finless
New member
Hi all, I am just going to state my experiences and the gas smell problem from my perspective.
This might be a little long winded but I am just telling you what I see as a owner since June 2013.
My Spyder is a 2011 RTS SM5 (NOT a SE5). I bought it used with 450 miles on it. The 600 mile service was done by a dealer and my 4600 mile service was done by me. I really have had no problems with it and am over all damn happy with it! Sometimes I wonder about expectations of something vs truth.
I think some people maybe more tolerant to the right foot heat issue than others. I am NOT saying your Spyder doesn't have a problem. Only that I think I am more tolerant of it having ridden hot ass bikes during the late 70's. Or maybe it is just me. I don't know.
Look folks, I don't pretend to know all situations. Nor do I pretend to know what's causing all issues and these could be variables! One thing for sure, some report no issues and others do. All I can add is my experiences. I do not want to take ANYTHING from ANYONE that is not happy. But I will have some commentary in this post. It might offend some.
Anyway onto this story and conclusions I have so far.
My History:
As I said above I bought my used RTS June of last year. Pretty much the start of the summer. Now, because of a health reason (Sciatica) I really did not ride it that much for the first 3 months or so. But I did ride it in some pretty hot weather out here and got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I use my Spyder for commuting 35 miles each way to work and many times I get caught in bumper to bumper traffic. I have posts on here explaining these stories before. I am not going to go looking for them now.
Bottom line a few days last summer I did get boiling gas and had a GAS STINK from the canister getting gas in it. Or maybe it just was over loaded with fumes. Not sure. But my Spyder stunk of gas for a couple of days then it cleared up. I will be 100% honest the boiling gas tank did not scare me at the time! I had a Honda 750 four that did that to me before. But it did not have the emission crap on it like this bike does.
Anyway, I did experience the "dragons mouth" and the boiling gas with a stinky garage. But to be honest here.... I passed it off after reading about these problem even BEFORE buying a Spyder! Maybe because I read this and made the decision to go ahead and buy one, my expectations were nothing more or less! Especially when the gas smell went away and even on some hot days I did not experience any issues.....
Again I want to say... I AM TOTALLY HAPPY with my Spyder!
Today and my experiences:
So yesterday was one of the hottest days this year and possibly hotter than any day I rode last year! Again I was riding home from work. I did get caught is some traffic but nothing bad. Now, so you know when we get Santa Ana winds here in OC it's basically just like the desert! Dry hot air that takes our temps close to 100 or higher!
Now I could tell my Spyder was running fine but I also could tell it was noticing the temps. My right foot was hot but not so much I could not handle it. I have to say, even on the freeway going at 50 MPH the freakin fan would turn on and THATS when you noticed the hotter right foot! Again this is not a complaint more of a annoyance. However I am pretty in tune with my Spyder and how it sounds, feels, etc. I could tell the oil was thinner and the valves were noisier. That's understood in high temps. Needless to say no issue other than it just was freakin hot!
Commentary: My Spyder likes it cooler! It also likes to just RUN! It does not like getting in traffic. I don't know how else to explain this other than I can just tell. One thing that does happen is when the cluster temp is 110 or so, I have a hard time finding neutral. Also the engine clacking noises are just louder. It's just something if your into machines, you just notice things like this. As a Xerox repair man in my early days, I could just "hear" when something was not right or not "running it's best". Again I just do not know how to explain my commentary here other than that....
Then I get home from this commute and pulled into the garage and HOLY COW! GAS smell at a very high level! I had less than 1/2 a tank but more than 1/3rd. It was pretty bad. I had no gas dripping on the floor just that it was giving off a gas smell.
Once again like last year, I could here the tank bubbling! I opened the seat and before unscrewing the gas cap, I removed my gloves grounded myself to the frame. Then I removed the cap. bubble, bubble. bubble. What was good was after the pressure was released form the tank, within about 3-5 minutes the tank stopped boiling. I think had I not done that, it would have boiled longer. HOWEVER, the Spyder still was stinking up the garage of a gas smell.
