Front suspension

[Captkerosene]

HELP! I have a 2015 RT. Have installed the Baja Ron sway bar. Really a great improvement. Also had it laser alinged. Problem is if I go into a posted 50 mph sweeper at anything over 50 mph, the bike starts to lean towards the outside like an old buick. At 5 mph over the posted speed it starts to feel pretty sporty. At 10 mph over posted speeds it starts to lean heavily towards the outside and as you load up the outside front tire it starts to over steer really badly. I have found that running 22/24 psi in front helps but it still feels like the outside front tire wants to roll under and causes a severe over steer situation.
Is this normal??? I have ridden bikes for the last 50 years and it didn't get sporty until you approached 20 mph over posted speed.
At my age I really don't mind riding posted speeds in corners but I hate to have the 4 wheel cages pile up behind me on two lane roads because I'm running the curves at 50 when they are running them at 65.
Would front spring spacers/stiffners help?
Thanks for any feed back. Dont know if this is NORMAL for a spyder or if maybe mine has a problem.
Thanks

 

[jcthorne]

Two suggestions for improvements here.

First, you need to learn to counter balance by leaning forward and to the inside of the turn.

Second, increased spring rate would likely help your more aggressive cornering desires. Inexpensive route is the BajaRon spring adjusters. Next step up from there is the Elka front shocks/springs.

You could also benefit from better tires with a side wall that does not roll under so badly. Suggest looking at Continental or Yokohama front replacements as a step up.

Good luck and enjoy the ride.

 

[JayBros]

You don't say how many miles you have put on your Spyder since getting it. It takes some time and mileage to get comfortable. It rides different than a two wheeler. You also don't give us an idea of your size and that can have an efffect. The Spyder is naturally going to lean to the outside of a turn/curve because of centrifugal force. You can counter the CF by leaning forward and inboard in the turns and pushing down hard on the outboard floorboard while gripping the tank with your knees as you pull inward with the inside handlebar and push away with the outboard bar. You are riding on two ply tires with softer sidewalls than a cage tire.

 

[BajaRon]

HELP! I have a 2015 RT. Have installed the Baja Ron sway bar. Really a great improvement. Also had it laser alinged. Problem is if I go into a posted 50 mph sweeper at anything over 50 mph, the bike starts to lean towards the outside like an old buick. At 5 mph over the posted speed it starts to feel pretty sporty. At 10 mph over posted speeds it starts to lean heavily towards the outside and as you load up the outside front tire it starts to over steer really badly. I have found that running 22/24 psi in front helps but it still feels like the outside front tire wants to roll under and causes a severe over steer situation.
Is this normal??? I have ridden bikes for the last 50 years and it didn't get sporty until you approached 20 mph over posted speed.
At my age I really don't mind riding posted speeds in corners but I hate to have the 4 wheel cages pile up behind me on two lane roads because I'm running the curves at 50 when they are running them at 65.
Would front spring spacers/stiffners help?
Thanks for any feed back. Dont know if this is NORMAL for a spyder or if maybe mine has a problem.
Thanks

There are really too many variables here to really nail this down. The stock shocks do have an anemic spring rate. Depending on your height and weight this can add quite a bit to the roll.

The stock tires do tend to roll under. Higher tire pressure will help this but going too high adds other negative characteristics which can be even worse.

The smoothness or abruptness going into and out of a turn can add or take away quite a bit from your cornering ability. You don't want to throw the Spyder into turns like a 2 wheeler as this creates a great deal of inertia to the outside. Though the sway bar upgrade adds a great deal of stability, the stock shocks in stock configuration are not well suited to handle this inertia. Smooth entrance and exit with correct Apex in turns will greatly enhance the speed at which a turn can be taken safely.

 

[Captkerosene]

Thanks for all the input. I think I am going to try the spring spacers and maybe different tires. I am 6'1" and weigh 220. I used to race (amateur only) motorcycles, stock cars, ATV's so I think I am pretty good at smoothness as far as entering and exiting corners. I have been leaning, almost to the point of absurd, to the inside of the curve, pulling on the inside handle bar instead of pushing to the outside. I really have tried a lot of different techniques but nothing works so far. Just wondering if anyone else experienced the same issues.

 

[Sam Mac]

Thanks for all the input. I think I am going to try the spring spacers and maybe different tires. I am 6'1" and weigh 220. I used to race (amateur only) motorcycles, stock cars, ATV's so I think I am pretty good at smoothness as far as entering and exiting corners. I have been leaning, almost to the point of absurd, to the inside of the curve, pulling on the inside handle bar instead of pushing to the outside. I really have tried a lot of different techniques but nothing works so far. Just wondering if anyone else experienced the same issues.

Yep, the spring adjusters will help but it will never feel like a 2 wheel MC. Think snowmobile with wheels or an ATV. BTDT. I'm also an ex racer. It will take time to adjust to it. Some never do. I didn't.

 

[pegasus1300]

We all have especially if we liked to push our 2 wheelers hard in the curves. If you think you are leaning to the absurd then lean a little further. Also weight to the inside foot,and push the outside bar as you pull the inside bar. You will probably need the spring adjusters at the least and better tires, but you may end up having to get the Elkas to be really happy. My 2012 comes with spring adjuster from the factory and they have always been on the stiffest setting. The tires with the better side wall were a bigger help then I thought they would be and you will really be able to feel the difference the BajaRon Sway bar makes. You're a racer so you know, make a change at a time and evaluate.

 

[PaladinLV]

Except for Baja Ron, stock front end 2014 RT-S.

I have no problem going 5-10 over the recommended posted speed a majority of the time in a sweeper.

AJ

HELP! I have a 2015 RT. Have installed the Baja Ron sway bar. Really a great improvement. Also had it laser alinged. Problem is if I go into a posted 50 mph sweeper at anything over 50 mph, the bike starts to lean towards the outside like an old buick. At 5 mph over the posted speed it starts to feel pretty sporty. At 10 mph over posted speeds it starts to lean heavily towards the outside and as you load up the outside front tire it starts to over steer really badly. I have found that running 22/24 psi in front helps but it still feels like the outside front tire wants to roll under and causes a severe over steer situation.
Is this normal??? I have ridden bikes for the last 50 years and it didn't get sporty until you approached 20 mph over posted speed.
At my age I really don't mind riding posted speeds in corners but I hate to have the 4 wheel cages pile up behind me on two lane roads because I'm running the curves at 50 when they are running them at 65.
Would front spring spacers/stiffners help?
Thanks for any feed back. Dont know if this is NORMAL for a spyder or if maybe mine has a problem.
Thanks

 

[PW2013STL]

I started by adding the Ron Bar and that helped. I than added the Fox shocks which further helped, but when I changed the front tires to the Kumho Solus KH 16 in 175/55-15 size running at 20# is when it all came together for me.
There is a 15MPH curve just before the parking entrance to my work that at 30MPH was pushing the Spyder to it's limit that I now take at 43MPH and the Spyder is on rails. I am sure I could go faster if I can hold on.

 

[jtoro1]

Polaris ATV spring spacers helped me and they are cheap fix ,I like my bike little stiffer in the front. They are donuts like NASCAR uses .PM me if you want more info.