Brought the new one Home

[Papaloco]

Just drove the new Spyder RT Limited Home 100 miles home on LA freeways and live to tell about it. It does take some getting use to after the 2003 Goldwing Or any 2 wheel motorcycle. No more leaning the bike and gotta get use to that little bit of roll on unlevel roads. It was a comfortable ride even with the 90+ heat. Have already signed up for the BRP sponsored class. Glad I made the move. One question I have is I hit a couple of bumps that caused the handlebars break loose on the steering feel un though it didn't change the direction the bike was going.

[Peter Aawen]

on your new ryde!

Have you read thru this one:

Do's & Don'ts for new Spyder Owners

Lotsa good info in there, heaps of generic 'ryding' advice, but when it comes to the engine & gear selection etc, just make sure you check out & concentrate on the info applicable to the 1330 motor!

Still, it shouldn't really take you a heap of time/miles to get used to the way your Spyder handles (maybe 1000 miles tho?!) especially those bumps & the 'significant feedback' you get from having two wheels up front! Just relax your grip on the bars so you aren't strangling them, loosen up your shoulders, & let them and your elbows drop into a natural relaxed position; and don't try to hold the bars, your shoulders, or your elbows fixed in position &/or correct for every little steering deviation caused by bumps or other road surface irregularities! Look further ahead, plan where you want to be waaaay out there and then scan back to just in front of your Spyder so you can choose a safe path and avoid any significant issues (like a dead skunk in the middle of the road! ) but keep the majority of your focus waaay ahead and where you want to go so you can gently guide your Spyder along your chosen path without making lots of minute corrections or tensing up on the bars &/or your shoulders!! Pull on the inside handlebar rather than pushing on the outside handlebar, it'll help you bring your weight & CoG across to where it minimises the feeling that the Spyder's trying to toss you off the outside of turns.

It's meant to be a smooth & fluid 'guiding' process, not forcibly 'steering' your Spyder where you want it to go! The smoother you can make it all; the less reactive to immediate twitches due to road surface irregularities etc, the better off it'll feel & the quicker you'll get used to it all, as well as the faster you'll be able to ryde!! And remember, always watch where you AIM to go, ie, your chosen path, DO NOT focus or fixate on any obstacles or hazards along the way, focus on the safe path thru/around them - if you watch that dead skunk, even if it's in an attempt to avoid it, you WILL very likely hit it!! It's a well known fact amongst track users/testers/racers that you almost always WILL hit whatever you're watching, so:

WATCH WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, AND GENTLY GUIDE YOUR SPYDER ALONG THAT SAFE PATH!


And if your ryde still feels waaay too twitchy & uncomfortable after a couple of thousand miles, or sooner if you just can't stand how bad it feels, don't despair, just get a 'proper' wheel alignment by someone who knows what they're doing (ie. NOT your dealer, who probably only ever does a few Spyders per year at best, and even then only because they're forced too! ) Go to someone who knows how to align Spyders and who is skilled & experienced in using the gear they have (laser gear is good!) and who has a reputation for getting it right - people like Joe & Ann at Squared Away, who are sponsors here on the Forum, and often travel to go wherever there's a bunch of people wanting alignments, you just hafta get the bunch together & provide a gathering venue!

The next step if that doesn't resolve your issues/concerns is to fit a better Sway bar (BajaRon is another reputable sponsor here! ) & if it's still not good, then fit new tires - anything that's not the crappy & notoriously problem prone OE Spec Kendas, even tho they are getting a little better than they used to be, many are still finding that tossing them resolves most if not all of their ride & handling issues, as well as being longer lasting, cheaper, and providing better ride, traction, and handling to boot! But cover all those first steps first!

Then Enjoy the Miles of Smiles!

[ARtraveler]

on your new ride.