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  1. #26
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Taking a break from kitchen reno - replacing the drywall that was damaged during old backsplash removal and Spyder maintenance.

    One of my C-19 keep me busy projects last year was a complete paint job of my since sold GL1500 Goldwing. Part of the project was to install 3M Scotchguard paint protection film (PPF) on the parts/pieces that would be in a high traffic area such as boot placement, road crud and such. Never got around to doing this.

    My Spyder has the white pearl finish - same as my since sold GL1500 Goldwing, and I notice that everything shows such as boot marks, seat rubbing, and road crud. Thinking that high traffic areas could benefit from an application of PPF, started my first Spyder project this morning doing the right side panel that the seat fits over, see attached. The seat rubs against the finish and over time will wear away the protective clear coat. This is the first time ever that I have used a PPF product. I know where to look, but others don't. Had my neighbour come over to view, gave him the area and asked if he could identify the panel I did. He chose the wrong panel. Good to know that I did a not too bad job. Will do the left side panel this afternoon.

    Had to use a heat gun, water/Johnson baby shampoo mixture, the squeegee from the PPF package and a good dose of patience. The PPF is 12" by 10' so lots to use, but the 18" wide PPF would be better. This PPF is removable and if needs be, can be replaced at a later date.

    Intend to do the front cowling and various other bits to protect the finish. Would like to protect and keep the paint job nice, painting a white pearl colour is a major project - BTDT. Should get better at applying PPF as I progress.
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    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  2. #27
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
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    Looks very well done, Rednax. As you suspected might occur, my Pearl White 2013 RT is beginning to show signs of wear exactly where the seat (& my knees ) rub against the panel the front of the seat closes on to; so once I've fixed the wear, I could really use some 'extra protection' there.... just haven't found the right product yet. Everything I've tried so far looks bloody obvious, and a number of people have suggested I try 3M, but no-one seems to know exactly WHICH 3M Product to use!!

    So, is there any chance you could share more in the way of product detail on that 3M PPF?? I'm pretty sure I'll hafta find a different supplier than who-ever you used, and the more specific info I can provide, the more likely I am to get a product that can look as good as yours! However, what with my damaged hands & fingers, I might hafta arrange a time for you to come visit and fit it tho!
    2013 RT Ltd Pearl White

    Ryde More, Worry Less!

  3. #28
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Thanks - I like Fosters. Will post pic of product. Took the advice of my paint guy and it was what was on the shelf.

    Tried the left side panel, it was a no go. No matter what I tried/did, just could not make it work. Scrapped that piece and will have another go at it. It will get done. Going to measure up the other areas and buy sizes that will make install easier. Definitely would not like to pay someone to do what I want. May consider it for the more difficult and larger parts such as the front trunk lid. Installing this PPF will try your patience.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  4. #29
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Took a pic of the PPF package - attached. Going to be a long term project, very finicky stuff to work with, not to mention the panel curves and such.

    Picked up the transmission filter and 2014 Roadster Shop Manual supplement today - waiting on the 2013 shop manual, it's in transit. Committed to a heated comfort seat. Going to call the N-Line trailer dealer tomorrow and get the trailer hitch on the go. Going to make some lifts to put under the wheels so I can get the Spyder off the floor for the oil/filter change.

    Plan is coming together.
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    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  5. #30
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    2013 Service manual arrived Friday. Everything is coming together.

    Time for first oil change since purchase 4 weeks ago. Had to wait for the tranny filter. Took the plastic off, shades of a Goldwing, and lifted it with my floor jack. Have to decide tomorrow what blocking is required under the wheels. Estimate this oil change will be approximately $210.00 CDN, major expense is the tranny filter at approximately $150.00 CDN. Sonya came into the garage and commented that I should not betaking the Spyder apart. Mentioned that this was just for the oil change. Wait until she sees the front off to change the coolant. Bringing the Spyder to a baseline that I know.
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    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  6. #31
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Spent the day doing the oil/filter and tranny filter change and in between, putting flooring into the kitchen for the kitchen reno.

