Steering problem update...

[BajaRon]

Also, after I had the problem I made a habit of shutting the engine off while the bikes moving ( down my long driveway) to get used to a steering failure. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the steering fails you still have the mechanical ability to steer the bike!

Yes, the Spyder will steer with the engine off. I rode over 7000 miles with zero power steering and it wasn't all that bad.

Definitely better, especially slow speed, with the PS working. I've always considered the red kill button as the instant fix for a bad steering issue, should I ever encounter that problem.

 

[IdleUp]

Wow - 7000 miles, that's a generally all I put on a bike in it's life time!

Thanks for the reply's!

 

[BajaRon]

Wow - 7000 miles, that's a generally all I put on a bike in it's life time!

Thanks for the reply's!

Actually, 7,600+ miles. I didn't ride anyone else's Spyder so I had nothing to compare it to.

I remember hearing Lamont telling the throngs of people that would stop and talk to us that the Spyder had Power Steering. I would snicker under my breath and think Lamont was spreading a false rumor.

I never said anything, but I guess I should have. The joke was on me all the time.

Bottom line is the Spyder steers just fine without any power assist, it is more of a workout though.

 

[BajaRon]

As long as it's not a mechanical issue..........

I would say mine was a mechanical issue in that the power steering unit was not working at all. That's hardware. Once they replaced the PS unit it worked great. So the problem was not software or sensor caused.

But I know what you mean. Like if the steering linkage broke, etc. I have not heard of anyone having this kind of problem with the Spyder.

The Red Kill Button should work fine for any sudden software or sensor glitch as that is an electronic input controlling the PS unit. Once you shut off the engine all power steering components will go dead and it will steer just like mine did for 7,600 miles.

In an emergency I could easliy live with that.

 

[Neez]

I would say mine was a mechanical issue in that the power steering unit was not working at all. That's hardware. Once they replaced the PS unit it worked great. So the problem was not software or sensor caused.

But I know what you mean. Like if the steering linkage broke, etc. I have not heard of anyone having this kind of problem with the Spyder.

The Red Kill Button should work fine for any sudden software or sensor glitch as that is an electronic input controlling the PS unit. Once you shut off the engine all power steering components will go dead and it will steer just like mine did for 7,600 miles.

In an emergency I could easliy live with that.

Pushing the kill button is a good idea, but it could be hazardous in some situations. What I would like to see is a modification that provides us with a button that would open circuit the DPS motor, similar to pulling the fuse under the seat. For SM5 ryders, a button opening the trunk fuse circuit would work, but with the SE5 you would lose the ability to shift gears. Still better than fighting wonky steering, I'd guess.

 

[wyliec]

I doubt if most folks would be looking for the "little red kill switch" as they're hurtling into oncoming traffic.........or if it would solve their clear and pressing issue if they did happen to find it. To assume that it would, and inform others the same is negligent.....

Will hitting the kill switch create another problem, if you are already in the situation of having a steering issue?

 

[pitmon]

When my steering problem happened I can assure you that hitting the kill switch was the last thing on my mind... I had traffic on all sides and behind me on the interstate, probably would have caused more problems. I guess it would depend on the situation... but definitely not a choice for me, at least not in that situation.:yikes:

 

[Smylinacha]

Hitting the kill switch would work lets say if you are riding in the right lane w/ a shoulder available - or even in a left lane w/ a shoulder available (in CT you don't see too many left shoulders available). Other than that, with traffic all around, that definitely wouldn't work - at least not where I live. It's like NYC driving here. Someone would into you for sure.

 

[IdleUp]

Steering or no steering - I'll take my chances with the engine running- these housewife's with cell phones are worse than losing your steering!!:clap:

 

[BajaRon]

Hitting the kill switch would work lets say if you are riding in the right lane w/ a shoulder available - or even in a left lane w/ a shoulder available (in CT you don't see too many left shoulders available). Other than that, with traffic all around, that definitely wouldn't work - at least not where I live. It's like NYC driving here. Someone would into you for sure.

I woudn't recommend it but I was riding Interstate 210 at 75 mph going through Pasadena about 2:30pm when I did a stupid thing that might apply here.

I was in the far left HOV lane, no shoulder, just a guard rail on the left. I think 4 lanes of traffic to my right (maybe 5, I don't remember. It wasn't rush hour but there is always a lot of traffic on the 210.

I adjusted my right mirror and accidently hit the kill switch when I dropped my hand back to the throttle. Since I didn't realize what I'd done I didn't have a lot of time to think about what was wrong.

