Tried FOBO...didn't like it

[arsquatch]

Look on Amazon for something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



I got it a few months ago. Right now its 50 bucks, uses same sensors as FOBO or anybody else for that matter. Pull the battery from one sensor before you install it, and it will show two front wheels and only one rear. Velcro the display to the top of the dash or somewhere else that you can see it. Sunlight keeps it charged for a very long time, like weeks or months. No cell phone app, no charging and it costs about what one sensor does with FOBO. And yes, dont bother with the locknuts, just treat them like big valve caps.

Is this still functioning good for you? Anything you would change or advice? I ordered mine and they arrived today?

[johnsimion]

I have had my FOBO for a few months now. I did not install it with the lock nut because I keep my Spyder garaged and rarely do I leave it parked unattended, and even if I did -- like somebody said, who would steal a sending unit? It's very convenient to walk up to the trike, turn on the FOBO app and voila! I can instantly tell that my pressure is okay to ride. OTOH, there are two minor problems, one of which is my own fault:

Problem 1: It's a little harder to add air than before. When mounted thusly, they are indeed the equivalent of regular valve caps, but that also means you have to remove the FOBO while you are adding air, and you can't read the FOBO for that tire until you put them back again, and so if you are off you can go back and forth, over and over, remove and replace, remove and replace, which leads to Problem #2. I wish I had the T-valves but could not see removing all three wheels and re-mounting the tires for this. If I ever replace my tires, I will add T-valves then.

Problem 2: The FOBO gives the pressure readings down to the tenth of a pound. This helpful feature thus allows a nitnoid user such as myself to nitpick the air pressure to the point of absurdity. I find myself adding and bleeding pressure for an hour, remove and replace, remove and replace, remove and replace, just to make sure all three tires have EXACTLY the correct pressure down to the tenth of a pound. Yes, I know this is entirely stupid and my fault. OTOH, I was never this nitnoid before I got the FOBO!

[Flamewinger]

I have enjoyed the original FOBO because it makes it so easy to check tire pressure. When one went dead I just replaced the 2032 battery and it works again. I set the alarms so they wouldn't go off so readily. I recently replaced them with the FOBO II which are smaller and are quicker to respond to the app. FOBO II sensors use Bluetooth 5 technology. They have new features like slow and fast leak, multiple of mode alerts remote monitoring and group ride monitoring. So far, the new app is not available in BRP Connect. (yet)

Love 'em.

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[jcthorne]

We no longer use ours either. The final straw for me was I have 3 bricked sensors because of a phone update and the phone no longer recognizes the sensors. Fobo admitted the problem happens but refused to replace the dead sensors. There were lots of other problems along the way so this was not the only fault that made us give up on them. Its just easier to check tire pressures with a good gage every couple weeks than to deal with the Fobo nonsense. When someone makes a TPMS system that works like the ones on our cars that JUST WORKS, no fiddling, no batteries, no false alarms, no dead sensors every few months, no bricks from phone updates, then I will consider them again. These are just too much a PIA to bother with. Stopped recommending them to customers as well. Sold off all our stock for cheap.

[seaweed]

We no longer use ours either. The final straw for me was I have 3 bricked sensors because of a phone update and the phone no longer recognizes the sensors. Fobo admitted the problem happens but refused to replace the dead sensors. There were lots of other problems along the way so this was not the only fault that made us give up on them. Its just easier to check tire pressures with a good gage every couple weeks than to deal with the Fobo nonsense. When someone makes a TPMS system that works like the ones on our cars that JUST WORKS, no fiddling, no batteries, no false alarms, no dead sensors every few months, no bricks from phone updates, then I will consider them again. These are just too much a PIA to bother with. Stopped recommending them to customers as well. Sold off all our stock for cheap.

I have to disagree with you a little bit. Sometimes there are false alarms on car tires with TPMS. This then requires that the TPMS be reset by a garage with a special device and the sequence of tires.

[LeftCoast]

I was going to ask for FOBOs for my bday but now I’m conflicted. The FOBO 2’s are only available via a kickstarter type campaign but I’m more interested in those.

[jcthorne]

That is not how they work on my wifes Ford Explorer or on my Vette. In both cases a low pressure warning only requires refilling the tire and driving the car. Will reset the warning in a few miles. The ones on my vette are even smart enough to figure out which sensor is on which wheel on their own. No idea how they do that but they do.

[Peteoz]

Problem 1: It's a little harder to add air than before. When mounted thusly, they are indeed the equivalent of regular valve caps, but that also means you have to remove the FOBO while you are adding air, and you can't read the FOBO for that tire until you put them back again, and so if you are off you can go back and forth, over and over, remove and replace, remove and replace, which leads to Problem #2. I wish I had the T-valves but could not see removing all three wheels and re-mounting the tires for this. If I ever replace my tires, I will add T-valves then.!