    To get the Spyder to an acceptable height, used the Big Blue Lift that I bought a few years back, and almost sold last year. Used the brackets designed for the Goldwing, oriented these brackets the same distance apart as the small floor jack. Got the balance right and got the Spyder up to have it another 6 inches off the ground. Once I get the Spyder RT mount for the Big Blue Lift will take it higher when doing maintenance.

    Watched some videos on line and I read the OEM service supplement. Draining the left side was a long issue, only loosened the drain plug. Took the right side magnetic plug out and after draining, new crush/sealing washer. Moved on to the tranny filter, thought there might not be a lot of oil when removed - wrong. Made a mess on the garage floor, and the lower panels. Took the rest of the panels off, washed, and put back on. Note to self, next tranny filter change, remove all the panels and use a small catch basin. Not a bad experience, but need a two day rotten weather window to do this - not in a hurray anymore.

    The OEM oil filter is a steel mesh filter. The filter I used was the HF566 - paper version. Thought it might be a K&N filter, but it is definitely a BRP product.

    Next work/maintenance issue will be bleeding/flushing the brake system and checking the front brake rotors for warpage.

    Will have it back together tomorrow for a ride to the local coffee shop.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  7. #32
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    hi and good luck..on your big blue..you will need the adapter to safely lift and secure your new ride...

  8. #33
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Good ride up island today, had to get the Spyder out of the garage. My 1200 Goldwing is feeling a bit neglected. Going to be doing some maintenance on it soon, new Hagon rear shocks and checking the shim adjustment of the hydraulic lifters.

    I had a look at the sway bar that was installed on the Spyder. It is from BajaRon and the end links as well.

    Checked for a drive belt tensioner, not installed. Was at the Island dealer this morning and queried this. I was told that this is normal for an early 2014 RT to come from the factory without one installed - cost/benefit ratio. It was mentioned that there can be a slight vibration in the 100 to 130 KPH range, but most of its customers aren't fussed about it. The shop does a drive belt tension adjustment to lessen this vibration, but a belt tensioner is the best way to go. On the list for a future maintenance period.

    Thought about the oil change on the ride up island. My 2014 RT LE had 9100 Kms on the clock when I bought it. Probably only had one oil change, and the oil that I drained has been in the engine probably for several years. This is not doing the engine any good regardless of what the OEM maintenance recommendation is. Oil should be changed at least once a year regardless of Kms/miles. Oil left sitting in bearings gets acidic and needs to be changed. Is a low mileage engine a good selling/buying point, definitely; however, recommend adjusting the maintenance schedule to suit the Spyder usage.

    Have decided that the HCM filter will get changed every two years instead of the OEM recommended 48K Kms.

    Will continue to use the HF556 filter with each oil/filter change. The OEM oil filter is $30.00 CDN, and I was told it is not reusable. I have been using the HF (High Flow) oil filters in my Goldwings for the past 6 years and have had no issues to date.

    The oil I used in the Spyder engine is the same oil I have used in my Goldwings for the past 5 years.

    Have thought about the similarities between my Goldwings - 1800 (sold)/1500 (sold)/1200, and the Spyder. Thinking another thread in a couple of more months regarding this issue will be appropriate.

    Enough reminiscing, time to think about the next Spyder work/maintenance, and the work/maintenance on the 1200.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  9. #34
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Have been working on my '85 Goldwing Limited Edition of late. New Hagon shocks coming this week, and doing a shim check for the hydraulic lifters - engine is not cooperating, but since I am higher on the food chain it will capitulate.

    Ordered a belt tensioner, front rotors and brake pads (EBC brand), and a trailer wiring harness. Was going to fabricate my own trailer wiring harness, but decided that I can use my time and energy better with other aspects of baselining the Spyder.

