Why Did You Buy A Spyder?

[Arion]

Reality is accepting the limitations of my right leg before I dropped one of my BMWs. I found a leftover 2015 F3S with a huge discouent and bought it. It was the right choice.

I recognize this story. My limitation is with my left leg (artificial hip) and not being interested in dropping my BMW again. Surgeon's warning, repeated a number of times, was do not overextend your leg because if you do you run the risk of dislocating my outstanding work and causing yourself some extreme pain. I decided that was good advice and also decided a Spyder would allow me to continue riding comfortably and safely. I'm quite pleased with three wheels and two good legs.

[DGoebel]

Back in the 60's I rode my first taco or rupp mini-bike, was motocrossing by the mid 70's, Cafe-biking by the early 80's, took one from So. Cal to Germany (Rode Nürburgring on an open laps day even) for a few years, upsized a couple of times, traded to a cruiser after my first kids were born, upsized a few times, then no bike, then (gasp it's true) a Yamaha 400 Majesty scooter for an about town bike.. tried a Harley trike rental from our local HD dealer.

But for all those bikes, I more vividly remember the first time I saw a Spyder go by on I-35 (Big thanks to whomever was driving that Spyder back on '08 or '09) and I told my wife I'll have one someday.... traded that Majesty for my '13 RTL and have done 12,000 miles in 11 months and 2 days (including MN Winter storage time). In 27 years of marriage, my wife had probably rode with me 1000 miles before the Spyder. In the last year she's logged at least 8,000 of those 12k with me and we just got back from 1,700+ miles in 5 days down to Spyders in the Ozarks and back.

[cptjam]

Because she wanted it! Borrowed her brother's GS, she fell in love with riding, got her an RT two weeks later. 7 years and 200,000 plus miles later, she still loves it. Just got her a F3T. Loves it! Happy wife, happy life! J

[Buckeye Bleau]

Me too. Someone just asked me today- 'why'? I just stuttered. I couldn't easily sum it up.

Just that I was intrigued by them ever since they were announced and I had to try one.

That sums up mine perfectly. I saw them in an ad when they first came out, and in 2015 I got one.

Joe

[PistonBlown]

Why did you buy a Spyder?
Impulse

Why have you kept it?
There are still unridden roads to ride
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[Big F]

Since we are nearing the new model year announcements, how about hearing some of the reasons you bought your particular . What made you take the plunge?

I have been through five now and looking back:

: 2008: GS/SM5. When I saw the new offering in October issue in a MC Magazine--it was yellow--I just had to have one. Put a deposit down in Oct 2007 and had to wait until June 2008. Got the first one sold to a customer in AK. Was a "rock star" for at least a year. Of course the only color available was the up-line +$500 for the half moon silver.

: 2009 RS/SE5. Bought spouse her very own. She had to have the semi automatic.

: 2010 RTS-Premier Edition. I prefer touring mode so when they offered one set up--I had to have that three wheeled touring bike.

: 2011 RT--A & C version. Spouse left in 2010 with her Spyder. My newfound friend Linda--should have her own. I purchased a "left over" 2011 in 2012. She is still riding it and has 28,000 miles on the odo at this point.

: 2014 RT-S Had to have the 1330 three cylinder. Traded the 2010 in on this one. Very happy and just turned 28,000 on it yesterday.

No more 's since 2014. Have not been tempted by the F3 configurations--but I did go and look, test sat, but did not bite on the touring configuration.

If this year is colors only, probably no 2018 in my future either. I am currently back on two wheels also. Having a lot of fun there.

We can sometimes be a tough crowd for the BRP marketing department.

I rode 2 wheelers for years and then none for several years. was getting the itch and saw the Spyder so bought one in 2010. Loved the feel but needed the good stuff so traded to a 2012RT Limited. everything fine tll they came out with 6 speeds and the 1330 so traded again for a 2014RT Limited. and all is well...
Now going to see what 2018 has to offer???
BIG F

[Rob Rodriguez]

I guess I'm one of the rare people here that owns and rides a Spyder because that's what they prefer rather than health issues or physical ability says that's what they need. I have been / still am a snowmobile rider since the age of 13. I've had many sleds over the years and love the sport. Snow conditions however are not what they used to be and consistently riding a sled every year is more and more difficult because of mother nature and land owners closing off their land to public trails. The Spyder allows me to "snowmobile" (or close to it...much closer than a 2 wheel bike) all spring summer and fall.


The Spyder is just like riding a snowmobile. Well, it used to be until the F3 was released. The F3 is like riding a snowmobile from 1980-2000. The GS/RS is like riding a snowmobile from 2003 to present day. I've noticed that others on this forum like me (younger people.....30's and up that ride a Spyder cause they want too) prefer the RS bikes over RT's and F3. Perhaps BRP will once again offer us a product in the Spyder line up. Also, I think BRP his missing a huge opportunity not directly marketing to snowmobilers. Riding a Spyder for a day or weekend in New England pretty much parallels riding a snowmobile. You travel on from town to town, hit stores and restaurants, hang out with friends, see the sites. Riding the Spyder feels like riding a sled (although sleds have more power). You don't need to worry about snow cover, you don't need to worry about trail closures, you don't need to worry about -10 temps. I think if BRP specifically showed more snowmobilers they can have the same experience on pavement they would sell more Spyders.

