RS Setup For Touring?

[hartsock1986]

Greetings All,

I just got back from a 5 day 2300 mile ride, and boy is my rear end throbbing!!! :helpsmilie:Myself along with my Uncle, Father, and Grandfather left from Northwest Ohio, headed west through Indiana, Illinois and into Iowa, and then north into Minnesota, east through Wisconson, and into UP of Michigan, down the Mackinaw bridge, then west through the Tunnel of Trees, and all down the West Coastline till we hit home. Official Odometer reading is 2302.9 miles round trip. This is definately the longest ride I have ever been on.

I had my 600 mile service done right before the trip, and now unfortunately I am ready for my 3000 mile service........:gaah:

I have a stock RS model, and although short distances are fine, it seemed like this long trip killed me. With the aggressive riding position of the seat angle, handle bar position, and getting beat to death by the wind, I was ready to take a break as the others on touring bikes were all smiles singing along to their radio laid back all relaxed.

I am only 24, and didnt have the urge (or the money) to go for the RT model for touring, instead just got the base model RS manual. So now I am looking into my options as far as converting this RS model into my own "touring edition".

Due to lack of money, my options are limited. I spoke to a gentleman at one of the dealers I stopped at during this trip, who had a RS and is doing what I plan. He had an F1 Windshield with the sliding windshield add on being the existing windshield, along with different grips, pegs, comfort seat, and BRP backrest/sport rack. He was looking into getting handlebar risers along with highway pegs, and passenger peg extensions.

Windshield: With several days research, it seems that I am looking into either the Marcel windshield or the Calsci windshield. I think they look the best on the bike, give the best reviews, and as far as I can see, according to the poll I saw are the two most popular.

Seat: I am looking at either comfort seat or the corbin seat. I am looking into backrest for the wifey, so as far as money wise, I believe the corbin along with a backrest is a cheaper option than going with the comfort seat as well as the sport rack plus the backrest. I am just torn between the reviews of the comfort level of these seats.

Grips: I was told that changing the grips to the Kuryakan grips greatly helped with hand fatigue. The stock grips dont feel the greatest on my hands either, and probably the weight on the wrists from the lean into style position of the handlebars had something to do with it.

Risers: I see a few options, from the actual riser kit from can am, i believe is 1 inch, to the aftermarket ones that have brackets to move up the grips and controls up to 4 inches. Not too sure about anything from other than can am, just concerned about the durability and safety.

What are all of your opinions. Anyone have these options? I am looking for input. Any input would be greatful. Thanks everyone.

 

[SpyderGirl]

We also have an RS which we have set up for touring. I was 28 when I purchased my RS.

SEAT: Corbin is good, so is the BRP comfort seat, and it's less expensive.

RISERS: ESI has the "Easy Risers" which are quite nice. My husband has them on his RS and compared to the other ESI risers that I have on mine, they are about the same, but a $100 less. :2thumbs:

WINDSHIELD: The BRP ultra touring windshield (25") is good. The hubby and I have the F1 EVO III (27"). It's perfect for me, almost good for my hubby who is 6'3" but has a long torso. The Madstad is also a good option I think. Figure spending about $300 here, either way you go.

Don't know anything about grips but I found that the Throttlerocker and the Throttlemeister help with fatigue on long trips.

My credentials are as follows concerning these options for you: I have 26K+ miles in the saddle which includes a 6000+ mile cross-country ride on the Spyder.

Hope this helps. Happy Spydering!!!

 

[pathfinderjoe]

comfortable 08 SM5

For me the mods that improved riding comfort the most are: 4” NMN risers, Corbin seats, F1 windshield, Kwelmetal mini wings. The back rest for the wife was a must. After 16,000 + miles including a couple of 3,000+ mile tours with the wife I am glad to report that we cruise in comfort.

 

[WackyDan]

I have the Helibar risers found here.
http://www.helibars.com/product/roadster™-riser-can-am-spyder

I love them. Keeps the stock look of the handlebars - you don't have to cut anything.

ESI risers are cheaper than these, but do give you a bit of adjustment.

 

[hartsock1986]

Pathfinder Joe: How does the windshield work with your 4 inch risers and the corbin seat? Do you have the F1 windshield with the sliding windshield installed? If so do you have to have the windshield up all the time to enjoy your cruise? Do you get beat to death with it all the way down? I am about 5'10. Your set up looks very similar to what I am looking at.

From what I hear the corbin seat forces you into a touring position, with no other choice, unlike the comfort seat where you can still ride "aggressive" if you wish. Also I hear that corbin uses a harder foam in their seats, and some people say it is worse than stock.