    Have been considering Bert Remington's gauge change, installation of an oil pressure gauge and voltmeter. Will do a test and disconnect the fuel and engine temp gauges to make sure it defaults to the digital indication on the dash. Thinking I'll visit the local marine chandlery to look at gauges.

    Have noticed that the handling of the Spyder is quite good, but the shock rebound is not as good as I would expect. The OEM shocks feel soft and shock rebound, no adjustment, is less than adequate - just my opinion. I can also affect the steering of the Spyder by shifting my weight to one side, see the suspension compress, and the Spyder will move in the opposite direction without moving the steering. Have experienced this with some of the cars I have owned. I understand the complexity of the issue especially with the weight of the Spyder RT LE, BRP trying to keep the ride of the RT LE like a "Cadillac" and the varying riding styles. Going to adjust the tire pressure to the maximum for the tire when cold to minimize tire roll. Front/rear shock replacement is on the agenda.

    Doing a little at a time so that I can experience the difference a change makes.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  10. #35
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Update.

    Have received the trailer wiring harness. To be installed. Went with a plug and play harness.

    Heated comfort seat arrived and seat installed. Like the added space and it is more comfortable than the stock seat from the factory. Looked into how it operates. Controlled by the heated grip switches. Heated grip on low - seat on low, same for the high setting.

    Loaded the B.U.D.S. software onto my laptop. Took a few tries to get the license number accepted.

    Want to replace the fuel filter, a WIX33095. Read up on the change out in the manual. Recommends using B.U.D.S. to depressurize the fuel system. Hook up B.U.D.S. to the Spyder, start engine, use B.U.D.S. to shut off the fuel pump, let the engine stall. Fuel system pressure should be gone, change filter, back in business. Thinking that I won't have to turn the fuel pump on in B.U.D.S. after the change, fuel pump should be on - will check the setting in B.U.D.S..

    Had read about changing out the fuel and engine temp gauges for voltmeter and oil pressure gauges. BertRemington has done this: https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...=1#post1562238 Have this on the agenda for down the road. When you disconnect the fuel and engine temp gauges, the readouts default to the LED dash - fuel on the right side, engine temp on the left side, opposite of the gauge placement.
    Checked this this afternoon, and wanted to see what happens when I adjust the air pressure in the rear chock. This pressure indication is displayed on the left side of the LED dash. When you adjust the air pressure in the rear shock the air pressure LED readout is displayed, the engine temp readout is not displayed. When you are finished with the air pressure adjustment, the dash display reverts to the engine temp.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  11. #36
    Very Active Member pidjones's Avatar
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    You have been very busy! Our new RT hasn't been out of the garage since last week - mainly weather. But, I did get the RD400c out today and did 50 miles on it. I have the Garmin 396 mounted on the Spyder and a Utopia seat receptacle mounted in the seat pan waiting for the rest of it to be made. I bought an Amazon trailer hitch and have a Uni-go adapter ordered for it. Will use a Big Bike Parts plug-n-play wiring kit unless I can get Lewis at Electrical Connection to whip me up one.
    "Love 'em all.... Let GOD sort 'em out!"
    2021 RTL Dark Chalk Metallic with comfort seat
    1978 GL1000 w/'75 engine show bike
    1976 RD400c

  12. #37
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Trying to keep busy. Waiting for the shocks for my 1200, so I need to switch my attention to the Spyder.

    Thinking next week would be good to do a coolant change. Have to take off the front trunk and such, should be a good experience. One thing at a time and I'll learn more. Drive belt tensioner should be here soon, eBay sent an email to update shipping info.

    The company I bought the trailer wiring harness from is Trailer Etc. They have a plug and play for the newer Spyders. Cost is $99.00 USD plus shipping. Company is in Quebec, but its prices are in USD. Guess the company does more business in the US then Canada. Interesting part is that the company charged me provincial tax, but on the US price. Came out to about $144.00 CDN, not too bad, but probably a better solution than doing my own wiring.

    Here's the company web site page for the harness, 2018 and later: https://traileretc.com/product/2018-...iring-harness/
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  13. #38
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    Talking Don't remove frunk just to change coolant

    RN60 -- you do need to lift the front of the RT and oil-change quantity of body panels to change the coolant but you don't need to remove the frunk. I backed my RT up a pair of car ramps which leaves more room to work but your BBL is probably the better choice. Apparently everyone drains from the right-side radiator. The previous owner (actually I believe it was dealer-serviced) removed the hose from the ABS manifold rather than the radiator. ABS is tough but I was still concerned by the amount of force required to loosen the hose on the manifold. Before you start make sure you have the proper clamp. The PO/dealer used worm gear but I used constant torque. Refilling the expansion tank is ... not easy. I rigged up a funnel with a hose and poured slowly. An LED flashlight makes it easier to view the fill level.

    WRT fuel filter, the pressure will probably bleed off overnight without BUDS assistance. You will get more fuel spill from the filter itself than residual pressure. At 8 years you might have to replace some hoses. Pressure is larger than return so two sizes needed.

    WRT brake pads, fronts are easy. Make sure you remove the small spring clip before unscrewing the retainer bolt -- easy to miss. For the rear you really should use the BajaRon tool to retract the piston. I think the PO/dealer damaged the parking brake threads so piston wouldn't retract and I had to buy another caliper (lucked into an inexpensive used one) because rear pads were almost gone while fronts were pretty good implying failed attempted replacement.

    WRT analog meters, the voltmeter is pretty boring here in SoCal but might be more interesting in your neighborhood. The oil pressure for my 77K (now 80K) RT-S is entertaining from 58psi relief pressure when cold to about 12psi idle on a hot day. I mostly shift at 3500rpm and above where oil pressure is about 50psi although I'm seeing it slip to about 48psi at 3K miles on BRP's 5W40 semi-synthetic -- maybe the viscosity breakdown BajaRon and others have described? I'll be changing to Lamonster 5W40 synthetic next week and then will enter a 5K oil/filter/HCM change cycle. I'm not much worried about the Rotax engine (it's really smooth and well-behaved) but the clutch is a wear part I'd like to leave for the next owner. BTW I was suspicious of the "dry sump" gearbox oil level so cut the top off a 1.9L orange juice bottle and put it under the drain. Yep filled it almost to the top. Your garage floor must have been messy and maybe Sonya had to cover her ears?

    The RT-S us fulfilling the function I purchased it for: safely and comfortably commuting to a friend's workshop about an hour away. He's running an SCTA roadster and dynos motors to pay for his hobby (addiction). I've rewired the roadster and the tow trailer. Now doing the dyno room instrumentation (fun) and the tow truck (ugh -- Bonneville Salt Flats are nasty to truck undersides). Then I have to assemble my hot rod Royal Enfield Classic 500 in my workshop which is also an hour away. So I grok your project backlog.
    Last edited by BertRemington; 05-06-2021 at 11:56 PM. Reason: correct typos
    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT-S SE6 Freeway Commuter Pod
    2016 Royal Enfield Classic 500 Fair-Weather Mountain Bike

  14. #39
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Bert - Thanks for the info. Will be reading your post again to better understand everything. For the rear caliper piston, will be taking the caliper off and measuring the distance between the pin holes for turning the piston. Might be able to find a suitable tool at our Princess Auto - HF equivalent. If not, time being of the essence once I start the job - nothing gets into and through Canada Post quickly, needle nose pliers should do the trick, then order the proper tool for the next time.

    Installed the wiring for the heated comfort seat. The instructions indicate that the install time from start to finish, remove old - install new, with wiring hookup, is approximately 1 1/2 hours. This is if you know where everything is. Took my time, figured it out. Works well.

    Inspected the air filter, in good shape, put back in. Had a good look at where I will be installing the belt tensioner. Looks straight forward. Watched a video on replacing the rear brake pads, understand why I read that you have to turn the caliper piston in - clockwise direction.

