[bikerbob46]

I have a 2011 Spyder RT SE5. My local dealer tells me they don't service any vehicle over 10 years old. The nearest dealer that will service me is 260 miles away causing me to make a trip to leave the bike for service, then a trip to pick it up after service. The trips cost more than the service because of expenses and 2 days travel.

Specifically right now I need a rear tire changed. I have not found any specific and detailed video on the procedure. I am fairly mechanical but its the things you don't know that get you.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Easy Rider]

Contact that closest dealer AGAIN and explain what you want done.
IF......they refuse to change a tire for you, complain to BRP and the BBB if they are a member.
Oh...and explain to them that you WILL go 260 miles away when it is time for a new one.

 

[bikerbob46]

I am planning on a visit to the dealer to talk with the manager

 

[Gerald Mac]

That sucks about the dealer.

Cant find a video....himmmm. I found several on the u tube. If your fairly mechanical it should be not too much of a job to remove it.

 

[Easy Rider]

I am planning on a visit to the dealer to talk with the manager

"Managers" are often just flunkies who have no real authority.
Ask to talk to the guy who OWNS the place.

 

[Tourer]

The quality of most Motorcycle Dealers is average to poor at best. Everyone understands the cost to use them is higher, but the consumer should receive service commensurate with the charges. You are paying for factory trained personnel and high quality parts.

I am a retired new car dealer and have never refused to work on any vehicle regardless of age at either of my dealerships. I always felt we represented the brand and it was our obligation not to refuse to sell or service a vehicle. We did warn customers with older vehicles that certain issues will be expensive. We had relationships with some local independent service shops and would recommend them for these situations.

My local Can-am dealer Iron Horse Motorcycles in Monroe North Carolina is also a Honda dealer. He is the most crooked and disgraceful dealer I have ever dealt with. Brought my Goldwing in for a recall. He calls an hour later and tells me my front fork seal has leaked and the fork oil went all our the brake pads. Told him to do nothing and went down to the dealer. When I got there there was amber oil all over my fork and caliper. Got the Service Manager out who is also one of the owners to the bike and told him his man was a crook. I was a master tech and 2000 miles ago put Race Tech front forks on the bike and the fork oil is Red. Told him wanted a set of brake pads that I now has to replace. He refused with a crap attitude. Well, I saw Red and went all New York on him and left. Reported it to Honda and the Government because he wouldn’t do the recall. Neither ever got back to me. Service from the manufacturers has declined over the years.

So moral of the story, I will need to try another dealer in North Carolina for the pulley recall. My advice to bikerbob is to do the rear tire yourself. There is some excellent posts explaining the procedure. I wouldn’t plead with any repair shop to work on my vehicles. If they don’t want my money, screw them.

 

[jaybros]

As Easy Rider said talk to the owner if you can. If you can't talk to the owner again explain to the Service manager just what you need to have done. If the service manager again balks, send an email to [email protected], explain the exact situation and ask them to open a case for you. You might suggest that if the dealership is still unwilling to service the Spyder that BRP cancel its dealership contract with the joint.

Now, the above said I would be very careful with the Spyder if the dealership does change the tire because if they screw up reinstalling the rear wheel they can mess up the belt alignment and tension, at the very least.

 

[theair98]

I just did the exact tire change. Took me about 40 minutes and two 36mm sockets that I had to buy. Really easy job. Youtube vids a huge help. Even backed off my belt tension from 220 to about 170. No vibration with my dampener installed. Save your cash. Do it yourself. A word of caution, when you tighten the rear axle nut, the axle will want to walk backwards on you, thus throwing off your belt spacing. What I did (finally) was torqued the nut, rode it, then took a block of wood and a small sledge and tapped the right side axle nut forward a couple raps. Perfect 2-3 mm spacing. Fought that thing for hours trying to get the spacing. Ready for the hate mail....

 

[SPYDER47]

If the job is something you don't care to tackle - I don't - any competent independent motorcycle mechanic will gladly do this for you, probably for less $$ than your dealer would have charged.

 

[Easy Rider]

If the job is something you don't care to tackle - I don't - any competent independent motorcycle mechanic will gladly do this for you, probably for less $$ than your dealer would have charged.

Have you actually TRIED to do that ?
ALL the reports I have seen indicate that "independent" shops won't touch them.

 

[Easy Rider]

Really easy job.

What you consider "really easy" can be next to impossible for others.
Just getting the back end off the ground and KEEPING it there can be a big problem for many people.

 

[janichol]

My local dealer whom I bought my Spyder from refused to service/repair my 2010 RTS (clutch had failed). Said they were 6 months behind. I will never return to this dealer. I did find an independent mechanic who had worked on Spyders (his wife and several club members owned them) to do the work. It spent 4 months in his shop awaiting parts (no aftermarket clutch parts!). Do some searching in motorcycle clubs to find out if there is a shop they use. Word of mouth is better than the internet.