Disappointment

[syclemom]

Have had none of the horrors I am hearing, 7200mi. and wife has none , totally stable at 95mph. pulling the trailer, she absolutley loves it, wish mileage was a little better, but nothing can t live with , hope everyones issues are resolved. I am a two wheel rider I have only ridden my wifes about ten miles total, is very sensitive steering to me, I was very unstable , twitchy at highway speeds, where as my wife is smooth as silk, I wonder how many are converted two wheelers , she has about 95000mi. on Trikes before this so I trust her opinion completely, she said took a little getting used to the power steering but now is awesome she rides it literally daily.

[docdoru]

Yes, I've contacted the Spyder Team at BRP... When I attempted to point out that I've read about other similar situations on this site, I was told not to believe everything I read online...really.

... this is because they have a Non Disclosure Contract signed...

[NancysToy]

Have had none of the horrors I am hearing, 7200mi. and wife has none , totally stable at 95mph. pulling the trailer, she absolutley loves it, wish mileage was a little better, but nothing can t live with , hope everyones issues are resolved. I am a two wheel rider I have only ridden my wifes about ten miles total, is very sensitive steering to me, I was very unstable , twitchy at highway speeds, where as my wife is smooth as silk, I wonder how many are converted two wheelers , she has about 95000mi. on Trikes before this so I trust her opinion completely, she said took a little getting used to the power steering but now is awesome she rides it literally daily.

That's a pretty common problem for those just coming over from two wheels. It takes a conscious effort to learn to relax and to react to slight changes and handlebar wiggles the opposite way you did before...if you react at all. When Nancy first got her Spyder, I experienced the same thing. Now, with a few thousand Spyder miles, it feels natural to me...or it did until I rode my RTS. It is great to hear that many RTs are very stable. That means the rest can be fixed.

[syclemom]

I should say that I never got totally comfortable with her Goldwing Trikes either, I ride to work 80mi. a day yr. round since we live in the south and the transition is extreme , a man named O.D.that has rode trikes since they were invented, due to being disabled , due to being shot while a policeman once told me to stay off of her trikes because the transition from my everyday bike was hard to do safely, I trusted him and know it is different,Bless his soul he passed he was the owner of Marshall Tx. H&W Honda a well known trike builder. I wonder how many unsatisfied with stability are like me and need more time and miles, my wifes seems very good so far best of luck to others . Regarding the brakes, I wonder how many have gone to a parking lot and really tested their bikes I witnessed my wife bring her RTS & trailer to a panic stop thanks to a cage driver , it stopped FAST, Controlled and stable,She is small not overly strong on pedal, stop was excellent, take your machine to a parking lot and learn its handling and braking , ABS is different.

[Questions]

Originally Posted by PalmBeachRyder
Yes, I've contacted the Spyder Team at BRP... When I attempted to point out that I've read about other similar situations on this site, I was told not to believe everything I read online...really.

... this is because they have a Non Disclosure Contract signed...

Let me be clear...that was told to me by Carlo...not by any of the Spyder 5.

[NancysToy]

I should say that I never got totally comfortable with her Goldwing Trikes either, I ride to work 80mi. a day yr. round since we live in the south and the transition is extreme , a man named O.D.that has rode trikes since they were invented, due to being disabled , due to being shot while a policeman once told me to stay off of her trikes because the transition from my everyday bike was hard to do safely, I trusted him and know it is different,Bless his soul he passed he was the owner of Marshall Tx. H&W Honda a well known trike builder. I wonder how many unsatisfied with stability are like me and need more time and miles, my wifes seems very good so far best of luck to others . Regarding the brakes, I wonder how many have gone to a parking lot and really tested their bikes I witnessed my wife bring her RTS & trailer to a panic stop thanks to a cage driver , it stopped FAST, Controlled and stable,She is small not overly strong on pedal, stop was excellent, take your machine to a parking lot and learn its handling and braking , ABS is different.

Good advice on the brake test in the parking lot, for any new ride. That is the part that worries me. I did exactly that. Mine takes at least three times the distance to stop in a panic stop as my wife's Spyder. No getting tossed over the handlebars on this one, even quite literally standing on the brake pedal. It has worse brakes than my 65 Triumph...but slightly better than my Honda SuperCub.

