Do I really need a new swaybar?

[deer30084]

So I've had my brand new 2015 F3 for just over a week now and I don't even think there are 200 miles on it. Been doing a lot of reading online about replacing the anti-swaybar. Really? Right out of the box my new Can-Am F3 needs fixn'?! How many people out there are riding their F3 stock without changing the swaybar? Are you happy with it or is a replacing the sway bar something you want, but haven't gotten to for some reason?

 

[BajaRon]

So I've had my brand new 2015 F3 for just over a week now and I don't even think there are 200 miles on it. Been doing a lot of reading online about replacing the anti-swaybar. Really? Right out of the box my new Can-Am F3 needs fixn'?! How many people out there are riding their F3 stock without changing the swaybar? Are you happy with it or is a replacing the sway bar something you want, but haven't gotten to for some reason?

If you're happy with it, just ride it. When (and if) you get to where you want it to handle better, then consider a sway bar upgrade. Most people are amazed at how much improvement a bar of steel can make.

 

[Sarge707]

So I've had my brand new 2015 F3 for just over a week now and I don't even think there are 200 miles on it. Been doing a lot of reading online about replacing the anti-swaybar. Really? Right out of the box my new Can-Am F3 needs fixn'?! How many people out there are riding their F3 stock without changing the swaybar? Are you happy with it or is a replacing the sway bar something you want, but haven't gotten to for some reason?

My stock F3 corners way Better than my 2009 GS with the Sway Bar did So As of Now I'm very happy- BUT I might add the 2 Up shock because of All the good reviews which is about $175 with shipping and can be put on by me.

If your happy with your aggressive cornering you can live without it?

 

[Malathion]

Swaybar

Do it,Do it!!! I had the RT bar installed, and I love it, no more plowing into corners, no more having to slow way down for every hard turn. P.S. I put the Fox podium rear shock on at the same time so some performance improvements may be due to it.

 

[Pampurrs]

As long as you take your corners really, really slow, and don't do any twisties, you'll be fine without it.

Pam

 

[vondalyn]

are you kidding me?

sorry but I totally disagree -- you DON'T NEED a swaybar, and you can drive as fast as you feel comfortable around twisties. I never got one for my RT and I don't have one on my F3. I drive FAST in the curves and in the twisties.

I say drive it for awhile as-is and see how you feel. Remember that it will feel weird and new at first (if this is your first Spyder) compared to a motorcycle, so wait until after that period of time before you decide whether you want one.

 

[OJ UK]

Agree with Vondalyn!

I had a Ron Bar on my RS-S because it needed it but my F3-S doesn't have one and it handles very well.
What you will probably need is the new rear shock as I really believe that the OEM shock on the 2015 is not
fit for purpose and if you ride two-up you'll repeatedly bottom out on bumps and undulations.

 

[PrairieSpyder]

+1 for the Ron Bar

I drove mine about 1800 miles before I put the Ron bar on. It made a big difference in the handling. It's not just in the twisties (not many of those in Kansas), but the general handling and control is much better with it.

 

[deer30084]

Swaybar

sorry but I totally disagree -- you DON'T NEED a swaybar, and you can drive as fast as you feel comfortable around twisties. I never got one for my RT and I don't have one on my F3. I drive FAST in the curves and in the twisties.

I say drive it for awhile as-is and see how you feel. Remember that it will feel weird and new at first (if this is your first Spyder) compared to a motorcycle, so wait until after that period of time before you decide whether you want one.

Thanks Vondalyn. I will be riding it for awhile and decide if I ever get one. I'm sure Can-Am spent a lot of time designing their product and I have a hard time thinking I have to run out and replace a brand new swaybar to improve the ride after spending twenty some thousand dollars on my Spyder. Time will tell. It is a different ride than a motorcycle and I have to get used to it.

 

[blacklightning]

sorry but I totally disagree -- you DON'T NEED a swaybar, and you can drive as fast as you feel comfortable around twisties. I never got one for my RT and I don't have one on my F3. I drive FAST in the curves and in the twisties.

I say drive it for awhile as-is and see how you feel. Remember that it will feel weird and new at first (if this is your first Spyder) compared to a motorcycle, so wait until after that period of time before you decide whether you want one.

:agree:I agree with what is stated above. I have a 2014 RT, and ride with people that have installed the sway bar. I can hang with, and leave most of my friends that have installed the aftermarket sway bars on any curvy road.

 

[Bob Denman]

Isn't Peer Pressure a marvelous thing?
As Vondalyn (kind of) said: Do what's right for you, and ride your own ride! :thumbup:

 

[BajaRon]

sorry but I totally disagree -- you DON'T NEED a swaybar, and you can drive as fast as you feel comfortable around twisties. I never got one for my RT and I don't have one on my F3. I drive FAST in the curves and in the twisties.

I say drive it for awhile as-is and see how you feel. Remember that it will feel weird and new at first (if this is your first Spyder) compared to a motorcycle, so wait until after that period of time before you decide whether you want one.

The F3 does handle well right out of the box. No doubt the best handling Spyder of all. When I do prototypes for a product I depend heavily on 'Test Pilots'. I can't afford to buy a new Spyder every time BRP changes something. Usually I have no problem finding willing Spyderlovers for this thankless job. But not so for the F3. I tried to talk several people into testing this bar kit on their F3, but I got the same answer. 'My F3 handles so well I don't want to mess with it'.

Finally, after some shameless badgering, one of my good buddies who also does installs said he had a customer with an F3 that wanted to have a bar installed. He said he'd install the bar and go riding with this customer who was willing to swap F3's during the ride to compare. I was thrilled because you can't do any better than having a veteran, experienced Spyder rider jump between F3's on a road that he knows. Not to mention the feedback from the customer would also be invaluable.

