Uncontrolled braking?

[Harmony 44]

Not sure if I have a problem or it's me, I'm guessing it's me. My wife and I were ridding in ocean city today when under normal but brisk braking we suddenly found ourselves hanging on for dear life. Neither of us were sure what happend, I asked my wife if the car behind us hit us, she asked me if I hit the car in front of us. All I know is the spyder went into full lock and I took the windshield in the throat, my wife came of the seat and swears the back wheel came off the ground. We stopped go gather ourselves and my wife said it felt like we accelerated just before the wheels locked and the rear came around to the right. All I remember was the sound of the tires and counter steering back into our lane. The rest of the ride was uneventful but we are on edge to say the least, in 8000 miles this was a first.

[GOZFST]

Not sure if I have a problem or it's me, I'm guessing it's me. My wife and I were ridding in ocean city today when under normal but brisk braking we suddenly found ourselves hanging on for dear life. Neither of us were sure what happend, I asked my wife if the car behind us hit us, she asked me if I hit the car in front of us. All I know is the spyder went into full lock and I took the windshield in the throat, my wife came of the seat and swears the back wheel came off the ground. We stopped go gather ourselves and my wife said it felt like we accelerated just before the wheels locked and the rear came around to the right. All I remember was the sound of the tires and counter steering back into our lane. The rest of the ride was uneventful but we are on edge to say the least, in 8000 miles this was a first.

Check for any codes it may have thrown, if you aren't sure how to do that take it to your dealer and have them check it over.

[Chupaca]

Saw a post a while back witha similar condition on an older GS model I believe. Don't know if they found the problem but not something the spyder should do. Limp mode, cut the engine, apply the brakes but just to slow you down. Nanny does that a lot for me but just a pump or two. Would bring it up to the dealer and see if there is more to this ....

[Harmony 44]

Thanks for the responses, I didn't have time to check for codes tonight but I will tomorrow. Yes definitely going to the dealer after vacation.

[ARtraveler]

A talk with the dealer is in order. They are not supposed to act like that.

[RinconRyder]

It sounds like the parking brake was suddenly applied but surely there must be some sort of interlock so that it will not engage when the vehicle is in motion.

Surely????

[Peter Aawen]

If you hit your Spyder's brake pedal hard OR fast, & even more so if you hit it hard AND fast, these things WILL pretty much stop on a dime!! It's bloody amazing how fast they DO stop when you stomp on the brake, especially those with the 2013 on Brembo brakes - the first time I tested a panic stop on a Spyder (I was actually meant to be testing the tires, but I figured I should know how well the Brembo equipped Spyder would stop first.... and they really do bloody well just STOP!! Period, game over!! ) I reckon braced for it reasonably well before I stomped on the pedal, but I STILL hit the top of the windscreen hard enough to shatter my Shoei's visor & smack my teeth painfully hard on the top edge of windcreen while the rear wheel DID leave the ground!! But I stopped, almost instantly!! And it's been able to stop similarly more than once since, so that wasn't a fluke event!

Even if you just brake only medium hard but the Nanny detects an 'upsetting to it' steering or tire traction situation, there are circumstances when it can take over & stop you BLOODY FAST just cos it thinks it's saving your arse!! I have ridden & driven many vehicles over the years (I've actually been paid to test them because some people value my opinion! ) a lot of them were labelled 'Super Cars' or 'Super Bikes' that are widely touted as having phenomenal brakes, so I reckon have a pretty good idea of what 'good brakes' really means, but I'm absolutely positive that under the control of a reasonably skilled rider, the 2013 & on Spyders will outbrake pretty much all of them!!

So Harmony, are you sure you didn't just hit that pedal harder than you thought & as a result got to experience the absobloodylutely stopping ability that 2 wheels up the front of a very light vehicle teamed with a great set of brakes & a greater VSS can bring about?? Maybe you should take your Spyder out onto a quiet section of road or into a deserted car park & see if heavy braking can duplicate what you felt? What you've described above sounds a whole lot to me like what the Spyder's brakes can do really well!

[Bfromla]

It sounds like the parking brake was suddenly applied but surely there must be some sort of interlock so that it will not engage when the vehicle is in motion.

Surely????

Umm nope The parking brake will not engage while in motion,
(pretty sure every year & make) & even if it could it goes to rear tire that was possibly in the air As the wife reported. Dealer will hopefully have answers, glad there was no collision involved & could share with us. Will be waiting for findings.

[Harmony 44]

If you hit your Spyder's brake pedal hard OR fast, & even more so if you hit it hard AND fast, these things WILL pretty much stop on a dime!! It's bloody amazing how fast they DO stop when you stomp on the brake, especially those with the 2013 on Brembo brakes - the first time I tested a panic stop on a Spyder (I was actually meant to be testing the tires, but I figured I should know how well the Brembo equipped Spyder would stop first.... and they really do bloody well just STOP!! Period, game over!! ) I reckon braced for it reasonably well before I stomped on the pedal, but I STILL hit the top of the windscreen hard enough to shatter my Shoei's visor & smack my teeth painfully hard on the top edge of windcreen while the rear wheel DID leave the ground!! But I stopped, almost instantly!! And it's been able to stop similarly more than once since, so that wasn't a fluke event!

