I've never been a fan of electronic stability systems and the like. I can see the draw from a manufacturers point of view as they need to cater to a wide audience and the systems ensure a situation is neutralised way before it need become an issue.
My biggest issue with electronic nannies is that they don't operate in a consistent manner. They are designed to work in a certain manner within a pre-programmed set of parameters relying on feedback from sensors. So fair enough, they may stop the back end sliding out under acceleration or the Spyder lifting its wheel to the point it may topple but these are pretty basic scenarios relying on rudimentary sensors (steering angle input, yaw sensor, wheel speed sensors, tilting sensor?).
That said, I've done 350 miles with mine and I'm still running it in. I found the light coming on all the time on my way home from work, I commute through country lanes so lots of curves, bumps, off cambers and all sorts. I went around one corner with a mid corner hump and negative camber, one wheel lifted slightly as is expected going fast over a hump, what wasn't expected was the whole system cutting power and applying brakes, in this instance to the one wheel still on the floor causing the bike to lurch to the left on a right hand bend nearly spitting me off the road by virtue of a total imbalance courtesy of the very system which is supposed to prevent accidents veering me into the gutter.
By trying to suppress certain behaviours, its actually more of a liability and I can't help but feel that I would rather not have it or at least have it switcheable or adjustable in terms of degrees of intervention.
The other thing I noticed is how a little slip at the rear accelerating through corners, helps the spyder turn and alleviates the forces being generated at the front wheels/through the bars during harder cornering. It allows a certain amount of slip angle before the light flashes, it would be nice if it allowed a bit more but again I can see why they've programmed it as such, last thing you'd want is a highside and they've actually been quite generous in this respect, I was pleasantly suprised they've allowed as much slip and in this instance, the intrusion is subtle.
What I really object to is the activation of brakes on stability systems. Numbing power is one thing, and should be adjustable, but there are too many variables that make brake intervention dangerous imho. Metal drain covers for example, hit one of these with one wheel while braking and the system will react violently, when you're in an on the limit situation, smoothness is one of the key attributes that will see you through, a violent activation of braking and cutting of power as happened to me isn't the best solution. So these systems are fine if you use your vehicle well within the parameters that the system is designed to activate at, but if you're a bit more enthusiastic and driving right up to the safety parameters that CanAm have set the Spyder up to operate within and constantly bringing the light on, or there are particular unpredictable circumstances, more complicated than a basic wheel slip or lift, then imho their presence is actually more dangerous.
Is there a simple fuse pull which can deactivate the system and leave the light on while it's deactivated and auto resets on reactivation? If so I'd gladly fit a switch so when pressing on I could have the confidence that nothing is suddenly going to cut in and cause a potential problem. My fate is then in my hands rather than CanAm's! Then when I'm just cruising etc, quite happy to leave it be as I wouldn't be riding in a manner that would cause the system to get upset.
My 2c
