Tire vibration

[Claimbo]

I am posting a new thread because my problem is slightly different from what the other threads have talked about. I have a new 2016 RTS now with 1300 miles on it. Since I bought it, I have have experienced a right tire vibration starting at 75 mph and ending at 79 mph. I get it at no other time or speed. I took it to the dealer yesterday and the service manager looked at it. Other than getting why do I ride that fast, he had no answers. The tires are new and the tire pressure is right. I have not hit anything so the alignment is good as it was when it came out of the box and was assembled.

I suggested a balancing but I was told this does not sound like a balancing issue. I was told I could put some electrostatic needs in the tire which may counter act any balancing problem but he wasn't sure it would work. He said if it was a balancing or a tire problem it would happen at all speeds. The bike drives straight. He said the rim looked good.

Has anyone had this problem? It is strange as it starts at 75 and remains until 79. Ay 80 mph it goes away and the bike rides smooth as glass. I find it really strange and I am disheartened that I could not get an answer for this problem on a new bike. What do you all think? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob Denman]

:welcome:
Are you 145% sure that it's the front tire?
The speeds that you mention, are where most of us have experienced the harmonic vibrations that the drivebelts can often throw at us.
But assuming that it is the front tire you specify:
Jack the bike up just enough to get the front tires off of the ground.
Try spinning the tire in question; is it actually round, or are you seeing an obvious problem with it?
It could be as simple as not having had the bead fully seated on the rim, or as bad as a busted belt within the tire...
Let us know what you find; Good Luck! :thumbup:

 

[samewok]

I agree with Bob.

 

[Claimbo]

Thanks guys. That is something I did not think about.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I think it's belt vibration. That's just the way it is manifested. Feeling that it is the right front tire is a false signal. I had a terrible vibration in my right front tire once. It was so bad the mirrors vibrated. Swapping the front tires left to right made a little bit of difference, but not enough to definitively say the tire was the problem. Guess what it was? A pebble stuck in the rear sprocket!

 

[spyderyderjim]

I am posting a new thread because my problem is slightly different from what the other threads have talked about. I have a new 2016 RTS now with 1300 miles on it. Since I bought it, I have have experienced a right tire vibration starting at 75 mph and ending at 79 mph. I get it at no other time or speed. I took it to the dealer yesterday and the service manager looked at it. Other than getting why do I ride that fast, he had no answers. The tires are new and the tire pressure is right. I have not hit anything so the alignment is good as it was when it came out of the box and was assembled.

I suggested a balancing but I was told this does not sound like a balancing issue. I was told I could put some electrostatic needs in the tire which may counter act any balancing problem but he wasn't sure it would work. He said if it was a balancing or a tire problem it would happen at all speeds. The bike drives straight. He said the rim looked good.

Has anyone had this problem? It is strange as it starts at 75 and remains until 79. Ay 80 mph it goes away and the bike rides smooth as glass. I find it really strange and I am disheartened that I could not get an answer for this problem on a new bike. What do you all think? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,
Yes it is probably your right front stock Kenda tire that seems to come from the BRP factory with misaligned/defective tire cords that causes a horrible front tire shake at 75 mph, to where my handlebars oscillated back & forth so much I had to slow down on my 2015 F3S Spyder with only 2,500 miles on it.
I also had same problem on 2013 RTS & 2014 RTS Spyders.
(The BRP front Kenda tire belts misaligned as per Central Florida Powersports, & wanderingman sharing info, explains why a lot of Spyders right front stock Kenda tires have a horrible shake with very few miles on them)!
Thank you wanderingman for sharing info/answer to front Kenda tire shake!
I replaced the front tires with Federal 165-55-15, put Ride-On sealer/balancer in them & no more shaking or tire vibration.
I have 18,000 miles on front Federal tires 1 year later, still smooth.
https://www.onlinetires.com/products/vehicle/tires/federal/165%2F55-15+federal+595+evo+75+bsw.html

Have a Laser Align (Squared Away) after installing new front Federal tires & you should be good for a long time.
Front Federal tires have a firmer sidewall so I only run 16# air.
Enjoy your 2016 RTS, they are a good Spyder!
Jim

 

[ruralgirl]

The manual for my 2015 RT-S does indeed advise that the tires are directional and not meant to be rotated.

 

[wanderingman]

Front end shaking.

From the day I picked up my 2015 RTS I had front wheel shake. I took it back to Central Florida Power Sports where I had purchased it. They put me on a loaner and went to work. It turned out I had several problems, but the main problem causing the shake was that the belts in the tires were misaligned during the manufacturing. This is tire belts, not the drive belt. The dealer opened a case with BRP and ultimately replaced the tires although they had only about 500 or less miles on them. This vibration could be tracked to speed, but was a side to side shake not a vertical shake as would be the case with an out of balance condition. This was very visible at the trailing edge of the front fenders. My dealer not only resolved my problem, they also made me a happy camper in the process. As a former manufacturers service rep, I know that manufacturing problems are a reality. I great service team, such as I experienced at Central Florida Power Sports, makes these problems a non issue. A non responsive service team makes you wonder if you bought junk. If my opinion is worth anything, the Spyder is a great trike, made even better by the right dealer.

 

[Claimbo]

From the day I picked up my 2015 RTS I had front wheel shake. I took it back to Central Florida Power Sports where I had purchased it. They put me on a loaner and went to work. It turned out I had several problems, but the main problem causing the shake was that the belts in the tires were misaligned during the manufacturing. This is tire belts, not the drive belt. The dealer opened a case with BRP and ultimately replaced the tires although they had only about 500 or less miles on them. This vibration could be tracked to speed, but was a side to side shake not a vertical shake as would be the case with an out of balance condition. This was very visible at the trailing edge of the front fenders. My dealer not only resolved my problem, they also made me a happy camper in the process. As a former manufacturers service rep, I know that manufacturing problems are a reality. I great service team, such as I experienced at Central Florida Power Sports, makes these problems a non issue. A non responsive service team makes you wonder if you bought junk. If my opinion is worth anything, the Spyder is a great trike, made even better by the right dealer.

I had the tires rotated today. The problem got slightly better but the problem is still there on the right side. I now don't know what to do about this problem. I expected the problem to be on the left side but its not. Im not so sure what to do with it now. Maybe tear down the front end. But it is a new bike!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I had the tires rotated today. The problem got slightly better but the problem is still there on the right side. I now don't know what to do about this problem. I expected the problem to be on the left side but its not. Im not so sure what to do with it now. Maybe tear down the front end. But it is a new bike!

I say start looking at it being belt vibration.