So here is my thinking. Call this a commentary if you like.
This BS about over filling the tank is just that! BS! I have topped off my tank every fill up for 5000 miles! Never had an issue! So in a year the only common denominator is... HEAT and boiling gas! Well at least this has been my experience!
I think if the fumes are high enough and gas boils, it overwhelms the canister and either it stinks for days or is SHOT and needs to be replaced by too much fumes or possible gas getting in it from the boiling.
NOW.... AM I pissed off? No! Do I not like my Spyder? NO!
This will not deter me. I love my ride period! If I only have a few days of this problem, sorry... I will live with it. But I am concerned for others that don't have the same tolerance level or know what to do when this problem sticks it's ugly head up!
I do wish this would get fixed. Not the hot foot issue but the gas stink issue. BRP owes a fix on this in my opinion. This is just not right. I don't care what they have to spend on this but the high fumes after a hot ride is an ISSUE! For me SCREW the hot foot thing. Sure some find it a problem but not me. I can live with that BUT.... My opinion is this gas smell issue is far more important than dealing with heat. It really can be a fire and safety issue let alone a pollution issue that can cause cancer and who else knows what by subjecting you to gas fumes!!!!
I have to say my nose was permeated by gas stink for several hours after I got home! THAT CANT BE GOOD FOR YOU HEALTH WISE!
Commentary:
BRP needs to fix this gas stink for everyone. But I have a feeling that wont be coming. Thus it is up to me for my own HEALTH and well being to fix it myself. I am probably going to do a canisterectomy. I think I have no choice. THEN after that I have some ideas to diverting (not blocking) the dragons mouth away from the right foot. I happen to have some aerodynamic engineering experience so I will have some fun trying and testing fixes to what I call an annoyance.
NOW.... this will probably piss off a few people! But I have to tell it like I see it!
Late 2012 and into 2013 when I knew I wanted a Spyder and started looking, I came here and read and researched. I got an idea of the problems and over time understood what I was getting into. I knew I could be good to go, or wind up being unhappy! I was willing to take the risk. TODAY I don't call it a risk! In fact I know for sure there are more happy owners than pissed off ones! Well that's what I think anyway. I am pretty much a happy owner! But again, I walked into this knowing some things and had my expectations set going in. For me, I am pretty happy owner.
COMMENTARY in a BIG way!
However, I sincerely have to point out reviews! And I have to say I am pretty pissed off by people that review the Spyder that "have an agenda". Call that what you like but I am SO GLAD I went by USER experience stories explained here rather than "spokes persons" stating how GREAT things are. In my opinion people should NOT make a decision based on some video alone or someone with a BIG VOICE and highly regarded in the industry! So far my experience has been NOTHING like the hype you here from people like this! Look at the 2013 reviews! ALL GLOWING and now what do we have a year later? Most people saying the 2012 was the best year!
I am going to point out a video made in 2010. Anyone watching this now I am sure will have problems with it and the test that was done with someone highly regarded. If this was my video, I would either redo it properly or pull it! AT THE TIME when I watched this being a total NOOB to the Spyder, it made me decide the heat issues were NO LONGER A PROBLEM!
We all KNOW now... this is totally BS!
BTW, I live out in this area and several of us noticed several things!
1) The plants are green! Indication this is winter or spring! If it truly was "death valley" at the hottest time... all that would be BROWN!
2) Snow on the mountains! Yea OK.....
3) I have a VERY hard time believing Fred's temp quotes! And yes... I am calling BS... Why? Several of us live here! Been there, and know the weather! Sorry but this is lame and no proof of temps. Sorry Fred... You should have held a temp gauge up!.... It's promotional BS and nothing more.... We all know this video is totally irrelevant today!
I know some of you will BEAT ON ME for this post.... I do not care sorry. I am being honest with my thoughts, opinions, and being an owner. Trust I will probably post more of my experiences as they happen. Like them or not.
In the end, I am enjoying my ride and have no plans to dump it!
I only wanted to spend the time to share my thoughts, ideas, and experiences. If some find what I say offensive.... then by all means don't read what I have to say.
