does anyone have problem with gearing?

[tagalong1]

does anyone think that the gearing is wrong with this spyder?..i think the 4th gear should b a 5th gear..the 5th gear for this is way to fast for this bike.when goin down hill the 5th gear holds back to me..i think u should hold the brake back goin down hill and this doesnt happen..i live in the blue ridge mountains and the hills hold back but when iam on straight away the 5th is way to fast..iam a speed limit person and safe drive at a point..lol.change u change the gearing or what..ideas..thanks..who to talk to..

[madjack]

tagalong1, what rpm range do you operate in. I find riding my wifes spyder, I rarely ever use the brakes. I also found that operating in a range of 4500-6500 rpms gives the best fuel mpg, plus the engine acts as a engine brake. If I thought I needed to use the brake going down a hill, then I would just drop down a gear till I had enough compression to hold the bike back.P.S. I instructed my wife, to not let the engine rpms to drop below 4000 in any gear while cruising down the road.

[tagalong1]

i really havent looked at rpm..just the speed now and then..but i will try,,i listen to the engine when i drive,,iam still learning the bike..i reckon..but 4th gear seem to b the gear but thats me..thanks for the help.. i need it..lol

[Stealth11]

I do not currently own a spyder but do have a RT which I built (ST1100 to STealth11 Project)

I am surprised at the high rpm the spyder runs If I read it right it's around 5500 at 70?
My STealth (st1100) runs just 3200 and my wing 2800 at 70. I wonder if some of the poor mileage reports may be due to this high rpm gearing.
Changing sprockets would be logical and actually pretty easy but I am guessing the speedo pulls it's info off the transmission and I would also guess some major computer misreads would also result from gearing tweaks.

[woodz428]

I saw a post on one of the forums where an owner thought he was revving too high at 60. I checked ours on Sat. and it cranks 4350 at 60mph. That seems about typical for the type bike it is. When I worked for an exporter of used bikes around the world, it became known that the germans, who liked the Kaw ZL models quit buying them because there were geared to high and were blowing up engines when riding the autobahn. Since the ZL's were shaft instead of chain like the ZX models it was an expensive procedure to change gears. The ZX's didn't have the same gearing and it would have been a simple change with the chain and sprockets, if they had. One of the things I like about the Spyder drivetrain. Even if there are few choices, with CNC equipment it wouldn't take much to offer a range if it should be needed.
I think the other owner was mentioning 6000rpm at 60, which is waaaay high. I haven't been able to locate the thread since I checked out what ours tached, but if that is correct he could have a slipping clutch. I would cross test the tach and speedo before zeroing in on that. I thought that was high enough that I wanted to check what ours was. I could see a few hundred rpm variation,but not 1600.

[Spyderman]

I talked with the Engineers on this one, it was interesting as at the time, when Gas was at $4.50+ a gallon, mileage was a REALLY BIG deal.... They said that a few things really drove the gearing, first the loss of one gear for a true reverse, this engine is a six speed in the two-wheeler form. Next was the "revvy" nature of this engine, it really does generate its torque in the higher RPMS, more like the two stokes of days gone by. Also, they were interested in keeping it a sporty ride, hence the low stock windshield. Note that the touring bike engine has been tweaked for more torque at lower RPMS:

"The 2010 Can-Am Spyder RT will still source a variation of the Rotax V-Twin found in Aprilia sportbikes, a liquid-cooled, 998cc V-Twin with multi-port, electronically fuel-injected 57mm throttle bodies. The Spyder RT’s Rotax 991 engine has been retuned to handle the demands of the additional weight of the touring package and a passenger, with three lb-ft more torque coming on at 750 rpm lower in the powerband. To go along with more grunt down low, its gasses will be squeezed at a higher compression ratio of 12.2:1 compared to last year’s 10.8:1. But peak horsepower has been trimmed down, with its top numbers ringing in at six ponies less and coming on 1000 rpm earlier in the rev range. (Claimed 2009 Max Output 106 hp @ 8500rpm - 2010 Max Output 100 hp @ 7500rpm)"

So maybe this will allow for different gearing, even if only via rear sprocket change...

[spydermanjimmy]

Originally Posted by tagalong1

does anyone think that the gearing is wrong with this spyder?..i think the 4th gear should b a 5th gear..the 5th gear for this is way to fast for this bike.when goin down hill the 5th gear holds back to me..i think u should hold the brake back goin down hill and this doesnt happen..i live in the blue ridge mountains and the hills hold back but when iam on straight away the 5th is way to fast..iam a speed limit person and safe drive at a point..lol.change u change the gearing or what..ideas..thanks..who to talk to..

Yes I don,t like the gearing of 5th gear. I don't like the amount of rpm's that your turning at 70 mph.

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by spydermanjimmy

Yes I don,t like the gearing of 5th gear. I don't like the amount of rpm's that your turning at 70 mph.

Curiosity keeps telling me that a just slightly larger front sprocket, or slightly smaller rear sprocket (or both) might not be that hard a thing to do.... maybe not even requiring a different belt?

[truck85]

Originally Posted by Spyderman

Curiosity keeps telling me that a just slightly larger front sprocket, or slightly smaller rear sprocket (or both) might not be that hard a thing to do.... maybe not even requiring a different belt?

MMG makes a different frount sprocket check ebay

[Spyderman]

Originally Posted by truck85

MMG makes a different frount sprocket check ebay

Great!

Sounds like the answer to me 400 rpm is certainly substantial, I'll email and ask for the spreadsheet:

30 tooth:
Well Spyder Owners....
MMG is proud to announce the FIRST AND ONLY
30 tooth Billet Aluminum Front Sprocket
Not only is this sprocket lighter, it reduces you 400 RPM's and increases gas mileage!!!
CNC machined from 6061 Aluminum
This is a direct replacement for the factory sprocket and still uses the stock drive belt!!!

29 tooth:
Well Spyder Owners....
MMG is proud to announce the FIRST AND ONLY
29 tooth Billet Aluminum Front Sprocket

Not only is this sprocket lighter, it reduces you RPM's and increases gas mileage!!!
CNC machined from 6061 Aluminum
This is a direct replacement for the factory sprocket and still uses the stock drive belt!!!

Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet is available with the comparison between stock 28t and MMG29t
E-mail for details