Yeah, I had this problem too, John. I found that the purchase of a battery operated pump with an adjustable preset psi did the trick...bend down low, remove FOBO sensor, attach pump and set to required psi, remove pump and reattach FOBO, straighten up again (takes a while with “basketball” knees). Works perfectly for me

Pete

[Eviltwin]

Look on Amazon for something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



I got it a few months ago. Right now its 50 bucks, uses same sensors as FOBO or anybody else for that matter. Pull the battery from one sensor before you install it, and it will show two front wheels and only one rear. Velcro the display to the top of the dash or somewhere else that you can see it. Sunlight keeps it charged for a very long time, like weeks or months. No cell phone app, no charging and it costs about what one sensor does with FOBO. And yes, dont bother with the locknuts, just treat them like big valve caps.

My cheapo system is still working fine after a year. No issues yet. Interesting to watch the temps (which I can do because the display is always visible, not in an app) go up as the tires warm up. Especially true in the summer as the pressure in the tires can go up 4-6 psi as the tires get hot. Those folks that want to nitpick the pressures down to tenths when they fill them up would see that once running, it doesnt make that much difference.

[jlc41]

Eviltwin, just so I understand You are removing the battery from the 4th sensor not from a mounted sensor, is that correct?

[ndspyderlover]

What is FOBO??

[bikerbillone]

I'm subscribed, just didn't bother to ask.

[Peteoz]

My cheapo system is still working fine after a year. No issues yet. Interesting to watch the temps (which I can do because the display is always visible, not in an app) go up as the tires warm up. Especially true in the summer as the pressure in the tires can go up 4-6 psi as the tires get hot. Those folks that want to nitpick the pressures down to tenths when they fill them up would see that once running, it doesnt make that much difference.

EvilTwin, you are voicing an incorrect assumption re FOBO which may mislead people. I don’t know why you believe that the FOBO display is not able to be always visible because it is a smartphone app, but it is untrue. You simply tick the “constant display” box in FOBO setup and it does exactly that with pressures and temps. It’s your choice.

Pete

[Peteoz]

What is FOBO??

Tyre pressure monitoring, nd. A Bluetooth receiver on each tyre and airbag valve stem linked to a smartphone app.

Pete

[Buckskin]

Pete, I have been reading a number of posts about the FOBO Trike TPMS and now the new Trike 2 TPMS. You seem to be a reasonable guy and have provided a lot of common sense dialogue regarding FOBO. Let me step in here and clear up a few things. First about the T-valve. It works fine on the rear wheel of any CanAm Spyder. As to the front wheels, there is an issue with contact with the front brake calipers and should not be used. I have on my own F3T chrome bolt in 1.25" valve stems/pictures attached. If one wanted to use these stem and add a screw on T-valve it might be possible but it will stick out a little bit from the rim. Picture attached with it in use on the F3T rear air suspension. As to the locks, lose them. They have to be removed to add air and in some cases if the thread on the valve stem is short it will take up space and may not allow the sensor to hit the dill valve and thus will not get a sense of pressure and thus will not register the sensor. Worried about theft? Not to worry, Have had them on my wife's and mine vehicles for 3 years now and no one has ever bothered them. As to the main thing, the sensors are "paired" to the riders smart devices and if someone steals them, they will never work!! Might as well throw them away. So why would anyone make a habit of stealing them? Not to say someone might one time or another, but no chance of them being of any value.

If one has issue programing sensor, always check the battery. And if you buy a new battery, it may or may not be a good battery as there are a lot of dead stock out there. Check that battery!!
If one has some fancy phone case, and it will not register, take it out of the case and actually touch the sensor with the phone. Not close or touch the wheel, but the sensor. Once programmed, put the case back on, it will work.
The system works very well for most riders. When I pull up to my garage with aluminum door and CanAm inside (door closed) and before I turn off the ignition on my truck if my rear suspension is down (it leaks a lot) I will get an alarm and that is 15-20 feet and through the closed door. Pretty good read of data. You do not have to have the app open to the screen. It runs in the background and it will alert you with a vibration/ring tone/notice on top of screen. It doesn't get any better.
Regarding the battery. In the winter time, it can take it's toll on the battery for a couple of reasons. (No problem for you Pete where you are&#128526 but cold is a detriment to batteries in general. But here is the kicker. If one has the bike stored or using it very little and not paying attention to it much if that set point which is factory preset (you can override it by adding 2-3 psi on the MIN side) goes off and you do not pay attention to it, it will keep signaling over and over until it gets attention or runs the battery to dead. But you will still know you have an issue as it will show up on the screen in RED or ERROR or something that will bring your attention to the offending sensor/tire. Put a new battery in and good to go. Think of it like leaving the headlights on, on you car. It will run your battery down in short order. If you will address the alert in reasonable time, and add air to the tire it will save you some grief.

