F3 owners unite! BRP needs to get their act together.

[griffontamer]

Hi all,

We have purchased some pricey machines that seem to have a growing number of issues arise and BRP is reluctantly sort-of addressing some of them while we are stuck paying out of pocket to fix the poor design on others.

I am not (YET) saying that I regret buying my F3S; but I DEFINITELY regret giving up the RS-S. The more I learn (surprisingly only through this forum, never directly from BRP) about warranty campaigns, recalls, common issues etc on the F3s, the more I think wow, they really should replace all of our units with ones that don't have bottoming out suspensions, cracking frames, leaky instrument clusters, gravel noise in clutch baskets, brake line failures and whatever other problems that riddle these beautiful and fun but perhaps not-ready-for-public (at the time of initial release) machines.

My F3s acted up last weekend (unrelated to all these other things), ran like total poo upon restart, can't reproduce the problem now, waiting to have some time to take it to a dealer for code scanning. Other people early on complained about their SE6 randomly going into limp home mode, causing dangerous situations (mine is a manual and no limp mode but a couple of times during the forementioned ride it barely ran and was unridable, also causing potential hazardous situations).

My RS-S, which was pretty banged up by a previous rider, never skipped a beat, never had any frame/suspension/brake/etc issues, was a blast to ride and I miss it so much. I only wish BRP would make the F3 as tough and reliable.

I do realize that often first-year models do have bugs that need to be worked out (which was my hesitation in buying the F3 and it's my fault I chose to do it against my better judgment); but I honestly have never seen first year motorcycle have so many issues, and surely with more to be discovered.

The point of my rambling on is that I feel that we as a group of owners could get BRP to address all those issues without us having to spend our own dimes on better shocks, clutches, etc. How would we go about doing that?

[vdoman]

Hate to be a "glass half empty" kind of guy but though a lofty idea it will never happen. Can't fight city hall.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[ThreeWheels]

That's the price you pay for being an early adopter.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not minimizing your situation.
I had a 2010 RTS........................lots of issues.
The 2014 is so much better.
Give some time for BRP to sort out the problems.
If they follow the pattern they did with my 2010 RT-----they are also VERY good at retrofitting your F3 with any improvements they come up with.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong. I'm sure someone here on the forum will let me know if I am.

[Trevor G]

...and whatever other problems that riddle these beautiful and fun but perhaps not-ready-for-public (at the time of initial release) machines.

I think you are wildly over-reacting. The F3 isn't riddled with problems.

I know the sense of disappointment and abandonment you feel when you have an intermittent problem, but hey, it might never occur again.

Go well. :-)

[vondalyn]

I have 15000 trouble-free miles on my F3S and have absolutely no regrets in trading up to the F3. I'm sorry that you're experiencing problems, but that doesn't mean that everyone else is.

[griffontamer]

I have 15000 trouble-free miles on my F3S and have absolutely no regrets in trading up to the F3. I'm sorry that you're experiencing problems, but that doesn't mean that everyone else is.

Glad it's not everyone having issues, but enough people are. If I was the only one, I'd think I got a lemon or I'm doing something wrong. Mine has only has a couple of issues so far and in that respect I consider myself much luckier than some other F3 owners.

There have been a couple of recalls already (of which BRP has not bothered to notify me, nor do they show up when I enter my vin on recall lookup on their site, but the dealer checks it and says yes, mine is included) and numerous complaints, some of which I have listed in the original post. Someone recently even had a warped & cracked frame! http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...?92166-F3-Woes

From all the reading I have done (and I am talking hours' worth of going through this site as well as others, and chatting with other owners as well as mechanics), BRP tends to be reluctant to address things properly. I realize other manufacturers can be that way too, not that any of them should be.

We did not buy some experimental craft, we bought production machines and I think it's reasonable to expect them to be safe and reliable.

But I am puzzled by the fact that so many people are having the same problems with their machines and they end up having to pay out of pocket for repairs that the factory should deal with because they didn't do it right the first time.

