Ok I'm Stumped On This One Guys!

[IdleUp]

The last three times I went out for a ride on my F3T as I pull in the garage, the fresh smell of rubber burning is coming from the bike. The belt is perfect and cool to touch - both the tires are cool. I inspected the entire exhaust and I can't see any sign of a rubber hose or any wires touching the header, header pipes or muffler.

This last ride it was 55 degrees and I just went on side roads riding along maybe 45 mph.

Am I the only one with this problem? Help!

Thanks

Mike

 

[Sam Mac]

Standard feature on Spyders. :roflblack:

 

[Bob Denman]

How many miles are on the bike now?
Is the belt running anywhere near the inner flange on the rear sprocket?
Could you have a brake pad hanging up?

 

[IdleUp]

Bike only has 2000 miles - belt is exactly accurate positioned - its not a brake pad smell, its just as if you spun the tires - a true rubber burning smell.

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

The RT's did it, too, and probably others as well. It's not the belt or the brakes. Every so often, a piece of road grit covered with tar or a piece or rubber, will land on top of the Cat after flying off the tire and bouncing around under there. It then just sits there and smolders and caramelizes on top of the Cat, and gets stuck on it. Once you park it, it doesn't take long to cool down and stop smelling. When it is cool, feel around up there and you'll see what I mean. Gritty and dirty up there. Remove the Cat, problem disappears.

 

[IdleUp]

The RT's did it, too, and probably others as well. It's not the belt or the brakes. Every so often, a piece of road grit covered with tar or a piece or rubber, will land on top of the Cat after flying off the tire and bouncing around under there. It then just sits there and smolders and caramelizes on top of the Cat, and gets stuck on it. Once you park it, it doesn't take long to cool down and stop smelling. When it is cool, feel around up there and you'll see what I mean. Gritty and dirty up there. Remove the Cat, problem disappears.

Snowbelt you just made me feel a lot better - I was visualizing awful things like my wire harness laying against the exhaust! :bowdown:

Regards

 

[trikermutha]

keep riding the Spyder. Mine has that smell too..Havent had a problem yet after 18K miles

 

[IdleUp]

By looking at the Cat position I'm wondering if the rear tire is shreding pieces. I drove my RTS for years and never had the problem. It's not the smell of Asphalt it just as if you burned the tires - some thing ain't right!

 

[trikermutha]

keep in mind with the muffler and the cat, heat will make the tire smell more than normal.

 

[Chupaca]

Here's a thought....

Back in my wrenching days doing setup and service I found that the factory assembly used rubber bands to hold parts in place. One was on the exhaust manifold mounting and the the smell of rubber was there for some time. Don't know that it applies to the spyder but give it a bit more time cause it seems you have checked and things are in place....:thumbup:

 

[Devious56]

Maybe I'm a bit paranoid but that would really bother me. Now I"ve only got 13,000 miles on my 2015 RT Limited but I've never smelled anything burning, rubber or otherwise. I'd have to figure out a way to track down where that smell was coming from before I could rest easy. Good luck with it, which ever you decide to do.

David

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

The only thing I can add is that I went over mine, with a fine tooth comb, multiple times looking for that smell. Same with my mechanic. The smell would come and go. The day I removed the Cat was the day that I found melted, crystalized and charred gobs of tar/rubber bits on the top of it. The smoking gun. Never smelled anything since. If it will ease your mind, then pull the body work, get an inspection mirror and check out your exhaust system from stem to stern to see if anything is against it. The exhaust is the only system that can be hot enough and you already ruled out the belt and brakes yourself. Then you'll know.