Hello, I'm from Germany and need help working out what parts are needed to switch my European gear ratio/sprockets to American gear ratio/sprockets?

[Mrcanam]

Hello fellow Spyder riders,

I’m from Germany and ride a Spyder Daytona 500.

I currently have the European gear ratio (28/79) and want to switch to

the American ratio (28/89). Could someone please tell me

exactly what parts I need and what I have to do?

I’d appreciate any help.

Greetings from Germany

 

[Peter Aawen]

Hi @Mrcanam, welcome to the Forum and posting.

Sadly, while you might be able to source and change the parts necessary to change your ratio, AFAIK, no-one has yet been successful in getting a European Spyder to work for long with American gears/sprockets or vice versa!

Despite putting in some extensive work on this, even the best of (former BRP) ECM/TCM Tuners have been stumped by it, and many of us 'lesser mortals' have tried all sorts of other ways too. The reason it ultimately fails has apparently got something to do with the ECM/TCM and the embedded 'Country Codes' that govern things like the way your speedo displays, gears change, the relationship between revs and road speed, the radio channels you can get, and pretty much even the way your engine runs. Change the sprockets/gears to something other than those it initially came with means it will encounter some incompatibilities and your Spyder simply won't drive for long once it has. Some have had limited initial success before their Spyder just stopped/dropped into one or more terminal failure modes, but so far (bearing in mind that many have tried since 2008) I believe they've all failed in the longer term!

Check out this thread:

M

Thread 'Can I change the ECM/TCM to make a Rear Sprocket Change work & lower my cruising revs? Any ideas?'

Aug 4, 2015

I want to lower my rpm/mph or in other words increase my mph/rpm. I purchased the 79 tooth rear sprocket for my F3. This is the sprocket that is used on the non-North American F3 models. I also purchased the shorter belt. The dealer installed the rear sprocket and belt. When I picked it up and started driving it home the check engine message came on the gauges and it would not shift properly. Took it back to the dealer. After a week and half in the shop, the dealer was informed by BRP that the error code is due to the sprocket change. On the F3's with the semi automatic transmission, the...

• Mactim
• Replies: 26
• Forum: Spyder F3 - Sport & Cruiser Touring

There's more threads like that if you search, but it might take a bit of digging to find them. Basically, I believe that the only way anyone has been successful in changing the gearing on a Spyder (any model) has been to change the entire machine! So if you want those American gear ratios, you'll probably need to buy an American Spyder that's been initially set-up in America, and I suspect your local Roads & Traffic Authorities will not look kindly on using/operating one of them set up like that in your country. Sorry!

 

[mecsw500]

You might want to try contacting Martin the Vlogger on YouTube. He does Spyder rentals in Europe and sells a large array of aftermarket parts across the EU and worldwide.

If anyone has tried such changes it might well have been him. He runs an F3S he calls "The Beast" which seems to have every performance modification under the sun.

He may well have the same issue with his touring rental machines which I'm sure he would want to have the same characteristics you are looking for.

Although he doesn't reside in Germany, he often refers to EU type legislation for his parts so he would be the person to ask, if anybody, that I can think of.

But like Peter says, even if you do it, will it flag at your annual inspection as the parts won't necessarily have TUV type approval?

 

[Mrcanam]

Thanks for the info.
There is someone here in Germany who does this conversion.
But he wants 3,000 euros for it, and that’s too expensive for me.
I can do the conversion myself, but the problem is
adjusting the ECU. I think I'll ask MartintheVlogger.

 

[mecsw500]

Thanks for the info.
There is someone here in Germany who does this conversion.
But he wants 3,000 euros for it, and that’s too expensive for me.
I can do the conversion myself, but the problem is
adjusting the ECU. I think I'll ask MartintheVlogger.

Yes, it's all eventually down to the ECU and TCM flashing I would imagine.

The parts would be the least of the issues I'm sure.

Now, I know E3,000 sounds a lot, but I'm sure he has to pay a lot for his BUDS licenses. The licenses are not cheap, plus there is having to have 3 different interface units on hand, as well as PCs running three generations of Windows to cover all the three generations of Spyders.

Knowing what to flash and how to support changes that will fool TUV testing is probably not as straight forward as just a re-flash alone.

It's probably a day or two's work, and it's not like you get enough customers to make a living out of it unless you charge that amount.