Buckskin

Tyre pressure monitoring, nd. A Bluetooth receiver on each tyre and airbag valve stem linked to a smartphone app.

Pete

[jcthorne]

On our factory Ford and GM sensors, a TPMS alarm resets simply by putting air in the tire and driving a few miles. Never have required a dealer tech to get involved for a TPMS alarm.

[PaladinLV]

Different strokes for different folks!
I don't use the locks and most of the programs I use via an iPhone that access remotes require an email address.
Wonder if you ever use FaceBook?
But for me no bigdeal.

AJ

I bought a set of FOBO on Amazon for my 2018 F3L. I didn't like it for several reasons:

1. I knew fitment on fronts was problematic but I was ready to work with extensions and new valves at next tire change

2. Fitment on rear was ok.

3. For these things to be useful, you need a t-valve. Otherwise, you need to remove the unit when you need to inflate. That means having the little wrench with you all the time and fiddling with it until you eventually break the stem! Toying with the fronts wouldn't be too bad but the rear is royally annoying. I prefer to just take my pressure every few days. On my other bike, I had TPMS and was taking it every ride just the same.

4. I didn't like at all having to supply an email address to use the app

5. I didn't like having to read a 12-page privacy policy to install a gadget

6. I didn't like having to allow the app access to location services

This is just a little gadget, I don't get why it has to be so intrusive.

I am returning it to Amazon tomorrow.

Good idea, bad implementation.

[FalconAF]

I'm late to this thread, but I just installed the Fobo 2 on my 2018 RTL yesterday. iPhone 6S using the newest FOBO app download. It was easy. Everything installed with no problems following the instructions provided with the product (YES...take your phone out of it's protective case and ACTUALLY TOUCH THE PHONE ITSELF to the FOBO caps on the tire stem).

It also connected fine with the BRP Connect display if you want to use it that way (using the new firmware update).

I'm sitting in my living room as I type this. My Spyder is in my garage 2 doors and 3 walls away. I can connect to and read my tire pressures on the Spyder using my iPhone from my recliner.

One suggestion. If you aren't riding the bike, turn the FOBO app OFF on your phone. Actually LOG OFF from it using the app's "Settings" menu...not just "close the app" on the phone. There is no need to monitor your pressures if you aren't riding the bike or it is in storage. Can kill the batteries like someone mentioned if it keeps trying to report an out of range tire pressure and you are watching Dancing With The Stars and not paying attention to your phone. When you REALLY need to know the pressures, open the app on your phone. You will need to log in with your email address and password again, but that is painless. After you select your motorcycle from the list, it only takes about 15 seconds max for all 3 tire pressure displays to get updated and displayed on your phone screen. Then ride.

[LeftCoast]

ok, I've actually been using the FOBO 2's for about 8 weeks or more. The new iOs update also now has it paired with the Applewatch (which I mainly use while I ride to see if I have a text message to check). I'd say the readiings are within a pound of my hand held gauge and electric pump but I really don't have absolute reference to say which is the most accurate.

As far as battery life my phone shows 46 minutes in the last 10 days and I've never logged out so I'm not sure that you need to actually log out of the app to avoid battery drain but I would imagine it is a good idea to close it. I can only account for 46 minutes worth of use that way. Now that its paired with the watch though I wonder if the watch app only works while it open on the phone or what. I'll check that out tonight. It is nice to be able to gather my stuff before a ride and know the pressures while I'm getting ready. My only gripe at this point is that the pressure update time is totally random. I've gotten a new pressure within 30 secs of opening the app on my phone and other times I've waited 5 minutes.

[FalconAF]

I'd say the readiings are within a pound of my hand held gauge and electric pump but I really don't have absolute reference to say which is the most accurate.

Heck, I tried 2 different hand held tire gauges (one digital and one analog) and also used the "settings pressure" on my automatic electric pump in my garage to compare with the FOBO readings. None of the 4 of them agreed with each other, but the largest variance between any of them and the FOBO was a bit over 1.5 lbs (and that was between the FOBO and the pump...the 2 hand gauges were within a pound). And the FOBO was always the lowest reading. So in as much as once I start riding the tire pressures are going to increase, as long as the FOBO "cold" pressure is at least at the minimum I want it to be, the tires should be fine.

[LeftCoast]

Just an update, the apple watch will not update without the phone app being active.

[Buckskin]

If your's quit, try replacing the batteries inside. I see a lot of guys that let the batteries die and don't bother to replace them.
Buckskin

Definitely leave off the locks, I originally used the locks on mine and quickly realized what a mistake that was. Eventually mine quit working and are now gathering dust in the garage.