Vibration...BRP's solution by the "Ostrich method

[Firefly]

The world is full of opnions on this so I thought I'd just add my two cents worth. After reading all of this, I'm certian we have two issues going on. The vibration problems associated only with RPM only are probable a motor mount issue whereas the speed only vibrations issues are belt related. Mine vibrates only at 70 - 75 MPH. I can elimate the vibration by simple applying or decreasing throttle. I makes a difference if I'm on a highway streatch at a slight incline, flat or declining. I have the smoothe spyder addition and have messed with belt tension. The only difference I can notice with each adjustment (either belt tension or smoothe spyder tension) is the speed at which the vibration occures. I can run right up to the red line in any gear (except 5th HA HA)with out the vibration happening as long as I don't go over 70 MPH. And yes, this happens in 4th gear AT 70MPH. Based on my experience, I'd say folks with an RPM only vibration, need to see their dealer to check motor mount clearance. It is a very high frequency vibration and is not to my liking. I've learned to live with it but that dosn't mean I'm happy about it. My back ground tells me that if I failed to compensate, while ridding at this speed, there would certianly be some kind of longer term damage to some part of the drive train, weather it be the engine, transmission or rear wheel bearings. Maybe all 3. JMHO

Um-- you're saying redline in 4th gear is only 70 mph?

I don't think so... but I'll check tonight. On my RS I'd hit 115 mph in 4th before redlining....... I can't believe the RT would be geared 40 mph different....

 

[frank3]

Um-- you're saying redline in 4th gear is only 70 mph?

I don't think so... but I'll check tonight. On my RS I'd hit 115 mph in 4th before redlining....... I can't believe the RT would be geared 40 mph different....

Sorry, Didn't mean it red lined at 70 in 4th. Said I could do 70 (or faster) in 4th. Point is, it didn't make any difference what RPM I was running, only saw the vibration at certian SPEED. Don't think mine will reach 114 in any gear. The barn door will only push so much air.

 

[Buttsy]

After riding my C50 Suzuki at highway speeds I found out what real vibration was like. The sweet spot was from 40 t0 50 mph. Anything higher than that would rattle the fillings out of your teeth.

Yup been there done that.........it was less of a vibration and more of a "buzzing" man it was annoying!:banghead: Did retro-fit the C90 drive into it and this helped a lot.

 

[Firefly]

Sorry, Didn't mean it red lined at 70 in 4th. Said I could do 70 (or faster) in 4th. Point is, it didn't make any difference what RPM I was running, only saw the vibration at certian SPEED. Don't think mine will reach 114 in any gear. The barn door will only push so much air.​

If your vibration is SPEED related... not RPM and gear related......it could be a tire or rim issue.​

 

[phj]

:lecturef_smilie: That would be a very bad idea, the bearing that was failing because of too high belt tension was not the wheel bearings but the counter shaft bearing. That calls for pulling the motor and splitting the case.

Thank You Sir for your insight; I would like to add that when the spyder first came out the belts were set at about 1400/1500 newtons. That is telling me that when originally designed, this is what the belt designers needed for that length of drive belt to run smooth. Yes, then came some bearing failures and BRP has chosen the least expensive way for them to remedy this issue, and that is for then to continue to reduce the newtons to where we are today. A big question that remains to be answered is where will the excessive vibration that some RT's are now experiencing lead, will they lead to other problems?

My dealer has replaced three bearings thus far, all were in almost new bike's with belts set at well above 1000 newtons and it was agreed that the bikes probably came this way from the factory. Two bearings from the rear wheel were replaced and one counter shaft bearing was replaced. I agree I will take some risk by setting mine in the 700 newton range and it will be interesting to see what if any improvements are found, if there is no difference we will go back to a lower setting. I am guessing that we will see the onset of the vibration move to a higher RPM/speed.

I also feel that some really do not understand just how bad some of these bikes are vibrating. My dealers tech has ridden mine and is amazed that the bike can be so smooth to a certain MPH and then quickly start vibrating to where you can not tell what type of car is in your review mirror!!

 

[frank3]

If your vibration is SPEED related... not RPM and gear related......it could be a tire or rim issue.

30,000 miles, on 3rd new rear tire and second set of new front tires. Vibration is in a very narrow band speed wise. Totally depentant on weather belt is pulling rear wheel hard (on incline) or belt pull side slack (on decline). I'm well aware of tire/wheel vibration issues. This is not tire/wheel related. nuf said

 

[Bob Denman]

You shall now be known as..... The Lugmaster......

Thanks! I think... :shocked: That sounds a little bit better than being called, "A LugNut"!

 

[Firefly]

I'd love to ride one of these Spyders with 'extreme' vibrations to see what some of you are talking about.

Anyone with this going on within a few hundred miles of SW Michigan--- we could meet and trade Spyders for a short ride sometime.

 

[boborgera]

I'd love to ride one of these Spyders with 'extreme' vibrations to see what some of you are talking about.

.

Some people can feel a pea under a mattress. :dontknow: I don't think anything is going on other than'
normal harmonics.!!

 

[spydaman60]

2 cents worth

this doesn't appear to be only an rt issue. my new rss has been back to the dealership 3 times for them to work on the vibrations. :banghead: i was told the first time that is was that 5400 harmonic vibration that was inherant to all spyder. (BS) :banghead:they did a balancing and front end allignment. it appeared to be a little bit better. took it for another 2000 miles (month) and said to myself "this ain't right for a new machine". :banghead: so i took matters into my own hands and bought captain jims smoothspyder. :clap: it helped tremendously for about three weeks until i got another 1000 miles on it. vibration continued to get worse. started to see noticeable wear in the front tires. more than before. the more miles, the more wear in the tires, and the more vibrations that i felt. went back to the dealer again. :banghead: re-balance, adjust alignment(so i'm told) and it bought me another couple of weeks. :banghead: went back last week because they had a demo event going on. when one of the demo machines was in service we tried a set of their front wheels/tires on my machine. took 90% of the vibes away. it's not just the belt on all machines. its tires and wheels too! now if we can only figure out which ones? i'm not looking forward to buying new tires every 4000 miles!!!!

 

[Buttsy]

to a certain MPH and then quickly start vibrating to where you can not tell what type of car is in your review mirror!!

For sure can tell you this............it doesn't sound right to me I do not experience this level of vibration at all. Having said that if your machine is acting this way and mine which is only about 4 months old with 2000 miles on it doesn't do it you have a problem some where?

Good Luck...........:thumbup:

 

[Firefly]

this doesn't appear to be only an rt issue. my new rss has been back to the dealership 3 times for them to work on the vibrations. :banghead: i was told the first time that is was that 5400 harmonic vibration that was inherant to all spyder. (BS) :banghead:they did a balancing and front end allignment. it appeared to be a little bit better. took it for another 2000 miles (month) and said to myself "this ain't right for a new machine". :banghead: so i took matters into my own hands and bought captain jims smoothspyder. :clap: it helped tremendously for about three weeks until i got another 1000 miles on it. vibration continued to get worse. started to see noticeable wear in the front tires. more than before. the more miles, the more wear in the tires, and the more vibrations that i felt. went back to the dealer again. :banghead: re-balance, adjust alignment(so i'm told) and it bought me another couple of weeks. :banghead: went back last week because they had a demo event going on. when one of the demo machines was in service we tried a set of their front wheels/tires on my machine. took 90% of the vibes away. it's not just the belt on all machines. its tires and wheels too! now if we can only figure out which ones? i'm not looking forward to buying new tires every 4000 miles!!!!

Sounds like you had bent rim(s) or way out of balance....... glad you got things fixed.

Another good reason to have another Spyderlover take your ride for a spin on occasion...... They can tell you pretty quick if things feel 'normal' or not.

I had a wheel balance issue on my GS... would wobble like crazy at certain speeds. Far different than belt or engine vibes.

------------

 

[timeless]

Rear Shock

Thank you for your efforts to get this addressed, I too have been in contact with BRP and all I'm being told is that they are working on the problem!!

The only difference between what your are experiencing and what I have witnessed is my vibration starts at 4500 +/- 100 rpms and IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT GEAR I AM IN. It continues till about 6500 rpms, at night you almost can not ride, the headlight are vibrating to the point they look like police strobe lights. If I accelerate with it vibrating to higher rpm and then slow a few hundred rpms, it will go away for a few minutes but then returns.

I have had the Smooth Idler installed as well as all three tires rebalanced, the Smooth Idler helped at lot at speeds up to about 58/60mph. I too am thinking about going to 700/750 newtons on my belt. I have also been told that bike when they come from the factory come with a tighter belt which BRP feels will stretch to a lower number within the first 600 miles.

I had a similar problem, but mine was a bad rear shock at only 3500 miles. That will cause the whole bike to vibrate & jump around unbelievably:yikes:.