What's the best way to set the steering lock? Am I doing it wrong?

[TheMariner]

Hi Everyone,

At the risk of looking like an idiot, I'd like to know how people are parking their Spyders with the steering lock engaged, as I just can't work out the best way to do it?

At the moment I pull up to a stop, don't apply the parking brake & turn the wheels left hoping to get them in the right spot. The only way I can engage the lock is to turn the engine off & start rolling the Spyder forward & back while turning the bars left and right a little until I hit the sweet spot, and the lock engages. The problem is that the parking brake alarm is going off while all this is happening.

Once I do get the bars turned into the right spot where I know the steering lock will align, I have to turn the ignition on again, set the parking brake, then turn the ignition off, and remove the key.

Is this what others have to do or am I doing it all wrong?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Peter Aawen]

You should be able to pull up to a stop; set the Park Brake; pull the handlebars full left (or right); then turn the engine off, just moving the bars back & forth a touch as necessary for them to hit 'the sweet spot' and lock as you do! :yes:

Job Done, no alarms, no turning the engine off & on & off again; no risking killing your battery &/or leaving yourself stranded with a Spyder that won't start again miles from home! :thumbup:

There's no need for the engine to be running to turn the handlebars, you've got an electric power steering system that is designed to still give you steering if the assist fails and is quite capable of doing that; so yeah, it'll be a bit harder to move the bars once the engine is off, but it is required by law & international agreement for the smallest/weakest likely rider/driver to still be able to move & fully control the vehicle WITHOUT the power steering assist, so you should be able to do that and you're not hurting anything by doing so!! :lecturef_smilie:

Mind you, I reckon the more you practice, the better you'll get at hitting the sweet spot first time - I really can't remember the last time I had to 'jiggle' the bars a bit to get them to lock, cos after 10+ years of swinging the bars across and locking them/shutting down the engine pretty much every time I get off, these days I hit the sweet spot pretty well spot on, first time, every time! Give yourself a little time & practice, I'm sure you'll do the same! hyea:

Ps: Drop me a PM if you want to catch up ever - I'm just up the Hill on the SE Freeway a bit, at Mt Barker, and there are a few of us local Adelaide & environs Spyder Ryders who get together occasionally.

 

[Little Blue]

Just like Peter Aawen explained - Just practice doing it and then you will have it. My wife is able to 'get errr done' when she is the Captain.

She likes to impress the neighbors. ... :yes:

Good Luck on Your Mission My Friend. ...

Enjoy your Ryde Times. ... :thumbup:

 

[TheMariner]

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the late reply... been suffering internet outages

Thanks heaps for your replies. Peter's thorough explanation helped a lot and the problem came down to my stupidity & over-thinking the situation. It's all good now... I can lock & unlock like a real pro !

Thanks again :2thumbs:

 

[JB62]

I didn't know there was a steering lock. Have Spyder been stolen

 

[Bensonoid]

Depending on which spyder you have it also locks the glove box.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Depending on which spyder you have it also locks the glove box.

And the Frunk! :thumbup: