2015 rt upper cowl shake

[mavrik]

Hello everyone, I'm back with a new machine....no longer the 2013 ST but now the 2015 RT Special Edition. Got it for a screaming score that I could not pass up. The new motor and transmission I am definitely liking. Overall i'm quite happy with the machine and is only going to get better because it is not even broken in yet....under 1500 miles when I bought it. BUT.....I do have a question because i'm seeing something that I didn't see on my ST but also seeing no information or other complaints on this when I do research. So here goes:

The machine runs great and has almost no miles on it but when I hit a bump, especially with one tire, or hit bumps at different times with both tires (like a wash board road) or even going down the highway at 70mph....I have a lot of upper cowl shake. I am talking about the upper cowl that hold the windscreen, mirrors, instrument cluster and such. It shakes side to side and I didn't know if this was the nature of the beast. I have watched many video and didn't see others doing this. The shake is noticeable enough while i'm driving to be distracting and worrying that something is wrong but It is not enough to have the wind deflectors at the bottom touch the other plastics. I have gone thru and tightened all the hold down bolts for the upper cowl (there are only two in front and two in rear, which is less then I would have thought) and the side support/noise covers (which have flex in themselves too plus the top hole is a bit slotted...so how is this suppose to keep the upper cowl from shaking back and forth.

The older RT's I have not seen this in, is there a support that i'm missing or do people not pay attention and ride more and worry less or ? Any thoughts would help.

I have torn it all down and tightened everything...thanks all

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

This sounds like the shocks are SHOT …. but I find it hard to believe that's even possible at 1500mi. …. the 15 RT didn't have Pre-load spring adjusters so that isn't it either …..check to make sure the sway bar is connected ….. good luck …. Mike hyea:

 

[PinkRosePetal]

RT's do shake. Over here we call it scuttle shake, it is normal though a little alarming at first. Just ride, it'll be fine. :thumbup:

 

[JayBros]

I believe what you see as "shake" is because you have two points of contact on the road in the front and only one in the rear. I notice some vibration on rough roads but have never considered it unusual or severe, but I've had a Bajaron sway bar from the get go and don't know if that has an impact. At speeds all the way up approaching triple digits I notice no difference in the movement of all that plastic. Since, at least for now you feel it's unusual I suggest that you always ride with your windshield NOT sitting on the bottom stop. In the history of the RT there have been some instances of the windshield actuator arm developing a crack. Some folks recommend running the windshield all the way down and then raising it a half inch or so. Don't honestly know if it's still a problem but I've always kept mine up the half inch which coincidentally is just the perfect height for me.

 

[safecracker]

Mine shakes when i am on rough roads. I think it is normal. Bruce

 

[mavrik]

Gotcha, thanks for the replies everyone, the machine handles great all the way up to 100 miles an hour and the front end feels planted.. It only happens really when I hit bumps, going down the highway is not as bad as once I've tightened things, between the wind hitting it and bumps in the road it does do some shaking. Two points of support one in the front and one in the rear with both having two bolts is not enough for this Cowl and the side supports and/insulators have flex of their own.
I wonder how they've changed from 2012 model pertaining the support

 

[mavrik]

I may make some extra supports for the sides...all I can see is if it is constantly doing that the plastic will eventually crack or the hold down holes will be enlarged...

 

[PinkRosePetal]

I may make some extra supports for the sides...all I can see is if it is constantly doing that the plastic will eventually crack or the hold down holes will be enlarged...

Mmm... I'd be very wary of that, you'll concentrate the sideways load onto your fastening points and more than likely crack the tupperwear at your bracketing points.

Live with the shake, it's normal and although it appears slightly alarming, each panel and each fastening is actually only flexing slightly, it's the combination of all the flexing that you notice at the cluster panel.

The panel attached to the lower bar position is large and kinda circular and so is the hole formed by the panels surrounding that area, they allow for the flexing movement.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I don't know if you even read my reply ??? … whatever - based on what you have told us …. Spyders act differently than auto's when it comes to bumps or potholes …. a bump or hole that you barely notice in an auto is usually quite noticible on a Spyder …. Why ? … they are much lighter than an auto, so the suspension doesn't absorb things like a much heavier auto will. If you are riding with high PSI's those tires aren't giving you much Absorption, the less compliant the tire is the more you are going to feel it. MY RT doesn't SHAKE - not even at 115mph ….. Your issue as YOU have explained it - says suspension issue, that includes tires ….. good luck …. Mike hyea:...………..PS , exactly how much time do you spend at 100+ MPH … I'm not against high speed, but High speed driving an RT creates special issues just because of the speed …. " another member " SethO " could explain it much better because He once held the land speed record for a GS at Bonneville …..

 

[4 MARIE]

the RT is a flexible flyer. They are built this way because rigid attachment leads to cracks and other nasty things like that.
BTW, be careful tightening things down, usually snug is good, really tight is not.

