Bajaron bar installed - now I'm drifting!

[RayBJ]

I installed the Bajaron sway this week on my 2020 RT and rode 100 miles yesterday. Unquestionably better handling albeit a bit harsher which is to be expected.
My question is how do I keep from having the rear tire break loose and occasionally getting 3-wheel drifts? I ride solo and I have about 10 lbs of 'tools' in the frunk and less than 5 lbs of baggage in each pannier. Front tires @ 18.5, rear @ 27.5, air bladder @ 49 at the time.

I'm new to the spyder coming off a sport tourer and I've been told I ride a tad 'spirited'. Short of the obvious reply of 'slow down' what options are there to reduce the drifting?

Thanks in advance for helpful suggestions!

[ulflyer]

Try 20lb in rear tire and 30 (or less) in bladder.

[Mikey]

You still running the stock tires?

[RayBJ]

Yes. Only 300 miles on the machine. 1 week since purchase.

[Mikey]

Well if your drifting corners it seems you are real comfortable in your skin, and that's a good thing! I would say that if you want more traction than what you have now, stepping into a better tire would be in your future!!! There are some people on here that I am sure will pipe up and lead you in that direction!! They know there crap about tires and have helped a lot of people!! Or if you want some wild reading do the search on tires, there are alot of them!! Good luck and remember, Rubber side down!!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Try 20lb in rear tire and 30 (or less) in bladder.

Not in a KENDA tire ..... it's not strong enough for that LOW a psi..... 20lbs. is OK for an Auto tire ..... Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well if your drifting corners it seems you are real comfortable in your skin, and that's a good thing! I would say that if you want more traction than what you have now, stepping into a better tire would be in your future!!! There are some people on here that I am sure will pipe up and lead you in that direction!! They know there crap about tires and have helped a lot of people!! Or if you want some wild reading do the search on tires, there are alot of them!! Good luck and remember, Rubber side down!!!

IMHO I don't think He is DRIFTING ..... the VSS prevents that .....Mike

[Brainsprain]

i bought my 2017 with 7K on it in June. Is there an easy way to tell if it has a sway bar or not installed. I’m sort of new to this. Thanks for any help.

[RayBJ]

IMHO I don't think He is DRIFTING ..... the VSS prevents that .....Mike

All 3 tires were sliding sideways as I stayed steady on the throttle thru the curve. In the purest definition of 'drifting', you are correct. I was 'skidding' but in control (sort of!).

[Peter Aawen]

All 3 tires were sliding sideways as I stayed steady on the throttle thru the curve. In the purest definition of 'drifting', you are correct. I was 'skidding' but in control (sort of!).

It really is just a 'documented feature' of the Kendas, Ray!!

Now that you've fitted a better anti-roll bar, the Kendas will be the limiting factor on how far you can push your Spyder until you toss them; and fitting that BajaRon bar has simply made what was already happening far more obvious to you as a ryder!! Anyone who 'explores the limits' of their Spyder/Ryker's handling or cornering capabilities will be suffering the same effect.... altho I suspect that many ryders, even some of those who consider themselves quite sedate ryders, just aren't aware of how much their Kendas are NOT gripping & so contributing to their 'vague feelings of uhneasiness' &/or their feeling that the machine is a little soft & spongy thru the corners or even just that it feels like it understeers a little!

Admittedly, the OE suspension is a little on the soft side, and that can take a bit of getting used to, but just wait 'til you've fitted a set of real tires and learnt to appreciate the ryde and the grip that you can get from them when running them at something close to the correct pressure for the lightweight load imposed upon them!!

A Spyder/Ryker on a good set of tires run at the right pressures & being ridden by someone reasonably capable & prepared to put in the 'upper body english' to compensate for the 'lack of lean-in ability' from the machine WILL EASILY out-ryde, out-corner, and out-brake just about anything else on the road!! It's only when the corners start opening out and the straights start getting long enough that those other machines (with either 2 or 4 wheels) that aren't pushing such a vast wall of air ahead of them can even think about catching up!! And yet, if you don't want to push it that hard, you can still have a blast on your Spyder/Ryker and get those renowned Miles of Smiles at a much more sedate pace.... not that I do too much of that without the Child Bride aboard - and she too is just a little bit of a rev-head & speed freak, so we have explored the Speedo's upper quadrants two-up; something that's become much easier since installing the cat eliminator and getting the ECU upgraded!

