2016 RT Limited hard to hold on highway

[south GA Farm Boy]

Guys,
My new 2016 RT Limited wants to wander off the rode to the right if you let it loose. It will wander to the left if there is a crown in the road and you ride in the left lane. I just had a laser alignment done on it and it did not seem to help! My belt is running right up against the sprocket on the rear wheel, It came from the factory that way! My 2013 RT Limited ran down the road straight as an arrow, and I never had it laser aligned! Do you think it will help if I adjust the belt to BPR suggestion of 1/8 inch from the inside of the sprocket? I have to hold it on the road, and I feel like something is wrong in comparing it to my 2013! The laser alignment went well on it, and I was hoping it would help with the problem, but I can't see any improvements! Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[PaladinLV]

Tires Balanced correctly?
Air pressure the same in both tires?
If yes to above
Get a Laser Alignment

AJ

Guys,
My new 2016 RT Limited wants to wander off the rode to the right if you let it loose. It will wander to the left if there is a crown in the road and you ride in the left lane. I just had a laser alignment done on it and it did not seem to help! My belt is running right up against the sprocket on the rear wheel, It came from the factory that way! My 2013 RT Limited ran down the road straight as an arrow, and I never had it laser aligned! Do you think it will help if I adjust the belt to BPR suggestion of 1/8 inch from the inside of the sprocket? I have to hold it on the road, and I feel like something is wrong in comparing it to my 2013! The laser alignment went well on it, and I was hoping it would help with the problem, but I can't see any improvements! Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

OP ISSUES

Tires Balanced correctly?
Air pressure the same in both tires?
If yes to above
Get a Laser Alignment

AJ

From what I read ....the OP did get a Laser alignment !!!! ......... But it was probably from His dealer who may not have actually done it at all ( they have been known to LIE ) .... or it was the BRP - Laser which Sucks.

 

[loisk]

I presume you've checked tyre pressures?

Our dealer said the brp rep told them to allow for camber and to put 18 on one front, 16 on the other, and 16 - yes, 16 - in the rear! Took me a couple of services to work out why it tracked so badly after a service... Or more to the point, that it was deliberate. Won't happen again :banghead: needless to say I told him not to believe the brp rep !

Other than that, I'd be taking it back to the dealer.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

YOUR ISSUES

Guys,
My new 2016 RT Limited wants to wander off the rode to the right if you let it loose. It will wander to the left if there is a crown in the road and you ride in the left lane. I just had a laser alignment done on it and it did not seem to help! My belt is running right up against the sprocket on the rear wheel, It came from the factory that way! My 2013 RT Limited ran down the road straight as an arrow, and I never had it laser aligned! Do you think it will help if I adjust the belt to BPR suggestion of 1/8 inch from the inside of the sprocket? I have to hold it on the road, and I feel like something is wrong in comparing it to my 2013! The laser alignment went well on it, and I was hoping it would help with the problem, but I can't see any improvements! Thanks for your suggestions!

IMHO .. you need to find someone who does Rolo / Tru-Trac Laser alignment ..... BRP's - sucks ............and BRP's spec on the belt is the thickness of a credit card - NOT 1/8th inch .........check your front tire pressures. ............ Mike :thumbup:

 

[Peter Aawen]

I really doubt that doing anything to do with the belt &/or its alignment will make any difference to this issue!! It's most likely an alignment or front end geometry/setting issue!!

If you are confident that the alignment blokes knew what they were doing (are you?? See Mike's post above!) then it could still be as Paladin suggested, an air pressure or tire balance (or bearing/brake drag?) issue, or it might be a ride height or camber issue (front tires leaning one way or the other?) or maybe even a power steering 'straight ahead' setting issue - but barring that sort of thing being at fault then having both wheels aligned reasonably correctly means the Spyder should track fairly straight regardless of how the back wheel pushes them!!

Then there is also the potential for the root cause of this being 'questionable tires' - are you still running the OE Kendas? If so, I know they are directional & it's not recommended to run them backwards, but swapping them across to the other side for a quick, careful ride & seeing if that makes any difference to the wandering one way could be enlightening - it's certainly worth a try! :thumbup:

PS: 16 psi in the rear isn't awful per se, IF you are running a 'proper' tire that's capable of carrying 1200-1500lbs at 30 odd psi or so when your Spyder only imposes about 1/3 - 1/2 that at the max!! But 16psi in an OE spec Kenda on the rear!! That's just asking for trouble!!