 

[mavrik]

4 Marie, I understand what you're saying I was just unsure about how much shake is acceptable, I had my 2013 ST that did not shake anywhere close to this much but maybe at this point I'm just watching it more. I agree with not over tightening things, that's not going to help anything either. Blueknight911 I do apologize that I did not respond back to you and I did read fully what you said. I did not think it was a suspension issue because I can put my foot on either fender and they are not shaking or bouncing or anything else but the fairing is still shaking. Doing 100 miles an hour was done in a safe area to see at what point if any of the shake will get worse or better. From 50 And higher it would shake and worse if there were strong winds, when I tighten things down it got much better. Interesting thing is the shake will get worse when I put the windscreen down. With the special series it has the small sport windscreen

 

[Peter Aawen]

..... With the special series it has the small sport windscreen

That might be part of the issue! More turbulence coming over the top of the short sport screen could be creating more buffetting between you & the dash, which could be why the dash & cowl is shaking so much. :shocked: You could try cutting yourself 30 or 40 3" long pieces of woolen yarn & sticking them all over the tupperware, cowl, & dash etc, with some duct tape, leaving at least 2" of tail free to blow in the breeze; then go for a ryde & see what the flappy bits do! Or maybe you could just remove the screen entirely for a bit & see if that reduces the shaking? Worth a try, could be enlightening?! :dontknow:

Btw, do those short sport screens have the cut-outs in the bottom that the larger screens have to reduce the 'behind the screen turbulence'?! If not, it might be worth while seeing if a screen with those vents makes any difference, & if so, consider getting them cut into your shporty screen... :thumbup:

 

[mavrik]

hey there Peter....nope they do not have the cutout in the windscreen but when raised there is a gap of a good size below the windscreen and the fairing that air blast thru

 

[mavrik]

BLUEKNIGHT911...I agree to having a hard time believe at 1384 (when I got the machine) that the shocks would be gone. I checked tire pressures and that was good. Swaybar is connected and all the link are tight. Tires I wonder if from sitting they have just side to side or bounce that it is not felt in the fenders but harmonics are effecting the windscreen. Again maybe i'm just concentrating on it just because it is my first RT and didn't see it on my ST. I do notice that is seems to shake more when motor is hot and/or warm outside compared to when the bike is cold or a cool morning. Who knows but I will keep ya updated. Thanks all

 

[jcthorne]

Check to see if someone removed the acoustic panels behind either side of the console without installing the replacement steel braces. Later RT models deleted these panels for better cooling but they are built with the steel braces originally developed for the 2013 air scoops install which also removed the acoustic panels. Those panels or braces support the upper console from shaking.

 

[mavrik]

I have removed the acoustic panels and looked at them ...problem is those are plastic too so they have deflection of their own....it was like there should be a brace of metal behind them

 

[Peter Aawen]

Mavrik, those lower windscreen cut-outs cut the turbulence behind the windshield significantly more than with 'just' the gap under the screen, that's why they are included on most of the later screens - so it still could be worth swapping out your shporty screen with something that either has those cut-outs, or is otherwise vented to see if that's the cause, but you really won't know unless you give it a try!

Re the Acoustic panels, if you've got those acoustic panels still fitted, you shouldn't need the metal braces/replacements - as jcthorne mentioned, those braces were used INSTEAD of the acoustic panels - originally, after removing the panels to fit the scoops; then later on they were installed at the factory assembly stage instead of the panels....so not having the metal braces at this stage, ie, while you do have the acoustic panels fitted, shouldn't be causing your Spyder's shakes! :lecturef_smilie:

However, once you've excluded all 'the usual suspects & alternatives' mentioned already, one other thing that could be causing excessive shaking like this, especially at a given speed as you mention and particularly if your Spyder's shakes are worse after everything's warmed up by ryding for a while, is the OE Spec Kenda tires!! Do you know any other Spyder Ryders/Owners nearby? Anyone amongst them who's fitted car tires? If it's the tires causing your Spyder's shakes, it's most likely going to be the fronts (but not necessarily exclusively! :sour: ) so very likely all it'd take to confirm/refute this particular 'possible cause' of the shakes is just one owner who's swapped out the Kendas & installed proper car tires up front who's prepared to let you 'borrow' their front wheels for 30 mins or so, giving you time to remove your fronts, fit the car tires onto your RT & take it for a run..... if it is this, you wouldn't be the first or even 'just one of a few' to discover that an otherwise un-traceable vibration or shake is resolved ONLY by tossing the Kendas.... :gaah: But once again, you'll never know unless you try! Good Luck! :thumbup:

 

[UtahPete]

There should be more than just two attachment points, if I'm understanding correctly which part you're talking about.

 

[UtahPete]

Hello everyone, I'm back with a new machine....no longer the 2013 ST but now the 2015 RT Special Edition. The shake is noticeable enough while i'm driving to be distracting and worrying that something is wrong but It is not enough to have the wind deflectors at the bottom touch the other plastics. I have gone thru and tightened all the hold down bolts for the upper cowl (there are only two in front and two in rear, which is less then I would have thought) and the side support/noise covers (which have flex in themselves too plus the top hole is a bit slotted...so how is this suppose to keep the upper cowl from shaking back and forth.

The shaking is not normal. I think it's missing a number of screws.

 

[mavrik]

For the newer machines with the 1330 motor there are two connection points, one connection point has two bolts in the front right near the frunk, The second point has another two bolts right under The accessory compartment. Then you have one connection point on either of the acoustic panels