Lane drift????

[BajaRon]

Okay, I rode at least 150 miles today, and it was windy at times I had no problems until the end. I went to visit my parents. On the way from their house to mine, there was no wind, the road was not bumpy or crowned...and it did it again. I went back and rode over the road again and again and I could not get it to happen again. I am steering straight and it goes left, and it just does it from time to time apparently. So, if I take it to the dealer and they test drive it, chances are they won't even have it happen to them and I'll be told there is nothing wrong with it. It is not the road and it is not my imagination. I have a small sports car, so I'm familiar with how ruts and stuff in the road can kind of make it drift one way or another, but this doesn't feel the same. I was willing to think it was just my imagination, or driver error, or even the road yesterday...but just when everything was going well for at least 150 miles it happened again. I was starting to feel very comfortable on it again too...

Sounds like you need to get that checked. The BUDS may tell the dealer something. And having them test ride it, you never know, it may do it for them. Even if it doesn't you've got your foot in the door if it does turn into a problem.

 

[Amanda B]

Hey, I'm having the same problem!! I have driven the Spyder twice this year and both times my Spyder steered itself off toward the side of the road. I had to jerk the handlebars to straighten the steering out. :yikes: It also wavers even when driving straight with no handlebar movement at all! I dropped it off at the dealer yesterday and one of the guys took it for a ride. He must think I'm an idiot because he says he didn't find anything wrong with it and says it was because I turned the Spyder into a "touring" bike with the 7" Kewlmetal handlebars. I don't care what he thinks--something is wrong. I drove it last year briefly with the new handlebars with no problems whatsoever.

Was yours a hard pull? About how fast were you going? Each time it has happened to me I was going under 30 mph. We'll see what I'm told I did wrong. I didn't add risers. I have a hard time seeing how adding risers would do it anyway. I also don't understand how my changing BRP rims to other BRP rims on the front would do it. If that is what did it then it is an impossibly finicky bike. I will post more as I have more information.

 

[Amanda B]

Are you sure you're not griping

Freudian slip????:roflblack: (Please know that I am teasing here...)

 

[Amanda B]

Okay...I'm dumb...

What is a toe and why do I need to get it checked?

 

[Tom in NM]

well done!

Sounds like you need to get that checked. The BUDS may tell the dealer something. And having them test ride it, you never know, it may do it for them. Even if it doesn't you've got your foot in the door if it does turn into a problem.

:agree:
Amanda, sounds like you did a good test on road conditions and could not replicate the sensation. While I don't have a high opinion of a lot of service departments, don't pre-judge. You come across as a reasonable person, they should listen to you and try and find out what is going on. You have also demonstrated you are a quick study on mechanical "stuff" - they should have no trouble explaining what they have checked and found.

It may be something like Way2fast experienced with the VSS or ABS kicking in and pulling you off your drive-path. Nothing as dramatic as he related, but it could be that or something similar.

As for the "toe-in" you can check out this link: http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm
Basically, as it says, it is when the tires are "slanted" inward and ride more on the outside edge of the tire - like in this diagram:

You can imagine, if you are experiencing toe-in, that the handling would feel different and react differently when the whole tread is not "flat" on the ground. Just a guess.

Get it checked and see what your shop says.

Tom

 

[Amanda B]

:agree:
Amanda, sounds like you did a good test on road conditions and could not replicate the sensation. While I don't have a high opinion of a lot of service departments, don't pre-judge. You come across as a reasonable person, they should listen to you and try and find out what is going on. You have also demonstrated you are a quick study on mechanical "stuff" - they should have no trouble explaining what they have checked and found.

It may be something like Way2fast experienced with the VSS or ABS kicking in and pulling you off your drive-path. Nothing as dramatic as he related, but it could be that or something similar.

As for the "toe-in" you can check out this link: http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm
Basically, as it says, it is when the tires are "slanted" inward and ride more on the outside edge of the tire - like in this diagram:

You can imagine, if you are experiencing toe-in, that the handling would feel different and react differently when the whole tread is not "flat" on the ground. Just a guess.

Get it checked and see what your shop says.

Tom

I'm not really pre-judging. I've worked with them for years, so I have years of bad experiences. One of which had to do with the spyder steering update, not to mention all the stuff they told me that I knew was wrong when I was picking up the bike and had weeks before already signed the paperwork (it will up-shift itself just like it will downshift itself, full moon is black, and the tank holds 10 gallons). I'm just assuming it will be the same.

I pretty much had a plan of action, I'm trying to stay logical about the issue and patient. First, I was going to check it out again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Of course, I will likely try one more time to see if I might be able to figure it out or at least have a little more information for my dealership. Hopefully, they figure it out. If not, I will work with them and try to be patient.

