spyderbitten
New member
Now that I've captured your attention, I will proceed with a quite lengthy story involving all the above parties.
Last fall I purchased a rear Elka shock from Len at Cowtown. I arrived on a Saturday morning early, with no appointment, but as usual was greeted with a huge smile and the usual "man hug" from
Len. My Spyder was brought in and the shock installed and I was soon on the way to downtown Cuba for breakfast and a test drive. Len told me if I did not like the adjustment, or the shock
itself to stop back after breakfast. I ate breakfast and did think the Elka was a bit firm for my liking, and even though I drove right by Cowtown on my way home I did not stop to have the
shock readjusted (big mistake). Since I had arrived without an appointment I felt that I should not trouble Cowtown again to readjust the shock so I decided I would adjust it when I got home.
It's about 130 miles home, (2 1/2 hrs) later I pull into my garage and try to adjust the rebound dampening screw and find it nearly impossible to access. The only way I could access the
slotted adjustment screw, was unbolt the bottom of the shock and slide it away from the mounting bracket to get a screwdriver in the slot. Now I find that the adjustment screw is somehow
frozen and will not turn either direction. Man, am I upset. Hundreds of dollars on an adjustable shock that is unadjustable. It is now past closing time at Cowtown so I send Len a PM via
Spyderlovers. He responds and tells me not to worry, he will contact Elka and arrange for a replacement to be sent to my home. Several weeks later the new shock arrives, i switch them and
adjust my new shock to my liking and all is well. So, you probably think this is the end of my story. No, not yet. I like my new Elka so much I call Len and order 2 for the front. I also need 3
new tires and would like the guys at Cowtown to look into the backfiring issues I've been having also. I tell Len I'll be down on a Sat morning in a couple weeks to have everything done.
Couple weeks later I arrive at opening and taken right in for service. Two front Elkas, all new tires, new plug wires, new spark plugs, a thorough going over by the service dept and I'am
good to go. I ask Len to set up my suspension for me so he makes some adjustments, goes for a ride, makes more adjustments, etc. When he is satisfied everything is good to go he backs
my machine up next to me and grins with a :2thumbs:. It's sitting there idling as I walk away to get my helmet. All of a sudden it dies and scrolls VSS fault, DPS fault on the speedometer screen.
Len restarts it and it quits again. Back to the service dept it goes. It is now 4:00pm (closing time on Sat at Cowtown). These guys (3 mechanics and Len) keep working on this until 7:00pm
trying to figure this out. The problem seems to be the computers are shutting the motor down due to a low voltage condition. Cowtown say it's caused by my HID headlights drawing to much
voltage. I argue they been on the bike 4 yrs with no trouble. I leave the bike and Len gives me a loaner to get home. At this point these guys have went well beyond what would be expected.
I get home on a 2009 RS loaner. Pretty much what I drive (2008 GS with 30,000 miles on it). Only difference is this loaner drives like mine used to when it was new. It drove like mine
until the first DPS software update. Fifteen miles after the update, on a test drive the steering became difficult to turn midway through a righthand curve, almost causing me to run off the road.
I returned it to the dealer and they immediately decided to do the DPS replacement. They had 2 DPS units in stock which they installed and neither worked so they ordered a 3rd unit. A month
later it arrived and was installed. I never really liked the way it performed but was told pretty much that's the way it is. I drove that way for several months until the first Spyderfest in Cuba.
That's when I met Len and complained about my DPS. My big complaint was inconsistent steering to the right. They hooked it up to buds and reset the SAS which helped a lot. My other
complaint was my turn signals would not cancel about 80% of the time. I had to cancel them manually. They said that was contained in the DPS unit and not adjustable. Oh well.
Anyway, when I get home from Cowtown with the loaner I send Len a text message telling him of the huge difference between the loaner and my Spyder and how the DPS works differently
on both of them. I say I truly suspect something wrong with my DPS and ask him to check it since it is one of the codes being shown.
The following Friday Len calls and says my HID headlights are pulling to much voltage and the new plug wires they installed were pulling just enough voltage to shut the bike down at idle..
As we were speaking on the phone BRP contacted Cowtown and authorized them to replace my DPS unit. I could not believe it. Although I felt the DPS unit never was "right", this is a Spyder
with 30,000 miles on it and almost 4 yrs old. I think the DPS was also pulling a little extra voltage. Bottom line is all the things (HID's, plug wires, and DPS unit) pulled enough voltage to shut
down the bike at idle.
Len said they had a DPS unit in stock and would replace mine and have it done the next day:yes:. Went down the next day, picked it up and all is well. No, wait, all is NOT well, it is GRRREAT!
My Spyder went from being great fun when brand new to the point that I didn't really care whether I rode it or not because of all the little problems it had. Now, thanks to Elka for resolving
there issue with the rear shock (still wish you would put an adjustment knob on the rear like you do the front), and BRP for replacing my DPS (who says they are not concerned about their
customers), and finally Len and ALL the Cowtown crew for going that extra mile to help your customers have a truly rewarding experience at your business, I truly thank all of you.
