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You Tube Video - Shawn Smoak

Brian Kay

Brian Kay

New member
Did anyone catch the you tube video from Shawn Smoak talking about issues with spyder's and avoiding getting the limp home mode... due to cheap accessories and or after market replacement parts? He published the video a few days ago on June 28, 2015. Found it very interesting and of course very helpful, because Shawn is awesome when it comes to spyder care, buyer beware messages, education and maintenance tips.

Subscribe and like his videos... They are addictive.
 
I've watched him

I've watched a bunch of his videos on Youtube. He sure seems to know his stuff. The latest was a 4 part Darango trip.
 
I think he loses some credibility on this one, after ranting about aftermarket LEDs he gets off the bike and shows his. Then says lights don't matter, defensive driving and awareness are enough. Really? Not in my world they aren't. Sorry Shawn, not picking up what you are putting down here.
 
MisterP said:
I think he loses some credibility on this one, after ranting about aftermarket LEDs he gets off the bike and shows his. Then says lights don't matter, defensive driving and awareness are enough. Really? Not in my world they aren't. Sorry Shawn, not picking up what you are putting down here.
Click to expand...

That wasn't his Spyder; that was the customer's that had the problem. I'm not sure he actually owns a Spyder, it seems like he just rides the dealer's demos and customers. At least I've never heard him say "this is my Spyder."

It would be nice to build a list of what lights and circuits it's safe to tinker with and which are not.

I'd like to replace the tail lights with CD's conversion kit, the strobe controller, and the Brightsides front fender lights. Not sure that I should.
 
In light of the fact that CD has sold probably thousands of their units and a lot of us have DIY stuff with no problems, I think his rant on LEDs is off base. You can buy the most expensive BRP setup and if it shorts out for whatever reason it will screw up your bike. I'd say that installation issues were a greater contributor to problems than the products. Sure there is cheap Chinese stuff, but I'd bet that CDs and Tricleds are also made in China. Maybe higher quality, but how do you measure that.

IMO even if you have a dealer install your LEDs I'd check it out afterwards for QC issues, and if you do it, check it twice. Put plugs on everything so you can quickly unplug stuff to check things yourself. Lots of dealers can't change the oil right, so don't assume that your lights or anything else is right.
 
Shawn may be quite knowledgeable on Spyders but he was way off on this video. He confused two Spyders that he serviced and made this video combining issues from both into one. My friend's Spyder broke down while she was in Oregon and she was very upset as she was heading to Alaska. Shawn did change out her battery but that was not the problem, the problem on her Spyder was a bad Map sensor. Once the sensor was changed everything was fine. It had absolutely nothing to do with any LED lights and it was not her battery.

Beware not everything you watch on You Tube is true.
 
MisterP said:
I think he loses some credibility on this one, after ranting about aftermarket LEDs he gets off the bike and shows his. Then says lights don't matter, defensive driving and awareness are enough. Really? Not in my world they aren't. Sorry Shawn, not picking up what you are putting down here.
Click to expand...

Amen to that and he has two different Spyders mixed up. See my post. The problem was a bad map sensor on the bike that was headeed to AK it had nothing to do with LED lights.
 
Smoking Smoak!

Really? A guy makes what appears to be an honest mistake. And for that....he is being taken appart. Really!

Lighten up already. nojoke

Holy cow:doorag:
 
Crushed

SpyderAnn01 said:
Jerry, did you listen to the whole video? Yes, he pissed me off. Sorry if you disagree, I used to like you.:roflblack:
Click to expand...

Ouch :roflblack: Yes I listened, and while who did what, and when, was confusing. The points he was trying to make were my main interest. Since I didn't know who the owners were, anymore than it appears he did....not.

Had I known more...I think I'd have dropped him a note and asked for some of what ever it is he's smoking. :roflblack:

Say Hi to all on the trip and continue to be safe and above ALL else. HAVE FUN!!!

jer
 
Jerbear said:
Really? A guy makes what appears to be an honest mistake. And for that....he is being taken appart. Really!

Lighten up already. nojoke

Holy cow:doorag:
Click to expand...

No one is BEATING him up, we are just commenting that on this video, he blew it. It can happen, but if he is as good as some people think then IMO it shouldn't have. I will still use Procaliber for my service work. I might give him some crap about this. IMO this wasn't an honest mistake it was a 30 minute rant about LED add ons, that Procaliber probably puts on everyday. Probably not the real cheap stuff, but the CD and Tricled stuff for sure. I have the CD stuff and they were suppose to have done the install.
 