I pulled in the clutch and started to move to the right. Surprisingly, I made it all the way to the shoulder.

Having done that I've decided that if I have to choose between power to the rear wheel or control of where I am going I'm going to take the latter.

No solution is right for every situation. But it is better to have a plan, should something go wrong, then to ad lib when it happens.

 

[Smylinacha]

Yep, you and me would know this. I've accidentally hit the kill switch on my other bikes. But for a newbie? I don't think they'd react as fast. Remember - the Spyder is a first bike for many - probably for more than who've ever been on two wheels.

And some who ride this thing don't even have the training. Here in CT you have to have an mc license to ride this so between that and previous experience I can pretty much deal w/ an emergency situation. but there are some who don't even know the half of it because where they live, it is not required to have an mc license to ride this and/or they have not taken the mc safety course whether required or not.

I woudn't recommend it but I was riding Interstate 210 at 75 mph going through Pasadena about 2:30pm when I did a stupid thing that might apply here.

I was in the far left HOV lane, no shoulder, just a guard rail on the left. I think 4 lanes of traffic to my right (maybe 5, I don't remember. It wasn't rush hour but there is always a lot of traffic on the 210.

I adjusted my right mirror and accidently hit the kill switch when I dropped my hand back to the throttle. Since I didn't realize what I'd done I didn't have a lot of time to think about what was wrong.

I pulled in the clutch and started to move to the right. Surprisingly, I made it all the way to the shoulder.

Having done that I've decided that if I have to choose between power to the rear wheel or control of where I am going I'm going to take the latter.

No solution is right for every situation. But it is better to have a plan, should something go wrong, then to ad lib when it happens.

 

[PCBeachBum]

Kill Switch

When my steering locked up hitting the kill switch and pulling in the clutch, did enter my mind for a moment. But, on a small tight two lane road with a lot of traffic behind me and coming towards me, I tried one last thing and that was giving the handlebars a hard push on the right and pull on the left, a few feet from the edge of the lagoon and about 15' from the concret end of the small bridge going over the lagoon. When I saw the left front wheel jump about 4" to the left, I was lucky enough to get the steering back.

Like CT where I was born and raised, I know what you mean Smylinache about no shoulders on some roads, like the Merritt Parkway. I had to travel that road a lot on my way to and from Greenwich and more towns in Fairfield County, while working as a courier.

Heading down on the Wilbercross/Merritt was a nice quiet ride but, heading back to East Hartford during rush hour. Bumper to bumper at 75 to 80 mph, I still have nightmares about and your right! There is no place to pull over unless there's an accident in the tunnel in New Haven, than everyone comes to a crawl.

RT 95 was worse with the constant road work, that after 3 years of driving that Route it never ended, from New Haven to the New York line. I did learn how to drive like a New Yorker but, it did no good when I had to go to Boston. LOL

Do I miss it? No way! I like the peace and quiet of my beach and found that with all the bikers here, people are very aware of us and since getting back into riding after more than 30 years out of the sport, I feel like a kid again. My insurance agent who is from Chicago, said compaired to there, this is a biker friendly enviorment and time to get a new bike.

When I contacted Carlos about the problem I had with the steering. I told him, that I was very aware that with all new machines, the bugs need to be worked out. My Spyder is a 2008 SM5 and was used as a demo. When I bought it it had almost 260 miles on it and for me just getting back into motorcycling, I'm having a lot of fun with it.

This machine has a lot more componants than my first and last bike and I expect to have a few problems. I can tell you this! That the next messege that scrolls across my screen, its going directly to the dealer and staying there til its fixed.

Take care and Safe Ryding,

PCBeachBum

 

[Smylinacha]

How long ago did you live here? Remember the tolls on 95 - what a nightmare! Still backs up w/out the tolls. If HDX has to go down to Greenwich, it could take him 3 hours on what would normally be a 30 minute ride. I'm surprised it's so crowded here with CT losing so many jobs - there is no manufacturing left in the state (except for where I work) and the taxes are so high, nobody can afford to have a business here. I'm lucky I do not have to go far for work, the only thing I contend with are school buses that stop at every house. There is like no "bus stop" anymore - they go to one house, stop and then to the one right next door and stop again. My 10 minute ride takes around a half hour but at least I am not on 95 or the Merritt - did that a long time ago - that was a nightmare!

My family lives on Siesta Key in FL. Before they moved there, I remember vacationing there as a kid and it was so nice and quiet. It is so crowded now. With either drawbridge up, the entire key gets backed up. Hopefully when we retire someday we'll find a nice quiet place to move.