Bob
This might be a little long winded but I am just telling you what I see as a owner since June 2013.
My Spyder is a 2011 RTS SM5 (NOT a SE5). I bought it used with 450 miles on it. The 600 mile service was done by a dealer and my 4600 mile service was done by me. I really have had no problems with it and am over all damn happy with it! Sometimes I wonder about expectations of something vs truth.
I think some people maybe more tolerant to the right foot heat issue than others. I am NOT saying your Spyder doesn't have a problem. Only that I think I am more tolerant of it having ridden hot ass bikes during the late 70's. Or maybe it is just me. I don't know.
Look folks, I don't pretend to know all situations. Nor do I pretend to know what's causing all issues and these could be variables! One thing for sure, some report no issues and others do. All I can add is my experiences. I do not want to take ANYTHING from ANYONE that is not happy. But I will have some commentary in this post. It might offend some.
Anyway onto this story and conclusions I have so far.
My History:
As I said above I bought my used RTS June of last year. Pretty much the start of the summer. Now, because of a health reason (Sciatica) I really did not ride it that much for the first 3 months or so. But I did ride it in some pretty hot weather out here and got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I use my Spyder for commuting 35 miles each way to work and many times I get caught in bumper to bumper traffic. I have posts on here explaining these stories before. I am not going to go looking for them now.
Bottom line a few days last summer I did get boiling gas and had a GAS STINK from the canister getting gas in it. Or maybe it just was over loaded with fumes. Not sure. But my Spyder stunk of gas for a couple of days then it cleared up. I will be 100% honest the boiling gas tank did not scare me at the time! I had a Honda 750 four that did that to me before. But it did not have the emission crap on it like this bike does.
Anyway, I did experience the "dragons mouth" and the boiling gas with a stinky garage. But to be honest here.... I passed it off after reading about these problem even BEFORE buying a Spyder! Maybe because I read this and made the decision to go ahead and buy one, my expectations were nothing more or less! Especially when the gas smell went away and even on some hot days I did not experience any issues.....
Again I want to say... I AM TOTALLY HAPPY with my Spyder!
Today and my experiences:
So yesterday was one of the hottest days this year and possibly hotter than any day I rode last year! Again I was riding home from work. I did get caught is some traffic but nothing bad. Now, so you know when we get Santa Ana winds here in OC it's basically just like the desert! Dry hot air that takes our temps close to 100 or higher!
Now I could tell my Spyder was running fine but I also could tell it was noticing the temps. My right foot was hot but not so much I could not handle it. I have to say, even on the freeway going at 50 MPH the freakin fan would turn on and THATS when you noticed the hotter right foot! Again this is not a complaint more of a annoyance. However I am pretty in tune with my Spyder and how it sounds, feels, etc. I could tell the oil was thinner and the valves were noisier. That's understood in high temps. Needless to say no issue other than it just was freakin hot!
Commentary: My Spyder likes it cooler! It also likes to just RUN! It does not like getting in traffic. I don't know how else to explain this other than I can just tell. One thing that does happen is when the cluster temp is 110 or so, I have a hard time finding neutral. Also the engine clacking noises are just louder. It's just something if your into machines, you just notice things like this. As a Xerox repair man in my early days, I could just "hear" when something was not right or not "running it's best". Again I just do not know how to explain my commentary here other than that....
Then I get home from this commute and pulled into the garage and HOLY COW! GAS smell at a very high level! I had less than 1/2 a tank but more than 1/3rd. It was pretty bad. I had no gas dripping on the floor just that it was giving off a gas smell.
Once again like last year, I could here the tank bubbling! I opened the seat and before unscrewing the gas cap, I removed my gloves grounded myself to the frame. Then I removed the cap. bubble, bubble. bubble. What was good was after the pressure was released form the tank, within about 3-5 minutes the tank stopped boiling. I think had I not done that, it would have boiled longer. HOWEVER, the Spyder still was stinking up the garage of a gas smell.
So here is my thinking. Call this a commentary if you like.
