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18 wheelers
I am new to riding on the Interstate, but the few rides we have taken, when approaching an 18 wheeler I encounter a heck of lot of buffering. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong. It tends to scare the out of me and the little woman behind me gets very unhappy. As everybody knows we don't want an unhappy woman.. Thanks..
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Originally Posted by Harley
I am new to riding on the Interstate, but the few rides we have taken, when approaching an 18 wheeler I encounter a heck of lot of buffering. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong. It tends to scare the out of me and the little woman behind me gets very unhappy. As everybody knows we don't want an unhappy woman.. Thanks..
It's normal. Try increasing the spring tension on your front shocks for added stability.
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Very Active Member
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Very Active Member
The best way to deal with 18 wheeler is, stay as far as you can to the left an put the hammer down. If you can't pass stay back off them at lest a 100 feet or further. Trust me I drive a 18 wheeler I look for bikes that are not paying attention an do my best to let them go around if possible.I have a 2010 RT when we went to Cowtown this year I had them put the ELKa [stage #1] shocks on an I don't worry about 18 wheelers any more, Put a good pair of shocks and adj your air in your tires if you are running what BRP recommends it's to low for me I'am 6'2'' 255 lb the stiffer the front end is the better you can feel the road which all falls back to the handling of your spyder. I run 30 in the front 30 in the rear, My wife has a 2011 RS an she runs 20 in the front an 30 in the rear. She 5' 4'' and NO I'am not that stupid
Last edited by johnnyg; 08-08-2012 at 05:18 PM.
corbin Lamont cut seat with back rest, graphic gator,Chrome grips, trailer hitch,buttler mug, two brothers exhaust, painted center fender strips. center brake light, Led lights, tricLed fender lights
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I watched one shred a tire on I-95. Itry to be in a different zip code when following them.
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Very Active Member
No buffeting
I passed this 18 wheeler (well honestly I don't know how many wheels it has) and had no buffeting at all.
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2018 F3 LIMITED
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Do you ride with your windshield all the way up? I find that doing that causes more buffeting so I always ride with mine all the way down.
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Elkas fixed a lot of the buffeting for me. I do get around them as quickly as possible. Saw one hit a rubber gater and sent rubber flying all over. Bit unnerving on a bike.
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Originally Posted by CMA Cowboy
Elkas fixed a lot of the buffeting for me. I do get around them as quickly as possible. Saw one hit a rubber gater and sent rubber flying all over. Bit unnerving on a bike.
Elkas solved it for me as well.The Spyder is Rock solid,but I get pitched around a bit.To be expected.
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Originally Posted by Harley
Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong.
Normal. Two-wheelers suffer the same problem. The best thing is to stay loose. The bike gets buffeted but is more stable than you think. The problem is that you also get buffeted and if you're tense (which is normal) and tighten up, then every time you get moved, you also pull on the bars, even if you don't intend to. So your movement pulls the bars and the bike changes direction. Then you work harder at staying straight and get more tense and tighter and the spiral gets worse. Stay loose, let yourself get blown around without moving the bars and you'll be OK. Annoying but OK. I agree the stiffer front shock setting helps and I recently added Elka's to my 2011 RT and they help a lot. But concentrate on staying loose and keep your arms relaxed. Not easy at first but try it and you'll get the hang of it.
RT and Gold Wing States & Provinces
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Good advice here. Don't fight it. You'll get used to it in time.
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MOgang Member
I agree with adding the elka's...............since we had them put on prior to Spyderfest this year, we don't have near the problems with 18 wheelers as in the past!
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Originally Posted by SpyderAnn01
Do you ride with your windshield all the way up? I find that doing that causes more buffeting so I always ride with mine all the way down.
I agree but when I do this I get some helmet buffeting (I've got the sport windscreen)...The only time I crank it all the way up is when I'm going over 70 to stop the helmet shake. The sport windscreen does help with turbulence. One word of caution though, if you like looking over the windscreen and add Elkas, it raises the front up and you're only about an inch lower than where you started.
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Active Member
Buffeting
Originally Posted by Harley
I am new to riding on the Interstate, but the few rides we have taken, when approaching an 18 wheeler I encounter a heck of lot of buffering. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong. It tends to scare the out of me and the little woman behind me gets very unhappy. As everybody knows we don't want an unhappy woman.. Thanks..
Much like the "wandering" that some new riders report, buffeting is more a matter of what the rider feels than what is happening to the Spyder. Just relax and steer normally and you'll find the machine handles the wind with no problem. You don't need high priced shocks or settings so high as to make the ride too stiff for comfort. As you will quickly find, this forum is full of folks who can't wait to "improve" their ride with all kinds of after market devices. I am not saying these add ons are of no value, but do feel most are not needed for safe operation. Get used to your machine with at least 600-1,000 miles riding time and then make a decision on shocks; you just might save yourself some serious money.
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Thanks to Everyone.
Originally Posted by Kinderhook
Much like the "wandering" that some new riders report, buffeting is more a matter of what the rider feels than what is happening to the Spyder. Just relax and steer normally and you'll find the machine handles the wind with no problem. You don't need high priced shocks or settings so high as to make the ride too stiff for comfort. As you will quickly find, this forum is full of folks who can't wait to "improve" their ride with all kinds of after market devices. I am not saying these add ons are of no value, but do feel most are not needed for safe operation. Get used to your machine with at least 600-1,000 miles riding time and then make a decision on shocks; you just might save yourself some serious money.
I really appreciate all the replys, and I am going to try to stay "loose and relaxed" when I am behind an 18 wheeler. You can bet that I am going to be squeezing the Spyder with my knees, though. Thanks again and God Bless..
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GOS member (Girls On Spyders)
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Very Active Member
Speed up to pass as quickly as possible. Trying to pass at 2 or 3 miles faster than the 18 wheeler, you are asking for disaster...getting sucked into the rig being one possibility. Handle the Spyder as you would a car...not much difference.
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Very Active Member
After awhile you will recognize which trucks produce more turbulence than others. You will also estimate their speed because the faster they drive the more turb they create. In the summer, the air is also hotter! The standard square lined trucks and boxes will create the most. Some trucking lines now put aerodynamic lines in the front on top of the roof, and in the back of the trailer for fuel economy (wish we could do that). These produce the least turb. Soon you will associate who has what, even subconciously. I prefer staying in the fast lane when I ryde alone, depending on traffic of course. Living in the hot desert there is a lot of junk lying in the slow lanes from truck tires. The two lanes on the right will tend to have a broken surface, even the cement ones, caused by the heavy vehicles. Spyder ryders do not like this. When traffic increases I will move to the most middle lane looking for escape routes. And look out for the fast boys coming behind you. Many do not drive defensively!
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Doru the Destroyer-Spyder Photo Investigator
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When I'm passing an 18 wheeler I make it as quick as possible. And I stay as far away from it as the number of lanes will allow. There's going to be buffeting from them no matter what you do...get past it as quick as possible or stay as far away from it as possible.
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Originally Posted by flaggerphil
When I'm passing an 18 wheeler I make it as quick as possible. And I stay as far away from it as the number of lanes will allow. There's going to be buffeting from them no matter what you do...get past it as quick as possible or stay as far away from it as possible.
It's good advice if you can..On places like I-75 which is just loaded with semis you are constantly in their company.
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