 

[BajaRon]

Mike has a point. I would be highly suspicious if it was a dealer that did the laser alignment. If it isn't the ROLO system then you are most likely wasting your money. Then, even if they have the ROLO system, it still takes someone who knows how to use that system to do a good job.

The FIRST thing a knowledgeable ROLO tech does is properly align the rear wheel. Which means your belt would NOT be running hard against the inside lip on the sprocket. It would have just a bit of daylight between the belt and lip (traveling forward). Once the rear wheel is properly aligned, then the front alignment process can begin.

Could be tires, tire pressures or something else. But sounds to me like you need an accurate alignment.

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

Unstable 2016 RT Limited

Mike has a point. I would be highly suspicious if it was a dealer that did the laser alignment. If it isn't the ROLO system then you are most likely wasting your money. Then, even if they have the ROLO system, it still takes someone who knows how to use that system to do a good job.

The FIRST thing a knowledgeable ROLO tech does is properly align the rear wheel. Which means your belt would NOT be running hard against the inside lip on the sprocket. It would have just a bit of daylight between the belt and lip (traveling forward). Once the rear wheel is properly aligned, then the front alignment process can begin.

Could be tires, tire pressures or something else. But sounds to me like you need an accurate alignment.

Yes to all the above, except setting the real wheel belt alignment before he did the laser alignment! We had both front tires at 20 PSI +/- 2 lbs. (which is what BRP shows under the seat) also had rear at 28 lbs. Laser alignment was done by an individual with all the correct equipment, not at dealer! He even attached computer to reset everything once alignment was complete. Thanks for your replies! Spyder is new, I only have about 800 miles on it now! The only thing else I can think of is the front right tire may have a belt breaking in the tire. No visible signs of that! Thanks again!

 

[JayBros]

Ron is in the V ring! From watching Joe Meyer do a number of alignments the first thing he does is check and/or align the rear wheel. You said both front tires were set at 20 +/- 2lbs and by that I assume you also meant both were set to exactly the same pressure. I'm kind of anal about front tire pressure and won't ride until they both are exactly alike. A good number of floks more experienced than I say one tire being 1/2 pound off can affect handling. YMMV.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

HANDLING ISSUES

Yes to all the above, except setting the real wheel belt alignment before he did the laser alignment! We had both front tires at 20 PSI +/- 2 lbs. (which is what BRP shows under the seat) also had rear at 28 lbs. Laser alignment was done by an individual with all the correct equipment, not at dealer! He even attached computer to reset everything once alignment was complete. Thanks for your replies! Spyder is new, I only have about 800 miles on it now! The only thing else I can think of is the front right tire may have a belt breaking in the tire. No visible signs of that! Thanks again!

From statements above , I think you have KENDA tires on your Spyder ...... soooooooooo A BAD TIRE is very possibly to be the cause ....... Kenda's are not well made and of poor quality ( lots of people who know tires here will confirm this ). Have you had the front tires SPIN balanced ????? ... If one is broken I doubt that it can be without a HUGH amount of weight ........ Mike :thumbup:

 

[kngfsh27]

From statements above , I think you have KENDA tires on your Spyder ...... soooooooooo A BAD TIRE is very possibly to be the cause ....... Kenda's are not well made and of poor quality ( lots of people who know tires here will confirm this ). Have you had the front tires SPIN balanced ????? ... If one is broken I doubt that it can be without a HUGH amount of weight ........ Mike :thumbup:

Had this issue with my '14 RTL. Mike is right on with the tires. I got a new pair at 400 miles under warranty. The original pair each had an unbelievable amount weights on each wheel (one had 17, the other 11). A new pair of tires, although still Kendas did improve the situation. A laser alignment competed the fix. You need to let your dealer know as soon as possible on the situation. The longer you wait, the less chance of getting something done under warranty.

 

[Chupaca]

All of the above

One step in the process of alignment requires hooking up and resetting with BUDS. If this step was omitted it may be the problem...:dontknow:

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

Laser alignment and Buds

One step in the process of alignment requires hooking up and resetting with BUDS. If this step was omitted it may be the problem...:dontknow:

The guy that did the laser alignment hooked it up to Buds with his computer and reset it after he was through the laser alignment! Also have perfect 20 lbs in both front tires! I have one of those new pumps like Lamonster sells! It got to be a tire problem, will contact dealer tomorrow!

