bjt
Very Helpful Member
When dltang and I got our Spyders from the dealership, they left the shocks adjusted at 3 front and rear and told us that those were the average settings. Over the last 4 months that I've been riding it and reading others comments about the shock settings, I've come to realize that those settings were probably just a bit too soft for me and how my Spyder is equipped. Being I weigh 240, have the Givi saddlebags installed and will be loading up for a long weekend ride, I felt I should get a higher setting for the rear shock.
Adjusting the rear was fairly easy as long as you have the right tools. I used a floor jack towards the rear of the Spyder frame to get the weight off the swingarm. Then I used a 3/8" ratchet with a 8" extension to put into the square adjusting plate hole to turn up the spring setting. I turned it one notch with just the ratchet handle but that was a slight struggle so I got a section of some copper tubing to put over the ratchet handle to give me a bit more leverage. With the tubing, it was easy. I cranked it up to the max setting on the rear, I believe that is 7.
By that time, dltang came back in from running a few errands and I convinced her to try a higher setting on her rear shock since she will be loading up her Spyder with luggage also. She gave me the okay for 1 notch higher so I set hers at 4.
As I was preparing to adjust her rear shock, she told me that she wanted the fronts set one higher too. I kind of complained about that as I have read a few posts that said the fronts were harder to adjust than the rear and I just didn't want to hassle with them. However, I remembered reading a post from someone who adjusted his fronts higher. That eliminated some of his Spyders lean in the corners and I didn't really like how much my Spyder seemed to lean in the corners. I decided to give it a try.
I used the floor jack again but positioned it towards the front of the Spyder frame to get some of the weight off of the frontend. I pulled out the spanner wrench that BRP provides, looked at the short handle and thought that I would try it without a pipe first just to see how hard it was. I was expecting to not be able to budge the shock adjuster. I was wrong. It easily turned. I gave both dltang's and my front shocks 1 notch higher setting.
We then went out on a 5 - 10 mile test ride. I noticed the improvement in the ride almost immediately. The ride was a little stiffer which I definitely enjoyed. Not so much give in the rear end and less body roll in the turns. I'll give the shock adjustment two thumbs up in ease of completion and in ride feel improvement. :2thumbs:
Adjusting the rear was fairly easy as long as you have the right tools. I used a floor jack towards the rear of the Spyder frame to get the weight off the swingarm. Then I used a 3/8" ratchet with a 8" extension to put into the square adjusting plate hole to turn up the spring setting. I turned it one notch with just the ratchet handle but that was a slight struggle so I got a section of some copper tubing to put over the ratchet handle to give me a bit more leverage. With the tubing, it was easy. I cranked it up to the max setting on the rear, I believe that is 7.
By that time, dltang came back in from running a few errands and I convinced her to try a higher setting on her rear shock since she will be loading up her Spyder with luggage also. She gave me the okay for 1 notch higher so I set hers at 4.
As I was preparing to adjust her rear shock, she told me that she wanted the fronts set one higher too. I kind of complained about that as I have read a few posts that said the fronts were harder to adjust than the rear and I just didn't want to hassle with them. However, I remembered reading a post from someone who adjusted his fronts higher. That eliminated some of his Spyders lean in the corners and I didn't really like how much my Spyder seemed to lean in the corners. I decided to give it a try.
I used the floor jack again but positioned it towards the front of the Spyder frame to get some of the weight off of the frontend. I pulled out the spanner wrench that BRP provides, looked at the short handle and thought that I would try it without a pipe first just to see how hard it was. I was expecting to not be able to budge the shock adjuster. I was wrong. It easily turned. I gave both dltang's and my front shocks 1 notch higher setting.
We then went out on a 5 - 10 mile test ride. I noticed the improvement in the ride almost immediately. The ride was a little stiffer which I definitely enjoyed. Not so much give in the rear end and less body roll in the turns. I'll give the shock adjustment two thumbs up in ease of completion and in ride feel improvement. :2thumbs:
