Horrible handling issue with major wind gusts

[Highwayman2013]

We live in Las Vegas and we get the heavy winds a lot. I ride both 2 wheelers and an F3L spyder and would rather the spyder in the wind any day. I have installed the Bajaron swaybar and had a laser alignment.

 

[UtahPete]

Actually live in Riverside, not the high desert. I very much appreciate your advice. The friend I called is a long time Spyder rider and started the Spyder group here. She's owned three and the latest is an F3. She said her other Spyders did not have the wind issue like her new one. She said I just need to get used to it. I will look into the sway bar and see if I can do it right now. Just retired a month ago so not real flush right now but want a safe ride so will need to look into it. Thank you.

If you have ridden your bike 2500 miles without any problems until this latest incident AND you don't have money to waste right now, then I suggest you put this whole experience into context and hang onto your money. The stock Spyder out the dealer door is a fantastic machine without any modifications and the chances are real good you don't have an 'issue' that needs money thrown at it.

I have over 16,000 miles on my RT with NO suspension mods; bone stock in that regard. I've been riding in extreme conditions and my appreciation for this bike grows with every adventure.

Stop worrying, slow down when conditions warrant it (and get off the road altogether when necessary) and be confident your machine is the safest, most capable way of traveling outside of a cage.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

If you have the upgraded bar you likely would have the upgraded heim links as well. The link is the red thing in the first picture (yours could be silver) and the bar is what I’m pointing at in the second. Also, if you have BajaRon’s bar you wll have the white bushings. If you have a stock bar your links are black plastic and the bushings will be black also.

Edit: you can see the white bushing in the second picture.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The friend I called is a long time Spyder rider and started the Spyder group here. She's owned three and the latest is an F3. She said her other Spyders did not have the wind issue like her new one. She said I just need to get used to it. I will look into the sway bar and see if I can do it right now. Just retired a month ago so not real flush right now but want a safe ride so will need to look into it. Thank you.

One big difference. On two wheels you are pretty much one with the bike. As the wind pushes from the side it pushes you and the bike together. Not so with the Spyder. You have to be a bit of a booble head, i.e., let your body move around independently of the bike. As the wind blows from the side your body will get pushed. If you are hanging on tight you take the Spyder with you. Its natural tendency is to stay on a straight path, but if you are hanging on tight you turn the handlebars and then the Spyder feels jerky. The Spyder is very responsive to input into the handlebars. You want to hang on loose, let the wind blow YOU around, let the Spyder keep on its track, and don't turn the handlebars. Also the BajaRon sway bar will help, a lot!

It's a whole different experience than on two wheels.

 

[SpyderLady1968]

+1 for at least trying the BR swaybar to see if it doesn't help. By the way, you did check your tire pressures before the trip?

Thanks. Yes tire pressure was checked. I am taking her out for a short ride tomorrow so I will see how it feels.

 

[PW2013STL]

One big difference. On two wheels you are pretty much one with the bike. As the wind pushes from the side it pushes you and the bike together. Not so with the Spyder. You have to be a bit of a booble head, i.e., let your body move around independently of the bike. As the wind blows from the side your body will get pushed. If you are hanging on tight you take the Spyder with you. Its natural tendency is to stay on a straight path, but if you are hanging on tight you turn the handlebars and then the Spyder feels jerky. The Spyder is very responsive to input into the handlebars. You want to hang on loose, let the wind blow YOU around, let the Spyder keep on its track, and don't turn the handlebars. Also the BajaRon sway bar will help, a lot!

It's a whole different experience than on two wheels.

My thoughts also. One of the first things I had to relearn was to not hold onto the grips tightly. Spyders are very sensitive to bar input, and the F3 even more so than our RT.

 

[AY4B]

The Swaybar will help alot but your Harley experience is not helping. You are still new to your spyder and on that day the wind did not help. It take awhile sometimes to get used to a spyder and begin relaxing in the ryde. Winds like that can be challenging and there is a limit to any vehicle and rider. Stay in your comfort zone and dont get in a hurry till you get the feel of your ride. It sounds like you are doing great though. I also remember questioning my decision on if the Spyder was right for me and many of us have been there as well.

 

[UtahPete]

The Swaybar will help alot but your Harley experience is not helping. You are still new to your spyder and on that day the wind did not help. It take awhile sometimes to get used to a spyder and begin relaxing in the ryde. Winds like that can be challenging and there is a limit to any vehicle and rider. Stay in your comfort zone and dont get in a hurry till you get the feel of your ride. It sounds like you are doing great though. I also remember questioning my decision on if the Spyder was right for me and many of us have been there as well.

Well said.

 

[Tyris]

Friday drove about 60 miles to a dealer to put on my Baja swaybar that I bought a couple months back, not seventy mile an hour winds but fairly strong gusts ripping across those Iowa corn fields. On the way home I could not believe the handling difference, so so much better. Still need a swaybar for my neck though, but trike handled 100% better. I'd get the lazer alignment if squared away would be close to Iowa.

 

[Rattlebars]

I echo the Baja Ron sway bar with links update that others have spoken about. It made my F3-T very manageable in wind and in nearly every other aspect. Since you are a former Harley rider, you must have heard the phrase "Never trust a bike you can't see through" ? If you can't see through a bike, the wind won't go through that bike either. I rode a GL1800 gold wing (Owned two, the second after the crash >SEE THE CRASH PICS<) for 15 years and about 150K miles. I had the same problem with wind on it (you can't see through it either). One poster mentioned the turbulence from a school bus and semis which it is always wise to be wary of.