[Firefly]

Good advice on the brake test in the parking lot, for any new ride. That is the part that worries me. I did exactly that. Mine takes at least three times the distance to stop in a panic stop as my wife's Spyder. No getting tossed over the handlebars on this one, even quite literally standing on the brake pedal. It has worse brakes than my 65 Triumph...but slightly better than my Honda SuperCub.

That's just not right.

It would be nice if you could hook up with another RT owner that isn't having these problems--- swap bikes for 5 or 10 miles and see what you both felt during the ride.

[Mr.B]

Scotty,
You are a class act. Stay the course and stay true to your ethics. Looks like you have strong following here and if BRP is listening they should respect that.
As you know I picked up my RTS on Saturday, drove it 18 miles and ran to an issue "limp home" was the direction given by my new toy. On Monday my dealer picked up the RTS and they are working on the problem. I too plan to give them the opportunity to support me. I have faith that they will.

Lucky Baldwin

A follow up to the issue with my new RTS. My dealership picked it up and spent a couple of days trying to replicate the issue I had. They hooked it up to the computer, nothing, Tech took it out for 45 minutes on the road, nothing. They called BRP and through that discussion figured out the problem...ME!
Looks like I was riding the brake, sort of. On the RTS if you just put a little pressure on the brake enough so the brake light switch is engaged the computer looks to see if the brakes actually engaged. If you don't push the brake peddle down but only enough to turn on the brake lights the computer will eventually think there is a brake problem because the brakes never engaged and send you the alert and tell you to "Limp Home".
From the first time I test rode the RTS I felt like I might ride the brake based on foot position so their analysis rings true with me. I'm picking up my toy tomorrow morning and I'll give her a good testing to see if this is case. If it is I'll be relieved and suggest they cover this possibility when a customer picks up their bike.

[ThreeWheels]

NancysToy,

Brakes are fine.
No engine problems for me.
No problems with fit/finish
The bouncing gas gauge got fixed. The jury is out on the accuracy, although I tend to think the gauge is accurate, the range of the bike sucks.
MPG.......I'm up to about 27 with 89 Octane. Started out with 25 using 87 Octane. I'll start burning 93 Octane and report.
Fixed the Dion and the Belmonts problem, but you know that from a previous post.
I've got my Dowco Ultralite to fit the bike better than the Spyder cover.
My main problems now are with others. Waiting for my GPS bracket to come in, and waiting for the CB to be delivered.

I may be speaking out of turn, but it seems to me you'll be much happier when you get your handling issues straightened out and you can ride the bloody thing instead of looking at a $25,000 sculpture.



Hope this helps.

[NancysToy]

Brakes are fine.
No engine problems for me.
No problems with fit/finish
The bouncing gas gauge got fixed. The jury is out on the accuracy, although I tend to think the gauge is accurate, the range of the bike sucks.
MPG.......I'm up to about 27 with 89 Octane. Started out with 25 using 87 Octane. I'll start burning 93 Octane and report.
Fixed the Dion and the Belmonts problem, but you know that from a previous post.
I've got my Dowco Ultralite to fit the bike better than the Spyder cover.

I may be speaking out of turn, but it seems to me you'll be much happier when you get your handling issues straightened out and you can ride the bloody thing instead of looking at a $25,000 sculpture.

Glad you are squared away. That gives me great hope. You are right, if I can get it to stop channeling Dion DiMucci, and get the thing to stop in something less than a city block, I will be happier. The other 20 items on the punch list are less important. I have never been afraid of a bike before, and that includes my fuel bike after a speed wobble dumped me on the long end of the drag strip at over 150 mph! I don't like being timid around one that can't even fall over, for crying out loud. I'll press for an alignment next week, have a brake pressure test done, and buy some EBC pads, and maybe we can start to get some serious miles on this thing.

