2021 Spyder RTL headlights - BRP Blunder!

[Bruiser37]

RT 2021 Spyder Low beam projects wide V pattern on road ahead. Center of beam projects downward for approximately 30 to 40 yards for averge width of a two lane road beyond that is a black hole and you see absolutely nothing 40 to 50 yards beyond road head... a very dangerous condition to ride more than 45 MPH at night. Upper legs of V pattern lights up both sides of two lane road very well out to about 50 to 65 yards. Completely ass backward from way it should be for safe ride after dark. High beam lights up center of road for safe riding at higher speeds. High beam must be used 100 percent of the time for all after dark riding conditions. But Then all on coming traffic ios flashing reminder to turn off your high beams... another ass backward condition you are forced to live with for safe riding after dark.

I have owned several single headlight motorcycle brands dating back from mid 50's to modern motorcycle brands with dual LED hedlights. 2020 -2021 Can Am RT spyder headlights are worse than all of them and there is no third party replacement hedlights available to correct this egregious BRP engineering blunder.

 

[MONK]

Everything changes once you add the Auxiliary light.

 

[RICZ]

Here's what a pair of auxiliary lights can do.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

RT 2021 Spyder Low beam projects wide V pattern on road ahead. Center of beam projects downward for approximately 30 to 40 yards for averge width of a two lane road beyond that is a black hole and you see absolutely nothing 40 to 50 yards beyond road head... a very dangerous condition to ride more than 45 MPH at night. Upper legs of V pattern lights up both sides of two lane road very well out to about 50 to 65 yards. Completely ass backward from way it should be for safe ride after dark. High beam lights up center of road for safe riding at higher speeds. High beam must be used 100 percent of the time for all after dark riding conditions. But Then all on coming traffic ios flashing reminder to turn off your high beams... another ass backward condition you are forced to live with for safe riding after dark.

I have owned several single headlight motorcycle brands dating back from mid 50's to modern motorcycle brands with dual LED hedlights. 2020 -2021 Can Am RT spyder headlights are worse than all of them and there is no third party replacement hedlights available to correct this egregious BRP engineering blunder.

LED headlights are from " third " party sellers..... and your headlights may not be focused properly ..... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Mikey]

Mike may have some thing here, if they are LED, they may not be focused!! That would be tossing a strange pattern to the ground.:dontknow:

 

[milryder]

The manual on my "21 RT has a page on focusing and adjusting the lights.

 

[Arion]

The manual on my "21 RT has a page on focusing and adjusting the lights.

Good point. There is no guarantee that the lights are "correctly" aligned when a Spyder leaves the factory. Guess that's why there is the ability to adjust them, yes, no?

 

[Peter Aawen]

Good point. There is no guarantee that the lights are "correctly" aligned when a Spyder leaves the factory. Guess that's why there is the ability to adjust them, yes, no?

Nah.. Yeah.... RIGHT??







:thumbup: Sorry, but I just hadta! hyea: She made me do it! :dg2:

:cheers:

 

[TIMMB]

Mine were horrible from the factory had to adjust them they are great now.

 

[JimboRTS]

What did you use as abase line to adjust the head lights?
Jim

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

LED headlights are from " third " party sellers..... and your headlights may not be focused properly ..... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

Check that to be sure. The 2020 & 2021 parts catalog shows the headlights as a single assembly with no separate bulb. The specifications list in the operator's guide lists the headlight simply as LED. The parts diagram looks like the bulb can be removed, which only makes sense, but what would the replacement be? :dontknow: It looks like they come from the factory with LED headlights.

There are two adjustments on the '20 & '21 headlights, up/down and left/right. There are two bulbs in each light. The outer is the only one on for low beam.

So the '20+ headlights are altogether different from what we're used to dealing with.

 

[RICZ]

On the subject of headlights....I am in the process of switching my F3L to LEDs. Each headlight is tethered by an adjustment cable that prevents them from being completely removed. I was able to JUST switch out the left headlight, but there is not enough space to do the right one. Ironically, Lamonster has an excellent video, but only shows changing the bulb on the left headlight and not the right.
+ What did you do access the back of the right headlight?
+ There is an easy to remove clip at the cable's console end - if I undo that, how difficult is it to get it back into place?
+ Does the cable detach at the headlight?
TIA