 

[Tom in NM]

Oh . . . . . them.

I'm not really pre-judging. I've worked with them for years, so I have years of bad experiences. One of which had to do with the spyder steering update, not to mention all the stuff they told me that I knew was wrong when I was picking up the bike and had weeks before already signed the paperwork (it will up-shift itself just like it will downshift itself, full moon is black, and the tank holds 10 gallons). I'm just assuming it will be the same.

That sounds just like my old service department - the operative word there is OLD. I was lucky - the other Spyder shop in town is GREAT. I gave my first shop chance after chance, but they sucked every last drop of goodwill I had. The other shop is not as convenient, but really worth the extra effort on my part.

Good luck with your grease flunkies.

Tom

 

[Amanda B]

That sounds just like my old service department - the operative word there is OLD. I was lucky - the other Spyder shop in town is GREAT. I gave my first shop chance after chance, but they sucked every last drop of goodwill I had. The other shop is not as convenient, but really worth the extra effort on my part.

Good luck with your grease flunkies.

Tom

Unfortunately I have no other option really there aren't any other dealerships that I know of anywhere near me and to make matters worse I paid for a service contract with them! Hopefully they will get it right though.

Where do you want me to send the bubble dog picture?

 

[SpyderWolf]

Amanda, you may want to ask them to hook it up to BUDS and recenter the steering, and as someone else posted perhaps recalibrate the sensors. Hopefully they will know how to do that and will be able to see if anything is amiss in those areas.

I wish you the best with getting the issue resolved quickly, and above all correctly.

 

[VaughnCat]

Okay, so I rode to work today and back home tonight. Three times the following occurred. I was going straight in the lane and the spyder just starts going towards the left lane. I am certain I was not turning the handle bars at all, it definitely woke me up, but I was able to easily get it to go straight by turning the handle bars. It wasn't too bad, but it didn't feel wonderful either and since it has happened I am worried it will happen again but at higher speeds (each time it did happen I was going rather slow, so that was good). I'm wondering if this will get worse and if this is the DPS problem people are talking about. It wasn't a good thing, but it also wasn't as frightening as what I've read so :dontknow:.

The rt-s that we ride favors which ever way the road is canted . . . . much like my motorcycle (Suzuki VL-1500). Here in Oregon the roads are canted for water run off . . . that means they may be tipped the wrong way, unlike the Daytona bank. Some thing I have noticed about my riding over the years (40 +) is that I also feel safer in a left hand turn vs a right hander on a bike, trike or quad . . .

 

[Amanda B]

When I take it in...

I will tell them what happened and ask them to check the things that have been listed, as well as getting them to hook it up to the BUDS. I've gotta make a list and write it down.

Now, I've started wondering one more thing I should check. Since it seems to occur while I'm going slow, I wonder if I am applying the break when it happens (when it does happen). The 3 times it happened it was during stop and go traffic, so this could very well be the case. Yesterday, it was when I was getting close to a stop sign so it could be the same thing.

I do want to thank everyone for their ideas it has been very helpful! I like to at least have some idea what it might be when I take the bike in so I can give them some direction.

One more question, if I had a little more ride on in one tire than the other, would that make a difference? I tried to get them the same, but you never know.

 

[NancysToy]

.....Also one way you can test you ride to see if your brakes are even is just like with a car find a good piece of road (? that in TX) run up about 30 and start to give it some brake, if it pulls to one side it is ether air in tires are not the same, brake is dragging. or a wheel bearing may be too tight o getting bad. If will pull to the side with the problem most times
Please don't do this test unless you are very comfortable with whatever you are driving:yikes:

With respect
Hess

This won't work on the Spyder. The Spyder has Electronic Brake Distribution, which will try to stop straight (or maintain your steering angle) by adjusting individual brake pressures. Much like ABS (which the Spyder also has), but more sophisticated. In short, it is very difficult to pin down one caliper that is not working properly on a Spyder...although hooking up to BUDS can sometimes help.

 

[BajaRon]

One more question, if I had a little more ride on in one tire than the other, would that make a difference? I tried to get them the same, but you never know.

I suppose if you put a ton more Ride-On in one tire it might make a difference. But a few ounces difference would not be noticable.

 

[Amanda B]

I suppose if you put a ton more Ride-On in one tire it might make a difference. But a few ounces difference would not be noticable.

Thanks! I thought that to be the case. I may have got an ounce difference when I did it. The bottles are opaque and the stuff is slimy so it is a little hard to tell if you got the exact same amount. I just wanted to rule that out and move on...

 

[BajaRon]

Thanks! I thought that to be the case. I may have got an ounce difference when I did it. The bottles are opaque and the stuff is slimy so it is a little hard to tell if you got the exact same amount. I just wanted to rule that out and move on...

It will be good to know what is causing your drift issue. I know that changing crown can make a big difference. But it will be the same every time. Not intermittent like your problem.

The DPS issues has everyone a bit jumpy. I know sometimes I think something is wrong when it isn't. All this talk hasbeveryone very sensitive to their steering. Not that I blame them. I'm not saying your issue is self generated but I'm not sure that it doesn't happen.

 

[Amanda B]

The DPS issues has everyone a bit jumpy. I know sometimes I think something is wrong when it isn't. All this talk hasbeveryone very sensitive to their steering. Not that I blame them. I'm not saying your issue is self generated but I'm not sure that it doesn't happen.

I have been aware of the steering issue and I have been cautious at times, in that I go around curves slower than I used to and go slower than I used to in general but that's the extent of it. Though sometimes around corners I notice I have made adjustments going around that I used to not do, but I am totally aware of this when I do it. I'm not riding and thinking about it for the most part, in fact I'm riding and enjoying myself when the pulling to the other lane happens...then I become very cautious so if it were self-generated I would expect it would happen even more after the first event occurs. In fact, even after it happened the first day I decided to ride again and everything was great for many many miles and I thought the pulling was just me and was totally comfortable on my bike again. I was convinced that everything was fine, that it must have been the road or that it was a fluke, and I was riding around like I used to (before I had knowledge of the DPS issue). Then it happened again in the last mile of my riding yesterday. I wish it was just me being overly sensitive or self-generating but I know that it isn't.

 

[Way2Fast]

Sorry that happened to you! So, I'm assuming you weren't able to get it fixed?

I was the first person to report a steering problem on this forum. Soon afterwards others started to discuss problems...mostly due to the steering lock issue. My dealer is about as clueless as the come. When I called they didn't know about any steering problems even after the recall. They put me on hold until my phone battery died. They might be the closest dealer at about 60 miles away, but I wouldn't bring my Spyder there if they were located next door. By the way, my Spyder was 100% stock except for the Hindle exhaust so the "aftermarket part" theory doesn't hold any water. Neither does incorrect toe in/out as this would affect the handling consistantly, something you don't experience. The roadway I had the problem on is the same one ( and the only one) that I have to travel everytime I leave my residence. It is a straight and level road. Don't place the blame on yourself, Amanda, The problem is mechanical, not driver related.

 

[krb1945]

I believe spyderdylr was...

referring to setting up a procedure for aligning the front end and taking some pictures. I had asked the question if someone had a procedure and did it require special equipment or tools to accomplish.

I don't think he was referring to shooting anything... although last friday night someone did shoot at two cars with a pellet gun on SR21. No one seriously injuried. Broken window and some minor cuts. /Ken

 

[BajaRon]

I have been aware of the steering issue and I have been cautious at times, in that I go around curves slower than I used to and go slower than I used to in general but that's the extent of it. Though sometimes around corners I notice I have made adjustments going around that I used to not do, but I am totally aware of this when I do it. I'm not riding and thinking about it for the most part, in fact I'm riding and enjoying myself when the pulling to the other lane happens...then I become very cautious so if it were self-generated I would expect it would happen even more after the first event occurs. In fact, even after it happened the first day I decided to ride again and everything was great for many many miles and I thought the pulling was just me and was totally comfortable on my bike again. I was convinced that everything was fine, that it must have been the road or that it was a fluke, and I was riding around like I used to (before I had knowledge of the DPS issue). Then it happened again in the last mile of my riding yesterday. I wish it was just me being overly sensitive or self-generating but I know that it isn't.

Didn't mean to imply that this has anything to do with your sensitivity as your problem is not imagined. I was just making the observation that I have had the tendency to be over critical of any steering event that seems out of the ordinary no matter how small. I am sure this is due to the real issues experienced by other riders that creeps around in my head.

I get a road induced twitch or drift due to crown and my first thought is "do I have a DPS issue?" This is not in any way the same thing you are experiencing.

My wondering if this over sensitivity may be happening with others is completely unrelated to your drifting problem.

I am glad you're taking this seriously and are going to get it looked into.

 

[Amanda B]

I've been second guessing myself. It happened again over the weekend though. Its strange because it always seems to happen when I'm going 30-35 mph. Taking it in soon. I would have taken it in sooner but I didn't want to miss the Indiana spyder get together over the weekend. My dealer says it will take at least two weeks for diagnostics because regular oil changes and things always get priority, and they won't make any appointments so I could get around the two or more week wait.