Excited about my "new" Spyder 2014 RT and have questions
I am American and live in Mexico, way down in the boonies. Been saving money and working so very hard to buy my first Motorcycle. Being I am female and 55 everyone thought I was nuts. I kept looking and looking because down here there are not many Spyders. I knew I wanted a RT and I wanted a semi-automatic, I wanted a white one, and I wanted the one with all the toys. haha, after 3 months of not finding anything I came across what I feel was the deal of the century. I found a 2014, RT, black but SM6 which well was just the basic RT manual transmission. I was worried about not being able to drive the thing, I was nervous about it being manual. But after 1 hour of practice it was just so easy I was baffled I had stressed over this point (I am after all my father's "son" even though I am a girl haha tomboy all the way through except when I want to be feminine! haha). So I sprung for it! Here these things are way more expensive than in the US unfortunately, we have a 16% luxury tax. Uggg. Anyway, it had 650 km on it! It was basically brand new. Who knows why it was sold, but it was and I am the new lucky owner. It was missing all accessories to it, no extra key, or the fobs for the key, tools, nothing, no manual or DVD. But I already ordered alot of stuff for it. Been taking it slow and easy. Breaking it in, like it says in the online manual. Got me a cell phone holder guy, cup holder too, boots, chaps, jacket, helmet, and bags for the storage areas, etc....pretty exciting. Bought two more keys, and have to drive 2 hours to a dealer to get them programed. That is my big drawback, 2 hours to get to any type of dealer, there are just 2 here near me, and it is either Mexico City or Toluca. But this will be my first big trip with the motorcycle. Insurance has been a bear so far, so expensive, over $2000 US for a years worth. Oh well....I want to do so many things to it, but it will be slow going, this is my only "bad ass" habit! haha, I love the thing, I am building a special garage for it too! Bought covers, and will be protecting it with all my might!
So we have speed bumps here all over the place, I find that I often scrap the bottom of the motorcycle with this, I read in the book about the adjustment I can do, manually. This should raise it up a bit right? If I can raise it 1/2" it will no longer scrap. Is there some after market protector for this? When it scraps (not very often, usually it doesn't do this, but occasionally it does) what part is that on the bottom that is hitting the concrete speed bump? Unfortunately people drive like in China here, and this is the only way to slow them down.
Well that is my story for now! I am so happy to be accepted here, on another site, even though I wrote the administrators and everything I have been blocked, I don't know why, but I have never been able to post there and it makes no sense to me, as I have stuff to share too!
Oh, and also has someone added in a amplifier to give the bike that thump? haha, I like bass....is it possible?
Thank you! Sincerely, and HI to everyone! Laura
Last edited by beadaholic; 06-21-2015 at 11:40 AM.
Congratulations Laura on your new Spyder. I just got my first after nearly 60 years of two wheelers, and enjoying the heck out of it. You are at the right place on this forum for good people and good info. You might want to think about a bumpsked to protect that tupperware from all those speed bumps etc.
Ride SAFE.
they will help raise up your front end just a little plus they make your ride a little stiffer and when you go into the corners, your RT will turn on a dime.
Pretty funny story about my bike, when I bought it, it was a sunny, lovely day, being everything is so far away I had traveled to Mexico City to see this. Bought it after deciding I did not want to wait for a semi-automatic anymore (months and months). Well I had a friend of mine, young guy, who has a regular motorcycle ride it home for me. He hadn't signed up for huge rain fall, so thick you could not see in front of him, we had to stop quite a few times while he would run and jump into the car and his poor teeth chattering because it was so cold suddenly. Then it started hailing and being his helmet didn't have a face mask his eyes got all beat up and swollen! ugg.....I was so afraid something would happen to him and the bike! YIKES! anyway, we made it home, but we never figured this freak storm would happen!
It isn't the front of the bike that is hitting the speed bumps but the part below me and my butt. Like in the middle of the bike. I go over these very slow, never at any speed. It happened once because most of these are not marked and scared the crap out of me, I held on for dear life....haha, my butt was lifted up, and it was not to bad, but still....that has been my scare #1 and #2 was an area of the road that was not smooth, it was rippled, and not evenly, and the two front tired started to like "hammer" alternatingly each, and whew...did I slow down, I was doing about 70 miles per hour that time. These are all important experiences, and teach me great lessons. Believe me.....but this bumpskid thing should help too! I will get one right away!
Laura you are going to love your RT I have a Pearl White 2014 and love it. You will get used to it very soon and you'll be buying all the goodies that go along with it. Before you go out and buy everything you hear about see if you really need it first. A lot of people spend lots of money on stuff they will never use so be careful.
Enjoy your ride and be safe, we look forward to hearing from you many more times in the future.
Haha! Thank you all so much for the warm welcome! Great advice, I want lots of things for it like some PODS of Led Lights to light up the open grill areas and the ground too, here there is no law against that. I am looking at this set. http://www.ebay.com/itm/151683420175 if anyone has anything similar let me know what you think about it. I also would like to do this to my bike just to make it more feminine and more visible. But it seems very expensive to me? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A3HO6EUKNUFM2X But these of course are not necesary. I didn't want a Black RT but a Pearl White one (so envious of you justcalldon) haha, so this is my way of getting a different color maybe.....just thinking about these things!