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

On the subject of headlights....I am in the process of switching my F3L to LEDs. Each headlight is tethered by an adjustment cable that prevents them from being completely removed. I was able to JUST switch out the left headlight, but there is not enough space to do the right one. Ironically, Lamonster has an excellent video, but only shows changing the bulb on the left headlight and not the right.
+ What did you do access the back of the right headlight?
+ There is an easy to remove clip at the cable's console end - if I undo that, how difficult is it to get it back into place?
+ Does the cable detach at the headlight?
TIA

On the RT the headlight adjusting cable is anchored to the fiber body brace under the upper panel with an easily removable nut. The cable can be pulled out to enable taking the headlight completely out of the Spyder. Feeding the cable back to the brace isn't a great challenge. I would think the situation would be same with the F3.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Check that to be sure. The 2020 & 2021 parts catalog shows the headlights as a single assembly with no separate bulb. The specifications list in the operator's guide lists the headlight simply as LED. The parts diagram looks like the bulb can be removed, which only makes sense, but what would the replacement be? :dontknow: It looks like they come from the factory with LED headlights.

There are two adjustments on the '20 & '21 headlights, up/down and left/right. There are two bulbs in each light. The outer is the only one on for low beam.

So the '20+ headlights are altogether different from what we're used to dealing with.

Thanks, glad to see BRP is getting up to speed on the new products :clap::clap::clap::clap:........... Mike :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[TIMMB]

I have the front of the bike at 25 ft away from the garage door. Low beams on. The top cut off line which looks yellow in the picture is 38in off the ground.

 

[RICZ]

My method of adjusting headlights is to go out at night and do an "aim and ride" until they are lighting the road where I want them to. I start on flat pavement and a wall that I can do the initial aiming on.

 

[Bruiser37]

The manual on my "21 RT has a page on focusing and adjusting the lights.

Thanks your suggestion works

 

[askitee]

RT 2021 Spyder Low beam projects wide V pattern on road ahead. Center of beam projects downward for approximately 30 to 40 yards for averge width of a two lane road beyond that is a black hole and you see absolutely nothing 40 to 50 yards beyond road head... a very dangerous condition to ride more than 45 MPH at night. Upper legs of V pattern lights up both sides of two lane road very well out to about 50 to 65 yards. Completely ass backward from way it should be for safe ride after dark. High beam lights up center of road for safe riding at higher speeds. High beam must be used 100 percent of the time for all after dark riding conditions. But Then all on coming traffic ios flashing reminder to turn off your high beams... another ass backward condition you are forced to live with for safe riding after dark.

I have owned several single headlight motorcycle brands dating back from mid 50's to modern motorcycle brands with dual LED hedlights. 2020 -2021 Can Am RT spyder headlights are worse than all of them and there is no third party replacement hedlights available to correct this egregious BRP engineering blunder.

I feel your pain. I have a '17RTL and here in the land down under our headlights are your Foglights. They are about as effective as a match on a tornado. I note too BRRRRP says the Spyder should not be ridden at night :banghead:

 

[Bruiser37]

Mine were horrible from the factory had to adjust them they are great now.

Projecting my new 2021 RTL Spyder LED low light beam on garage wall target calculated right triangle (Pythagoras’ Theorem) headlight alignment horizontal center of bright line in front of Spyder on dark road is exactly 22.8 yards. Low beam headlights are looking down at road exactly 2.23 degree angle. Don’t ride more than 40-45 mph on a dark country road with low beam or you’ll never see that large pot hole (worse yet a black cow) ahead in time to avoid. �� �� That’s exactly why you can’t see our RTL low beam headlights in daylight. Truth is if headlights were properly aligned you would easily see RTL on low beam in daylight and high beam at night would be more efficient. Those lower BRP factory and third party RT Spyder LED light bars are usless for night riding.

 

[Bruiser37]

2020-21 RT Spyder LED headlight horizontal adjustment

I have concluded from my recent experience 2020 - 21 RT Spyder LED headlight horizontal angle -2.23 degrees must be reset to zero degree for optimum, maximum low and high beam safe riding operation. I moved glove box to side and with fingers located right & left hand horizontal allen screw alignment adjustments according to owners guide instruction. Unless your hand size is that of a 10 year old child forget adjusting RT Spyder LED headlights through glove box, run 100 percent on high beam and avoid riding in dark.

No wonder they come assembled default from manufacturing without adjustment… that’s an owners option.

Also noted Canadian RT LED Spyder headlights are screw driver adjustments located in Right & left hand mirrors… so convenient.