See you all at Spyderfest 2012.
Mike
Last fall I purchased a rear Elka shock from Len at Cowtown. I arrived on a Saturday morning early, with no appointment, but as usual was greeted with a huge smile and the usual "man hug" from
Len. My Spyder was brought in and the shock installed and I was soon on the way to downtown Cuba for breakfast and a test drive. Len told me if I did not like the adjustment, or the shock
itself to stop back after breakfast. I ate breakfast and did think the Elka was a bit firm for my liking, and even though I drove right by Cowtown on my way home I did not stop to have the
shock readjusted (big mistake). Since I had arrived without an appointment I felt that I should not trouble Cowtown again to readjust the shock so I decided I would adjust it when I got home.
It's about 130 miles home, (2 1/2 hrs) later I pull into my garage and try to adjust the rebound dampening screw and find it nearly impossible to access. The only way I could access the
slotted adjustment screw, was unbolt the bottom of the shock and slide it away from the mounting bracket to get a screwdriver in the slot. Now I find that the adjustment screw is somehow
frozen and will not turn either direction. Man, am I upset. Hundreds of dollars on an adjustable shock that is unadjustable. It is now past closing time at Cowtown so I send Len a PM via
Spyderlovers. He responds and tells me not to worry, he will contact Elka and arrange for a replacement to be sent to my home. Several weeks later the new shock arrives, i switch them and
adjust my new shock to my liking and all is well. So, you probably think this is the end of my story. No, not yet. I like my new Elka so much I call Len and order 2 for the front. I also need 3
new tires and would like the guys at Cowtown to look into the backfiring issues I've been having also. I tell Len I'll be down on a Sat morning in a couple weeks to have everything done.
Couple weeks later I arrive at opening and taken right in for service. Two front Elkas, all new tires, new plug wires, new spark plugs, a thorough going over by the service dept and I'am
good to go. I ask Len to set up my suspension for me so he makes some adjustments, goes for a ride, makes more adjustments, etc. When he is satisfied everything is good to go he backs
my machine up next to me and grins with a :2thumbs:. It's sitting there idling as I walk away to get my helmet. All of a sudden it dies and scrolls VSS fault, DPS fault on the speedometer screen.
Len restarts it and it quits again. Back to the service dept it goes. It is now 4:00pm (closing time on Sat at Cowtown). These guys (3 mechanics and Len) keep working on this until 7:00pm
trying to figure this out. The problem seems to be the computers are shutting the motor down due to a low voltage condition. Cowtown say it's caused by my HID headlights drawing to much
voltage. I argue they been on the bike 4 yrs with no trouble. I leave the bike and Len gives me a loaner to get home. At this point these guys have went well beyond what would be expected.
I get home on a 2009 RS loaner. Pretty much what I drive (2008 GS with 30,000 miles on it). Only difference is this loaner drives like mine used to when it was new. It drove like mine
until the first DPS software update. Fifteen miles after the update, on a test drive the steering became difficult to turn midway through a righthand curve, almost causing me to run off the road.
I returned it to the dealer and they immediately decided to do the DPS replacement. They had 2 DPS units in stock which they installed and neither worked so they ordered a 3rd unit. A month
later it arrived and was installed. I never really liked the way it performed but was told pretty much that's the way it is. I drove that way for several months until the first Spyderfest in Cuba.
That's when I met Len and complained about my DPS. My big complaint was inconsistent steering to the right. They hooked it up to buds and reset the SAS which helped a lot. My other
complaint was my turn signals would not cancel about 80% of the time. I had to cancel them manually. They said that was contained in the DPS unit and not adjustable. Oh well.
Anyway, when I get home from Cowtown with the loaner I send Len a text message telling him of the huge difference between the loaner and my Spyder and how the DPS works differently
on both of them. I say I truly suspect something wrong with my DPS and ask him to check it since it is one of the codes being shown.
The following Friday Len calls and says my HID headlights are pulling to much voltage and the new plug wires they installed were pulling just enough voltage to shut the bike down at idle..
As we were speaking on the phone BRP contacted Cowtown and authorized them to replace my DPS unit. I could not believe it. Although I felt the DPS unit never was "right", this is a Spyder
with 30,000 miles on it and almost 4 yrs old. I think the DPS was also pulling a little extra voltage. Bottom line is all the things (HID's, plug wires, and DPS unit) pulled enough voltage to shut
down the bike at idle.
Len said they had a DPS unit in stock and would replace mine and have it done the next day:yes:. Went down the next day, picked it up and all is well. No, wait, all is NOT well, it is GRRREAT!
My Spyder went from being great fun when brand new to the point that I didn't really care whether I rode it or not because of all the little problems it had. Now, thanks to Elka for resolving
there issue with the rear shock (still wish you would put an adjustment knob on the rear like you do the front), and BRP for replacing my DPS (who says they are not concerned about their
customers), and finally Len and ALL the Cowtown crew for going that extra mile to help your customers have a truly rewarding experience at your business, I truly thank all of you.
See you all at Spyderfest 2012.
Mike
