Automatic self-levelling rear air suspension- Do I Care?

[AVBIZ]

Buying a new Spyder soon and one of the buying decisions is the option of air rear suspension. Would like to know if you have that option if you feel it is a value added item?

 

[bluewoo]

I ride Two up a lot so it was a factor for me, I know it rides nice!

 

[Mikey]

I will tell you from my side of that question is, when it's working the way it's suppose to it's great!!! To be able to reach out and change it up with the touch of a finger instead of stopping and putting air in the bag manually is nice!! But what I have found is that when you have a compressor go south on you on a trip some where it sucks, when the bag go's flat and you have no air it's flat on the frame every hard bump, been there did that! Even if you have a air ride system, you have a shock up in there also, but the shock is in there to stop you from pogo sticking down the road, it's adding in some damping, down and up! Can-Am air compressors take in unfiltered air so what happens after a while the check valve will stick and leak by, the air is going into the bag and leaking back threw the check valve. Then you pump burns out and you need a new one!!!!:banghead: I found that I didn't change my ride pressure after I set it that much, may be I would pump it up to a higher setting if the wife and I were on a trip and we had extra clothes and what not. This spring I became one of the gang to loose a compressor, I weighted out my options for fixing my problem and gutted the system all together and went to a manual fill set up. Don't miss the compressor a bit!!!! So would I go out of my way to get the auto set up??? No way, I do not like to have problems and I will go to great lengths to avoid them! If I am hauling a little more weight on the bike and want a better ride I stop and add air or take it out, easy pezzy!! Have a good day!!

 

[AVBIZ]

I ride Two up a lot so it was a factor for me, I know it rides nice!

Thanks Bluewoo! Nice ride; I sat on that RT limited at the dealer yesterday.

 

[AVBIZ]

I will tell you from my side of that question is, when it's working the way it's suppose to it's great!!! To be able to reach out and change it up with the touch of a finger instead of stopping and putting air in the bag manually is nice!! But what I have found is that when you have a compressor go south on you on a trip some where it sucks, when the bag go's flat and you have no air it's flat on the frame every hard bump, been there did that! Even if you have a air ride system, you have a shock up in there also, but the shock is in there to stop you from pogo sticking down the road, it's adding in some damping, down and up! Can-Am air compressors take in unfiltered air so what happens after a while the check valve will stick and leak by, the air is going into the bag and leaking back threw the check valve. Then you pump burns out and you need a new one!!!!:banghead: I found that I didn't change my ride pressure after I set it that much, may be I would pump it up to a higher setting if the wife and I were on a trip and we had extra clothes and what not. This spring I became one of the gang to loose a compressor, I weighted out my options for fixing my problem and gutted the system all together and went to a manual fill set up. Don't miss the compressor a bit!!!! So would I go out of my way to get the auto set up??? No way, I do not like to have problems and I will go to great lengths to avoid them! If I am hauling a little more weight on the bike and want a better ride I stop and add air or take it out, easy pezzy!! Have a good day!!

Wow! Thanks Mikey. So after some further reading on this great forum am I correct in saying that whether I buy either model RT/RT Limited I will have an air ride suspension I will just have to manually put air in the RT when my load requires it?

 

[h0gr1der]

Buying a new Spyder soon and one of the buying decisions is the option of air rear suspension. Would like to know if you have that option if you feel it is a value added item?

My take on this is that Can Am didn't put enough spring under the rear of the bike and the automatic air leveling system is asked to do more work than it is actually capable of doing. On the automatic leveling system there is a level sensor on the rear swing arm, and it keeps the bike at a specific level regardless of weight added. It's a fine idea, and works great for most folks. But, like all those Lincoln Town Cars you see driving around with their rear bumper dragging, some folks have had problems with it. The air compressor replacement is a fairly in depth job if you're doing it yourself, fairly expensive if you're paying to have it done. Make sure you get the extended warranty if you're going to buy a 2018 or 2019 model.

 

[safecracker]

I have been there and done that. Replaced 2 compressors and check valves. No more. Removed compressor and I now manually change pressure as needed. Works great...