When my steering locked up hitting the kill switch and pulling in the clutch, did enter my mind for a moment. But, on a small tight two lane road with a lot of traffic behind me and coming towards me, I tried one last thing and that was giving the handlebars a hard push on the right and pull on the left, a few feet from the edge of the lagoon and about 15' from the concret end of the small bridge going over the lagoon. When I saw the left front wheel jump about 4" to the left, I was lucky enough to get the steering back.

Like CT where I was born and raised, I know what you mean Smylinache about no shoulders on some roads, like the Merritt Parkway. I had to travel that road a lot on my way to and from Greenwich and more towns in Fairfield County, while working as a courier.

Heading down on the Wilbercross/Merritt was a nice quiet ride but, heading back to East Hartford during rush hour. Bumper to bumper at 75 to 80 mph, I still have nightmares about and your right! There is no place to pull over unless there's an accident in the tunnel in New Haven, than everyone comes to a crawl.

RT 95 was worse with the constant road work, that after 3 years of driving that Route it never ended, from New Haven to the New York line. I did learn how to drive like a New Yorker but, it did no good when I had to go to Boston. LOL

Do I miss it? No way! I like the peace and quiet of my beach and found that with all the bikers here, people are very aware of us and since getting back into riding after more than 30 years out of the sport, I feel like a kid again. My insurance agent who is from Chicago, said compaired to there, this is a biker friendly enviorment and time to get a new bike.

When I contacted Carlos about the problem I had with the steering. I told him, that I was very aware that with all new machines, the bugs need to be worked out. My Spyder is a 2008 SM5 and was used as a demo. When I bought it it had almost 260 miles on it and for me just getting back into motorcycling, I'm having a lot of fun with it.

This machine has a lot more componants than my first and last bike and I expect to have a few problems. I can tell you this! That the next messege that scrolls across my screen, its going directly to the dealer and staying there til its fixed.

Take care and Safe Ryding,

PCBeachBum

 

[PCBeachBum]

I lived in CT until age 51, except for the 3 years, 9 months and 11 days Uncle Sam had me in the Navy, During the Vietnam War. I moved to FL in Dec 2001 and have no plans of late in returning to CT, to see my brother's.
I did briefly think about a road trip on my Spyder to CT. Taking RT 10 to Jacksonville, than up 95. But, thinking about 95, I quickly ditched that idea.
Its very hard to get me off this island and I prefer taking a ride down old 98, along the shoreline with one of the girls on the Spyder. We would stop and get something to eat and head home.
I loved riding the back roads with friends in CT, in the mid to late 70s and manytimes took the old Rt 9 to the shoreline. To Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Clinton Beach, where a friends family had a cottage.
My whole family knows how much I hated the snow, cold and all the other junk that came with winter's in CT. Here on the Panhandle the winter months are from Nov. to the middle of Feb and the temps are in the 50s to 60s during the day and 40s to 30s at night.
This year its been warmer in Oct and Nov. in the 70s but, with this small tropical storm we are having now, that could lower the temps but, still comfortable to ride during the daylight hours. I'll be riding year round here, weather permitting unlike CT. Sadly the Spyder has been put away and covered for this little storm. But, hopefully by Wed afternoon, it will be back out and on the road.
What killed me also was the taxes in CT. The state always claimed it was broke, when it had millions if not billions in the General Fund, that it would never touch. Taxes drove the manufacturing out of CT. I once applied for a printing job at CIGNA in 1990 and they were moving there printing operation to TN, because it was cheaper to operate there, than CT.
Here I can register my Spyder, truck, boat and trailer for a year at the same cost of what it was for just my car, in CT. Not counting the town property tax. There is no property tax on vehicles here and you only pay property tax for your house and land.
Yes! I remember the tolls on 95 and also on the Merritt Parkway. 95 was always a nightmare and around Darian, there seemed to be a lot of accidents in that area. I believe it when you said it takes HDX, 3 hours to get to Greenwich, which normally would take 30 minutes.
I went to Tampa with a friend for some business he had and I couldn't get out of that area fast enough. Three hours later we were heading back to the Panhandle. I'll never go south again, except to go to the October Biker Fest in Daytona, which isn't to far south from here but, far enough for me.
During the tourist season here its busy but, after the kids go back to school in mid Aug, it gets quiet here. On weekends we get a lot of people from GA and Ala. Many own summer homes here but, its not as bad as it is during the summer months.
The snowbirds from Canada are starting to come in but, as soon as the spring breaker's come in in late Feb and March, they drive the Canadian's back to Canada.
Its time to go grab something to eat. You and HDX take care and Ryde safe.