[NancysToy]

Does the dealer do the fluid filling on these bikes??? Were those brakes bled properly??? This story will be interesting when it climaxes at the end------keep us tuned in here. (This story mirrors my Polaris sled of 2007)

Dealers do not fill the brake fluid, as far as I know. The brakes do not feel soft, like they need to be bled, just the opposite. Dealer is going to perform brake pressure test and inspect them next week. There are actually several possible causes, so I won't jump to conclusions until we can run some tests and inspect a few components.

I made arrangements this morning for the dealer to address the main issues here, even a few miles before my 625 mile service. I was going to kill both birds with one stone, but decided the safety issues could not wait, and I did not want to ride the remaining few miles this way. I was pretty impressed when I found out that without even hearing directly from me, Carlo had already contacted them and told them to take good care of me. Thanks Carlo! I'll take it in today or Monday, for them to look at early next week. They have already put an alignment on their list. I'll let you know how things come out.

[dltang]

Dealers do not fill the brake fluid, as far as I know. The brakes do not feel soft, like they need to be bled, just the opposite. Dealer is going to perform brake pressure test and inspect them next week. There are actually several possible causes, so I won't jump to conclusions until we can run some tests and inspect a few components.

I made arrangements this morning for the dealer to address the main issues here, even a few miles before my 625 mile service. I was going to kill both birds with one stone, but decided the safety issues could not wait, and I did not want to ride the remaining few miles this way. I was pretty impressed when I found out that without even hearing directly from me, Carlo had already contacted them and told them to take good care of me. Thanks Carlo! I'll take it in today or Monday, for them to look at early next week. They have already put an alignment on their list. I'll let you know how things come out.

Very happy for you Scotty, I hope this turns out all for the positive and they are able to make all the necessary corrections needed to make your RT the spyder you hoped it would be. Carlo seems to really be on top of things to the best of his ability.

[skypup]

I have been struggling about whether or not to write this post. I am doing it to hope I will start to feel better. I am becoming increasingly disappointed and disillusioned with my RT, now that I have been able to start riding it. There is plenty good about it, but the bad things and the little nuisances are bothering me no end. Yesterday I rode my BMW for the first time this year, and it put my feelings in perspective. There is no hiding my disappointment.

OK, why? Well, first there is the lack of quality control in a high end (and high dollar) vehicle. Paint runs, bubbles, and abundant orange peel do not belong on a limited edition vehicle. Then there is the gauge light that repeatedly refuses to work. Of course the gas gauge bounces half the scale, buries itself at the bottom before the low fuel warning comes on, and is generally useless, so I suppose having no light may be a blessing in disguise. Even the PE number embroidery is not up to snuff, with uneven stitching that makes the "#0150" appear to say "#0450".

The Spyder ate a spark plug the very first day. It continues to do so. Hard starting, plug fouling, misfiring at highway speeds...and a response from the tech to "never start it unless you are going to ride it", and advice to carry extra plugs. Toss in the very poor mileage, and horsepower on the MCO that does not match the advertising, and my face gets longer.

The last straw has been the hideous handling. I knew from some demo rides that the RT tended to dive into turns, and that it wallowed a bit. I was not prepared for how unpredictable this was. I have to be paying close attention every single second, just to avoid running off the road. I have thousands of Spyder miles under my belt, but this is a vastly different beast...and it saddens me. The idea was to have a stable vehicle that handled well under adverse conditions, and was relaxing to ride, like our RS, but more comfortable. Highway miles with this wobbly monster are a chore, and riding behind a semi is as scary as anything I have ever done...and I have done a lot of scary things. The last straw was having the handling deteriorate when we rode two-up, and having it be so noticeable that my wife asked if I was having handling problems because of her.

I am hoping some of these things can be worked out without throwing good money after bad. I have increased the tire air pressure to no avail. I will set up the shocks to max, but I don't know if it will help much more. I have to check the toe-in, but it is not visibly bad. I will also have to check all the suspension components for looseness. The RTS will eventually require a paint job. Disappointing to throw that kind of dough at a new vehicle. The jury is still out on the misfire, I will give the dealer another chance to address it. If I can cure it somehow, it should help the mileage. The gauges will be removed and I will revert to the digitals...sad waste of money. I bought this to be a highway vehicle. If it turns into a ride-around-town toy, it will go to the back of the garage...and likely rot there. Too bad, there was great potential here, but the execution leaves much to be desired. This is without a doubt the most comfortable motorcycle I have ever ridden...bar none. Comfort can't be coupled with poor workmanship, poor performance, and bad handling, however. For now, Nancy's RS and my Beemer will continue to be the rides of choice.