 

[Mikey]

Yes that's right!!! If that's the only difference between the two that you are wondering about, I would go with the RT, auto air isn't all what it's cracked up to be in my book! MY 2 cents

 

[RogerTN]

From what I understand is that ELKA suspension is working on a rear shock that will eliminate the need for
the air bag. Should be available in the next couple of months

Thanks
Roger

 

[h0gr1der]

From what I understand is that ELKA suspension is working on a rear shock that will eliminate the need for
the air bag. Should be available in the next couple of months

Thanks
Roger

I had heard that, but was told they hadn't finalized the design yet. Mind that it won't be a one size fits all type thing, just like this project. I got tired of waiting, so I just built my own. Theirs will probably be much nicer with full tune-ability but some of us don't need all that. At the most base level it comes down to matching a single spring rate to the combined OEM spring rate + air bag rate, which in my case was about 600 Lb/In. I'm sure they will have either a dual spring or progressive spring setup, which I did not do. My setup is a linear spring.

 

[Mikey]

I had heard that, but was told they hadn't finalized the design yet. Mind that it won't be a one size fits all type thing, just like this project. I got tired of waiting, so I just built my own. Theirs will probably be much nicer with full tune-ability but some of us don't need all that. At the most base level it comes down to matching a single spring rate to the combined OEM spring rate + air bag rate, which in my case was about 600 Lb/In. I'm sure they will have either a dual spring or progressive spring setup, which I did not do. My setup is a linear spring.

I talk to the guys at Lamonster and they said that they already have a shock that will replace the junk shock that Can-Am has right now, then all you do is gut the compressor and go to a manual fill and put 20-30 psi in the bag and use it like a overload spring. For me I want a shock I can rebuild and adjust if I want! Take the trouble OUT of the picture and have some thing that works!

 

[Jim&Teresa]

I will tell you from my side of that question is, when it's working the way it's suppose to it's great!!! To be able to reach out and change it up with the touch of a finger instead of stopping and putting air in the bag manually is nice!! But what I have found is that when you have a compressor go south on you on a trip some where it sucks, when the bag go's flat and you have no air it's flat on the frame every hard bump, been there did that! Even if you have a air ride system, you have a shock up in there also, but the shock is in there to stop you from pogo sticking down the road, it's adding in some damping, down and up! Can-Am air compressors take in unfiltered air so what happens after a while the check valve will stick and leak by, the air is going into the bag and leaking back threw the check valve. Then you pump burns out and you need a new one!!!!:banghead: I found that I didn't change my ride pressure after I set it that much, may be I would pump it up to a higher setting if the wife and I were on a trip and we had extra clothes and what not. This spring I became one of the gang to loose a compressor, I weighted out my options for fixing my problem and gutted the system all together and went to a manual fill set up. Don't miss the compressor a bit!!!! So would I go out of my way to get the auto set up??? No way, I do not like to have problems and I will go to great lengths to avoid them! If I am hauling a little more weight on the bike and want a better ride I stop and add air or take it out, easy pezzy!! Have a good day!!

Same here. We had trouble with the leveling system on a trip earlier this year. I had the dealer look at it and they reset BUDS saying it was fixed. Well, it was NOT. We were on a 3 week trip with bike pulling our Freedom trailer and the compressor failed. I carry a 12V portable compressor on trips and had to use that several times as the leak continued through the whole long trip - it was a pain. When I got home, I plumbed the tubing directly to the air bag from the schrader valve. Now, no leaks, works great, just a manual system - easy.

Full disclosure: This compressor failure and leakage occurred on our 2014 RT Limited with 60,000 miles - so it lasted 5 years and many miles before failure. The automatic air leveling system is a "nice" system, but expensive to repair if it's a compressor failure after the system leaks.

Like stated earlier, we too had the failure on a long (3 week) trip and it was not fun worrying about it on the road. Now, no worries as we made it a manual system.

 

[AVBIZ]

Same here. We had trouble with the leveling system on a trip earlier this year. I had the dealer look at it and they reset BUDS saying it was fixed. Well, it was NOT. We were on a 3 week trip with bike pulling our Freedom trailer and the compressor failed. I carry a 12V portable compressor on trips and had to use that several times as the leak continued through the whole long trip - it was a pain. When I got home, I plumbed the tubing directly to the air bag from the schrader valve. Now, no leaks, works great, just a manual system - easy.

Full disclosure: This compressor failure and leakage occurred on our 2014 RT Limited with 60,000 miles - so it last 5 years and many miles before failure. The automatic air leveling system is a "nice" system, but expensive to repair if it's a compressor failure after the system leaks.

Like stated earlier, we too had the failure on a long (3 week) trip and it was not fun worrying about it on the road. Now, no worries as we made it a manual system.