 

[flyday58]

BUDS? FNG still learning the lingo. Also stumped about ROLO.:dontknow:

 

[arude]

pulling to the right

Guys,
My new 2016 RT Limited wants to wander off the rode to the right if you let it loose. It will wander to the left if there is a crown in the road and you ride in the left lane. I just had a laser alignment done on it and it did not seem to help! My belt is running right up against the sprocket on the rear wheel, It came from the factory that way! My 2013 RT Limited ran down the road straight as an arrow, and I never had it laser aligned! Do you think it will help if I adjust the belt to BPR suggestion of 1/8 inch from the inside of the sprocket? I have to hold it on the road, and I feel like something is wrong in comparing it to my 2013! The laser alignment went well on it, and I was hoping it would help with the problem, but I can't see any improvements! Thanks for your suggestions!

My 2015 pulled to the right until I put new Khumo tires on the front. No more pulling to the right.

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

Rolo lazer alignment and BUDS

BUDS? FNG still learning the lingo. Also stumped about ROLO.:dontknow:

Rolo lazer alignment is like they use on race cars, they line off the back wheel to set the front wheel's toe in with lazers on both front wheels!
BUDS is your Spyder computers, which if it's a RT, it has 7 computers I been told by a BRP dealer tech! Once the front end settings are changed,
they hook up to your Spyder's computers to accept the changes they made!

 

[finless]

Bottom line.... If your Spyder is not like this.... GET IT FIXED!

Bob

 

[cptjam]

Cheap test

Take the wheels off. Swap left to right. I know they are directional, but for a mile or so, you'll know. If it was pulling right, and you swap tires, then it pulls left, it is the tires. We have seen this before, and aligned a bike many times until we swapped sides. Bring it to me at Spyderfest, I'll fix it! Joe

 

[south GA Farm Boy]

FIX IT JOE

Take the wheels off. Swap left to right. I know they are directional, but for a mile or so, you'll know. If it was pulling right, and you swap tires, then it pulls left, it is the tires. We have seen this before, and aligned a bike many times until we swapped sides. Bring it to me at Spyderfest, I'll fix it! Joe

Joe, thanks for the offer to fix my Spyder from the problem of pulling to the right at this year Spyderfest! We live in deep South Georgia ( close to Florida line) which makes Spyderfest too far for us to travel! We will be at Maggie Valley, NC this year again. We were there last year on our 2013 Spyder. This Spyder I dealing with now is a new 2016 RT Limited which I only have about 800 miles on it! As stated in previous thread, I have already had it Laser aligned at about 400 miles. Both front tires are loaded with weights, and I am thinking that is the problem! I am going to call the dealer, but I don't think he will put new tires on it, so I guess I will have to put up with the pulling or order two new tires! As you encouraged me to do, probably need to change the two front tires around and ride it for a few miles to see if it pull to the left! Wish you were closer by, then I could carry it to you! What tires would you recommend for the front if I need to replace them? Thanks for your support!!

 

[sfcarn]

Same Problem

Joe, thanks for the offer to fix my Spyder from the problem of pulling to the right at this year Spyderfest! We live in deep South Georgia ( close to Florida line) which makes Spyderfest too far for us to travel! We will be at Maggie Valley, NC this year again. We were there last year on our 2013 Spyder. This Spyder I dealing with now is a new 2016 RT Limited which I only have about 800 miles on it! As stated in previous thread, I have already had it Laser aligned at about 400 miles. Both front tires are loaded with weights, and I am thinking that is the problem! I am going to call the dealer, but I don't think he will put new tires on it, so I guess I will have to put up with the pulling or order two new tires! As you encouraged me to do, probably need to change the two front tires around and ride it for a few miles to see if it pull to the left! Wish you were closer by, then I could carry it to you! What tires would you recommend for the front if I need to replace them? Thanks for your support!!

I bought a new 2014 RTL carry over last year and noticed it drifted to the right. I took it to a dealer that did lazer alignment but didn't notice any real difference after it was done. I took it to another dealer they checked the steering and mentioned something couldn't be zeroed another tech looked at it said it was ok. I did switch the tires to see if it did make a difference and it did it then drifted left. Went to a dealer in Fargo and they checked the steering again and said it was ok. I mentioned that I switched tires from right to left and then the bike drifted left, they didn't say anything about that. We really like riding this bike if the drift to the right can be fixed it would be even better. I am hoping to get in touch with Squared Away one way or another and have those folks take a look at it. I have read all good things about Squared Away.