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Clutch or Brakes smell?

Allen42

Active member
New to my 2019 RT. 4600 miles on it. When we take it out, there's a very noticable smell at stoplights and after the ride. To me it smells like burning clutch from the old manual shift car days. Also maybe could be brakes? It's not overpwoeringly strong, but it's there for sure. And before everyone says I'm riding the brakes, I am definitely not. The question is, is this smell normal or should I take it the dealer?
 
Welcome to the forum:welcome::f_spider:

I have a 2019 RTL in POM black edition see my avatar. I dont get a smell from the bike unless im doing the North Georgia mountain roads and use the brakes super hard. Does yours have a cat delete? Those may smell a bit. Also check to see if anything rubber has gotten close to the exhaust.... Oh and post up pics of the bike !!
 
Like I said on that other board.

I noticed that a few times with the various Spyder's that I've owned, I always assumed that it came from the drive belt.
 
Could be smell from catalytic converter? The clutch is inside engine running in oil whether semi auto or manual. How many miles?
 
You aren't going to get a smell from the clutch. And if it is slipping, you're going to know it pretty quickly. Could be exhaust. The cat can get pretty hot and it's located where when stopped, the hot air comes up to the rider. And oil leak, even if very small, can smell quite a bit if it is located over components that get hot.
 
I thought catalytic converter smell was more like a rotten egg smell. For Brakes, you are going to have to raise it off the ground and hand rotate each wheel to see if any side is dragging. While it's up there, you can look for any rubber parts on or too near the exhaust.
 
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Allen -- I assume when you said new to your Spyder and it had 4600 miles on it you bought it used. So your smell brings to mind Descanso's rodents, most of whom love the taste of wire insulation and the rest love a warm space to rest. Did either you or the previous owner live in a rodent-friendly neighborhood? If it didn't smell when you purchased your Spyder and now it does, time to become a cat owner.:ohyea:
 
I know I get weird "road smells " from all of the crap that got slung over from the wheel right over on top of the catalytic converter and then it would burn off, fun smell to have when you come back in the garage.

I just did a cat delete yesterday, and another reason for it along with less heat and less weight. I am getting ready to wrap my cat delete pipe and seal the tape with some hi temp silicone to stop the last bit of heat from the pipe and to keep stuff from burning off on it.

Very poor design of having the catalytic converter right in the path of the road spray from the tire and other stuff like sand, mud, and tar chips I have found burning off on the top of it when getting back from rides. It an especially good smell if you run over road-kill or the splatter from it.
 
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