Tighten Them Front Springs!

[IdleUp]

Ok, I made a promise to myself that I would not change anything on the bike until I put 1000 miles on it, so I could "feel" any changes. I took off this morning and after riding 60 miles with the front springs in the stock position on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I pulled over at the Peaks of Otter and tightened the front springs two remaining notches up all the way and drove back the same road.

I can truly say it really improved the handling and cornering with the Spyder. By tightening the springs, it really helps to improve the "Leaning or Sway" on turns & banks. You'll find the bike leans a few less degrees.

I understand there is a company coming out with a heavy duty adjustable sway bar - this will be my next move

The plus side is there was almost no difference in the ride quality on the front suspension. In addition, I kept my rear spring where it was. :thumbup:

 

[zzneonzz]

Ok, I made a promise to myself that I would not change anything on the bike until I put 1000 miles on it, so I could "feel" any changes. I took off this morning and after riding 60 miles with the front springs in the stock position on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I pulled over at the Peaks of Otter and tightened the front springs two remaining notches up all the way and drove back the same road.

I can truly say it really improved the handling and cornering with the Spyder. By tightening the springs, it really helps to improve the "Leaning or Sway" on turns & banks. You'll find the bike leans a few less degrees.

I understand there is a company coming out with a heavy duty adjustable sway bar - this will be my next move

The plus side is there was almost no difference in the ride quality on the front suspension. In addition, I kept my rear spring where it was. :thumbup:

I agree completely here the stock position on the front springs is horrible. I had to adjust them after the first day riding. I only went up 1 notch and it was enough to improve the handling to my liking. I may try the last notch one day but for now the 4th setting is good enough for me!

 

[trikester]

Because of my experience with the two Yamaha trikes I built (see avatar) the first ride I did when I got my Spyder was to my shop (3 miles) for the purpose of tightening my front shock springs to maximum stiffness. I had no interest in anything less.

BTW - I also have an anti-sway bar on the two trikes I built. Nothing is worse than having the body of the trike leaning way to the outside of a turn, you have to use all of your body english just trying to stop the outward lean.

 

[pphantom538]

Thanks for the heads up

 

[Zerocool]

Ok, I made a promise to myself that I would not change anything on the bike until I put 1000 miles on it, so I could "feel" any changes. I took off this morning and after riding 60 miles with the front springs in the stock position on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I pulled over at the Peaks of Otter and tightened the front springs two remaining notches up all the way and drove back the same road.

I can truly say it really improved the handling and cornering with the Spyder. By tightening the springs, it really helps to improve the "Leaning or Sway" on turns & banks. You'll find the bike leans a few less degrees.

I understand there is a company coming out with a heavy duty adjustable sway bar - this will be my next move

The plus side is there was almost no difference in the ride quality on the front suspension. In addition, I kept my rear spring where it was. :thumbup:

:agree::agree::agree: Thanks Idleup!

I changed my front shocks today from 3 to 5. The difference, as you stated, is dramatic. In fact, the front-end now holds the road like my Mazda RX-7 used to.

It's a completely different, and much more enjoyable, ride for me.
Me? 6'2" 210 lbs. YMMV

 

[Greg H.]

Gotta tell ya! I'm noting all this stuff for when the dealer gives me the call.

I'll have 'em adjust the shocks then and there!

Thanks everyone! :clap:

 

[Smylinacha]

Yup - HDXBONES mentioned to me that we should do that too.

I'll try it out tomorrow!

 

[captainryder]

Finally picked up my new SE5 from the dealer in Longmont, Co this weekend. It was touch and go up to Friday 8th, because I told them to adjust the springs !

As they were assemling the SE5, I told them to adjust the front springs to 3 and the rear spring to 4. I told them to test ride it as much as possible before the weekend. The service manager took the roadster home on Wednesday evening and at 23 miles on the machine it went into limp mode.... He called next morning and had his team tow the bike in. They hooked it up to the computer and the VSS / DPS faults were reported. They told me the bad news and continued to inspect and ponder. I looked on this website and the other BRP-Spyder site and found many people had reported faults when adjusting spings. I reported this to the service team and about the same time they had come up with two possibilities. (1) was the alignment was off on the front wheels, which they got a special tool sent from BRP overnight to help with adjustment, and (2) they also returned the springs to original specs.

Reset the computer, drove it another 70 miles, took it home another night and had no more problems. I got there Saturday afternoon and took possession. I now have 200+ miles on total, at home in Kansas City and no problems.

So beware of setting springs.

 

[sabunim5]

I'm confused. I have been a member of both major forums for almost a year and you are the first person I remember ever linking spring adjustment to fault codes. :dontknow::dontknow::dontknow: A good thing to know if true, but one heck of a lot of us have adjusted our springs from the factory settings with no fault codes at all.:dontknow: The owners manual provides directions for changing the spring preload with no caution of creating a fault code by doing so.:dontknow: IMHO I would be wary of a dealer that attributes your fault codes to spring adjustment. Ryde Safe and Enjoy:thumbup:
sabunim5:spyder:

 

[LittleJohn]

I agree!
It specifically states in the manual that the springs can be adjusted for different riding conditions and/or preferences. This should never cause fault codes unless something else is wrong. My bet is they fixed your steering sensor adjustment.(which by the way HAS been reported as a "common" problem so far)

Hope your now trouble free, and I would try adjusting the springs if you want a stiffer ride, without fear of continued problems.:2thumbs:

 

[Smylinacha]

We tightened them today - WHAT A FREAKIN DIFFERENCE - makes the Fun Factor much more fun!:2thumbs::2thumbs::clap:Handles so much better!

 

[Roaddog2]

We tightened them today - WHAT A FREAKIN DIFFERENCE - makes the Fun Factor much more fun!:2thumbs::2thumbs::clap:Handles so much better!

can,t believe I did not do this until yesterday me HDXBONES and SMYLINACHA were out riding the last 2 days what a diff:clap: last 400 or so miles

 

[Twodog185]

#5 setting wasn't enough. The suspension is soft enought at 5 that interstate and rolling mountain roads are virtually unaffected by suspension tweeks.

Like I said, 5 wasn't enough.

I went down "Walkers Gap" road without the spring rubbers, and triggered the VSS at least 6 times. After installing the rubbers, triggered it only twice.