Back from Chicago-Safe and sound!

[Longlegs]

Hi all, my son and I rode our Spyders to the owner's event from Denver CO. We spent 8 hours in two separate shops on the way out getting new tires and an alignment for my son's bike which somehow got over 3 inches out of alignment. Thanks a bunch to Hicklin Power Sports in Des Moines who gave us some new tires off a new bike! Was not able to align the bike due to a missing tool so we were off to East Moline where Tempo Marine and Sport took excellent care of us and worked our alignment into their pre-holiday schedule. They even got it covered under warranty as there were no bent parts or damage that may have caused the issue. Enough problems for one trip? Heck no. We are riding back from the 'playground', down Ohio about 8 blocks from the Sheraton. I am sitting at a light in that nasty Chicago traffic and all of a sudden I am Ghost Rider. Flames coming up between my legs and it wasn't the Mexican food at the mansion. Get off the thing, push it over to the curb and watch it burn. Again some fine folks in the midwest come out of the restaurant I am parked in front of, Fleming's, with a fire extinguisher and mostly put the thing out. Had called the fire department and they show up about then and hit it with a couple of water cans, a technical CFD term. So the bike is still in Chicago and I am back in Denver lighter by quite a few hundred dollars for a rental car one way drop off fee. Seems like they should take better care of the recently on fire. In any case looks like a total. I see a few threads of Spyders burning to the ground and no cause was ever posted. Mine just started running rough for a few blocks then presto a BBQ!

Dang that sucks. I suppose all your stuff in the trunk was toast too?

[Firefly]

Hi all, my son and I rode our Spyders to the owner's event from Denver CO. We spent 8 hours in two separate shops on the way out getting new tires and an alignment for my son's bike which somehow got over 3 inches out of alignment. Thanks a bunch to Hicklin Power Sports in Des Moines who gave us some new tires off a new bike! Was not able to align the bike due to a missing tool so we were off to East Moline where Tempo Marine and Sport took excellent care of us and worked our alignment into their pre-holiday schedule. They even got it covered under warranty as there were no bent parts or damage that may have caused the issue. Enough problems for one trip? Heck no. We are riding back from the 'playground', down Ohio about 8 blocks from the Sheraton. I am sitting at a light in that nasty Chicago traffic and all of a sudden I am Ghost Rider. Flames coming up between my legs and it wasn't the Mexican food at the mansion. Get off the thing, push it over to the curb and watch it burn. Again some fine folks in the midwest come out of the restaurant I am parked in front of, Fleming's, with a fire extinguisher and mostly put the thing out. Had called the fire department and they show up about then and hit it with a couple of water cans, a technical CFD term. So the bike is still in Chicago and I am back in Denver lighter by quite a few hundred dollars for a rental car one way drop off fee. Seems like they should take better care of the recently on fire. In any case looks like a total. I see a few threads of Spyders burning to the ground and no cause was ever posted. Mine just started running rough for a few blocks then presto a BBQ!

Really sorry to hear about your Spyder fire--- it's been quite awhile since we've heard of one doing this. There never was a definitive cause discovered. I did the canisterectomy shortly after Walt's burned.

On your sons bike, 3" out of alignment is unreal. Did his bike at some time have the BRP riser installed? I've heard of that being done with things not lined up correct and causing similar problems.

Keep us posted--- hope you'll give the Spyder another chance!

[cvmbor]

Actually probably spend too much time getting the little bag off that goes between your legs and evacuating the trunk. The flames seemed to subside for a bit but that is the gas tank right there. The son's bike was completely stock, no riser

[jabba11]

your sons bike, 3" out of alignment is unreal. Did his bike at some time have the BRP riser installed? I've heard of that being done with things not lined up correct and causing similar problems.

Keep us posted--- hope you'll give the Spyder another chance!

explain how having the riser installed affects alignment? I mean i can understand if the handle bars are askew... but it should have no affect on alignement of the wheels

[NancysToy]

explain how having the riser installed affects alignment? I mean i can understand if the handle bars are askew... but it should have no affect on alignement of the wheels

Some of the BRP risers had the splines broached off center, resulting in bars that were skewed. If the sensors were zeroed with the bars in this position, they were off...resulting in problems similar to algnment issues. In actuality they are really sensor calibration issues, but have much the same results, and can even imitate DPS problems. If alignment was performed with the bars in this position, the Spyder would actually be out of alignment.