Toss the Kendas, get a set of real tires more suited to your ryding needs & wants, and get used to how well they'll work for you when running something near the optimal pressure for the load; it is a little different & not quite what you might expect, but the ryde is absobloodylutely phenomenal once you get it down properly!! And cornering at speed with full confidence in your machine's grip and ability to look after you is a BLAST!

[Possible]

Peter,

I don't want to sidetrack this thread, but am interested in the ECU upgrade, and cat elimination on the 998 engine.

May I IM you to get details of how you had it done, app. cost, and whether you felt each was worth it.

TIA

[Peter Aawen]

Sure can! And just for those who may not already be aware of my thoughts on this, after fitting proper tires & running them at their optimal pressure for load; installing a cat eliminator & getting an ECU Upgrade is probably the single biggest 'bang for your bucks' treat you can give yourself when modding your Spyder - even more so than fitting a good quality anti-roll bar, cos not everyone will necessarily benefit/appreciate one of them, even if it is a great improvement for 'most', but the ECU Upgrade

However, please do remember that I'm in Australia, and altho we may have arguably the best Can Am ECU Guru in the business living/working here, we are about half a world away.

[RayBJ]

Well it appears clear that TIRES are my next tweak in an attempt to corner like I did on the sport-tourers.

Thanks for the help!

[WilcoJunoHotel]

I installed the Bajaron sway this week on my 2020 RT

My sway bar is arriving this week for my '20 - did you have to raise the bike the 18" noted by some to get the old bar out and new bar in? Also, how did you go about raising it that high?

[RayBJ]

The 2020 RT is easy to swap sway bar. Only 2 plastic covers to pop and the rest is very simple.
YES, you need at least 18 inches because the bar comes out almost straight down if you jack the whole bike up. I had mine up on an angle on rear & lower front on ramp so you may get away with a little less than 18'.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Sure can! And just for those who may not already be aware of my thoughts on this, after fitting proper tires & running them at their optimal pressure for load; installing a cat eliminator & getting an ECU Upgrade is probably the single biggest 'bang for your bucks' treat you can give yourself when modding your Spyder - even more so than fitting a good quality anti-roll bar, cos not everyone will necessarily benefit/appreciate one of them, even if it is a great improvement for 'most', but the ECU Upgrade

However, please do remember that I'm in Australia, and altho we may have arguably the best Can Am ECU Guru in the business living/working here, we are about half a world away.

I'm not positive, but I believe " Monster Fuel " and " Wicked Performance ( based in La. ) have now worked on an ECU mod for the V-twin engine ..... maybe someone will chime in ..... Mike

[PinkRosePetal]

Unquestionably better handling albeit a bit harsher which is to be expected.
My question is how do I keep from having the rear tire break loose and occasionally getting 3-wheel drifts? ......

....Short of the obvious reply of 'slow down' what options are there to reduce the drifting?

Thanks in advance for helpful suggestions!

You need to separate out better handling from better road holding. Your new anti-roll bar is adding stiffness to the front suspension and, as you say, will make the ride harsher. Additionally it is causing the front outer suspension to carry more load during cornering. Because it's carrying more load there is a greater slip angle at the front tyre so the front will run wider than previously.

At the rear applying throttle will increase the slip angle at the rear tyre. So if you're cornering hard and applying lots of power the front is moving out and so is the rear. Drifting. With care you can balance the forces and make the bike tighten up by applying more power or run wider by backing off the throttle.

The bike will do this without the anti-roll bar but it becomes more noticeable with it because you've reduced the road holding at the front. You've traded it for improved handling.

For info, reducing tyre pressure increases the slip angle at that wheel and increasing tyre pressure does the opposite, within sensible limits, of course.

However, I'm a little surprised that the traction control system is allowing your Spyder to reach the drifting state. Could yours be faulty?