    Had an issue while riding today. It has happened before, almost like the engine was loosing power. Corrected itself and I kept going. No error codes and such were displayed. Happened again today, twice. Second time I saw an "E" in the gearshift indicator when I shifted into 5th. The "E" went away, the "5" was indicated and I carried on. The road I was riding on reminded me of a snowmobile motocross track, into and out of a corner, shift, speed up, slow down, good bumps in between corners, maxed the suspension travel - bottomed a few times, more than I wanted to regardless of how I set the rear shock (soft suspension) - not an enjoyable ride. Think I might stick to my Goldwing on this road, ride is better.

    Had time to think about the "E" that was indicated and surmised that it was the system telling me I had not got the shift correct.

    Did a search of this forum and found a couple of threads specific to this issue. Apparently the gearbox position sensor could be the culprit. Will check it to make sure it is secured well, and the wiring is properly connected. Checked the replacement procedure in the 2014 Supplement, changing this part will not be an issue; however, I will be sitting down when I contact the dealer for a price. Have two numbers, first one I found is 420266167 that looks like it has been superseded by 420266168.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  15. #40
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Update on post #39. Took the left side panels off and inspected the gearbox position sensor. The GBPS and wiring connection is secure. It was mentioned in another thread that this is a hall sensor, not a potentiometer. This makes sense to me in that there is no adjustment of the GBPS. Have a few hall sensors on my '85 Goldwing as well. Looked on line to prepare myself for the call to the local dealer. Going to be some $200.00 CDN I think. I have the B.U.D.S. software and as such, wondering if I hook into the Spyder, will I be able to determine if the GBPS sensor is faulty? More to follow.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  16. #41
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Another maintenance item I have been reading about. The front drive sprocket. Read lots of threads and posts about this, and the red dust that I expect is from rust accumulation. Checked the P/N in the parts fiche for my Spyder and it's 705502134. Will be asking the dealer for a price and if P/N 705503239 has superseded the P/N in the fiche.

    If the red dust is from accumulated rust, I would think that removal and lube of the splines would be a good maintenance item every two years or so. I'm very aware of splined drive systems having been maintaining the drive line on my Goldwing(s). Honda calls for a molybdenum paste that has at least 60% (I think this percentage is correct - it's substantial to say the least) moly in the mix. I use a Loctite product LB 8012 that is quite good.
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    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  17. #42
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Took the Spyder out for a good trial run yesterday. We have a loop that we ride, Victoria, Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Duncan, home to Victoria. The road out to Port Renfrew is a nice twisty, but bumpy ride - good suspension is a must otherwise, you know just how much travel the suspension has. This road is under construction, lots of dips and dives in the most inconvenient spots, and is a mix of pavement and tar/gravel. Port Renfrew to Lake Cowichan is twisty as well, a tar/gravel road top, with a good amount of dips that test your suspension as well. The ride was good, but I did use all the travel the suspension had, and bottomed several times no matter what air pressure setting I used in the rear shock - spring rate not sufficient for the task. The ride on these two legs of the ride reminded me of a snowmobile motocross course - in/out of turns, speed up - shed the right amount of speed into the next corner, left turn/right turn, hang out the side, and on turns that are not banked in your favour. On roads that have corners that are not banked properly, the Spyder is not the vehicle of choice. I was glad to get back onto the civilized paved roads. Not to say this is not a road to ride, but will now know that when Sonya and I ride the Spyder on this trip, speed is not your friend.

    Brought to mind, again, the need to replace the OEM suspension. More reading being done, and refreshing the memory on compression/rebound settings and why these are important. Video viewing of the various aftermarket shocks out there. FOX shocks has some good videos explaining rebound and such.