[ARtraveler]

Sorry to hear of your issues with the F3.

RE: Early adopters: I had the first 2008 GS sold in Alaska. Got one of the first 2009 SE tranny RS's. Bought a premier edition 2010 RTS. Bought one of the first 2014 1330 triples.

No issue with any of the above due to faulty manufacturing. Been happy with them all so far.

[Peter Aawen]

Same as anything/everything else, you generally only hear about the problems, and for every problem you hear, for every person who complains, there are going to be AT LEAST 15 others out there who are perfectly happy & not having those problems/issues. In fact, in this internet era, I suspect that more people tend to complain more often & in multiple places just because it's easy to do so & sometimes they think that by complaining they might get results that a little courtesy & patience wouldn't achieve eventually (often just cos some wally said he got instant results from a dummy spit on the internet!!) So in reality, there's very probably far more than 15 happy customers for every complaint you see - more likely at least 150!!

So while I agree that there are some problems (as others have said, that's just one of the hazards of being an 'early adopter', but it's ALWAYS been like that!!) I don't really think that the F3's or any other Spyder model are actually any worse than any other new vehicle, nor are you actually hearing about a 'greater' number of problems with them than you'd get with any other similarly new model or design of vehicle/device - have you spent any serious time on other 'brand based' motorcycle or auto, boat, aircraft, r/c model etc etc etc forums? They all have similar threads & similar complaints... And these days, each & every one of those forums seems to think that their particular spate of problems are unique to their chosen vehicle/boat/aircraft/toy, when in reality there are the same old same old 'few' issues that occur with every new model or release....

So while I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues, & I do wish that BRP were better at dealing with those issues, whoever/ wherever they occur, you shouldn't take it personally or let it stress you too much. Try to step back a bit & look at the big picture - I sincerely doubt that BRP are out to specifically stiff you or anyone else who owns a Spyder of any model, but there will be some issues that need sorting, particularly in the newer versions or newer technology. Just like happens with & to all the Beemers & Aprilias & Chevy's & Fords & whatever out there, a (small) percentage have problems.... But most people will still end up being fairly happy with whatever their particular vehicle/toy choice is!!

[jcthorne]

Having lived through the 2013 RT debacle not once but TWICE, I can say the F3 has been a dream. Not completely without faults but I am not going to bitch too much about a rear shock designed for someone lighter than me. OK, I am heavier than the design comfort zone, replace the shocks and springs. Now a happy rider.

I got the frame fix. If the frame is not broken before the fix, it is a reasonable upgrade to strengthen the shock bracket. That and the correct spring range and I am confident the problem will not come back for me. If I had the broken frame that some others have noted, I would not be so willing to move on.

Love, Love, Love my F3. Riding it makes me ohh so happy. If its not doing that for you, then perhaps its truly time to move on.

The 15 F3 did have some first year gremlins but I think BRP has done just fine in addressing them. I also think folks in this thread including the OP are confusing RECALL with technical service bulletins.

[Midian]

If you had reservations about a year one model then why did you buy it? Everyone knows the risk of year one models. That is not anything new. So, although I agree that it stinks having to go through it but if you knew this could happen, and it actually did happen, then it's on you. I hope your problem(s) get(s) resolved. But finding outrage in your situation might be misdirected at the company. If I know the risk of getting an std is drastically increased by banging hookers and I bang a hooker and get sick, whose fault is it? The hooker? Me? Sorry, I know big business cares most about their bottom lines but posting on a web board how outraged you are is a bit much. With all due respect, you should have known better.

[bmccaffrey]

I do agree with you on a lot of the issues.

I think a lot is communication with dealer also.

I know for a fact i can walk into INGLES PERFORMANCE OR DDS MOTORSPORTS
And check last years F3 or13 RT And not on frame has been fixed or suspension
And 13rt have not had recalls.
The mentallity is it doesn't get that hot upstate ny.
That statement burns my ass mike ingles
What if i wanted to take south or west.