[canam9]

Made it back safe and sound. My buddy was not feeling well. So he is glad to be at his home. He goes in for knee replacement next week.

[Bootie]

It was great to finally meet " The Bumblebee Family".This was our first owners event, good to see old friends and make new ones. we had a wonderful time ...no complaints...

with Tim and Annamarie. We rode together and split up near Cleveland.
Had a great time.

[jabba11]

Some of the BRP risers had the splines broached off center, resulting in bars that were skewed. If the sensors were zeroed with the bars in this position, they were off...resulting in problems similar to algnment issues. In actuality they are really sensor calibration issues, but have much the same results, and can even imitate DPS problems. If alignment was performed with the bars in this position, the Spyder would actually be out of alignment.

I follow you...its sensor alignment not the actual alignment..

[Ken5517 / Wish Again]

I know that I may be late for this thread but I arrived home last night at 9:15 pm.

The last leg was 874 miles with the toughest 400 miles that I have ridden in years.

After Vail, Colorado the temps started to rise from 96 degrees, I rode for 7 hrs plus in 114 degree heat with a high of 118 degrees where the heated wind was burning my exposed hands and the clutch lever was too hot to squeeze for very long.

I will be doing a Blog on this and how the RTS faired in this real heat test conditions.

[Firefly]

I know that I may be late for this thread but I arrived home last night at 9:15 pm.

The last leg was 874 miles with the toughest 400 miles that I have ridden in years.

After Vail, Colorado the temps started to rise from 96 degrees, I rode for 7 hrs plus in 114 degree heat with a high of 118 degrees where the heated wind was burning my exposed hands and the clutch lever was too hot to squeeze for very long.

I will be doing a Blog on this and how the RTS faired in this real heat test conditions.

Good thing you have 3 cup holders if you're going to ryde in that kind of heat.....

[Paula(Butch2025)]

How about a thread for all of us to let everyone know we made it home safe....

Someguy and I made it back To Michigan just fine.

Also heard from Tina (8 legs) and she is safe and (somewhat) sound....

Who else????

We made it back to Minnesota safe, sound, and wet! It was a great, very happy that we did the trip. Looking forward to more of the same in the future.

[Ken5517 / Wish Again]

Good thing you have 3 cup holders if you're going to ryde in that kind of heat.....

Yes and someone was making fun of me for having them as a water commercial.

[WaltH]

Just returned at 10:30 am, Thursday. I must be the last one. Would have been home yesterday, but had problem with fault codes and limp mode.

The Spyder had been running just great until yesterday morning. After breakfast in Florida about 300 miles from home, the Spyder went into limp mode and started to spew out fault codes, principally check DPS. I pulled off the highway, shut it down and waited. After a few minuets I started it to see if limp mode was gone. It took three tries, but then I was back on the road.

Later in the afternoon the sky opened and enough water fell out to wash away the whole state of Florida. By then I was only about 100 miles from home. Visibility was next to nothing and the going was rough. That's when the fault codes started again. I didn't want to end up on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck in those dangerous conditions so I pulled off and went to a hotel.

When I left the hotel this morning, the Spyder immediately went to limp mode - twice. Thankfully, several reboots got me off limp mode, but the scrolling "check DPS" continued. I stopped at a new dealer in Fort Myers, Florida, about 45 miles from home. I don't go to my home dealer for anything including warranty work. I had been to this dealer once before.

Unfortunately, the dealer could not get me in today. They only have one Spyder technician and he also does watercraft. They agreed to read the codes tomorrow morning, so I went home. When I left the dealer there were no codes. Reading them today may not have been productive anyway since it is Canada Day and BRP personnel may not have been working.

I am scheduled to leave on my next long-distance ride on Friday, next week. This is a Harley ride and I have already paid a nonrefundable registration fee of $400. I have to say, things aren't looking too good for me right now.