My wife and I drive RS's. We are planning on getting an RT. I had an opportunity to drive the dealer's RT about 300 miles a few weeks ago. We went there today and drove a paddle version. We went on two 18 mile test drives with varied speeds and terrain. We took turns riding and driving. We found that setting the suspension at the half way mark worked best for us. I can say that we have read complaints concerning handling issues and don't understand. Our experiences have been positive. We're wondering what percentage of people are having issues before we buy ours.

[Wheeler~]

My wife and I drive RS's. We are planning on getting an RT. I had an opportunity to drive the dealer's RT about 300 miles a few weeks ago. We went there today and drove a paddle version. We went on two 18 mile test drives on varied speeds and terrain. We took turns riding and driving. We found that setting the suspension at the half way mark worked best for us. I can say that we have read complaints concerning handling issues and don't understand. Our experiences have been positive. We're wondering what percentage of people are having issues before we buy ours.

I think you're going to have a tough time judging what that percentage is. People usually respond to those posts that address them personally. I hope you get what you're seeking but think if you ask that in a post dedicated to problems, the replies will come from those with problems. I personally LOVE MY SPYDER even with the couple of problems I'm experiencing.

[skypup]

I think you're going to have a tough time judging what that percentage is. People usually respond to those posts that address them personally. I hope you get what you're seeking but think if you ask that in a post dedicated to problems, the replies will come from those with problems. I personally LOVE MY SPYDER even with the couple of problems I'm experiencing.

I'm sure we will love it too. We're really fond of our RS's. My dealer said that people are experiencing problems with the ride due to not being set up properly before delivery.

[mxz600]

I made arrangements this morning for the dealer to address the main issues here, even a few miles before my 625 mile service. I was going to kill both birds with one stone, but decided the safety issues could not wait, and I did not want to ride the remaining few miles this way. I was pretty impressed when I found out that without even hearing directly from me, Carlo had already contacted them and told them to take good care of me. Thanks Carlo! I'll take it in today or Monday, for them to look at early next week. They have already put an alignment on their list. I'll let you know how things come out.

I must of just missed you today Scotty. I was at the dealer around 3:30 to pick up my Spyder and I saw your RT sitting outside. By the time I got done in the parts department they had put her inside. I do hope they can get everything taken care of and you end up with the machine you thought you were getting in the first place.

[NancysToy]

I'm sure we will love it too. We're really fond of our RS's. My dealer said that people are experiencing problems with the ride due to not being set up properly before delivery.

I disagree, respectfully. The alignment is done at the factory, and has nothing to do with dealer setup. The normal suspension setting is mid-way (3) from the factory, but your dealer can set it where you ask...or you can do it yourself. Even set to the top, with my 180 pounds, mine still wanders all over the road. If you get one, and it isn't right, you will know it. Have the dealer address it then. Not being able to ride for several months, after mine arrived during a Michigan winter, slowed down my ability to find the problems and get them taken care of.

[NancysToy]

I must of just missed you today Scotty. I was at the dealer around 3:30 to pick up my Spyder and I saw your RT sitting outside. By the time I got done in the parts department they had put her inside. I do hope they can get everything taken care of and you end up with the machine you thought you were getting in the first place.

Sorry we missed you. Never went inside the main building. Found a couple more issues on the way over, believe it or not. Sounds like they are devoting a major effort to taking care of things. That pleases me!

[skypup]

I disagree, respectfully. The alignment is done at the factory, and has nothing to do with dealer setup. The normal suspension setting is mid-way (3) from the factory, but your dealer can set it where you ask...or you can do it yourself. Even set to the top, with my 180 pounds, mine still wanders all over the road. If you get one, and it isn't right, you will know it. Have the dealer address it then. Not being able to ride for several months, after mine arrived during a Michigan winter, slowed down my ability to find the problems and get them taken care of.