IF IT'S BROKE FIX THE DAMN THING

[DrewNJ]

Sounds like some of the F3 koolaid is wearing off....

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Midian]

Sounds like some of the F3 koolaid is wearing off....

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Not with the '16s. These machines far exceed any expectation. And they don't feel like your sitting on a bar stool at the dinner table with poor inertial handling like the RT.

[Midian]

The problem is that BRP is in their second model year and did little to address the defects of the 1st.....

Mark

What basis do you have for this? Most of the complaints seem to be '15 owners. Minimally, BRP changed the suspension on the '16s to address the problem that the '15s have. So, define "did little" please.

[pdxsenior]

First, I want to say I'm very sorry for those of you that have had major issues with your F3. What issues I have had, Saddlebags only, BRP and my dealer took care of.
I've had my F3S a year and have ridden it just over 6k problem free miles. My only real problem has been it's MPG. But, I will admit, I am very heavy on the throttle 99% of the time. Going well over 100mph North or South on I-5 is more the "norm" then not.
No, I do not have a death wish. At the young age of 70, I'm NOT DEAD YET.
I love my F3S and can't wait for the sun to come back out, we had a week of 80 plus riding weather here in the Oregon Willamette Valley.
I've got to see if I can get the GPS "top speed indicator" above 121mph.
Thanks BRP, you are "spot-on" with the F3 series.

2015 F3-S owner

[Midian]

First, I want to say I'm very sorry for those of you that have had major issues with your F3. What issues I have had, Saddlebags only, BRP and my dealer took care of.
I've had my F3S a year and have ridden it just over 6k problem free miles. My only real problem has been it's MPG. But, I will admit, I am very heavy on the throttle 99% of the time. Going well over 100mph North or South on I-5 is more the "norm" then not.
No, I do not have a death wish. At the young age of 70, I'm NOT DEAD YET.
I love my F3S and can't wait for the sun to come back out, we had a week of 80 plus riding weather here in the Oregon Willamette Valley.
I've got to see if I can get the GPS "top speed indicator" above 121mph.
Thanks BRP, you are "spot-on" with the F3 series.

2015 F3-S owner

You, sir, are awesome! Be well!

[Darren111]

To all,
Please could you confirm that there is only one warranty campaign for 2015 F3-S the chassis reinforcement (my dealer addressed this a few weeks ago). I have read about brake line issue on here, but I have had no communication from BRP about this and I did mention this to my dealer whilst my spyder was in for 3000 mile service and chassis reinforcement and they don't know anything about this.

[jcthorne]

I do agree with you on a lot of the issues.

I think a lot is communication with dealer also.

I know for a fact i can walk into INGLES PERFORMANCE OR DDS MOTORSPORTS
And check last years F3 or13 RT And not on frame has been fixed or suspension
And 13rt have not had recalls.
The mentallity is it doesn't get that hot upstate ny.
That statement burns my ass mike ingles
What if i wanted to take south or west.

IF IT'S BROKE FIX THE DAMN THING

Actually selling a 2013 without the heat recall done is a violation of federal law. If a new owner got burned by a fire on one of those that they are prone to, that dealership could easily be 100% responsible. The 2013 recall is NOT about comfort. Its about safety and the DOT has agreed with BRP that the bikes are UNSAFE TO RIDE without the recall done.

[Ron2andia]

I also only know of one thing which is the frame safety campaign.. Is there anything else?

[jaherbst]

Deep in the Jungle I hear the rattling of distant drums from the F3 tribe. (Short for Fugarwe' Tribe) I sense another uprising against the Mother Country. Citizens beware. Sorry, nothing else to do today.

Jack

[spydaman60]

Deep in the Jungle I hear the rattling of distant drums from the F3 tribe. (Short for Fugarwe' Tribe) I sense another uprising against the Mother Country. Citizens beware. Sorry, nothing else to do today.

