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New to my Spyder & it wobbles down the road! Ideas?
- Thread starter Cirhere
- Start date
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
The Vredestein Q-5 isn't the lowest price tire, but it is the best tire for Spyders in Wet, Dry, Comfort etc. and it actually earned a Winter rating ..... this matters because although we don't ride in the snow .... the Winter rating rating means it will perform well at colder road temps. ..... lots of folks here attest to how good they are ..... Mike :thumbup:
ARtraveler
R.I.P. Dwayne
I have a slightly different story with the OEM Kenda tires. I have now owned 7 different Spyders.
I find that the OEM Front tires, consistently last me for 15k to 20K miles. I usually get 15K miles out of the REAR tire. The only exception was the 2014 RT which came with a new version. They were a softer rubber. I only got 8K out of the rear and 14K out of the fronts.
I currently have 13K on the 2019 F3. That will get a new tire in a couple weeks. When I replaced tires on the last two (2014 and 2011), they got new "darkside" tires. The jury is out because both were traded off before they wore out. 10K and and 15K when they were traded off.
My 2019 will get "darkside" tires. And then I can start the testing all over again. In over 175,000 assorted miles on the Kenda's, I have NEVER had a performance issue or a failure. They are NOT as good as "darkside" tires...but IMO, they are ok for OEM. :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
I find that the OEM Front tires, consistently last me for 15k to 20K miles. I usually get 15K miles out of the REAR tire. The only exception was the 2014 RT which came with a new version. They were a softer rubber. I only got 8K out of the rear and 14K out of the fronts.
I currently have 13K on the 2019 F3. That will get a new tire in a couple weeks. When I replaced tires on the last two (2014 and 2011), they got new "darkside" tires. The jury is out because both were traded off before they wore out. 10K and and 15K when they were traded off.
My 2019 will get "darkside" tires. And then I can start the testing all over again. In over 175,000 assorted miles on the Kenda's, I have NEVER had a performance issue or a failure. They are NOT as good as "darkside" tires...but IMO, they are ok for OEM. :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
ozarkryder
New member
Most of the above mentioned the many ways a Spyder could be not tracking correctly, but the reason steering on Spyders is so quick is that they have electrically assisted power steering. Compared with other bikes, and especially trikes that don't have a rake kit, this makes the Spyder feel very twitchy until the pilot gets used to it. The first thing to do, as mentioned above, if to make sure the tire pressure is the same in the front wheels. The second thing to do also is recommended above, put miles on the trike. Get used to the way it handles. After that you may want to go down the mod/upgrade route. I recommend one thing at the time. I've known people that added mods that fixed a problem, then added more that made it worse again. More than one mod at a time and you won't know what one worked or why.
Snoking1127
Well-known member
Better tires and the Bajaron HD sway bar are both positive mods/additions. I did Federals and a couple weeks later the sway bar, and both were noticeable incremental improvements.
RICZ
New member
I got some good info form some of these same people when I started. Here they, as short as I can make them...
+ Loose hands and arms. The steering reacts to every input.
+ Press down HARD on the outside board/peg and lean into the turns.
+ It will take 1,000 miles before you get used to it. Gotta rewire those synapsis.
+ It will take another 1,00 miles before you feel that you are in control. Synapsis rewired.
+ Do not do any handling mods until after that 2,000 mile mark. I got this from Bajaron.
+ Do one mod at a time so you know what they do for the bike.
+ I did front car tires first and put another 1,000 on before adding Ron's sway bar.
+ Stay tuned to this forum and you will learn enough to do your own maintenance.
+ Go forth and enjoy.
+ Loose hands and arms. The steering reacts to every input.
+ Press down HARD on the outside board/peg and lean into the turns.
+ It will take 1,000 miles before you get used to it. Gotta rewire those synapsis.
+ It will take another 1,00 miles before you feel that you are in control. Synapsis rewired.
+ Do not do any handling mods until after that 2,000 mile mark. I got this from Bajaron.
+ Do one mod at a time so you know what they do for the bike.
+ I did front car tires first and put another 1,000 on before adding Ron's sway bar.
+ Stay tuned to this forum and you will learn enough to do your own maintenance.
+ Go forth and enjoy.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
No kidding! I normally keep about 19# in my stock Kendas. When I went in for my 3k mile service a few weeks ago, they put 21# in the front tires. I could barely keep it on the road on the way home. Needless to say, they now have 18.5-19# in them.
I mostly agree, Mike. I'm just saying that the tires probably aren't worn out and probably aren't causing the issues with only a year on the bike. Guess I should have asked how many miles are on it, too.
FWIW, I've got 3k miles on my bike and am just about to order new front tires. Either V'steins or Federals. My front Kendas aren't even close to being worn out but I ride aggressively and.......well, I don't have to tell you, do I?
I'm glad you " mostly agree with my post " ..... New Kenda's have defects, and even if they WEREN'T defective when New, doesn't mean they are NOT the issue .... Quite a few folks here have reported " BELT SEPARATION " early on in their mileage.
acdcking12
Member
Yep, as said already, it takes about 1000 miles to get more comfortable. I came from two wheels and my first ride of 15 miles were grueling and I thought I had made a big mistake in buying the RTL. I listened to the advice here - specifically the deathgrip - and it wasn’t too long before I got comfortable. I did need to replace my sway bar with a Baja Ron bar and that helped. But the biggest thing was just time behind the handlebars and stop thinking it should react like a two wheeler.
