Nanny

[hognut]

As a new spyder owner/rider I am having the common uncomfortable feelings in cornering. I have read many posts on the site about the nanny and how it will help when overdriving corners etc.. I have a general understanding about how it is supposed to work. It was suggested that I go to a large parking lot and do some fast, tight turns to see just how the spyder will handle and if I did get too aggressive the nanny would prevent my getting into trouble. My question is how do you know when the nanny is working? What does it feel like? Is it very noticeable or something you have to know the feel before you recognize it? I talked to one ex-owner who said it is a very violent and quick action that caused him to loose control and he felt it was not a safe feature. I do plan to try working in a parking area next week so was hoping to get some idea as too what to expect.
Gary C

[Bob Denman]

Hi Gary,
"Nanny" is there to try and keep you from ending up on Page 1...
It most certainly is NOT a "violent and quick action"; but it will act quickly to reduce power, and apply the brakes as it sees fit.
Please note: you can still get yourself into trouble in spite of her; nothing is "idiot-proof"...
Here's how my first experience with her went...
Springtime, 2011:
I was on a back road that was still covered in sand from the Winter...
As I approached a fork in the road, I decided to "test the waters".
I cut the bars quickly to the right, and grabbed some loud lever...
The bike kicked the back tire out to the left, and the front-end slid over a couple of inches, as it looked for traction.
Then...
I could feel the power decrease, the rear tire quit spinning, the front wheels caught, and I was on my merry way.
No muss; no fuss!

[Chupaca]

never tried the parking lot but as I got used to the spyder and became more aggresive I could clearly feel the nanny kicking in. When powering out of turns (especially uphill) she will retard ignition causing sputtering but keeping you from coming off the ground. When coming into a curve fast (especially downhill) she will apply the brakes (still like to know if the brake light come on). Where she can be touchy is if you make jerky movement and the DPS (dynamic power steering) kicks in. The ABS is like all of them that works all the time on fast stops...she does keep all three on the ground pretty well and you will notice her when she feels you need her....

[daveinva]

Pretty sure the "parking lot experiment" was my advice, but be careful! Again, "fast" = probably 10, 15 mph TOPS.

With the Spyder's handlebar at full lock, *slowly* rollllll on the the throttle-- you'll start to feel like you want to be thrown to the outside. It helps then to shift your weight to the inside and forward. Eventually, if everything works normally, at a certain speed you will lift that inside wheel. Once you do, you'll feel the Nanny kick in by cutting power and braking. The Spyder will slow down rather abruptly, and the wheel will drop to the ground.

Again, that's probably the easiest way to discover what the Nanny feels like. Of course, in actual street riding, you're almost never going to be at full lock-- but you will likely be going faster. The best way to discover what the Nanny feels like in normal riding is by riding curvy roads, a.k.a., the twisties. I agree with the uphill turns = Nanny-- the Spyder just does not enjoy off-camber roads, and if the DOT was lazy on paving day, that's where you're probably most likely to encounter one.

Anyway, a lot of people complain about the Nanny, I personally feel unfairly. Once you have enough miles under your belt, an experienced rider will rarely, if ever, trip the Nanny. But when they *do*, it's likely the one thing that will save them from really screwing up.

[Roadster Renovations]

When I first got the RT one of the first things I did was to see just how well or how much control the nanny does. Rather than accelerate up to a decent speed and make tight turns (which I did later), I started by twisting the throttle hard and immediately turning right or left really hard. I was getting the inner wheel up 12-18 inches and the nanny kicked in, braked the engine down and the wheel would drop down. This worked best for me to learn what she was able to do. Once I was comfortable with doing that (freaked the wife out, thought I was going to flip) I started going faster and doing tighter turns (still in the parking lot) until I was aware what the nanny did and how it felt.
Now I said all that to say this. We just rode the tail of the dragon twice 2 up. The second time was pretty mundane as we followed a couple bikes out of there. The ride in was just us and we hit some of those curves pretty hard. So hard in fact, the nanny kicked in over 20 times. I have gotten comfortable enough to take it right up to where she briefly and gently takes over for a moment and then lets me have the bike back. No worries.
To describe how it feels it is like suddenly going up a hill and the bike slows down even though you twist the throttle harder. That is the engine brake. If the nanny applies the brakes it is much more forceful and it has only happened once or twice in 13k.
Just start out slow and learn where she takes over and you will be fine.

[DrewNJ]

...

[ARtraveler]

You get a warning light on the dash when the nanny kicks in. Albeit, for a very short time and you probably won't notice because you are occupied with other things.

I have experienced "nanny" twice. Both incidents were hydroplaning. Learned not to drive through standing water at more than 50 mph.

Power decreased and the vss and braking system kicked in to keep the tracking straight instead of doing 360's or worse.

On twisties, you need to be going pretty fast for nanny to kick in. I can do 20 plus posted without firing up the nanny.

[DrewNJ]

...

[FullCircle]

I have managed ti kick in the nanny twice and both times was on the same day and I was pushing the Rt trying to get the nanny to kick in. I was impressed how well it worked and didn't feel that it was violent at all. When the rear started to slide and the inside wheel started getting light I could feel the power fade and the wheel came down and the rear end straightened up. The second time I was in the curve and pushed it even harder and turned the bars more into the turn and the wheel started up and the power faded again and the wheel came down. I'm sure both times there was some braking involved but I couldn't feel it.
My everyday riding experience has been non eventful concerning the nanny. I ride with other bikes and take the curves as fast or faster than they do. When I start into the turn I can feel the Spyder lean toward the outside until it is riding firmly on the outside shock by then I'm at the apex of the curve and I slightly accelerate and it just comes on around the curve without any problem. You just have to get use to the lean when it starts into the turn.