Jack

now jack, sit down and take a big drink! we'll all get through it!!

[Tazzel]

Hi all,

We have purchased some pricey machines that seem to have a growing number of issues arise and BRP is reluctantly sort-of addressing some of them while we are stuck paying out of pocket to fix the poor design on others.

I am not (YET) saying that I regret buying my F3S; but I DEFINITELY regret giving up the RS-S. The more I learn (surprisingly only through this forum, never directly from BRP) about warranty campaigns, recalls, common issues etc on the F3s, the more I think wow, they really should replace all of our units with ones that don't have bottoming out suspensions, cracking frames, leaky instrument clusters, gravel noise in clutch baskets, brake line failures and whatever other problems that riddle these beautiful and fun but perhaps not-ready-for-public (at the time of initial release) machines.

My F3s acted up last weekend (unrelated to all these other things), ran like total poo upon restart, can't reproduce the problem now, waiting to have some time to take it to a dealer for code scanning. Other people early on complained about their SE6 randomly going into limp home mode, causing dangerous situations (mine is a manual and no limp mode but a couple of times during the forementioned ride it barely ran and was unridable, also causing potential hazardous situations).

My RS-S, which was pretty banged up by a previous rider, never skipped a beat, never had any frame/suspension/brake/etc issues, was a blast to ride and I miss it so much. I only wish BRP would make the F3 as tough and reliable.

I do realize that often first-year models do have bugs that need to be worked out (which was my hesitation in buying the F3 and it's my fault I chose to do it against my better judgment); but I honestly have never seen first year motorcycle have so many issues, and surely with more to be discovered.

The point of my rambling on is that I feel that we as a group of owners could get BRP to address all those issues without us having to spend our own dimes on better shocks, clutches, etc. How would we go about doing that?

Your funny. I hear of very few complaints on the forum about the F3 and really any Spyders. Once the heat issue was address I guess some had to find other things to complain about. Spyders in general are outstanding machines. If you are one of the few that as with any vehicle make or model that continue to have problems then take it up with your dealer or bail out and find something else that will entertain you. Went on a big group Spyder ride in Colorado last week. The only Spyder having any issues was a 2016 RT. Maybe you should also start a rally cry to start a boycott for the 2016 RT's as well, lol

If there were internet forums in 1940, we all would still be riding horses. Go to any vehicle make or model and you hear nothing but one issue after another. Its a mechanical, electrical unit, sh**t happens.

[Retired 2012]

Ok,
I agree with the op, there are some issues with the 2015 F3.
No recall have been issued, two tech. Bulletins have been noted and taken care of.
The relocation of the brake cable so it doesn't chaff and the brace for the rear shock mount.
I do think the shock should be replaced, but I weigh 260 so that is mine fault. I am upgrading all three shocks. The saddle bag issue has been resolved for me because I purchased the new brackets, bags, and liners from Shad USA through BRP.
I still get heat on both of my legs but I live in a hot environment.
Through it all I still love my F3S. It is my first Spyder, my 13th motorcycle.
My bad back made riding Two wheeled bikes to painful so it was either the Spyder or not riding any more. I am still glad I chose to purchased it and I still smile every time I ride it.
That has to count for some thing. I don't think we should minimize the issues and I believe BRP should have updated the 2015 F3 with the suspension system from the 2016 F3 but they didn't. I choose to stop waiting on BRP and just enjoy the bike as it is. That is my 2 cents!!!!

[JKMSPYDER]

I have had my '15 F3-S since January and have nearly 4000 miles on it with nary a hiccup. I have had the frame recall done. I had a '13 ST-S previously that I put 25,000 miles on with very few problems. Even though I loved my ST-S I love the F3-S even more.

[MMMII]

Deep in the Jungle I hear the rattling of distant drums from the F3 tribe. (Short for Fugarwe' Tribe) I sense another uprising against the Mother Country. Citizens beware. Sorry, nothing else to do today.

Jack