This BS about over filling the tank is just that! BS! I have topped off my tank every fill up for 5000 miles! Never had an issue! So in a year the only common denominator is... HEAT and boiling gas! Well at least this has been my experience!
I think if the fumes are high enough and gas boils, it overwhelms the canister and either it stinks for days or is SHOT and needs to be replaced by too much fumes or possible gas getting in it from the boiling.
NOW.... AM I pissed off? No! Do I not like my Spyder? NO!
This will not deter me. I love my ride period! If I only have a few days of this problem, sorry... I will live with it. But I am concerned for others that don't have the same tolerance level or know what to do when this problem sticks it's ugly head up!
I do wish this would get fixed. Not the hot foot issue but the gas stink issue. BRP owes a fix on this in my opinion. This is just not right. I don't care what they have to spend on this but the high fumes after a hot ride is an ISSUE! For me SCREW the hot foot thing. Sure some find it a problem but not me. I can live with that BUT.... My opinion is this gas smell issue is far more important than dealing with heat. It really can be a fire and safety issue let alone a pollution issue that can cause cancer and who else knows what by subjecting you to gas fumes!!!!
I have to say my nose was permeated by gas stink for several hours after I got home! THAT CANT BE GOOD FOR YOU HEALTH WISE!
Commentary:
BRP needs to fix this gas stink for everyone. But I have a feeling that wont be coming. Thus it is up to me for my own HEALTH and well being to fix it myself. I am probably going to do a canisterectomy. I think I have no choice. THEN after that I have some ideas to diverting (not blocking) the dragons mouth away from the right foot. I happen to have some aerodynamic engineering experience so I will have some fun trying and testing fixes to what I call an annoyance.
NOW.... this will probably piss off a few people! But I have to tell it like I see it!
Late 2012 and into 2013 when I knew I wanted a Spyder and started looking, I came here and read and researched. I got an idea of the problems and over time understood what I was getting into. I knew I could be good to go, or wind up being unhappy! I was willing to take the risk. TODAY I don't call it a risk! In fact I know for sure there are more happy owners than pissed off ones! Well that's what I think anyway. I am pretty much a happy owner! But again, I walked into this knowing some things and had my expectations set going in. For me, I am pretty happy owner.
COMMENTARY in a BIG way!
However, I sincerely have to point out reviews! And I have to say I am pretty pissed off by people that review the Spyder that "have an agenda". Call that what you like but I am SO GLAD I went by USER experience stories explained here rather than "spokes persons" stating how GREAT things are. In my opinion people should NOT make a decision based on some video alone or someone with a BIG VOICE and highly regarded in the industry! So far my experience has been NOTHING like the hype you here from people like this! Look at the 2013 reviews! ALL GLOWING and now what do we have a year later? Most people saying the 2012 was the best year!
I am going to point out a video made in 2010. Anyone watching this now I am sure will have problems with it and the test that was done with someone highly regarded. If this was my video, I would either redo it properly or pull it! AT THE TIME when I watched this being a total NOOB to the Spyder, it made me decide the heat issues were NO LONGER A PROBLEM!
We all KNOW now... this is totally BS!
BTW, I live out in this area and several of us noticed several things!
1) The plants are green! Indication this is winter or spring! If it truly was "death valley" at the hottest time... all that would be BROWN!
2) Snow on the mountains! Yea OK.....
3) I have a VERY hard time believing Fred's temp quotes! And yes... I am calling BS... Why? Several of us live here! Been there, and know the weather! Sorry but this is lame and no proof of temps. Sorry Fred... You should have held a temp gauge up!.... It's promotional BS and nothing more.... We all know this video is totally irrelevant today!
I know some of you will BEAT ON ME for this post.... I do not care sorry. I am being honest with my thoughts, opinions, and being an owner. Trust I will probably post more of my experiences as they happen. Like them or not.
In the end, I am enjoying my ride and have no plans to dump it!
I only wanted to spend the time to share my thoughts, ideas, and experiences. If some find what I say offensive.... then by all means don't read what I have to say.
Bob
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