I now cruise down the freeway at 70mph with some pretty strong crosswinds and I rarely bat an eye. You just need some time.
I now cruise down the freeway at 70mph with some pretty strong crosswinds and I rarely bat an eye. You just need some time.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
This term was coined when folks began using Auto tires on TWO wheel motorcycles ..... IMHO it doesn't really apply to Spyders since they come from the Factory with Auto tires ..... yes they state on the sidewall of the Kenda tires ... " for SPECIAL motorcycle use Only " but this is for claimed LEGAL purposes ( which is Hooey - H.D. has Dunlop tires from the factory ).... All Spyders past and present come equipped with DOT specified " J " type rims / wheels, according to Fed DOT rules this is auto type rim / wheel ..... Mike :thumbup:
sKiZo
New member
You've obviously never used Metzeler ... <G>
I'll qualify that. They had some serious quality issues when they moved production to Argentina. Not sure if things have improved ... I haven't run them since these cracked all to hell with a thousand miles on them ...
sKiZo
New member
One advantage to running a sidecar rig. You can adjust the alignment to compensate for whatever the average crown is for your area.
Still haven't gotten "comfortable" on my Ural, and I figure that's a good thing. It works in strange and mysterious ways. <G>
Last edited by a moderator:
ozarkryder
New member
++ on both the mods. I am still on the original tires. Being - um - frugal, I will wear out the current tires. I live in the Ozarks, not much of a straight road around here. After I got very acquainted with the RTL's idiosyncrasies, I got the sway bar. Stopped the feeling that the trike was trying to throw me off to the outside on curves.
Snoking1127
Well-known member
Remember Kenda roots are in bicycle tires. Our 2005 29' 5th wheel came with Kenda LT235/85R16E china bombs and in the first year they gave me 110 each to remove and destroy all five tires because of high failure rate.
IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
I'll take exception to that assertion. I had my RT laser aligned by Squared Away at Spyderfest in 2016. I had just over 3000 miles on it. I immediately took it out for a test ryde on the local Interstate. The bike pulled to the right so I went back and had Joe double check the alignment. It was dead on. I continued to ride it for another 10k miles, always fighting the constant pull to the right. Finally, at 13k miles at the start of the 2017 season I'd had enough and replaced the Kendas with Continental Pro Contis. The pull to the right disappeared right off and has not returned in 20k miles since. So I'm in the camp with Mike that from the factory the Kendas can be a problem. Now, in contrast, the Kendas on my 2013 RT were wearing and tracking nicely at 25k miles when I sold it.
Snoking1127
Well-known member
Spyder RTL wobble cure
I picked up a new Spyder RTL in June of this year and what you are describing is exactly what I was very concerned about. I talked to a guy that had an pre-2020 Spyder RT and we started talking about this issue. He promptly informed me that you must get a laser alignment done or the problem will never go away. The factory only does a frame alignment which does not align the wheels correctly. I started doing some research and found that all Spyders from Can-Am are are out of alignment from the factory. So I demanded from the selling dealer that I wanted a correct alignment. Incidentally, the drive belt sat right on the inner flange. They scheduled me and and did the laser alignment..The mechanic wrote on the shop ticket.."Alignment is spot on". Low and behold, now my RTL tracks straight down the road. Incidentally, the drive belt on my unit now sits about 1/8 inch off the inner wheel flange. There some dealers that will do a laser alignment before they deliver a new Spyder but most don't. All dealers should but they figure that's an extra cost they don't want to absorb. Your dealer might not even do laser alignments but you should ask and if they do demand they do it. If they don't find someone that does and get it done even if you have to pay out of pocket. Can-Am now even recommends it be done. Makes one wonder for the money they sell this machine for why don't they do it. Hope this helps.
I picked up a new Spyder RTL in June of this year and what you are describing is exactly what I was very concerned about. I talked to a guy that had an pre-2020 Spyder RT and we started talking about this issue. He promptly informed me that you must get a laser alignment done or the problem will never go away. The factory only does a frame alignment which does not align the wheels correctly. I started doing some research and found that all Spyders from Can-Am are are out of alignment from the factory. So I demanded from the selling dealer that I wanted a correct alignment. Incidentally, the drive belt sat right on the inner flange. They scheduled me and and did the laser alignment..The mechanic wrote on the shop ticket.."Alignment is spot on". Low and behold, now my RTL tracks straight down the road. Incidentally, the drive belt on my unit now sits about 1/8 inch off the inner wheel flange. There some dealers that will do a laser alignment before they deliver a new Spyder but most don't. All dealers should but they figure that's an extra cost they don't want to absorb. Your dealer might not even do laser alignments but you should ask and if they do demand they do it. If they don't find someone that does and get it done even if you have to pay out of pocket. Can-Am now even recommends it be done. Makes one wonder for the money they sell this machine for why don't they do it. Hope this helps.
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