2020 RT - front seat won't stay raised - any solutions?

[OverHillAndDale]

Recent problem. 2 year old bike, seat has always stayed up for filling with gas, etc. Now it flops straight down.

There is no air lift and I'm not sure what mechanism is meant to hold the seat in the raised position.

Thoughts? Solutions? I can live with this minor issue but I find it very annoying.

[ButterSmooth]

I'm waiting for mine to die. When it does, it will be removed and replaced with a small wood dowel (stored under the seat) to prop it open. I currently use the dowel for things like adding air to the suspension, since the gas cylinder doesn't hold the seat far enough open. The only reason I don't remove it right now is having to remove the side plastic. If the plastic comes off for another reason the gas strut is gone...

[DT5534]

I am experiencing the same problem with my 2020 RTL. I have to lift seat, remove gas cap and position so the seat does lock down again.
Having the same problem with the trunk lid too. The lock pin has left a nasty bruise on the back of my wife's hand and mine. I have seen posts about replacing the pistons but I don't know how to access the one for the trunk.

[Gwolf]

Bungee cord?

Sometimes the simplest solutions work best.

[Knizar]

Bungee cord?

Sometimes the simplest solutions work best.

I'm not from Missouri, But you will have to "Show Me", what you hook the bungee cord too! I don't have a palm tree handy. Maybe your F-3 is built different than my RTL........Bill

[Gwolf]

I'm not from Missouri, But you will have to "Show Me", what you hook the bungee cord too! I don't have a palm tree handy. Maybe your F-3 is built different than my RTL........Bill

It was a question. I am not sure what it could hook to. Would have to get one in my shop to work it out. My seat is bolted down. Fuel cap is in front of the seat.
I worked in a machine shop for many years working out solutions to strange problems and fabricating parts to make things work that did not work before. There is always a way to solve just about any problem. The bungee cord was only a suggestion.

[Don60]

Please look under “Seat Strut” in the search bar. Other solutions will tell you about using a four inch spring to go down over worn strut, all you have to do is remove upper screw at top of the strut, slide the spring down into place. Hold down spring and reattach the strut! Great fix for about three dollars.

[larryd]

08-23-2022, 06:37 AM#13
Joel The Biker Joel The Biker is offline
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I went on amazon and bought cabinet shocks and added a second one on the other side of the seat. I have a sheepskin cover and needed the extra lift. They are the 9 lb shocks.40N/9 lb 6 inch Length Gas... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W35L7BP...rehttp://40N/9 lb 6 inch Length Gas......p_mob_ap_share
Last edited by Joel The Biker; 08-23-2022 at 06:39 AM.

[Peteoz]

I'm waiting for mine to die. When it does, it will be removed and replaced with a small wood dowel (stored under the seat) to prop it open. I currently use the dowel for things like adding air to the suspension, since the gas cylinder doesn't hold the seat far enough open. The only reason I don't remove it right now is having to remove the side plastic. If the plastic comes off for another reason the gas strut is gone...

Butter, just by way of info, I simply removed the top seat bolt from my gas strut without taking the whole strut out. I popped the bolt back in the strut hole so I wouldn’t lose it. The next owner can put the stock seat back on, pop the bolt back into the seat, and have a functioning stock seat lift. Having used a dowel (or in my case a redundant T Allen key), with the much larger seat opening, there is no way I would go back to the gas strut

Pete

[Cirhere]

I have a Russell seat - too heavy for shock, so I took a dowel with velcro and mounted to the underside of the seat.

[PW2013STL]

I installed a spring over my OEM strut. On the strut is a groove that the spring will snap into locking in place. Remove the top 8mm screw on the strut an pull it away from the mounting stud. Slip the spring over the strut until it goes into the grove. Reattach the strut making sure to keep the top of the spring below the mount.
Works great even with my sheep skin on.

[Don60]

Yes, PW2013STL, I used this fix and it works great. Hope others read this post and find this easy fix!