[cuznjohn]

i felt very uncomfortable in cornering for a long time, but i have installed lamonts highway pegs and it made a big difference

[xinu]

This was my post on my first major experience with Nanny's intervention. I'm pretty sure it saved our buts.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...k-god-for-VSS!

[4 MARIE]

Never experienced the "nanny effect ". Of course in the 9k miles I have driven this year on my 14 RTS, have spent very little time with my tailfeathers on fire. I suppose on the right loose or slick surface with enough abandon on my part, maybe I will experience it. Most likely my common sense and experience will continue to get the better-of-it.

[Bob Denman]

Whatever you're doing; it must be right!!

[stormtrooper]

I only have had my 2014 RT-S for a few weeks and I got the nanny to kick in a few times doing some 'S' curves on rte 106/Bear Mountain NY area Saturday.You know when it kicks in.It just will not let you do what you may want to do.I had a 2010 RS-S for 3 years and never had the nanny kick in on that machine but maybe it kicked in Saturday on the RT because I had a passenger Good luck on your nanny experience

[Bob Denman]

The center of gravity is a bit higher on the RTs. That may have had a hand in your new experiences with Nanny...

[cyclekid58]

In all my riding on the 2014 RT-S I have only had the nanny kick in during the trike training course. Instrucor had us doing things on purpose to get it to kick in. I have ridden the twisties quite aggressively to the point of being a bit frightening and Nanny has behaved. Guess I have been lucky thus far in 6,700 mies of riding. I do have a BajaRon swaybar, not sure if that is helping to keep Nanny minding her manners?

[hognut]

In all my riding on the 2014 RT-S I have only had the nanny kick in during the trike training course. Instrucor had us doing things on purpose to get it to kick in. I have ridden the twisties quite aggressively to the point of being a bit frightening and Nanny has behaved. Guess I have been lucky thus far in 6,700 mies of riding. I do have a BajaRon swaybar, not sure if that is helping to keep Nanny minding her manners?

I didn't know there was a trike training course. Was it a dealer offered course only in your area? I will have to see if there is one offered in Oregon. There was no mention of any training available when I purchased my RT-S 3 weeks ago. Thank you for the info.

Ride safe!! - Gary C

[Bob Denman]

Start by checking with the MSF, or you could always search for Trike Safety Courses online...

[StanProff]

I didn't know there was a trike training course. Was it a dealer offered course only in your area? I will have to see if there is one offered in Oregon. There was no mention of any training available when I purchased my RT-S 3 weeks ago. Thank you for the info.

Ride safe!! - Gary C

I doubt if the trike training course is Spyder specific. Probally generic course for three wheelers. Anyway, back to your post on the Nanny operation, Who ever told you that it was a viloent intervention was 100% wrong. He was probally in way over his head in a situation and was still here to sale the Spyder. I would say the Nanny saved his butt. Period. I have had the nanny kick in many times but very few that it didn't need to be. I have pushed the limits on both spyders I've owned and can say that if not for the nanny I would have been in big trouble more than once. Most of the time it is a subtle intervention that you will notice. The nanny systems saved my butt just this week in a deer encounter. Check my post on testing the Shock adjusters and you will find the deer encounter. Do not worry, you will be glad the nanny is in the house.
Stan

[Bob Denman]

I can only count the number of times that she's grabbed ahold of me; on one hand....
But it was never violent...
It was more like when your Mom would grab you, when you got too close to the edge of somewhere that you didn't need to be!

Nooo... that WAS violent!

[vondalyn]

Or I should say the nanny kicks in more with a heavy person on the back. If my mom wants to go for a ride with me, the nanny doesn't kick in that much because my mom is close to 100 pounds. My husband is closer to 200 pounds, and oh boy the nanny kicks in A LOT when he's on the back and I try to do the twisties like I normally do solo. She often shuts me down so much I have to just let off the throttle and tell her what I think of her. That said, it never feels like she's being dangerous -- she's just doing what she thinks she needs to.

I've got 2 canyons close by that have pretty tight turns near the entrance of the canyon and when riding solo I can nearly always get her to kick in when riding solo if there are no cars around. To re-create, you have to take 10-15 mph recommended curves at about 35-40 mph.

[cyclekid58]

I doubt if the trike training course is Spyder specific. Probally generic course for three wheelers. Anyway, back to your post on the Nanny operation, Who ever told you that it was a viloent intervention was 100% wrong. He was probally in way over his head in a situation and was still here to sale the Spyder. I would say the Nanny saved his butt. Period. I have had the nanny kick in many times but very few that it didn't need to be. I have pushed the limits on both spyders I've owned and can say that if not for the nanny I would have been in big trouble more than once. Most of the time it is a subtle intervention that you will notice. The nanny systems saved my butt just this week in a deer encounter. Check my post on testing the Shock adjusters and you will find the deer encounter. Do not worry, you will be glad the nanny is in the house.
Stan

Idaho Star puts it on here, it is open for all 3 wheelers but has been can-am specific for most classes and the program instructor teaches and demonstrates on a spyder RSS, so yes you could say it is specific. Washington state has a requirement for trike endorsement and a number of the dealers have classes. Our course in Idaho is recognized by Washington so there may be a washington dealer near you that offers one, not sure aboout Oregon requirements.