    When I had my demo day before I bought my Spyder, the demo was a 2020 RT LE. It did not have a sway bar upgrade, and did lean more towards the outside of turns. One of the videos on rebound by FOX shocks indicated that rebound can be set for varying conditions and that roll in a corner is one of these. The faster the spring returns back to original length in the corner, the less roll there will be. I mention this because when my Spyder enters a corner, say on a cloverleaf, the front end does squat and lean, maybe not a lot of lean, and in doing so with the OEM shocks, does not actually rebound until it comes out of the corner. What would be nice is for the shock to rebound fully, or partially while in the corner. Couple this with how fast/slow the shock compresses would be beneficial. A different spring rate is also helpful.

    After yesterdays ride, a new rear shock with a stiffer spring rate may also be beneficial. A spring rate to better accommodate Spyder weight and approximately an additional 500 pounds of rider/pillion/luggage weight may be in the offing.

    One more consideration in a suspension upgrade is it is not inexpensive, mentioned this in an earlier post I think. Looking at Elka stage 2, possibly Stage 3 shocks, front/rear is a $2000.00 CDN before tax proposition. I understand why a suspension upgrade is not on the lists of the majority of people. The good news is that we are not touring this year, chews up a good chunk of change, so I might as well support the economy and do some mechanical upgrades on the Spyder, my '85 1200 Goldwing Limited Edition is almost maxed out.

    Lots of issues to consider.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  18. #43
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    After perusing this forum threads on the front drive pulley, have found the info I was looking for. Torque on the pulley bolt has been increased to 111 ftlbs. Will be using a new bolt, inexpensive peace of mind. Pull the pulley and use the Loctite LB 8012 paste, and put old pulley back on. As I mentioned will put this into the maintenance schedule for every two years, at least a remove and inspect. Just over 12K Kms, should still be in good nick.

    Called the local dealer up island. Asked for a price on the various items I may need to order. The pulley(s), painted or unpainted, are $145.00 CDN before taxes. The GBPS is $189.00 CND before taxes. Bolt P/N according to parts fiche is 250000250.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  19. #44
    Active Member Rednaxs60's Avatar
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    Received the brake parts yesterday and today. New EBC front rotors and EBC Double-H sintered pads for front/rear. Checked the rear brake pads for wear, approximately 70% left, not replaced. Did the front rotors and pads before dinner. So far these are the easiest calipers that I have worked on. Test ride this evening, no more shudder from the front wheels - happy rider. Intend to keep the old rotors, may have them turned to ensure not warped, then keep as spares. Torqued the wheels to 100 ft/lbs, torque again in another 70 Kms. - treat the same as a car.

    This Spyder is making me reminisce about a 1992 Mazda MPV that I had. Went through 3 sets of front pads for every rear set. Sent a letter to Mazda Canada querying why the brake hydraulic system was not calibrated to use more rear brake. Mazda did reply and I did appreciate this, but the answer was very generic. Lived with this until I sold the van to my father when it had 180K Kms on it. He took it to 450K Kms before he sidelined it for a newer vehicle.

    Contemplating the next maintenance issue, probably coolant change. It has been mentioned that the front doesn't have to come off, but I'll do it this once. Will identify where the new accessory fuse block is going to go.

    Have ordered an Oetiker style clamp kit with the clamping tool. It has been shipped.

    Ordered and received a new fuel filter. It will be installed soon.

    Ordered a new front drive sprocket bolt and some oval rubber washer inserts. Seems the plastic rivets and these rubber grommets tend to do a walkabout never to be seen again. Good to have a couple of spares on hand.

    On an operation note, was talking to Sonya's brother Dave regarding his new to him 2018 F3 Limited Spyder. He went on the same road I travelled this past weekend and had an interesting time as well. Hit one dip and popped the rear trunk lid. He's not going to ride on this particular road anytime soon.

    We discussed the initial shift into first or reverse. It reminds me of my 1200 Goldwing, no matter what I did the first shift of the day was a good clunk. He showed me how once you shifted and did the clunk, you could shift into reverse or first without the clunk. This is only if you don't go into neutral. He found this out by reading the owners manual, who would have thought something as informative as this would be in the owner's manual. Besides, men don't need to read the instructions. When I bought my Spyder, it came with the CD for the Spyder. The PO mentioned he had never watched it, but his wife mentioned that she had. I tried this shifting issue on my Spyder and it works, will keep this in mind.