Hopefully the 2020s address what is obviously a well documented issue. Don’t hold my breath right. Also can’t believe Can-Am doesn’t engage on this forum to help Owners; after all a happy Owner is a loyal Owner.

 

[h0gr1der]

Buying a new Spyder soon and one of the buying decisions is the option of air rear suspension. Would like to know if you have that option if you feel it is a value added item?

One thing I thought of other than the automatic leveling system. If you step down from the RT Limited with automatic leveling system, what other features do you lose, and would you want those?

 

[larryd]

I too have had many air ride problems with my 2014 RTS...I replaced the onboard compressor with a Viair and did away with the automatic leveling completely...I use the dash rocker switch to air up the air bag to my desired riding pressure with the onboard compressor...I also use the same switch to activate the dump valve to exhaust air if needed...I have a dash air gauge to monitor the air pressure in the system...This modified system works PERFECTLY...larryd

 

[AVBIZ]

One thing I thought of other than the automatic leveling system. If you step down from the RT Limited with automatic leveling system, what other features do you lose, and would you want those?

Playing with the “builder” on the can am site it looks like you get heated seats standard on the Limited but not on the RT. After having a heated seat on my Triumph Explorer I think I would like to have that again. You don’t get the center top box unless you add as an accessory. I think I would add that as well and still come out $1-2k cheaper than if I purchased the Limited. I am communicating with the dealer and have asked the question of the airbag system for the 2020s and will relay any new info.

 

[teninospyder]

I will tell you from my side of that question is, when it's working the way it's suppose to it's great!!! To be able to reach out and change it up with the touch of a finger instead of stopping and putting air in the bag manually is nice!! But what I have found is that when you have a compressor go south on you on a trip some where it sucks, when the bag go's flat and you have no air it's flat on the frame every hard bump, been there did that! Even if you have a air ride system, you have a shock up in there also, but the shock is in there to stop you from pogo sticking down the road, it's adding in some damping, down and up! Can-Am air compressors take in unfiltered air so what happens after a while the check valve will stick and leak by, the air is going into the bag and leaking back threw the check valve. Then you pump burns out and you need a new one!!!!:banghead: I found that I didn't change my ride pressure after I set it that much, may be I would pump it up to a higher setting if the wife and I were on a trip and we had extra clothes and what not. This spring I became one of the gang to loose a compressor, I weighted out my options for fixing my problem and gutted the system all together and went to a manual fill set up. Don't miss the compressor a bit!!!! So would I go out of my way to get the auto set up??? No way, I do not like to have problems and I will go to great lengths to avoid them! If I am hauling a little more weight on the bike and want a better ride I stop and add air or take it out, easy pezzy!! Have a good day!!

I agree and also did away with the "automatic" system from BRP. After the second failure of the compressor system, I disconnected the power lead to the compressor (which is real easy to do) and now just refill when needed with a portable pump. 99% of the time we ride 2 up, so I always know how much to fill it.
BTW...I got tired of losing air while trying to gage check the amount I put in, so I now just measure the distance from the ground to (In my case ) the trailer hitch frame, with nobody on and the air tank filled via my little compressor. Now I don't need to put air in unless that distance changes over time.

 

[h0gr1der]

Playing with the “builder” on the can am site it looks like you get heated seats standard on the Limited but not on the RT. After having a heated seat on my Triumph Explorer I think I would like to have that again. You don’t get the center top box unless you add as an accessory. I think I would add that as well and still come out $1-2k cheaper than if I purchased the Limited. I am communicating with the dealer and have asked the question of the airbag system for the 2020s and will relay any new info.

Mr. AVBIZ
I don't think the heated seat is standard on the RT Limited. I bought a 2018 and it has heated grips and passenger handholds, the seat is an option I think. Not sure what else is different, but I really like the air setup that Mr. larryd has above.

 

[bluewoo]

Mr. AVBIZ
I don't think the heated seat is standard on the RT Limited. I bought a 2018 and it has heated grips and passenger handholds, the seat is an option I think. Not sure what else is different, but I really like the air setup that Mr. larryd has above.

Yes h0gr1der is correct, the seat is not an option but rather an add on for the 2018's!

 

[Wahrsuul]

Did you happen to do a write up of how you did this? As near as I can tell, the pump in my '14 is still working, I can hear it going when I adjust the ride. But honestly, the ride doesn't feel as plush as I think it should be. Could just be me.

There are times I wish I'd bought a "regular" RT instead of the RTS.