[Quickdraw]

I used your idea as well and it works well. Otherwise, I would have had to take off my sheepskin cover.

[jnt]

You are still under warranty - Get them to fix it.

[Don60]

Warranty work is a great idea if you can get into the dealer! My personal experience is that I wait about a month for appointment, get to drive 200 miles round trip, they want me to leave bike, they will check and see if this is a-warranty issue when they get to it! I can then pick up bike, wait for parts and repeat! The $3.00 fix above is my solution to the Bull**** of waiting on dealer.!

[Tango]

I just went through this with my 2020 RTL. Stopped at my dealer, he said he had two of them in stock. Came back a week later and they installed new piston. I already had them install new piston on the trunk a few weeks ago. All covered by extended warranty. The trunk piston would have cost over $300 if no warranty. Seat piston was over $200. Expensive toys we have. Tom

[KX5062]

K80 Shooter came up with the fix. Here's the thread where it's discussed.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...RTL-Seat-strut

[OverHillAndDale]

Thanks for all the input. I think I’ll try the spring solution that PW2013STL suggested, and if that fails I’ll use the dowel with Velcro. I’m getting an RDL seat and that will probably be heavier than the stock.

[PMK]

While at a nearby motorcycle dealership picking up non Spyder stuff, there was an older couple picking up a new seat strut for their Spyder.
I asked if that was as I suspected, a seat strut, they grumbled yes. I was going to offer up a tid bit about this website and other possible remedies. Unfortunately their attitude was a turn off, so I decided, if they need to be that way, they can spend money stupidly...

[2dogs]

While at a nearby motorcycle dealership picking up non Spyder stuff, there was an older couple picking up a new seat strut for their Spyder.
I asked if that was as I suspected, a seat strut, they grumbled yes. I was going to offer up a tid bit about this website and other possible remedies. Unfortunately their attitude was a turn off, so I decided, if they need to be that way, they can spend money stupidly...

I'm glad someone else bravely broached this subject because I've noticed the same lately. The spyder seems to be attracting this type of crowd recently. In our latest travels, we've come across folks who tend to carry their noses a bit higher in the air than the rest of us, if you get my drift.

[PMK]

I'm glad someone else bravely broached this subject because I've noticed the same lately. The spyder seems to be attracting this type of crowd recently. In our latest travels, we've come across folks who tend to carry their noses a bit higher in the air than the rest of us, if you get my drift.

Maybe not everyone, but those two grumpy old codgers can be as they are.
Yesterday, my long time friend that I compete with in moto trials, and we rebuild vintage motocross bikes and more, asked if I had done any Spyder laser alignments recently. I replied, nope, not wanting to deal with the attitude, frugalness, and thinking they are smart because they read it on the internet folks. Far more fun to play with the cool kids, and know they appreciate what they get. Besides, easier to make more play money fixing jets than listening to yap, yap, yap about their Spyder, and hear them complaining about dealers ripping them off. Sadly, right or wrong, they would be telling others I ripped them off. Like I said, more fun hanging with the cool kids. Even if I balance tires or do alignments for free. The good folks know how to reciprocate.

[Peteoz]

In our latest travels, we've come across folks who tend to carry their noses a bit higher in the air than the rest of us, if you get my drift.

Hey…….hold on there, 2dogs…….I carry my nose a bit higher than most

Pete

[FrogmanDave]

Hey…….hold on there, 2dogs…….I carry my nose a bit higher than most

Pete

I don't care who you are. That's some funny s**t there!

[2dogs]

Hey…….hold on there, 2dogs…….I carry my nose a bit higher than most

Pete

Well..........I'll have to exclude you folks down under. So far all the posts I read from you guys are very informative and worthwhile reading. With helpful consideration like that, I'd be pleased and thankful to scoot around with you guys anytime. Not that we don't have a good bunch up here. I don't believe the other types follow this site. They show up on FB.

[FrogmanDave]

@ 2dogs. Peteoz is 6' 7". He was referring to his nose physically being above everyone else's all the time