I'll definitely do that. I had two issues with my sport bike involving creep and very squeaky brakes. After reading my comments on this board Carlos called me at home and assisted in resolving the issues. A clutch was replaced in my transmission and new brake pads installed. Result, issues are resolved. My wife and I are very fortunate to have found a great dealer who really cares (husband and wife team). We will be on a group ride with them tomorrow for some BBQ. Here in Texas, that's a good thing.
BRP and the dealer have showed us a reason to trust them and we will continue to do buisness with them. We love the "thinking outside of the box" in the design concepts and technology which BRP has demonstrated. All machines have issues. These machines can only get better with time and we decided the time is now.

[westgl]

You may Have tried this already,

Jack the front end up, get at least one front wheel off the ground.

I have been wanting to do this with mine.

Grab the front wheel, (Once you have it in the air) one hand on the top of the wheel/tire, and one on the bottom then try to rock the wheel back & fourth or Up & down to see if there is any play.

Then grab the same wheel by the front of the wheel, and the back of the wheel, see if there is any play this way as well.

Then check all steering linkages for play

The RT-S comes with a swaybar maybe check that linkage as well.

Just a thought,

Westgl

[widowmaker2011]

Sorry we missed you. Never went inside the main building. Found a couple more issues on the way over, believe it or not. Sounds like they are devoting a major effort to taking care of things. That pleases me!

Scotty , haven't been around and didn't notice this thread. We had 2 2009 machines wander horrible and after tons of diagnosing and fiddling with toe, we found the control arm bushings were way way too tight and were almost frozen from the factory. New bushings and life was good.
Just a thought.

[NancysToy]

Scotty , haven't been around and didn't notice this thread. We had 2 2009 machines wander horrible and after tons of diagnosing and fiddling with toe, we found the control arm bushings were way way too tight and were almost frozen from the factory. New bushings and life was good.
Just a thought.

Thanks for another possibility. If the find the toe-in correct, and nothing loose, I'll have them check this. Odd, tight parts usually don't cause wandering.

[vendit]

Scotty,
I surely hope that your dealer can diagnose and repair your new ride correctly and efficiently! I seriously considered buying mine from this same dealer last spring, because I was impresed with their knowledge of the Spyder as well as they seemed to be pretty decent people! I ended up at another dealer that was closer to home, in case of service, etc.
I actually took a test ride on one of their demos last May. They have a nice "test track" on the roads around the dealership.

I am sure we all will be interested to hear what you find out. Hope all goes well for you, and that you can be enjoying your new ride and feel safe and confident when riding it.

Mike

[SPIIDR]

Hi

Just thought i would write this. Yesterday here in Australia(Melbourne) was a mild sunny day with winds of about 40KM to 50KM so i took the RT out for a 350KM ride to Lorne witch included Highway and A few Twisties on the Great Ocean Road. As i posted in a earlier post i have had my front suspenssion adjusted to the highest setting and 22 pond pressure in the front tyers. We rode two up and at speed of 100KM to 120Km with head wind and cross wind. I must say that the Rt peformed very well for the conditions still a bit of movement but you would except this in these conditions i think that even a small car would get pushed around in these condition as well. I must say that you have to be a lot more relaxed riding the RT and learn its limitations i have also found that in windy conditions having the winscreen all the way down makes a lot of difference. I do feel for you Mate and i think that the problem is with your RT now and i hope that BRP will come to the rescue. Having said that i do also think that a sway bar will help a great deal if one comes out please let us know and good luck hope you get on the road soon.

[skypup]

I'd like to comment again also. Yesterday my wife and I rode with 13 or so spyders and 20 individuals. We drove 188 miles up to 75 mph. We had HEAVY winds here yesterday. You could feel the winds moving you but the bikes held solid. We had two RT's directly infront of us, we were numbers 5 and 6 in our convoy. With two way communications (cardo bluetooth) my wife and I could comment to each other about the RT's performance. The riders themselves never expressed performance concerns and the bikes seemed to hold the road very well with little to no unsteadiness under the conditions. The main thing we observed was the up and down undulations on the RT's which helps to explain their cushier ride. This is a pic of our group yesterday and our RT test drive video on Saturday.