    Nice to have a person close that has a Spyder, but also close as in Sonya's brother. We discuss various issues as we find them.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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    A little more done. Received the BRP belt tensioner yesterday. It is the OEM version, not the one from Lamonster with the upgraded roller. This one will do for the foreseeable future, would think a good 20K Kms or more. Will get the upgraded roller as a maintenance item down the road.

    Installed the belt tensioner this morning. Took a couple of hours, but with the plastic to be removed, and not having done this before, took my time. Not a lot of adjustment room where it attaches. Went for a 100 Km ride for coffee to trial the install. Think it is working as advertised. had a look at the tensioner alignment when out for coffee, can see from the rear, and it looked pretty good. Paid attention in the 90 to 115 KPH range. Before the install there was an on/off vibration at this speed range, didn't notice this today. Will continue to monitor.

    The Oetiker style clamp kit came in today. Can do the fuel filter now.

    Thinking I'll do a manual flush of the front and rear brakes. This will clean out the system. I'll do the B.U.D.S. down the road a bit.

    Like to do a little at a time, then ride. Don't want the Spyder off the road for any appreciable time.

    Going to order a batch of 8.3 mm plastic rivets from amazon. Less expensive than at the dealer, and these rivets tend to go for a walkabout every now and then. I have noticed two missing to date where you would not see if you did not do the work. Replaced one today. The PO did not do any work on this Spyder, and only the initial service was done, so the missing plastic rivets were never installed, or the shop misplaced and never put new ones in. The second one I know of will be replaced, and I will have a stash on hand should I find others missing.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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    More Kms on the drive belt tensioner. Must mention that it appears to be working well.

    Installed the fuel filter yesterday. Have a few hundred Kms on it since install and all is well. The Oetiker style clamps work very well. First time I have used this type of clamp.

    Got some plastic tube to fit the Speedbleeders. Will do a manual flush of the brakes this week. A litre (approximately 32 ounces) of Dot 4 from the local NAPA store is $13.00 CDN plus tax. Will get the requisite amount to do the complete flush.

    Coolant flush needed. Thinking I might do the B.U.D.S. brake flush while doing the coolant flush because I intend to take the front trunk off this one time, hopefully not too often, and will have better access to the VCM ABS module for bleeding using the B.U.D.S. diagnostic program.
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

  22. #47
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    Been perusing the forum for info on doing a brake fluid flush on my 2014 Spyder RT LE, mostly to determine how to manually flush the VCM ABS unit.

    Have done a lot of brake fluid flushes on my Goldwings over the years and the Spyder requirement should be no different. The 1800 Goldwing has a very specific brake fluid flush procedure because of the number of bleed screws on each caliper. I believe the rear caliper on an 1800 has 3 bleed screws.

    I am generally negligent when it comes to my car, but not my motorcycles. I guess small is easier to visualize. Had a couple of older '85 1200 GWs and when doing hydraulic clutch flush, uses same DOT 4 brake fluid, would rebuild the clutch slave cylinder. It was always full of nasty crud that needed to be cleaned out. The brake calipers had crud as well but not to the same extent, should have but did not. The clutch and front brake MCs needed/need cleaning every couple of years as well. May give my 2011 KIA Soul a go this summer.

    My 2014 Spyder RT LE only had 9000 Kms on it in 7 years. This is good on several fronts, engine should be good for a long time, and mechanical parts should as well. The downside is there are parts/components that stand the test of time better if continuously used, and the oil should be changed at least once a year regardless of the maintenance schedule - if you are buying a good deal, low mileage, older Spyder, ask this question. Bearings do not like to sit in old engine oil for prolonged periods of time.