I looked at several reviews of the Spyder before I bought F3 and remember one rookie stating in a video that the bike made him tired because it was hard to ride. My comment on seeing him ride it was "let go of the death grip on the bars & relax!" Good advice on any bike. If you have the sway bar upgrade your blocks on the front end and the links should look like this.

 

[4 MARIE]

No vehicle is unaffected by wind. If the wind is 50plus MPH, (not unusual for here), you need to know when to quit.
Or if the weather or visibility demands it, slow down, or take a break.

If you HAVE to be somewhere, no matter the weather, then I recommend your pickup or car. Ryde safe.

 

[johnsimion]

We went from Vegas to Laughlin yesterday, long straight stretches across a flat desert. We experienced 80 mph highway speeds with 30 mph crosswind and gusts probably up to 50. Our friend followed on a Harley and I could see him leaning into the wind, trying to keep it running straight. We could sure feel the wind pushing and buffeting us and it wasn't pleasant, but it also wasn't the least bit dangerous and I never had to slow down. And our RT is factory stock. Nevertheless, maybe the wind you experienced was still worse, or maybe your F3 doesn't handle wind as well as our RT, or maybe you aren't used to your Spyder yet, or maybe it's something else altogether. Nobody on this forum would know because we aren't you and we weren't there, so it's not fair to criticize you for what you feel. All I can say is if the wind is strong enough to blow over semis, either stay home or take a car or SUV. That's true no matter what bike or Spyder you have and no matter what modifications you've made. There are just some times that a car or SUV is better. Blasphemy, I know.

 

[IGETAROUND]

I assumed that riding a 3-wheeled vehicle would handle better in the wind than my Harley. Maybe you are right that it was more an operator issue. I only have about 2,500 miles under my belt. This was my second longer ride and had no problem the first time but I don't remember gusty winds like yesterday.

For what it's worth, I was well over 5k before I wasn't feeling twitchy staying in my own lane, by the time I put it away the first year ~ 17k I felt I sort of knew what I was doing and not feeling out of control with winds, uneven surfaces ecetra. The alignment you had will help you to stay straight easier. The stiffer sway bar will help with wind gusts, cross winds and semis. Good luck on your adjustment to your new ride.

Al in Kazoo

 

[always young]

Blown around

I just wanted to add another tip to what has been mentioned already, all good advice. I once read on a forum or in a magazine riding tip section about riding in heavy wind conditions. They said to hang onto the bike tighter with your KNEES and let your upper body relax and not hold the bars so tight for support. Going over our causeways here in Florida when a front is moving through can just about blow you off the bike. This technique worked perfectly on my C14 when I was riding it and it also works with my F3T Ltd. Yes, your upper body will move around some, but like mentioned by others, you're not dragging the handlebars around with you and causing the bike to move side to side on the road. Every ride is a learning experience with the F3 and I'm continually learning. Enjoy your ride and be one with it....ummmm. :riding:

 

[huffy]

wind blown spyder

I live in sw florida, I'm new to spyder riding also, after 45 yrs. of two wheels. I've put about 2000 miles on a 2011 RT-S SE5 that had only 14'350 miles when I got it after been out on the interstate for 50 mil. ride in only 15 to 20 mph gust, and had the same effect that "spyderlady1968" has described, yes tire pressure is good and I'll be looking into the sway bar, I just signed to this forum today and already getting some good info! thanks and I'm looking for much more!:clap:

 

[ES44AC]

I think my RTS is the worst motorcycle I've owned for bad experiences with wind. EAST Manufacturing aluminum frameless dump trailers are the worst and most dangerous for turbulence as far as Semi trucks go.

I still like my Spyder it's just a quirk having to deal with the wind,it's a big target for catching wind gusts. I just tripped 20k this weekend.

 

[Tazzel]

Winds are not pleasant if your in non cage vehicle. Having said that, I feel much safer then I ever did on a 2 wheeler and I have been on several group rides with 2 wheelers that had to pull off due to high winds. As other have said a stronger sway bar will help.

 

[rustynail51]

cross winds

Don't like them in any kind of transportation cage or otherwise. Spent lots of time riding the plains of of the west the Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska, and Wyoming , nothing handles as it should in high cross winds when I encounter cross winds of thirty mph or more i will take the car or truck unless there is no way around it.

 

[SpyderLady1968]

Yes, I had it aligned two weeks ago when I had it serviced. I wanted bike in good shape for the road trip. Thanks.

I had a long talk with my mechanic yesterday and I found out the alignment was not a lazer alignment. He also explained to me how much lighter the F3SE6 is especially in the front compared to the RT and the RS models. I wish I had known this as I bought the F3 after ONE demo ride at the local Spyder dealer because I liked that the seat seemed farther back. I sure have a lot to learn!

I would like to thank everyone for your input.

 

[SpyderF3-s]

Slow down!

I ride the Riverside area every day to and from work (2015 F3-S SE6). On the windy days I slow down to under 65 and have no issues. I agree the Baja Ron sway bar will help. On days I know it is going to be windy, I throw on a 20lb sandbag in the frunk. Helps a lot!