Even if you just brake only medium hard but the Nanny detects an 'upsetting to it' steering or tire traction situation, there are circumstances when it can take over & stop you BLOODY FAST just cos it thinks it's saving your arse!! I have ridden & driven many vehicles over the years (I've actually been paid to test them because some people value my opinion! ) a lot of them were labelled 'Super Cars' or 'Super Bikes' that are widely touted as having phenomenal brakes, so I reckon have a pretty good idea of what 'good brakes' really means, but I'm absolutely positive that under the control of a reasonably skilled rider, the 2013 & on Spyders will outbrake pretty much all of them!!

So Harmony, are you sure you didn't just hit that pedal harder than you thought & as a result got to experience the absobloodylutely stopping ability that 2 wheels up the front of a very light vehicle teamed with a great set of brakes & a greater VSS can bring about?? Maybe you should take your Spyder out onto a quiet section of road or into a deserted car park & see if heavy braking can duplicate what you felt? What you've described above sounds a whole lot to me like what the Spyder's brakes can do really well!

Anything is possible, but I know for certain I have hit the brakes harder panic stopping and you are correct the brakes are impressive. All I know at this point is that was the first and hopefully the last time it does that, I checked and have no codes this morning so we'll see how it goes today.

[DGoebel]

I recently had a Suburban pull head on into my left turn lane, mentally I was preparing for a fast left hand turn, so was a millisecond later than I normally would be hitting the brake and I was just starting my acceleration into the turn. Stabbed the brakes hard and my wife and I both momentarily left the seat, feet and hands for both of us never left the bars/pax grips and boards, but my upper body cleared the dash and I popped (VERY lightly) my neck on the top edge of my fully lowered windshield. The bike stopped without skidding or breaking traction on a dime, we were probably only doing 25mph or so and the stop was near instant. Both the driver of the Suburban (who also stopped 20+ feet in front of us) were looking each other in the eye, but I think you may have just found out like we did how good the emergency stopping power of the Brembo brakes really is.
After clearing the intersection, I did figure out how the Suburban's driver could have easily made the mistake, I might've done the same thing had I been coming out of the lot they were. No harm, no foul (well the words in my head were pretty foul for a moment or two, but my wife said she didn't hear me say what I was thinking...).

[Harmony 44]

I recently had a Suburban pull head on into my left turn lane, mentally I was preparing for a fast left hand turn, so was a millisecond later than I normally would be hitting the brake and I was just starting my acceleration into the turn. Stabbed the brakes hard and my wife and I both momentarily left the seat, feet and hands for both of us never left the bars/pax grips and boards, but my upper body cleared the dash and I popped (VERY lightly) my neck on the top edge of my fully lowered windshield. The bike stopped without skidding or breaking traction on a dime, we were probably only doing 25mph or so and the stop was near instant. Both the driver of the Suburban (who also stopped 20+ feet in front of us) were looking each other in the eye, but I think you may have just found out like we did how good the emergency stopping power of the Brembo brakes really is.
After clearing the intersection, I did figure out how the Suburban's driver could have easily made the mistake, I might've done the same thing had I been coming out of the lot they were. No harm, no foul (well the words in my head were pretty foul for a moment or two, but my wife said she didn't hear me say what I was thinking...).

That is very possible, we were only moving about 25 mph as well. I have panic braked from 60 before and was impressed with the sure footed nature of the abs/vss.

[Bob Denman]

Has the bike been behaving normally since this single incident?

[RinconRyder]

The parking brake will not engage while in motion...

I know it SHOULDN'T but do we know for a fact it cannot happen?

This just one of many events I would much rather have mechanical than electrical on this machine.

[Harmony 44]

Has the bike been behaving normally since this single incident?

Yes, just got back from a 100 mi ride and no issues. What I did notice was the brakes felt better than ever and the squeal that its had since day one was gone until just before I got back today. I am pretty confident it was the specific situation and not the spyder.

[Bob Denman]

Well: that is good news!
Here's to hoping that it continues to behave itself!

[Freddy]

See item 12.

http://www.spyderryders.net.au/forum...hp?topic=543.0

[Peter Aawen]

See item 12.

http://www.spyderryders.net.au/forum...hp?topic=543.0

Interesting, yeah, maybe; but the rear wheel locking like Jim experienced really isn't likely to have all that much in common with a braking incident where everyone involved felt that the Spyder stopped so hard & fast that the rear wheel probably left the ground!!

Interesting that you now say the squeal has gone & the brakes are better'n ever, Harmony.... I wonder if one of the brake pads wasn't seated properly & your brakjng effort in this instance somehow dislodged it &/or jammed it into the correct position?? It might be worthwhile to pull the calipers & check the pads & calipers for correct positioning & operation, and also for any wear or signs of previous incorrect positioning &/or operation?? Angled pad wear or other un-even wear on pads or discs might be a give-away if that did occur...

Glad it seems to be working well now tho!

[Harmony 44]

Interesting, yeah, maybe; but the rear wheel locking like Jim experienced really isn't likely to have all that much in common with a braking incident where everyone involved felt that the Spyder stopped so hard & fast that the rear wheel probably left the ground!!

Interesting that you now say the squeal has gone & the brakes are better'n ever, Harmony.... I wonder if one of the brake pads wasn't seated properly & your brakjng effort in this instance somehow dislodged it &/or jammed it into the correct position?? It might be worthwhile to pull the calipers & check the pads & calipers for correct positioning & operation, and also for any wear or signs of previous incorrect positioning &/or operation?? Angled pad wear or other un-even wear on pads or discs might be a give-away if that did occur...

Glad it seems to be working well now tho!

I was going to check the brakes when I got home anyway, this just gives me more to inspect. I've driven some pretty sketchy stuff in my day, but this incident actually scared ME.