How long ago did you live here? Remember the tolls on 95 - what a nightmare! Still backs up w/out the tolls. If HDX has to go down to Greenwich, it could take him 3 hours on what would normally be a 30 minute ride. I'm surprised it's so crowded here with CT losing so many jobs - there is no manufacturing left in the state (except for where I work) and the taxes are so high, nobody can afford to have a business here. I'm lucky I do not have to go far for work, the only thing I contend with are school buses that stop at every house. There is like no "bus stop" anymore - they go to one house, stop and then to the one right next door and stop again. My 10 minute ride takes around a half hour but at least I am not on 95 or the Merritt - did that a long time ago - that was a nightmare!

My family lives on Siesta Key in FL. Before they moved there, I remember vacationing there as a kid and it was so nice and quiet. It is so crowded now. With either drawbridge up, the entire key gets backed up. Hopefully when we retire someday we'll find a nice quiet place to move.

 

[slather1]

Steering still not fixed. Parts replaced for Warranty Bulletin 2009-1 (Angle rotation sensor Pt. #420266166, spring pt. #420238845 and a remap). Went for a ride Saturday and the steering still sticks. Ours always sticks to the right. Took the dealers 2009 demo home and did not realize how badly ours is handling. Curves were fun again. So it seems that besides the sticking the bike is not handling like it used to. 2008 SE

 

[r1eater]

I am a new owner as of Sat and on the way home on the hwy as the hwy curved to the right, I tried going with the curve but the spyder started to drift then suddenly jerked a bit and got back on track to the right. I dont know if its just me getting used to the Spyder or if there is somethign wrong. I did a test ride on the demo bikes the previous weekend and didnt have that happen at all.

Mine has done it several times already as I took it out today it did it several times. A few times I thought I was gonna go into on coming traffic. It seems to do it after going straight for awhile, if its constant sweepers left and right it is fine but if after a long stretch a curve comes up it seems to do it.

Is this just me getting used to it or is it some sort of steering issue? Its almost as if the steering gets stiff then gets really loose. Its hard to explain.

 

[dltang]

I am a new owner as of Sat and on the way home on the hwy as the hwy curved to the right, I tried going with the curve but the spyder started to drift then suddenly jerked a bit and got back on track to the right. I dont know if its just me getting used to the Spyder or if there is somethign wrong. I did a test ride on the demo bikes the previous weekend and didnt have that happen at all.

Mine has done it several times already as I took it out today it did it several times. A few times I thought I was gonna go into on coming traffic. It seems to do it after going straight for awhile, if its constant sweepers left and right it is fine but if after a long stretch a curve comes up it seems to do it.

Is this just me getting used to it or is it some sort of steering issue? Its almost as if the steering gets stiff then gets really loose. Its hard to explain.

Take it back to the dealer and tell them exactly what is happening. The dealer should know if they have done the updates to your spyder or not and if they may need to replace your DPS.

 

[Smylinacha]

I'd definitely take it to your dealer and have him ryde it and maybe it will repeat itself since it is happening to you quite frequently.

I am a new owner as of Sat and on the way home on the hwy as the hwy curved to the right, I tried going with the curve but the spyder started to drift then suddenly jerked a bit and got back on track to the right. I dont know if its just me getting used to the Spyder or if there is somethign wrong. I did a test ride on the demo bikes the previous weekend and didnt have that happen at all.

Mine has done it several times already as I took it out today it did it several times. A few times I thought I was gonna go into on coming traffic. It seems to do it after going straight for awhile, if its constant sweepers left and right it is fine but if after a long stretch a curve comes up it seems to do it.

Is this just me getting used to it or is it some sort of steering issue? Its almost as if the steering gets stiff then gets really loose. Its hard to explain.

 

[pitmon]

Take it in and have them look at it.

 

[spyryder]

I am a new owner as of Sat and on the way home on the hwy as the hwy curved to the right, I tried going with the curve but the spyder started to drift then suddenly jerked a bit and got back on track to the right. I dont know if its just me getting used to the Spyder or if there is somethign wrong. I did a test ride on the demo bikes the previous weekend and didnt have that happen at all.

Mine has done it several times already as I took it out today it did it several times. A few times I thought I was gonna go into on coming traffic. It seems to do it after going straight for awhile, if its constant sweepers left and right it is fine but if after a long stretch a curve comes up it seems to do it.

Is this just me getting used to it or is it some sort of steering issue? Its almost as if the steering gets stiff then gets really loose. Its hard to explain.

Could be as simple as adjusting tire pressures....try the basics first.opcorn: