Road Test 14-RT sway bar on my F3

[Lastchance]

Put a RT sway bar on my F3 last week just did a 70 mi run today lots of twisties, always found myself squeezing my knee through turns before even long sweeping curves, today doing 10 to 15 over the limit no need for a knee, sits up straighter and much more enjoyable ride, now I wasn't trying to race thru turns just a normal ride, big improvement as far as I'm concerned. Weather was great but VERY WINDY also found that the Spyder is a much better ride in the wind than a 2 wheeler. Overall my best ride sense i bought it.

 

[Diamondback]

Great feedback! Another owner from the local group donated his RT sway bar to me this weekend so now Im really excited to get it swapped over onto my F3S!

 

[smokedtires]

Someone from SL is sending me their old RT swaybar. Sounds like a good mod. Thanks for sharing.

 

[pauly1]

Now add air pressure to the front tires to add even more stability in the turns. At 15 psi there is substantial squirming of the tires in hard cornering; at 25 psi they are much more stable. Oh, and make sure your front end is properly aligned. It will ride slightly stiffer but better than adjusting the front shocks for more control.

Wayne

 

[Trevor G]

Now add air pressure to the front tires to add even more stability in the turns. At 15 psi there is substantial squirming of the tires in hard cornering; at 25 psi they are much more stable. Oh, and make sure your front end is properly aligned. It will ride slightly stiffer but better than adjusting the front shocks for more control.

Wayne

Either you are trying to be funny or your gauge is seriously off.

Even 20psi cold will cause the front end to understeer sooner if you push it hard. 25 is just ridiculous and will cause the centre of the tyre to wear out quickly if it's a standard issue tyre.

 

[No 2817]

F3-T with RT Sway bar

Put a RT sway bar on my F3 last week just did a 70 mi run today lots of twisties, always found myself squeezing my knee through turns before even long sweeping curves, today doing 10 to 15 over the limit no need for a knee, sits up straighter and much more enjoyable ride, now I wasn't trying to race thru turns just a normal ride, big improvement as far as I'm concerned. Weather was great but VERY WINDY also found that the Spyder is a much better ride in the wind than a 2 wheeler. Overall my best ride sense i bought it.

Just ordered RT (2014/2015) sway bar with shipping was $77, Work in a machine shop so no problem opening up the bushing to 5/8 Dia. Thanks for the great input! Coming off a 2008 GS to the F3-T SE6 was a big improvement. The GS with RT shocks on it made all the difference in handling that was needed. With your feedback on the RT sway bar on the F3 this is an easy choice to do.

Thanks again!

 

[monkeyboymorton]

Either you are trying to be funny or your gauge is seriously off.

Even 20psi cold will cause the front end to understeer sooner if you push it hard. 25 is just ridiculous and will cause the centre of the tyre to wear out quickly if it's a standard issue tyre.

Couldn't disagree more. Mine were on 17-18 psi and I found the front end way too soft. Upped to 25 psi after reading some threads on here and much better turn-in and more positive front end. I do have standard sway bar currently but about to fit an RT one this week-end so I'll review the pressures then and consider droppng back down a bit. As for wear only time will tell but they don't look over inflated by any means, in fact they looked under inflated to me at 17-18psi.

As for the OP, great to here more good results with the RT sway bar. Looking forward to less lean in corners when mine goes on as I agree with the holding knee against bodywork comment. Particularly on slow speed tight roundabouts, which I know you don't have many of over there but there are loads over here.

 

[Chupaca]

Interesting. ...

Yet now I'm curious. If there seems to be an abundance of RT swaybars out there, meaning they changed to something better (BajaRon sway bar) now going to the F3 crowd, how much difference would there be if the F3 were to change from the RT bar to say the BajaRon sway bar...?? :dontknow:

congrats on the new handling change..:2thumbs: and thanks for the review....

 

[monkeyboymorton]

Yet now I'm curious. If there seems to be an abundance of RT swaybars out there, meaning they changed to something better (BajaRon sway bar) now going to the F3 crowd, how much difference would there be if the F3 were to change from the RT bar to say the BajaRon sway bar...?? :dontknow:

congrats on the new handling change..:2thumbs: and thanks for the review....

It's a fair point, but as stated already in the post a few of us are getting these free to a good home from RT owners. Mine was a generous gift from a forum member (thanks again Dick) while I was holidaying in Florida from the UK (wonder what TSA thought of that and the 2016 rear shock in my luggage? :shocked.

So whilst I agree there will be an improvement from the stock RT to the Ron (maybe 20% better?) it's never going to be worth the extra expense over something free.

Even at the bargain price of $50 that forum members are selling them for, the Ron bar would have to be nearly 5 times as good to be worth it. Of course if money is no object................

 

[No 2817]

Got the RT 2015 swaybar installed...

Just ordered RT (2014/2015) sway bar with shipping was $77, Work in a machine shop so no problem opening up the bushing to 5/8 Dia. Thanks for the great input! Coming off a 2008 GS to the F3-T SE6 was a big improvement. The GS with RT shocks on it made all the difference in handling that was needed. With your feedback on the RT sway bar on the F3 this is an easy choice to do.

Thanks again!

Finally got it installed on my f3-t! BIG IMPROVEMENT. Been riding the 2008 GS for 5 years and made the F3 purchase, was disappointed in the F3 handling. This was a no brainer to improving the handling. I still want more. I am going to adjust the front shocks 1/2" tighter to see what that will do. (why did BRP go to this style of shock adjustment)

 

[pauly1]

Either you are trying to be funny or your gauge is seriously off.

Even 20psi cold will cause the front end to understeer sooner if you push it hard. 25 is just ridiculous and will cause the centre of the tyre to wear out quickly if it's a standard issue tyre.

I've got 50k miles on running air pressures as this. No center wear but did reduce the shoulder wear across several RS, ST, and F3 models. Remember the soft tire scenario with the Ford Explorer? This air pressure is within the limits of the tire. Any time you want to run heads up through the twisties to demonstrate?