This is my two cents: A backrest is a must for the wifey. Just the backrest alone from BRP is about 500 bucks, give or take a few, due to needing the sport rack also. With that said, the comfort seat is cheaper than the corbin seat when getting the driver and passenger seat, HOWEVER, if I am also looking at getting a backrest, the corbin backrest is cheaper than the one from BRP by almost 300 bucks. So, if I was looking at getting a seat AND backrest, I think I would be better off with getting the corbin seats and the corbin backrest, due to the fact that its cheaper, AND I could swap the backrest to the drivers seat if I wanted to ride it solo. If I am wrong here please be sure to tell me.

I am wondering could the corbin seat be used with the stock handlebars and still be comfortable, or does the risers make the HUGE difference.

Seat, backrest, and windshield are a must for me now. Need to make the wifey happy, and my rear end happy too!!! One of the complaints that I get is that the wife cant talk to me when we ride the bike due to the wind noise. The guy that I spoke to that had the F1 windshield said with it all the way up, he can talk to his wife and not have to yell.

 

[NancysToy]

You do have a lot of options available to you. If you can, go to a Spyder event and try a few before you buy. Many SpyderLovers will let you sit on their Spyders if you ask nicely. My wife's RS is set up for touring, but
it has not done a long journey, as you have. I think you did the right thing to ride a while and identify your needs first.

SEAT: Seats are a very personal thing. Best, but most expensive, is the Russell Day-Long, IMO. Corbin makes some folks very happy, so does the BRP comfort seat, which Nancy has. I prefer stock, but I would move to a Russell in a heartbeat. There are low cost options, like Alaska Leather sheepskins, or Roho AirHawk pads, that can serve as an intermediate. If at all possible, I would try to sit on a variety before you choose. Be sure to test passenger comfort. Many of these seats compromise passenger comfort for the rider.

BACKREST: If you buy an aftermarket seat (other than the comfort seat) I'd suggest their backrest. There are also aftermarket backrests available alone. A Kewlmetal rack can have a backrest attached, or can support a rear trunk with a backpad attached, if you crave more storage. Givi also makes a stand-alone rear rack that supports their topcases (and pads. The BRP sportrack and backrest is overpriced, IMO, but has worked very well for a lot of owners.

RISERS: Nancy had the BRP riser...forget it! She now has the original ESI risers, which work nicely. ESI also has their new Easy Riser kit. Kewlmetal has replacement bars, or fully adjustable risers. There are other options, but I like these the best. Risers are the #1 mod, IMO. You may need to add mirror extensions if you add risers.

WINDSHIELD: Lots of choices here. Almost every shield has proven to be good for some riders and turbulent for others. For that reason I prefer the adjustables, like the CHAD (which Nancy has) or the Madstad. For a fixed shield, consider the Givi, which is reasonably priced, works fairly well, and looks nice. If hand protection is a need, the CHAD or 25" BRP would be my first choice.

GRIPS: I also know little about these. I like the stock grips, which are identical to my BMW grips. The risers may negate the need for changes here. Gel-palm gloves may help, too. A cruise control like McCruise, or a Throttle "lock"" like the Throttlemeister provides much needed relief...like SpyderGirl said.

INTERCOM: No matter what you do, you will not be able to converse with you wife easily without an intercom. Once you have one, it becomes a joy to ride two-up...and the tunes are a bonus. There are many choices, from a relatively inexpensive Chatterbox, to Bluetooth equipment, to wired units like the Starcom1 or Audiovox. Your choice will depend on your preferences and needs.

Nothing will make an RS into an RT, but a great many people have put a tremendous amount of miles on their RS Spyders...with and without modifications. I'm sure that with a little research and soul searching, you can find something that works for you and your wife.

 

[M2Wild]

You be amazed what a set of $10 Grip Puppies can do.:thumbup:

 

[Trickie Dick]

You be amazed what a set of $10 Grip Puppies can do.:thumbup:

+1 on the Grip Puppies and I suggest you go all out and spend another $9 on a Crampbuster. :thumbup:

 

[patdcop]

Nothing will make an RS into an RT, but a great many people have put a tremendous amount of miles on their RS Spyders...with and without medications. I'm sure that with a little research and soul searching, you can find something that works for you and your wife.

Fixed it for ya.

 

[Dochands]

Don't forget what you wear. LDComfort shorts have made my rides much more comfortable and their moisture wicking cool shirts are amazing.

 

[retread]

I've logged a couple of 700 mile days on my GS, take a look at my signature and you'll get an idea of what it took to get me there. BTW, with the ESI risers, before you put the end caps on, fill the shortened handlebars with BBs, no holes to worry about messing up switches, a lot less vibration.

john

 

[ARtraveler]

Great feedback above. We have also made a 2008 & 2009 RS into the super touring machine you desire--without going for the bigger bucks RTS. I did trade my 2008 in for an RTS though, but still have the 2009.

Any windshield other than the original equipment is an improvement. We tried two tall versions for a while, but ended up with the Corbin fairings. They look weird at first but grow on you. Other ergos you may consider--mirror extenders, BRP handlebar plugs--they cut down on the vibration, handlebar riser (at least 3 inches), either corbin or comfort seat (there are several threads that get into the finer points). The above is not everything, but they get you sitting up, protect you from the wind, and give your rear end a break on longer trips.

 

[canam9]

Nice write up!

welcome good luck. :ani29:

 

[AntelopeSpyder]

Greetings All,

I just got back from a 5 day 2300 mile ride, and boy is my rear end throbbing!!! :helpsmilie:Myself along with my Uncle, Father, and Grandfather left from Northwest Ohio, headed west through Indiana, Illinois and into Iowa, and then north into Minnesota, east through Wisconson, and into UP of Michigan, down the Mackinaw bridge, then west through the Tunnel of Trees, and all down the West Coastline till we hit home. Official Odometer reading is 2302.9 miles round trip. This is definately the longest ride I have ever been on.

I had my 600 mile service done right before the trip, and now unfortunately I am ready for my 3000 mile service........:gaah:

I have a stock RS model, and although short distances are fine, it seemed like this long trip killed me. With the aggressive riding position of the seat angle, handle bar position, and getting beat to death by the wind, I was ready to take a break as the others on touring bikes were all smiles singing along to their radio laid back all relaxed.

I am only 24, and didnt have the urge (or the money) to go for the RT model for touring, instead just got the base model RS manual. So now I am looking into my options as far as converting this RS model into my own "touring edition".

Due to lack of money, my options are limited. I spoke to a gentleman at one of the dealers I stopped at during this trip, who had a RS and is doing what I plan. He had an F1 Windshield with the sliding windshield add on being the existing windshield, along with different grips, pegs, comfort seat, and BRP backrest/sport rack. He was looking into getting handlebar risers along with highway pegs, and passenger peg extensions.

Windshield: With several days research, it seems that I am looking into either the Marcel windshield or the Calsci windshield. I think they look the best on the bike, give the best reviews, and as far as I can see, according to the poll I saw are the two most popular.

Seat: I am looking at either comfort seat or the corbin seat. I am looking into backrest for the wifey, so as far as money wise, I believe the corbin along with a backrest is a cheaper option than going with the comfort seat as well as the sport rack plus the backrest. I am just torn between the reviews of the comfort level of these seats.

Grips: I was told that changing the grips to the Kuryakan grips greatly helped with hand fatigue. The stock grips dont feel the greatest on my hands either, and probably the weight on the wrists from the lean into style position of the handlebars had something to do with it.

Risers: I see a few options, from the actual riser kit from can am, i believe is 1 inch, to the aftermarket ones that have brackets to move up the grips and controls up to 4 inches. Not too sure about anything from other than can am, just concerned about the durability and safety.

What are all of your opinions. Anyone have these options? I am looking for input. Any input would be greatful. Thanks everyone.

Like you my options were limited. I really wanted a RT, but I couldn't justify the $'s. So I bought a used RS and made some mods. Here are some picture so you can see what can be done to turn an RS into a touring bike.

Before;

After;

 

[ISCI Billy]

Here is one that we set up here at ISCI. Any questions let me know...

 

[SpyderGirl]

Mine went from this:


To This (not the RT, but the blue one next to it is mine):


This is pretty much what it looks like now... just doesn't show the GIVI E55 trunk as seen above

 

[VaughnCat]

+1 on the Grip Puppies and I suggest you go all out and spend another $9 on a Crampbuster. :thumbup:

:agree::agree:

 

[Love2Ride]

I've talked recently with Jim that makes Evo... the site has the shields at 139 I think but he's dropped his prices to 99 bucks!

Jim's fighting the bad rap that Marcel gave the biz. Marcel is completely out of the picture but you know how it is with bad word of mouth. Sometimes it's harder to fix.

Give Jim a call about your shield. He's awesome about getting your measurements and making recomendations.

 

[Roy's Bassets]

Your right the stock seat just don't get it for long rides, the Corbin is great as for the rider, but passenger its a flop, it's slanted down and your passenger will slide up against you when braking or going down hill, and it's very uncomfortable for the passenger, so I went with comfort seat things are great again.hyea:

 

[SpyderGirl]

Your right the stock seat just don't get it for long rides, the Corbin is great as for the rider, but passenger its a flop, it's slanted down and your passenger will slide up against you when braking or going down hill, and it's very uncomfortable for the passenger, so I went with comfort seat things are great again.hyea:

This is true. The pillion Corbin seat isn't very good. I need to take mine back to Corbin and have them re-do the padding. The pillion on the comfort seat is fantastic. The comfort seat for the rider is comparable to the Corbin seat, just softer and not as much support in the upper thigh area. For a long ride I want a supportive seat, not a soft seat. I guess we'll see whose butt hurts first on our Arizona trip... the hubby's, or mine. He has the comfort seat and I have the Corbin.