    Regarding this post, I expect the brake fluid has never been changed. Since this is the most probable case, I expect the colour of the brake fluid being removed to be a Spyder "Cognac" colour, or darker. I also expect to use more brake fluid to flush the system than if the system had been flushed every two years.

    The brake fluid reservoir probably has a crud accumulation as well. Might be part of a maintenance period to remove, inspect and clean if necessary. As long as the connecting hoses are kept full of brake fluid, should not have an impact on the brake system.

    Thought I'd put my thoughts into the thread. Keeping this as a sort of journal.

    Attached is a picture of a 1200 hydraulic clutch slave cylinder. This is why you flush the brake fluid.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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    Spyder is getting a lot of use. We ride it most everywhere, weather dependent. Sonya instigates a lot of the rides, she is really liking the ride. Some 4500 Kms since 25 March, doesn't take long. The riding is on the same roads so it's a challenge to change up the routing to make it more interesting.

    Have ordered Magic Mirror magnet system. Haven't found very many maintenance items that don't require the removal of the side mirrors.

    Will be ordering new shocks on Wednesday, Elka Stage 2 shocks. Have enough time and Kms on the Spyder to give me a good idea of what I expect from the ride.

    New battery on Tuesday. Knowing that these machines are very dependent on a good supply of power, and that any electronic issues can be caused by a weak item in the charging system, it's a good time to change out the battery - only 7 years old. Even if it has been well maintained, a less than adequate battery can play havoc with the electrics/electronics. Had an "E" when I pulled away from the gas pump yesterday. Switched to a "1" immediately, but it was disconcerting. Had the rest of the ride home to contemplate and started to focus on the battery. The reason for this focus is that the 2018 F3 that I replaced the battery on for my riding friend had gone dead after 3 years, but after a boost, the battery still required a significant charge and was robbing the system of power, hence the speed limiting and VSS warning light. Considering a battery only has three purposes: to start the engine, provide a voltage spike sink for the electrical system, and to supplement the electrical system when or if the charging system cannot keep up with the demand, a weak battery becomes a "user" not a "supporter". 7 years is a good go for any battery.

    Slowly getting items crossed off the maintenance list.

    Cheers
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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    Update on battery issue.

    Took the Spyder over to a long time friends place so he could see it. He was pleasantly surprised with the body styling, and the mechanical and electrical attributes. Mentioned the Spyder being a power pig, and that I would be replacing the battery after 7 years even though the load test appears to be good because I'm starting to see little electric gremlins showing up. He retired from our Navy in the '80s and became an HD mechanic, and mentioned that he had one HD that was having electric issues. Tried everything he knew and could find including load testing the battery, all good. He mentioned this to his Snap-On rep, and the rep got his load tester and found one of the cells was on its way out. New battery and all issues went away. Note to self - load testing is good, but a load tester with a cell test - internal resistance capability is better. Going to keep an eye out for one of these on sale seeing as I have two Spyders to watch over, mine and Sonya's brother.

    Cheers
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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    OEM Shock Replacement

    Have mentioned this several times, and have decided on the M2 shocks all round. Called the company and had a good talk with Marcus on the industry, what he is trying to accomplish with his company and what I can expect from his company. Expect that the shocks will be a good upgrade. An important part when buying anything long distance is the "feel" you get when discussing the requirement. Initial "feeling" is good.

    Delivery time is expected to be 4 to 6 weeks, have to be mindful of the state of the economy. I viewed his videos on the M2 shocks. The install on an F3 was a trip down memory lane. Setting the rebound by doing the "bounce" test reminded me of my days working at my Father's garage in the '60s/'70s. We did the "bounce" test to prove to customers the shocks were shot on their vehicle. Sent in the online questionnaire. Will be finalizing the details this week.

    Will be taking height measurements front/rear and perusing the service manual(s).
    "When Writing the Story of Your Life, Don’t Let Anyone Else Hold the Pen"
    "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

    2014 Can-Am Spyder RT LE
    1985 Honda GL1200 Goldwing Limited Edition

    Ernest

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