So has anyone installed an Amp on theirs? Would a motorcycle Amp work on a Can-am Spyder? Thanks so much!
A ambos este lugar and to the syder world. Congrats on your great find (RT) you do have a skid plate which is what is likely hitting the road surface. It is small and does not cover a large area. Spyderpops bumpskid gives you full coverage and a bit of a bumper up front. Well worth it especially where you are...enjoy and thanks for the stories and pictures... muy parecido a mi pais.....
Gene and Ilana De Laney Mt. Helix, California
2012 RS sm5
2012 RS sm5 , 998cc V-Twin 106hp DIY brake and park brake Classic Black
You Need to Check the Air Pressure in the Rear Shock
Laura, you said this is the Base model RT? Very often dealers will deliver them and forget to put air in the rear shock. I have seen this twice in my area. Under the seat there is a schrader valve, you put air in it just like a tire. There should be a chart under the seat that tells you how much pressure to put in it, if not look in the owners manual. This should make a big difference.
2017 F3T-SM6 Squared Away Mirror Wedgies & Alignment
2014 RTS-SM6 123,600 miles Sold 11/2017
2014 RTL-SE6 8,600 miles
2011 RTS-SM5 5,000 miles
2013 RTS-SM5 burned up with 13,200 miles in 13 weeks
2010 RTS-SM5 59,148 miles
2010 RT- 622
I will go and check this now! You could be right! Thank YOU!
Originally Posted by SpyderAnn01
Laura, you said this is the Base model RT? Very often dealers will deliver them and forget to put air in the rear shock. I have seen this twice in my area. Under the seat there is a schrader valve, you put air in it just like a tire. There should be a chart under the seat that tells you how much pressure to put in it, if not look in the owners manual. This should make a big difference.
I will go and check this now! You could be right! Thank YOU!
That could be part of the problem with the bumping that you feel directly under the seat. With the air pumped up it will raise the Spyder a good bit. And welcome to the forum.
Guess what Ann? My RT had no air in its shock. But my compressor has kilos and pounds....not sure which is PSI, how do I figure that out? Is it 42 lbs? I am not sure, but I added in a little bit of air and poof, it lifted up the motorcycle a whole bunch, I just don't want to blow out the shock! HELP! haha, thank you so much!
Guess what Ann? My RT had no air in its shock. But my compressor has kilos and pounds....not sure which is PSI, how do I figure that out? Is it 42 lbs? I am not sure, but I added in a little bit of air and poof, it lifted up the motorcycle a whole bunch, I just don't want to blow out the shock! HELP! haha, thank you so much!
I just checked past posts on shock pressure; max is 90psi, in the post they suggested 65 psi to start.
Welcome to the Spyderverse, Laura!! I can tell you're excited about your new ryde. !! Even though the scraping wasn't on the front, I would highly recommend the bump-skid.
BTW, I think you owe your friend who rode it home - - big time!
Guess what Ann? My RT had no air in its shock. But my compressor has kilos and pounds....not sure which is PSI, how do I figure that out? Is it 42 lbs? I am not sure, but I added in a little bit of air and poof, it lifted up the motorcycle a whole bunch, I just don't want to blow out the shock! HELP! haha, thank you so much!
I'm glad that you found the problem. As for the conversion to psi - go to this link http://www.operatorsguides.brp.com/I...adster&type=og that is the owners guide - Canadian version and on page 56 they have the chart in kpa. If the link doesn't work go to www.can-am.brp.com, then click on Owners, Guides & Information, Operators Guides then you have to enter your email address. then click on 2014 and choose the second option for Spyder CE, 2014.
Good luck! Maybe the person who sold the Spyder would have kept it if it had had air in the shock!
2017 F3T-SM6 Squared Away Mirror Wedgies & Alignment
2014 RTS-SM6 123,600 miles Sold 11/2017
2014 RTL-SE6 8,600 miles
2011 RTS-SM5 5,000 miles
2013 RTS-SM5 burned up with 13,200 miles in 13 weeks
2010 RTS-SM5 59,148 miles
2010 RT- 622
Haha! Thank you all so much for the warm welcome! Great advice, I want lots of things for it like some PODS of Led Lights to light up the open grill areas and the ground too, here there is no law against that. I am looking at this set. http://www.ebay.com/itm/151683420175 if anyone has anything similar let me know what you think about it. I also would like to do this to my bike just to make it more feminine and more visible. But it seems very expensive to me? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A3HO6EUKNUFM2X But these of course are not necesary. I didn't want a Black RT but a Pearl White one (so envious of you justcalldon) haha, so this is my way of getting a different color maybe.....just thinking about these things!
So has anyone installed an Amp on theirs? Would a motorcycle Amp work on a Can-am Spyder? Thanks so much!
Sincerely Laura
Don't forget that you can go to the audio menu and boost up the bass. It makes a big difference.
Excited about my "new" Spyder 2014 RT and have questions
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The best advice that I can give you about speed bumps... 
on your new ride. 
A few pictures would also be nice.
muy parecido a mi pais.....
Originally Posted by SpyderAnn01
Happy Spyderlovers
