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View Full Version : 2012 RT Limited - Difficult steering around corners


Bigst4364
08-07-2018, 07:50 PM
It has become more noticeable that going around a bend or corner, I have to put muscle into turning the bars. I started noticing last riding season but is becoming more noticeable this riding season. Can anyone advise what is going on or having similar issue? If so have you resolved the issue and what did you do to solve this problem?

Bigst4364
IdahoMtnSpyder
08-07-2018, 08:25 PM
It has become more noticeable that going around a bend or corner, I have to put muscle into turning the bars. I started noticing last riding season but is becoming more noticeable this riding season. Can anyone advise what is going on or having similar issue? If so have you resolved the issue and what did you do to solve this problem?

Bigst4364
My guess is as you have gotten used to the Spyder you are going around the curves faster and faster. The faster you go around them the heavier the steering effort. Steering on a Spyder is pretty much a full time job. No letting go of the handlebar like you can on a two wheeler. With the right combination of speed, sharpness of curve, slope of the lane, and lean of the bike, a two wheeler will go around a curve with no input into the handlebar required. Not so with Spyders.
BajaRon
08-07-2018, 08:42 PM
It has become more noticeable that going around a bend or corner, I have to put muscle into turning the bars. I started noticing last riding season but is becoming more noticeable this riding season. Can anyone advise what is going on or having similar issue? If so have you resolved the issue and what did you do to solve this problem?

Bigst4364

Could be your DPS (Dynamic Power Steering) has gone bad. I would start there. Could also be very low pressure in the front tires. But I would suspect you have checked that.
Grandpot
08-07-2018, 09:13 PM
Let me describe the problem I had a year ago and see if it is similar to yours. When turning a 90 degree corner, such as turning onto a side street, my steering did not only get difficult, but it actually felt like it was fighting against my efforts.

I was ready to replace the steering unit until several members suggested that my battery was getting weak or I had poor wire connections. I had the battery tested and it was very good. I then cleaned the battery terminals and cleaned all the ground connections I could find. The steering has been working fine since then.

The steering system uses a lot of power so clean connections are key to supplying it. Start with the battery and the grounds under the seat. If that doesn't do it, you will need to check the connections at the steering unit. To do that, you must remove the Frunk to get to it.

Good luck.
Bob Denman
08-08-2018, 07:42 AM
:welcome:
Question: How old are you?
Could this be just the natural results of the aging process? :dontknow:
fjray
08-08-2018, 09:25 AM
That's one of the main reasons why I went back to two wheels. I have neck and upper back issues and the steering effort in the twisty bits was painful. I've told prospective buyers with back problems to rent for a weekend to make sure that it is the right choice
GOZFST
08-08-2018, 02:59 PM
Test ride another Spyder for comparison, either go to a dealer and test a used one or see if there are any local riders that would swap rides for a few miles.Just a thought.
SpyderJerry
08-08-2018, 04:29 PM
Turned out to be neg battery cable was barely able to be moved. Tightened bolts and no problem since. I do now have a spare DPS unit with very low mileage available.