Actually; his comments about using proper riding technique, rather than relying on lights; is spot on!! :2thumbs:
To be honest; I've added TricLED's 3rd and 4th brake lights to both of my RTs...

...But I still trust my mirrors more! :D
 
SpyderAnn01 said:
Jerry, did you listen to the whole video? Yes, he pissed me off. Sorry if you disagree, I used to like you.:roflblack:
Click to expand...

pitzerwm said:
No one is BEATING him up, we are just commenting that on this video, he blew it. It can happen, but if he is as good as some people think then IMO it shouldn't have. I will still use Procaliber for my service work. I might give him some crap about this. IMO this wasn't an honest mistake it was a 30 minute rant about LED add ons, that Procaliber probably puts on everyday. Probably not the real cheap stuff, but the CD and Tricled stuff for sure. I have the CD stuff and they were suppose to have done the install.
Click to expand...

I agree. He said everything he had to say in the first couple minutes. Then he just repeated his rants instead of providing a factual analysis of what actually happened with the offending lights and why. He had so many misstatements of facts in there it seemed like he had no clue about Spyders -- which is clearly not the case. The whole thing just doesn't make any sense.

As for batteries, he has a valid point for all the pre-13 RT's and all RS's. Most mfr's including Yuasa make AGM batteries that are to be filled with acid and charged at the time of purchase so they have an "infinite" shelf life. AGM's can be used in any orientation as is the case with the sideways batteries on RS's and pre-13 RT's. However, that depends on two things -- a) a perfect seal when you close the top openings after filling it, and b) complete 100% absorption of the acid by the glass mats after your initial charge. If (b) fails then you're totally dependent on (a) which is a little scary. Yuasa specifies that for the pre-13 RT's and other models, you must only use their factory-filled batteries. The batteries filled at time of purchase contain a suffix "BS" in the battery number indicating "bottled supplied" acid. For Spyders, Yuasa says do not use the BS versions but only factory filled. I asked them the difference and they said they have very specific charging and discharging procedure when they fill them that guarantees 100% absorption of all the acid. Shawn mentions all this in the video but without a clear explanation. Apparently they have seen rotted battery trays from leaking batteries but he should be aware it could be from Yuasa as well as others if they were bottle-filled batteries. I'm sure many dealers also use BS versions because they don't want to wrestle with batteries having a short shelf life. If they charge them up quick to get them out the door, there could be problems but no one notices until the next time someone pulls the battery. For the '13 and later RT's, Yuasa and BRP have dropped the prohibition against BS versions as these batteries stand upright. Sorry to be so long-winded.
 
So he doesn't like add-on lighting... :dontknow:
Have you ever had a loose wire cause a short circuit? :yikes:
Whatever caused the "miscue" here; he sure seems to know his stuff! :thumbup:
I can forgive this mistake; it's not like I've never made one! :opps:
 
The most interesting part is not the video but the RESPONSES!

It amazes me at the SELECTIVE listening viewers have. :banghead:

But hey, that's what makes this world so interesting :D

AJ
 
Bob Denman said:
So he doesn't like add-on lighting... :dontknow:
Have you ever had a loose wire cause a short circuit? :yikes:
Whatever caused the "miscue" here; he sure seems to know his stuff! :thumbup:
I can forgive this mistake; it's not like I've never made one! :opps:
Click to expand...

Agree
 
I'm surprised no one commented on the potential "warranty" issue caused by after market items; this thread could go on for days lol:roflblack:

Just kidding of course.
 
Yea I talk to Shawn quite a bit. He usually knows his stuff. But he was way off on his facts on this one.

The lights are not on the Can-buss. And after market lights do not have a chip in them to fool the can-buss.
Yes the lights are "controlled" from the can-buss e.g. turned on, etc but each light does not have a processor in it that takes commands from the buss.

Now like anything if you overload a circuit on the Spyder, the system can see that and can cause issues. For instance a fast blink on the turn signals. That is there to tell you that you have a bulb burned out.

Obviously the trunk light he pointed out had some issue of overloading the riding or brake light circuit. That light if you look close at the video looks like some cheap strip from a auto parts store. So either it overloaded the circuit or the user wired it wrong.

Anyway, Shawn missed on this video which is rare. He is a top notch level 5 Spyder tech but appears he doesn't know the electrical system as well as he should.

Bob
 
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