To Swaybar or Not to Swaybar

[Ben Burped]

Beware of liars

I had this conversation with the Service guy at the dealer. He went on a speal that sounded like it came from BRP lawyers. He said "BRP spent millions in testing to figure out what sway bar to use and you say that some guy in a garage knows better?" He said "they would install it only if I signed a waver releasing BRP of any liability if I got hurt in a wreck. "

That is BS, pure BS, and nothing but BS. If your deader would lie to you about this, he will lie to you about other things. Beware of this dealer !

 

[Jfhaas]

Have a 2015 RT Limited also. I'm 250# and if I take my wife at 125# the stock trike would wallow in curves or corners. Even alone it would wallow. With Bajaron sway bars is like its on rails. Also, on roads that are sloped, it tracks truer than with the stock bars. Ride is not affected. Happy I purchased and would recommend.

 

[robmorg]

Any comments would be great to help me understand why I should put the upgraded swaybar on my Spyder. Is there a down side to this upgraded swaybar.

Jim

Jim,

I was skeptical at first too, making the same "arguments" that you just did. My skepticism vanished the very first ride after I picked up my Spyder from the dealer after having the beefier Baja Ron sway bar installed. I promise that yours will too. Stop thinking about it and just do it! :thumbup:

To answer Wazoo's question, I think my dealer charged me about $100 to install it, which isn't a lot considering today's shop prices. It doesn't take a lot of time if you have the proper tools to do it (which I did not).

 

[rays hell]

sway bar

I weigh in at 200# and ride alone. Man what a difference in the curves and on windy roads.
Car ramps would not give me 24" of clearance under the bike so I let my dealer do it for $160, and it got the wife off my back.
Oh did I say I have no regrets what so Ever.

 

[finless]

I will just add this... I am 250 lbs at 6'4" so I make the Spyder even more top heavy. I am a big guy not a fat guy!

When I first got my Spyder 2011-RTS and cranked the shocks to pre-load 5, I was pretty happy with it.
So the Sway Bar was not on my list. I as a n00b at that time did not feel it was worth the price as again, I was pretty happy. I was not going to drink the "cool-aid" everyone seemed to be passing around here at the time.

Let me just say, after adding it, it did make a difference and one I do appreciate.

But let me be clear to what it does... It kind of upsets me when people say the sway bar helps solve wind buffeting at highway speeds, etc. IT DOES NOT! What it does is when you hit a corner, the body roll is reduced. Seriously that is all it does... It's a SWAY BAR made to stiffen body roll not a shock! Going straight down the road do not expect it to solve handling issues like that!

OK so when my Wife rode with me after the sway bar add, she noticed the difference even more than I did. Again body roll in corners!

With that said... Here is a recent Vblog video I did of a ride we had locally in some twisties that rival most roads you will ever do. I have to say... NO FREAKIN WAY would I have been able to push a RT like this with the stock sway bar....

Oh and I am still running the stock shocks!

Bob

 

[mrb]

And if you really want to go one stage further without replacing the suspension on 2013-2015 RT's talk to Baja Ron (site sponsor) about his suspension adjusters.

Comments I have had so far from local riders include-

" I installed them, took it for a ride on a twisty road close to home and boy they are worth every dollar."

" Easy job, couple of hours work. Just back from a test drive, everything in Martin's comments is true. Spyder feels more planted and direct, no longer scrapes over my gutter when reversing down the drive. Would recommend anyone who owns a 2013/2014 model to do this cost effective upgrade. "

"Went for a ride this morning and I am convinced that they are the best accessory that you can buy to improve the ride and handling."

"The handling during highway travelling has improved. My RT just tracks and feels so much more planted to the road and no more nose diving when applying the brakes.
Then when really having fun on the bendy, twisty, bumpy roads it's a totally different beast. The wheels just remain so much more firmly planted to the road, makes riding even more fun than previously.
Final words, the best dollars I've ever invested on my Spyder RT."

 

[robmorg]

But let me be clear to what it does... It kind of upsets me when people say the sway bar helps solve wind buffeting at highway speeds, etc. IT DOES NOT! What it does is when you hit a corner, the body roll is reduced. Seriously that is all it does... It's a SWAY BAR made to stiffen body roll not a shock! Going straight down the road do not expect it to solve handling issues like that!
Bob

Bob,

Let me play "Devil's advocate" with that statement, just a little. I believe there are certain types of buffeting issues that can be helped with the addition of a beefier sway bar while not in a turn. As you said, the purpose of a sway bar is to stiffen body roll - IOW, to keep both wheels more vertically aligned. While the tendency for wheel lifting is certainly more pronounced in a turn, it can also be induced, to some degree, by a swift side force, as you might experience when driving straight at highway speeds and you get buffeted with a strong gust of cross-wind, or you get buffeted by the Ventui effect that occurs when you are passed closely by a large truck at highway speeds. Either situation can enact lifting forces on one front wheel, which would be countered by a hefty sway bar. Thus the sway bar can add to control in these situations as well. Of course stiffer springs will do the same thing in these situations, but the sway bar does help, especially if your springs are not stiff enough. (Understand that when I mention "wheel lifting" in this context, I'm not actually talking about a tire leaving the asphalt - just a significant non-lateral lightening of spring resistance between the left and right wheels.)

I, myself, noticed the effect of the sway bar in this regard after I first got it installed. Especially since my springs were not doing a proper job (until I also got Baja Ron's spring tensioners), because I'm an even "bigger" guy than you are.

 

[finless]

Well I would agree that a strong enough side force that would produce enough body roll or wheel lift the bar helps. Alas, I ride on a freeway every day at speeds of 70+ with trucks, lots of cars, etc. I noticed no difference in buffeting with the new sway bar. I don't think those buffets produce enough roll to have the bar do anything. At least nothing I have experienced.