[Myron Ah]

Had spinal cord injury and surgery. Recovered well but leg issues and vertigo prompted me to a bolt on trike kit (training wheels). Was nice but not as fun. Found a 2013 RT-S with 400 miles on it. Did not know about heat issues. tried it. Wife liked it. Got wanted for trade in on the Venture and love it. Had no real issues heat wise. The fix came and works fine. Joined Great North Spyder RYDERS. Been to SpyderQuest. Had to cancel trip this year due to shoulder surgery but planning on next year. The power assisted steering was also a big selling point because of shoulders.I will also say that I prefer three wheels to two especially when my wife is with me. Two wheels was fun but I never liked slow going in parking lots or high speed traffic. Reverse is great too!

[easysuper]

Started riding what we called doddle bugs in the 60's worked all the way up to the cruisers , stopped riding in the 90's always talked about buying a touring bike when I retired, took a 30 foot fall and ended up with a fused ankle and with both knees replaced decided I did not feel comfortable on two wheels any longer, still wanted my dream not to die, wife talked me into trying one of them "funny" looking trikes, fell in love in about 10 minuets and bought our first Spyder. First one was a 2013 because we had not done enough research, but still loved the concept just not the heat. My wife loved riding but nor 2 wheels so she bought her own and now we have a 2014 and 2015 RTLs and ride about 20,000 miles a year. When I retire in one more year we will start riding seriously .

[C. Lee]

My health limited the time I could spend on my golwing. It took me over 3 years to pull the trigger for my spyder and I am glad I did. I ride the spyder much more than 2 wheels. It was necessary to keep riding. Chris

[pegasus1300]

Been riding over 50 years,had an accident in 2011 and totaled my dream bike (2008 RSTD). Bought a 2008 Royal Star Venture S and 6 weeks later totaled it and put my wife and I in the hospital for 9 days. My daughter said that was enough but I couldn't quit,but I also found I couldn't ride 2 wheels anymore. Big time fear. I bought a Goldwing Trike,put 50,000 miles on it in 4 years but never liked it. Sold it and the next day saw an ad for a 2012 RTL Lava Bronze,Tan seat with only 8500 mi. I fell in love with it and bought it and never looked back. It now has 32,400 miles, 23,900 mi in 2.5 years not bad eh.

[vampyregirl]

My reason was 2 fold. I had an "incident" on my Honda Helix scooter and tore my acl clean in half. Then I got a Honda Shadow. My knee kept trying to buckle on me at lights, stop signs, etc, so I never really got comfortable on it. Saw a picture of the Spyder and wanted one!! I did some research and waited a couple of years so they could work some of the bugs out of it (you know, the ones that caught fire early on and such.....). Decided after my grandma died in 2011 that life was too short, so I bought mine!! My face still hurts every time I ryde it: from grinning ear to ear!!!

[ARtraveler]

Thanks all for your participation and answers to this thread. Lots of opinions offered and IMO--all good ones.

Based on what I see for the 2018 line up--I like the new dashboard and the color tweeks. It appears no new models or radical styling changes. Not enough for number six for me.

I am still happy with my 2011 and 2014. Guess that will be where I am for another year.

[SpyderConvert]

In October of '14 I bought what I thought was my ultimate ride - a '14 Kawasaki Voyager! I had retired that January and rode every chance that I got. I decided to ride out to Colorado to see a cousin that I had not seen for about 22 years and did that in May of '15. Rotten weather the whole time out there and on 3 occasions, at a stop light, it started to lean over and I could do no more than "soften the blow". The worst part was that I couldn't pick it back by myself! On 1 occasion, I parked it on the side of an on ramp, with the nose pointing down and to the left and couldn't get it off the kickstand. Since my wife had actually started to ride with me, I realized that I needed a ride with more stability so I started looking at trike conversions for my Voyager. The more that I researched, I came to realize that that kind of trike had their own stability problems, so I started looking at Spyders. I purchased my '15 RTL in June of '16 from a dealer outside of Philadelphia and my first ride was bringing it home on I-95. My wife wants to ride every chance that we get and feels much more confident on the Spyder. I'm glad that I made the choice.

[Gator37]

Started riding two wheelers in the 7th grade, a Cushman Husky, and didn't stop for nearly 60 years. Started following SpyderLovers in 2013 after seeing a Spyder on a trip to Seattle. In 2015 after two knee replacements I took a test ride on a 2014 RT at Lifestyle Honda and was hooked. Just wasn't comfortable holding up those 800 lb. bikes anymore. Traded in my Harley and Goldwing and have never looked back.

[jtpollock]

Just got back on line saw this post: Why did I buy me Spyder well long story. I use to ride a Honda Shadow ACE loved it two wheels put 87000 miles on it. One afternoon I was backing out of a parking space and my foot slipped on the gravel in the parking space jammed my hip and dropped my bike I told my wife I would never do that again. I had been watching the web since 2000 when I saw the first images of the Spyder and took my first test ride in early 2007 on a CAN-AM RIDE DAY. WOW it took until 2012 I was able to finally get my RS and have been riding the wheels of ever since. Love it and have enjoyed every question odd photo ops people taking photos as I ride down the highway jtpollock

[Fat Baxter]

Been riding for 40 years, 32 of which were on BMWs. I started having knee issues and was concerned about dropping my RT. Then, the only BMW dealer in Alabama went out of business, as did my shadetree BMW mechanic, leaving me with a 15 year old bike with 73,000 miles and starting to develop some issues.

I originally was looking at a Ural rig, as they are what BMW used to be: a simple-as-heck machine that anyone can wrench. Plus, their reliability had come way up in recent years (durability has never been an issue -- those things a built like a tank!). But my wife couldn't see the sense in a sidecar. She saw a Spyder commercial and said, go look. So I did, and now have a 2014 RT-S with just over 23K miles.

My biggest concern remains the thin dealer network, but these things seem to be very reliable, so I'll just keep riding.