When the phone call came I was a bit apprehensive. But the word I got was; 'The F3 handles great with the stock bar. But it handles FANTASTIC with the Ron-Bar! Both he and his customer (who was very happy by the way) were amazed at the improvement.

Need, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. But until you've ridden an F3 with, and without a Sway Bar upgrade, it's hard to say, without reservation, that you don't need it. Sometimes we are satisfied because we don't know what we're missing! hyea:

But I'm always happier when a customer puts some miles on their Spyder and gets to know it intimately before upgrading the bar. They are much more impressed that way!

 

[Lastchance]

Sometimes we are satisfied because we don't know what we're missing!
:agree:
But as a new F3 rider I would put 1500 + miles on first to get use to it then think about it

 

[deer30084]

Swaybar

Isn't Peer Pressure a marvelous thing?
As Vondalyn (kind of) said: Do what's right for you, and ride your own ride! :thumbup:

Well said.

 

[Tazzel]

sorry but I totally disagree -- you DON'T NEED a swaybar, and you can drive as fast as you feel comfortable around twisties. I never got one for my RT and I don't have one on my F3. I drive FAST in the curves and in the twisties.

I say drive it for awhile as-is and see how you feel. Remember that it will feel weird and new at first (if this is your first Spyder) compared to a motorcycle, so wait until after that period of time before you decide whether you want one.

Yeah but remember you did get the upgraded Fox shocks on your F3. I think upgraded Fox or the Elka's or do the swaybar. However, you can learn how it handles without doing either.

 

[ARtraveler]

I usually give my :ani29:'s the thousand mile test before I make major changes to the running gear.

I have changed every single seat out--that's five of them. No souped up shocks or mufflers. No front suspension items. I am just happy with the way mine ride. I am very conservative when it comes to riding--but--that is just me.

It took me a couple years before I was convinced that lazer alignment was for real. It is, but unfortunately, I cannot convince my dealer. Thankful we had Squared Away come visit us a year ago.

I do like things that make the :spyder2: pretty though. Mostly lights at this point.

 

[Pampurrs]

I was being flippant when I made my previous comment. I guess if I'd added a smiley, vondalyn might have known that and wouldn't have gotten so riled up.

When I traded in my Victory Vision and picked up the Spyder RT one year ago, I had never ridden on three wheels other then when I briefly demoed the Harley Tri-Glide (which I hated). It was a 140 miles home from the dealership through intense twisties. A friend of mine accompanied me on the ride to and from the dealership, and I had no trouble keeping up with him and his Harley on the way home. It took some getting used to the dymamics of the Spyder after 38 years on two wheels, but I caught on fairly quickly. But I did notice the feeling of being on a boat as the Spyder swayed this way and that through the twisties. Yes, I enjoyed the ride. Yes, I could've stayed with the stock sway bar and would've been satisfied. But I went ahead and installed the BajaRon sway bar and immediately felt the difference. I ride aggressively. I take corners fast enough to make the nanny light come on. I push the envelope on twisties. The stiffer sway bar helps make the ride more fun and enjoyable.

As others have stated, ride it for awhile. If you're comfortable and satisfied with the way it feels, stay with the factory sway bar. But I guarantee you if, after you have ridden the Spyder for a period of time, you will notice a marked difference in the handling if you install the BajaRon sway bar.

It's your ride. Do what you feel is best.

Pam

 

[Sarge707]

I was being flippant when I made my previous comment. I guess if I'd added a smiley, vondalyn might have known that and wouldn't have gotten so riled up.

When I traded in my Victory Vision and picked up the Spyder RT one year ago, I had never ridden on three wheels other then when I briefly demoed the Harley Tri-Glide (which I hated). It was a 140 miles home from the dealership through intense twisties. A friend of mine accompanied me on the ride to and from the dealership, and I had no trouble keeping up with him and his Harley on the way home. It took some getting used to the dymamics of the Spyder after 38 years on two wheels, but I caught on fairly quickly. But I did notice the feeling of being on a boat as the Spyder swayed this way and that through the twisties. Yes, I enjoyed the ride. Yes, I could've stayed with the stock sway bar and would've been satisfied. But I went ahead and installed the BajaRon sway bar and immediately felt the difference. I ride aggressively. I take corners fast enough to make the nanny light come on. I push the envelope on twisties. The stiffer sway bar helps make the ride more fun and enjoyable.

As others have stated, ride it for awhile. If you're comfortable and satisfied with the way it feels, stay with the factory sway bar. But I guarantee you if, after you have ridden the Spyder for a period of time, you will notice a marked difference in the handling if you install the BajaRon sway bar.

It's your ride. Do what you feel is best.

Pam

You drive a RT and My RT has a sway bar and I wouldn't drive it without one BUT my F3 has No Need for one and I drive corners as fast as the next person So what I'm really saying is You Can't judge the need for a sway bar on a vehicle you don't own and ride? Do I make since?:dontknow:

 

[Pampurrs]

You drive a RT and My RT has a sway bar and I wouldn't drive it without one BUT my F3 has No Need for one and I drive corners as fast as the next person So what I'm really saying is You Can't judge the need for a sway bar on a vehicle you don't own and ride? Do I make since?:dontknow:

Yeah you make sense

Does the F3 come from the factory with a stiffer sway bar?

Pam

 

[bboley]

This might be a silly question but I need to know, where are you all adjusting the front shocks to when you install these sway bars? Is the sway bar that much of an improvement over just adjusting the shocks stiffer?:dontknow: