Let's Talk Test Rides!

[ARtraveler]

While you're wandering around inside the shop: keeps your eyes open for any "diplomas" or certificates... take a good look at them, and don't be afraid to ask the Service Manager about who got exactly what kind of training; and where they got it!

I know a dealer that proudly displays on their front door a Platinum Service Dealer sign. It was from 2012.

[Tomline]

A Canadian buddy & I test rode the first Prototypes in St. Pete, Florida years ago. They had a course set up in a vacant lot and you had to go thru it twice making both left and right turns and stop & start a number of times. If you could handle that they took us out eight Spyders at a time on the road with a leader & tail end person. We went thru a couple of neighborhoods and then out onto a multilane (3) highway. They told us to try and stay reasonably close together. When we got onto the highway and the leader started to pull away and we cranked on it, before we knew it we were running 80mph+! No BS, Really We had to give our opinion about them after and little did I realize that Many Years Later I'd be riding one and enjoying the heck out of it. A couple of hip replacements and a foot issue kinda helped me "Take the Plunge!"

[newbert]

Since I'm the type that tries to leave no stone unturned, and I don't like surprises, I have a few more questions about the purchasing process. At the two dealers that I've been to so far, it seems that they have new and (a few) leftover Spyders on the showroom floor and unseen "Demo's" to test-ride. (I hope to finally test-drive a few later today...) Now - my experience is only with cars, where you test drive the actual car that you're considering buying. Apparently, the process with Spyders is different, since you only get to try a "Demo".

So, how does it work when you're considering purchasing a leftover (ie:'15 or '16) and the demo is a '17 (or vice-versa)? Is there any significant difference between the model years? Even if you buy the same year as the demo, have any of you experienced any significant differences between what you test drove and what you actually bought?

Also, once you decide on which to purchase, what specifically do you expect the dealer to provide in terms of prep?

Sorry for all of the questions....

Thanks!

[greybeard]

you really need to take a factory team led test ride or at least follow a experienced rider so you can gauge the speeds and actions to take

[Large1]

Spyder Shopping Made Easy!
After doing what has been posted here just sit on them (as many as they have ) the right one will say Take Me Home,

[wvedec]

I almost bought an RT-S without ever even sitting on a Spyder. Thank God, those deals fell through.

I finally sat on an RT-S twice in a dealer showroom and decided it was not for me. The feet were too far back, I was sitting too high, and there seemed to be an awful lot of "Machinery" in front of me. I kind of felt like I was on an ATV. I originally "chose" this model because I felt my wife would ride two up and be comfy. That is true - the passenger seat is phenomenal. However, I realized that my wife would not really be riding that much and that an F3 would suit her for the short rides we would make. So it made no sense to bet a Spyder that would be great for her occasionally but uncomfortable to me all the time.

So, I finally sat on an F3 and it felt right - low, "in" the trike instead of "on" the trike. Less "stuff" in front of me. The foot forward position felt like my Harley and recumbent bicycle, and the UFit system would allow me to dial in the comfort. You can adjust the leg position with different rods and the reach with different handlebars. I am 69 years old and need to really dial in these features to be comfy. I then test rode an F3 Limited, courtesy of an incredibly generous neighbor, and it felt perfect. Do I wish I had test ridden a RT-S? No - the seat height and straight down leg position convinced me even standing still that it would not work.

You are correct to do a test ride - the RT or F3 will work for you.

Happy hunting,

[newbert]

you really need to take a factory team led test ride or at least follow a experienced rider so you can gauge the speeds and actions to take

Well, I'm back from my test rides, and the main thing I learned is that it doesn't always go as you expect. Beforehand, I was convinced that I'd like the F-3 over the RT - Now I'm not so sure.

I test rode an F-3 Limited first , and then an RT Limited (both out of my budget, but those were the two demos they had). Both were semi-automatics. Each ride was about 6 miles while following the salesman. (He rode one while I rode the other, then we switched off.) I got each up to highway speed (approx. 65mph). TBH, neither was 100% comfy for me (my damn hips again...), but the F3 wasn't "U-fitted" to me either. I was glad that each had the floorboards and driver backrest though. The RT is definitely more of a vertical sitting position as everyone here has said, and the brake pedal was easier to access for me. I felt that the RT's shifting was a bit smoother as well.

I started by just riding around the small-ish parking lot (on the F-3) and after 15 seconds or so I almost ran into a parked car at the end of the lot. . The throttle was more sensitive, and the steering radius was larger, than I anticipated so I actually accelerated while making the U-turn in the parking lot instead of pressing the footbrake, and almost hit the car. It's good thing the salesman was retrieving his helmet and wasn't watching. After that, it went a lot more smoothly.

All in all, I liked them both, especially the RT. I liked the salesman - not pushy at all and very patient. He suggested I come back in a few days to test-drive them again now that I have a little seat-time. I liked that idea!

[Bob Denman]

Offering you a "second bite of the Apple" was a wise choice for him: it'll give you a chance to assimilate all of the new sensations, and get things kicked around in your head a bit better...