Pete Denzer
New member
I've been disappointed with my 2009 SE5's brakes since day one. To call them mediocre is way overstating their stopping power, especially when l consider those mega-brake calipers and disks, relatively light weight and huge tire contact area.
But this being the only Spyder I've ever ridden (test drove it out of the crate, then bought it, assuming incorrectly that the brakes would seat themselves in time -- I did my due diligence and broke them in properly) I had nothing with which to compare it.
That changed Wednesday when my dealer was visited by BRP's traveling Spyder show, which included a ten-mile test ride on some great WV roads. I was upfront with the BRP guys in my motivation in doing the test ride.
This was after one of the shop's lesser techs rode my Spyder a few weeks ago and said the brakes felt "normal."
The test Spyder I rode was 100% stock, had about 3000 miles on it, close to my own mileage. It stopped a HELLUVA lot better than mine, managing a tire-smoking straight stop from 60 mph where my own bike would just be gradually slowing down.
I asked the BRP rep who led the ride to test-drive mine. He clearly did not want to get involved in anything that could possibly be an issue between my dealer and me (I get along fine with the dealership's owners, who have repeatedly gone above and beyond for me, and for that my wife and I have bought 15 vehicles from them) but he did say the brakes were "a little weak and spongy" and might need work. That reaffirmed my own observation, that the brakes needed bleeding, which was a 2008 issue as I recall.
Brake bleeding is normally something I would do myself, but upon going over the procedure in the shop manual, it appears to require use of the shop's computer and the BUDS program, taking it out of my capability.
I made an appointment with the head tech to fix the brakes, but he couldn't see me before next Tuesday afternoon, even though I presented it as a safety issue.
I hope the tech does right by me, uses the BUDS program to bleed the brakes, and doesn't just test drive it and blow me off, saying, "Feels alright to me."
Like I said, the shop's owner is a personal friend. I really don't want to go over the tech's head to get a proper repair, but I will if I have to. I have consistently treated this tech with courtesy and respect, and ALWAYS tip him after he does work for me.
By the way, the stock test vehicle seemed smoother, mechanically quieter and at least as powerful as my own ride, which has an Evoluzione air filter, Hindle muffler and O2 sensor eliminator.
But this being the only Spyder I've ever ridden (test drove it out of the crate, then bought it, assuming incorrectly that the brakes would seat themselves in time -- I did my due diligence and broke them in properly) I had nothing with which to compare it.
That changed Wednesday when my dealer was visited by BRP's traveling Spyder show, which included a ten-mile test ride on some great WV roads. I was upfront with the BRP guys in my motivation in doing the test ride.
This was after one of the shop's lesser techs rode my Spyder a few weeks ago and said the brakes felt "normal."
The test Spyder I rode was 100% stock, had about 3000 miles on it, close to my own mileage. It stopped a HELLUVA lot better than mine, managing a tire-smoking straight stop from 60 mph where my own bike would just be gradually slowing down.
I asked the BRP rep who led the ride to test-drive mine. He clearly did not want to get involved in anything that could possibly be an issue between my dealer and me (I get along fine with the dealership's owners, who have repeatedly gone above and beyond for me, and for that my wife and I have bought 15 vehicles from them) but he did say the brakes were "a little weak and spongy" and might need work. That reaffirmed my own observation, that the brakes needed bleeding, which was a 2008 issue as I recall.
Brake bleeding is normally something I would do myself, but upon going over the procedure in the shop manual, it appears to require use of the shop's computer and the BUDS program, taking it out of my capability.
I made an appointment with the head tech to fix the brakes, but he couldn't see me before next Tuesday afternoon, even though I presented it as a safety issue.
I hope the tech does right by me, uses the BUDS program to bleed the brakes, and doesn't just test drive it and blow me off, saying, "Feels alright to me."
Like I said, the shop's owner is a personal friend. I really don't want to go over the tech's head to get a proper repair, but I will if I have to. I have consistently treated this tech with courtesy and respect, and ALWAYS tip him after he does work for me.
By the way, the stock test vehicle seemed smoother, mechanically quieter and at least as powerful as my own ride, which has an Evoluzione air filter, Hindle muffler and O2 sensor eliminator.