The point I am trying to make here is some people new to the Spyder freak out a little due to the general buffeting you feel on a Spyder in winds or turbulence from traffic. The bar does nothing to get rid of that general buffeting so if your looking for the bar to fix that, you may be disappointed.

Bob

 

[robmorg]

Well, yes, I understand your point about buffeting from high speed. But since there is no slack between the sway bar and the frame, a sway bar will have some degree of effect no matter how slight an amount of differential wheel lift. I'm not arguing your point. Merely pointing out that some who report less buffeting, in certain circumstances, after adding a beefier sway bar are not necessarily wrong.

To your point, it's been said before that the real effect of adding the beefier sway bar will be greater for those who have ridden without it for quite a while.

 

[Lew L]

Decision time

So Jimbo,

Have ya read enough to see that the anti-sway addition is a GOOD thing????? First mod I did ( along with the proper skid plate/ bumper) If you ride with any "vigor" at all you will want the bar---- and NO I don't work for Ron.


Kaos

 

[Bob Denman]

Instability due to buffeting caused by the wind has another important facet attached to it:
The effect that the wind has upon the rider sitting atop the bike! :shocked:
If you get blasted by a nice gentle cross breeze of say; 40 mph...

...It's gonna move you around in the saddle just like you're on a mad Bull! :yikes:
So you grab on TIGHT to the bars... introducing some unwanted (and unnoticed) steering inputs.
Now;, the bike is wobbling all over the road like it's spent too long at happy hour, and you're did-satisfied with how the bike handles... :gaah:

Even though it was YOU that caused it... pps:


I feel better now...


It's a poor carpenter; who always blames his hammer.

 

[wiredgeorge]

I think it's just the evolution of design. My 2010 RTS wallowed like a stuffed pig until I upgraded the suspension.
My 2014 handles great right out of the box.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.

I own a 2010 RT and can say without a doubt "oink oink". Actually, setting the OEM shocks on stiffest preload and jacking up the rear air with extra air helped at least as much as the BajaRon sway bar and I think the reason is the load (weight wise). Folks don't mention that heavy driver/rider combo causes more wallowing than some little jockey-sized guy riding solo. Next step is some front shocks. I am starting to get a little short on money due the massive doses put into my inexpensive 2010 hehe.

 

[retired1]

A lot of us that owned '10 RTS's installed '11 front shocks on our machines, because they improved the handling significantly. New takeoff shocks were plentiful because Elka's were getting popular. Some dealers may have some new take off shocks still available from '11s or '12s.:dontknow:

 

[Bob Denman]

A lot of us that owned '10 RTS's installed '11 front shocks on our machines, because they improved the handling significantly. New takeoff shocks were plentiful because Elka's were getting popular. Some dealers may have some new take off shocks still available from '11s or '12s.:dontknow:

:agree: That's how it all started with my 2010... :thumbup:

 

[Justacruisin]

Sway Bar......

BaJa Ron Sway Bar.

"DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT".

 

[Pirate looks at --]

But seriously Bob

Well I would agree that a strong enough side force that would produce enough body roll or wheel lift the bar helps. Alas, I ride on a freeway every day at speeds of 70+ with trucks, lots of cars, etc. I noticed no difference in buffeting with the new sway bar. I don't think those buffets produce enough roll to have the bar do anything. At least nothing I have experienced.

The point I am trying to make here is some people new to the Spyder freak out a little due to the general buffeting you feel on a Spyder in winds or turbulence from traffic. The bar does nothing to get rid of that general buffeting so if your looking for the bar to fix that, you may be disappointed.

Bob

Having lived in So Cal for 15 years, with the exception of the hours from 2:30 to 3:30 AM those trucks on the freeway are only going 5 miles per hour like the rest of the traffic on the 405. :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: Up hear in Nor Cal where things are a little less congested (no I don't live in the Bay Area) the Ron bar made a significant difference in how the bike handled at freeway speeds and dealing with big rigs, and wind for that matter. We just did 300 plus miles on I5 and other freeways and we were solid as a rock at up to 100 mph 2 up in high winds. Before we would have been like Fred Astaire dancing all over the highway. I understand what the main purpose of the bar is, but you can't discount the actual real world experience.

 

[Major spyder]

Swat bar

Is this a serious question?????

There's no better option..

 

[finless]

Having lived in So Cal for 15 years, with the exception of the hours from 2:30 to 3:30 AM those trucks on the freeway are only going 5 miles per hour like the rest of the traffic on the 405. :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: .

That's not true. I do it 4 times a week. Mornings going in yes but there are some stretches at max speeds like 22 to 405 up to the 605. Going home at 2:30 in the afternoon only one small stretch is congested on the 405 (El segundo to the 110). After that everyone is doing 80. 36 years with the same company communting from OC to El Segundo (near LAX). I would say I have real world experience with this freeway.

Also since you are familiar with the 405 you know in SoCal we have the usual afternoon winds of 12-15 knots especially in the Torrance and Long Beach areas. Sway bar did not do anything to eliminate general wind buffeting for me. It just does not kick in with this as this buffeting is just "wiggling around" not body roll.

Just my experience!

Bob

 

[wiredgeorge]

For you California folks who are not happy with the way things are out there on the left coast... a possiblity:

 

[finless]

For you California folks who are not happy with the way things are out there on the left coast... a possiblity:

You do know that the biggest earthquakes ever recorded on the continental US are near St. Louis right?
While we here is Ca. have a lot of them thus relieving pressure it bits. The area near St. Louis is a ticking time bomb which could be far worse than any San Andreas slip fault could do. Look it up if you don't believe me! Not sure why they do not do a disaster movie about that area! I guess it would not be as exciting as Ca.

But I will go see that movie when it comes out.... Looks like fun

Bob