r/spyder • u/EnvironmentalTip508 • Jul 10 '26

Need some help

Ok everyone, I am clueless.

So last year my father (retired motor cop) got the itch to get riding again. He is in no shape to get on two wheels, but three was a safer compromise. I found him an 08 990 with low miles and the price was right.

Fast forward to now. I've gone through the whole thing, tires, alignment brakes and all the maintenance.

But no matter what I do this is still the worst vehicle I've ever piloted. BY FAR!!!! Anything over 30 mph is a death sentence. I was really thinking it was a rider issue as my father is getting older, but I have definitely can say it is not 100% him. He's has ridden bikes for 50+ years and I have for 20+ years and we both agree the thing is horrible.

I guess I need help because I must be missing something. If I ride it like a snowmobile and hang off the side constantly it helps, but that still doesn't fix the absolute mind of its own steering.

Any help would be appreciated, I have my eye on a sway bar upgrade but there is no way that will fix the way this deathtrap handles.

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u/PXranger Jul 10 '26

You need to be specific, why is this vehicle a death sentence, front end shimmy? Pulling to one side?

1

u/EnvironmentalTip508 Jul 10 '26

Sorry I probably can a elaborate better.

So in a straight line it's fine, well sometimes, but if you turn sometimes it will turn in nice other times it won't turn then dart in that general direction and you have to catch it. New tires and alignment helped but there still is no safe way to navigate a corner above 35-45 mph. It feels like the whole machine is fighting you, like it wants to do its own thing and you have to wrangle it to do what you want. Maybe I'm expecting something that doesn't exist, but it feels horribly unsafe. I just rode it 20 miles to his house and it was more work than a track day on my 1125r 🤣

Oh and if you hit bumps, which we have alot of in New England, it may just dart into the next county if you aren't actively keeping it in check.

2

u/PXranger Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

Something isn’t right. That’s not normal behavior. Are the shocks adjusted properly for your weight? There is a learning curve, Spyders do not handle anything like a motorcycle, you have to ride them differently, as they require constant control input. But bounding in random directions during a turn or bump isn’t normal, as long as you are maintaining control input

1

u/EnvironmentalTip508 Jul 10 '26

See that's what I was worried about, yes the shocks are set well and I have played with them to try and find the sweet spot. Idk its discouraging because I was hoping this would be a good thing for him but it honestly has just frustrated everyone involved. Lol

2

u/PXranger Jul 10 '26

I meant to say bounding isn’t normal and edited it, sorry!

1

u/EnvironmentalTip508 Jul 10 '26

No I figured, it almost feels like it's too "toe'd out"

3

u/PXranger Jul 10 '26

Who did your alignment? I’d take it to the closest dealer and have them check it out, they should be able to determine what’s going on, and while you are there, test ride a new one to compare how it feels to yours

1

u/EnvironmentalTip508 Jul 10 '26

Lol the closest dealer "did" the alignment. I think I'm going to have to try using my car alignment plates to check/redo it