The Spyder still runs great when it is not in limp mode. The DPS seems to be working okay. It hasn't threatened my life yet.

[Firefly]

Just returned at 10:30 am, Thursday. I must be the last one. Would have been home yesterday, but had problem with fault codes and limp mode.

The Spyder had been running just great until yesterday morning. After breakfast in Florida about 300 miles from home, the Spyder went into limp mode and started to spew out fault codes, principally check DPS. I pulled off the highway, shut it down and waited. After a few minuets I started it to see if limp mode was gone. It took three tries, but then I was back on the road.

Later in the afternoon the sky opened and enough water fell out to wash away the whole state of Florida. By then I was only about 100 miles from home. Visibility was next to nothing and the going was rough. That's when the fault codes started again. I didn't want to end up on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck in those dangerous conditions so I pulled off and went to a hotel.

When I left the hotel this morning, the Spyder immediately went to limp mode - twice. Thankfully, several reboots got me off limp mode, but the scrolling "check DPS" continued. I stopped at a new dealer in Fort Myers, Florida, about 45 miles from home. I don't go to my home dealer for anything including warranty work. I had been to this dealer once before.

Unfortunately, the dealer could not get me in today. They only have one Spyder technician and he also does watercraft. They agreed to read the codes tomorrow morning, so I went home. When I left the dealer there were no codes. Reading them today may not have been productive anyway since it is Canada Day and BRP personnel may not have been working.

I am scheduled to leave on my next long-distance ride on Friday, next week. This is a Harley ride and I have already paid a nonrefundable registration fee of $400. I have to say, things aren't looking too good for me right now.

The Spyder still runs great when it is not in limp mode. The DPS seems to be working okay. It hasn't threatened my life yet.

Glad you're home-- sorry to hear of your problems....

Have you checked your battery? Used a tender?

[Roadkill]

+Arrived home last night at 11:30 after an 850-mile day. 4233 miles overall.

Ride on.
Roadkill

[wcc002]

I made it home last evening at 5. It was my first motorcycle trip and I put 3,000 miles on the spyder (68 hours of driving time) during this 11 day adventure. I sure do wish I would have met more of you SpyderLovers. I was hoping (and so disappointed) that the Friday night dinner at Bubba Gump's was going to be held in a reserved room where we could have met eachother. Maybe I should have opted for the hotel closer to the mansion. Next time.

[SpyderSteve]

I made it home last evening at 5. It was my first motorcycle trip and I put 3,000 miles on the spyder (68 hours of driving time) during this 11 day adventure. I sure do wish I would have met more of you SpyderLovers. I was hoping (and so disappointed) that the Friday night dinner at Bubba Gump's was going to be held in a reserved room where we could have met eachother. Maybe I should have opted for the hotel closer to the mansion. Next time.

the candlewood was great probably better then the event

[dave01]

Officially home today at 330 pm.
2600 miles to Chicago and back, 600 more riding around NC.

[bjt]

... I was hoping (and so disappointed) that the Friday night dinner at Bubba Gump's was going to be held in a reserved room where we could have met eachother. Maybe I should have opted for the hotel closer to the mansion. Next time.

At any of the BRP events that I've been to, if they ever had a meeting place that was just a suggestion and they weren't covering the food (ie. Bob's Big Boy in LA, Bubba Gump's in Chicago), the place was open to the public and BRP didn't arrange a "Spyders only" section.

[Some Guy]

the candlewood was great probably better then the event

It was good meeting you and hanging out in the lot. It sounds like you had a pretty good trip.

[SpyderSteve]

It was good meeting you and hanging out in the lot. It sounds like you had a pretty good trip.

i did thanks for asking,that was my 1st. long mc trip in over 20yrs. [now i am looking at least catching the last couple days of spyders in the smokies] how about you?

[Some Guy]

i did thanks for asking,that was my 1st. long mc trip in over 20yrs. [now i am looking at least catching the last couple days of spyders in the smokies] how about you?

Firefly and I will be there Sunday through Saturday. There are lots of great rydes in that area.

[Firefly]

Firefly and I will be there Sunday through Saturday. There are lots of great rydes in that area.

WSG.....