

[Freddy]

You can do it yourself better than the factory. Raise each front wheel and check for side wall run out. Position wheels back on floor so that the high or low spot on the wall is at 12 or 6 o'clock. With 2 straight pieces of box steel or perfectly straight rods, place them against sides of tyres. They need to be supported with blocks to clear the 'spokes' and reach out past the front of the Spyder a couple of feet. Measure the distance between the rods at the end and again closer to the nose of the trike and adjust tie rods equally to get the distances just a fraction less at the end of the rods - OR get a regular shop to do it.

[wtmjr]

Okay, this is great! DIY all the way. I am just a bit confused though. I'm not sure I understand what "side wall run out" is. It sounds like bulges in the tires, but I'm pretty sure that's not what you are talking about. What is it please?

[wtmjr]

Alright I have grip on it. I watched a DIY alignment on YouTube. A guy aligned his Jeep. (Same thing, only different). Also no one chimed in on whether or not to post photos of my trike naked. So I'm continuing with reinstalling the body panels. I thought perhaps there was a reason for not wanting me to post naked trike photos. I don't want to step on any toes, just looking for a way to help since I have received so much help.

[BajaRon]

Thanks Mike. 15 W 40 seems to be all that I can find right now. Do you think that will work? Also, apparently these engines burn oil I've read. What do you think of using viscosity boosters like Lucas or STP Motor Honey to reduce oil consumption. For years I have added some transmission fluid to engine oil a week or so before oil changes to clean out gunk. When I changed the oil on this Spyder I didn't do that for fear of causing the clutch to slip. Is this a good idea for these trikes? If so, what type would be best? PS I also had to repair the license plate light. The screw was punched through, and the gasket was shot. And finally, is there a way to check the ECM without BUDS? My primary goal is to get this Spyder running but while I'm at it I might as well try to make it last and in the process, address some cosmetic issues. Thanks William

A full synthetic 15/40 is just fine. Make absolutely sure it is JASO MA2 rated and you're good to go. Some customers run 20/50 and like it. I'm not a fan unless you find yourself riding in triple digits fairly often. I personally like a 10/40 or 15/40 in the Spyder for most environments. But 20/50 will also work well and I don't have any real data that would support my position on this.

Alright I have grip on it. I watched a DIY alignment on YouTube.A guy aligned his Jeep. (Same thing, only different). Also no one chimed in on whether or not to post photos of my trike naked. So I'm continuing with reinstalling the body panels. I thought perhaps there was a reason for not wanting me to post naked trike photos. I don't want to step on any toes, just looking for a way to help since I have received so much help.

I wish you all the luck in the world on this one. I can tell you that the Spyder is definitely NOT a Jeep. To do this right, you need to align the front wheels using the rear wheel as you starting point. It is very important that all 3 wheels be going in the same direction. My experience is that without the correct laser attachment system, you have little to no chance of getting a correct alignment. I know there are other opinions out there. And more power to them if they are able to make it work. But after a lot of time and effort, Lamont and I were not able to accomplish a good alignment using any other means.

[wtmjr]

Hmmm. That is exactly what I was concerned about. This will require some thinking over. For now, I'll reinstall the body panels. I'm still thinking the light weight, missing air dam, and possibly the shocks set too stiff. Maybe having some effect, the faster I went the squirrelier it got. Also, I don't think the DPS was working. Of course, I have never ridden it before, so I have no experience to compare. But riding it didn't clear any codes; quite the contrary, it added two. I think all of them will require BUDS to sort out, initializing, and pinpointing issues. Looking to next spring, I could ride it most of the way to Albuquerque on the remaining portions of old US Route 66 and service roads. If I get the steering problem sorted well enough...

[Freddy]

What Ron says of wheel alignment is correct however, the near-enuff way I suggest is far better than how they came from the factory: toe-out, which always was and probly is the cause of what you experienced. If you can find a place that can do it the ideal way and can afford it, do so. If the DPS isn't working as it should you will get warnings on the dash.

Side wall run-out is slight 'bulges' or unevenness observed when rotating the wheel with something like a block almost touching the rubber.

[wtmjr]

Okay, thank you. You're right, it's worth a try, right? I have been thinking about laser alignment. Now that I understand how it works, I have an idea involving some bungee cords, laser pointers, straight pieces of angle iron, and a measuring tape. And a board to shine the lasers on to allow measurements to be made. Place a laser on the frame to provide a center line. One laser on either side of the rear tire; two on either side of the lower frame; and one on each front tire. All mounted on angle iron & bungeed to the wheels pointing forward onto the board. Laser pointers used to be inexpensive. I don't know what they run to now. I think the hard part will be ensuring the lasers point straight forward in line with the wheels. I will need to wait to do anything. Laser pointers on eBay run to about $11. By repositioning lasers this might be done with one laser, one angle iron, and a marker. Mark where each laser points, and measure from your marks. Well, there's my idea for you all to mull over.

[wtmjr]

Many thanks to Baja Ron, Freddy, and Peter. Special thanks to Peter for correcting my poor grammar and punctuation. ( in college I sent most of my papers to a secretarial pool )!

[wtmjr]

IMG_20230922_144710799_HDR.jpg IMG_20230922_144710799_HDR.jpg

Does anyone know what this connection is for? It has been so long since I took my trike apart, I don't remember for certain, but I believe this was never connected to anything. It starts under the upper front frame in the (I think) engine wiring harness and has about two feet of wrapped wire. It is on a 2008 GS SM5. Thank you in advance. William

IMG_20230922_144614168_HDR~2.jpg IMG_20230922_144614168_HDR~2.jpg

[Freddy]

How many wires into it?

[wtmjr]

Hi Freddy. There are four wires about two feet long and wrapped but not shielded. The connection is a distinctive asymmetrical flattened oval shape. Please see photos. William

[wtmjr]

IMG_20230924_122621004_HDR.jpgHi I got it back together. It does ride much better with all the body panels on it. Does anyone know what type of exhaust this is? Thanks. William