slop in handlebars 2014 RT-L

[motoswami]

I can't remember it being there when new, or even gradually starting to show. Whenever it actually happened, I now notice about 2" freeplay measured back/forth at the handlebar ends as the bike sits, stopped, all switches turned off, and I move the bars as if turning right or left. On the road, this is not a major issue, though I'm sure it contributes to not always carving a really smooth line through the curves. Straightaways it's not intrusive as a "handling problem."

Is this much slack normal, and -- if not -- what's the easiest access to see possible joints/junctures/fittings inside the Tupperware?
I do not see any looseness down at the A-Frame end of things, and not much else is visible in behind the plastic.

Correction: Since my original posting, I have measured the slop/free play with an actual ruler, finding it to be closer to half an inch than two inches. My apology.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Since it should still be under warranty I would have a Dealer deal with this, ASAP .....something catastrophic could be in near future .........................Mike

[Ex-Rocket]

Since it should still be under warranty I would have a Dealer deal with this, ASAP .....something catastrophic could be in near future .........................Mike

Do this as soon as possible. Sounds very dangerous.

[garb55]

I hope you have a good dealer
otherwise he will tell you "they all do that"
If he does ask him to show you on another bike
Preferably a new one he has

[Bob Denman]

This should be a warranty item.
If it's not the tie-rod ends: it'd have to be something inside the DPS unit!

[Chupaca]

If you are mechanical there are things you can check. If your covered they should check. I do remember Finless having an issue with the Triaxis handlebars coming loose and developing play. But I do agree with the rest that it is something that needs attention soon..!!

[finless]

I am going to say this and pointed it out to MANY people recently who all thought it was odd...

My 2011 has a little slop and they all do... But during a BRP sponsored event in Socal (Nascar event) there were about 5 RTs brand new sitting there. They all had a lot more slop than my 2011 does, nor did the 2012's, 2013's, and 2014's all parked there for the event! BUT two people that had 2015's that slop was there...

So considering I could feel the slop on 2016/15 models that were brand new, I think it is normal. Something must have changed in the design of this steering system since 2014.

Just telling you my experiences noticing this.

Bob

[finless]

By the way just to add.... They had a small track setup at the event and I rode a brand new 2016 RTS around the track. Even though I noticed the slop while parked.... I did not notice it riding! In fact I felt it steered better than my 2011 RTS.

Bob

[SpyderNeil]

I can't remember it being there when new, or even gradually starting to show. Whenever it actually happened, I now notice about 2" freeplay measured back/forth at the handlebar ends as the bike sits, stopped, all switches turned off, and I move the bars as if turning right or left. On the road, this is not a major issue, though I'm sure it contributes to not always carving a really smooth line through the curves. Straightaways it's not intrusive as a "handling problem."

Is this much slack normal, and -- if not -- what's the easiest access to see possible joints/junctures/fittings inside the Tupperware?
I do not see any looseness down at the A-Frame end of things, and not much else is visible in behind the plastic.

I just checked my 2016 RTE6, and I get at Most 1/4" of play at the end of the bars.
I checked the steering, and there is no play from the pitman arm to the tie rod ends. So it must be in the steering shaft or the steering box.

Neil

[motoswami]

First, let me apologize for not having provided actual objective data rather than making an away-from-the-garage guess (fueled by no small amount of anxiety) . My bad originally stating the play was about two inches.

I've been to the garage now with ruler in hand and find an actual ruler shows my end play to be about half an inch.

It very well may have been this much 6,000 miles ago when the unit rolled out of the dealer's showroom for the first time (August, 2015).

I stopped by my nearest dealer today and checked out all the bikes on the floor. Only one was an RT. It had close to an inch of play. The remainder of the new offerings were of the ST or F3 flavor, and they varied between next-to-nothing and half an inch.
There weren't any used units in stock, so I collected no data regarding how much play is evident once a machine is broken in a little.

I didn't bother to go to the back and talk with the techs, because I have little regard for the competence of this particular business.
I do have an appointment next week with a dealer in an adjacent state, whom I've visited before and trust to diagnose if there is a problem.

Stay tuned. Meanwhile, it would be enlightening to hear what actual measured play various forum members find in their machine, by year and type.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

.....Thanks for getting back to us. You had me scarred there when I first read 2 inches .....I considered that to something so loose it was about to FAIL.........Mine is like yours, and has no effect on how my Spyder tracks going down the road......Joe & Ann did my alignment ( ROLO LAZER ) last year and it tracks TRUE........hope this helps ease your mind .......................Mike

[finless]

I stopped by my nearest dealer today and checked out all the bikes on the floor. Only one was an RT. It had close to an inch of play. The remainder of the new offerings were of the ST or F3 flavor, and they varied between next-to-nothing and half an inch.
There weren't any used units in stock, so I collected no data regarding how much play is evident once a machine is broken in a little.

Like I said above. I check 5 brand new RT's and they all had more slop than my 2011.

[motoswami]

Like I said above. I check 5 brand new RT's and they all had more slop than my 2011.

So you're thinking 1/2" freeplay at bar end is within normal?

[finless]

So you're thinking 1/2" freeplay at bar end is within normal?

That is about what the new ones I looked at had.... All 5 of them on the floor with price stickers on them!
It seems the new ones have this as normal. I think some design change since 2013 or so...

Bob

[Smutt]

I have a 2015 RTL with 350 kilometers, checked free play, 1/2 in at bar ends.

[PMK]

Just went to the garage and took a tape measure check for comparison. Our 2014 RTs with around 7k miles. At the end of the grip, measured directly forward to the mirror, 3/8" free play with a slight effort to load in each direction.

Without the slight effort to load the slack, just the looseness, was about 1/4".