finaly the hybrid is fonctionnal

[venom]

[ThreeFeet]

WOW!!!!Wonder what the fuel milage will be?? Are they gona put it in the RT too?? Sure hope so.

[bruiser]

Wish I could get those colors in an RT.

[ARtraveler]

I mentioned this in a previous thread. Just listen to the fine print.

Introduction in the next few years or so. No firm date.

IMO: a marketing gimmick to show the world how "green" the company is.

How Much? No comment--but I would guess 40K plus.

[Firefly]

Actually it's not a marketing gimmick at all. BRP was given a $10 million grant to bring a hybrid Spyder to market. I've heard the MPG should be around 50 with a tank range of 300 miles.

Good chance it will be my next Spyder-- hopefully they do come out with an RT version too!

[TwinPeaks]

Probably won't be out for a few years. I also read about the grant. They have to figure out how to reduce the size and weight of a battery which can be fit into a bike. I have a Ford Escape and the battery is very, very large!

[Bob Denman]

While I'm not necessarily a fan of hybrids; I'll give them credit for bringing this project to this point in such a relatively short period of time.
The biggest questions have yet to be answered though....
Cost
Cost
Cost!

Nobody will buy it; regardles of how green it is, if it siphons too much green out of their wallet!

[warp10]

Cost, I agree. You can buy a lot of gas for 15-20k

[daveinva]

The first, and biggest, problem is that it's in the wrong bike.

I've got my RS as setup for touring as one can get it, and even I don't want to be on my bike for longer than 120 miles or so without stopping to stretch my legs. I'm hoping I get a little more iron in my butt with this year's riding, but for now, the gas tank matches the RS quite well: when the bones begin to ache, it's time to get gas.

The RT, however, could definitely use greater range. Plus, as discussed elsewhere here, it's a far bigger seller.

The logic of this makes me think the hybrid RS is just marketing, but the hybrid engine will ultimately go either in both, or if in only one, only the RT.

Of course, given the certain increase in weight from the hybrid, BRP may be focused on putting into the lighter RS first. Then again, that just means we'll get a heavier RS, which who would want?

Anyway, I was happy buying a year-behind new RS for the price I paid for it. I can barely imagine buying a brand new model RSS for the price they charge for one. I absolutely can NOT imagine paying even more than that for a hybrid RS.... but I could see paying a (slight, very slight) premium for a hybrid RT.

[BajaRon]

The first, and biggest, problem is that it's in the wrong bike.

I've got my RS as setup for touring as one can get it, and even I don't want to be on my bike for longer than 120 miles or so without stopping to stretch my legs. I'm hoping I get a little more iron in my butt with this year's riding, but for now, the gas tank matches the RS quite well: when the bones begin to ache, it's time to get gas.

The RT, however, could definitely use greater range. Plus, as discussed elsewhere here, it's a far bigger seller.

The logic of this makes me think the hybrid RS is just marketing, but the hybrid engine will ultimately go either in both, or if in only one, only the RT.

Of course, given the certain increase in weight from the hybrid, BRP may be focused on putting into the lighter RS first. Then again, that just means we'll get a heavier RS, which who would want?

Anyway, I was happy buying a year-behind new RS for the price I paid for it. I can barely imagine buying a brand new model RSS for the price they charge for one. I absolutely can NOT imagine paying even more than that for a hybrid RS.... but I could see paying a (slight, very slight) premium for a hybrid RT.

I agree with your premise but have to disagree with the range (body wise). I understand that everyone is different, and there is no arguement that the RT is more comfortable. But I've done just short of 200 miles (196 miles) on a single leg of a long trip on my RS and it wasn't all that bad. Plus I've done a 1,100 mile + day (after a 850 mile day) and that wasn't all that bad either.

It would be nice to have just a bit more range on the Spyder. Better MPG would be preferable to a bigger tank though.

[Firefly]

I just want to tear the tupperware off one of them and see how they're doing it all......

[daveinva]

I just want to tear the tupperware off one of them and see how they're doing it all......

Magnets. And lasers, definitely lasers.

[BajaRon]

Magnets. And lasers, definitely lasers.

.... and magnets!

[daveinva]

I agree with your premise but have to disagree with the range (body wise). I understand that everyone is different, and there is no arguement that the RT is more comfortable. But I've done just short of 200 miles (196 miles) on a single leg of a long trip on my RS and it wasn't all that bad. Plus I've done a 1,100 mile + day (after a 850 mile day) and that wasn't all that bad either.It would be nice to have just a bit more range on the Spyder. Better MPG would be preferable to a bigger tank though.

Oh, I don't disagree, I'd love to have better range (and MOAR POWER!!11! while we're at it), but let's be honest: hybrids are expensive. They *barely* make economic sense as commuter cars, and often they only get over the hump with generous tax subsidies or perks (like HOV privileges) that likely won't be around for ever. A Prius barely makes sense as anything other than a status symbol; something more advanced, like the Volt, doesn't make sense at all at that price.If they could sell a hybrid RS at the same price as a gas one, then sure, it makes sense. A couple thousand dollars more? Sure-- I'd pay a premium for greater range, as long as I didn't sacrifice performance. But the closer you get to, say, $10,000 more? No way in heck. Yes, it's nice to save on gas, but c'mon: even for those of us who use the Spyder as a daily driver (like I do now!) don't look at the thing as a way to save money on gas. For the overwhelming majority of Spyder owners, however, this thing is a weekend and trip machine, which means you'd have to ride it a gazillion years to make the money back on gas savings. I just don't see the economic argument there.That said, from BRP's marketing, it seems to me they're really instead emphasizing the increased range, which *is* a sales point for a bike that already underwhelms in that department. Still, I don't see them selling like hotcakes-- or, frankly, at all-- if the price is too unreasonable, which seems to me to be nigh unavoidable given the track record of all other hybrids on the road (Uncle Sam ain't gonna give us tax credits for our Spyders, is he?).Hey, maybe my cynicism is misplaced, maybe BRP "cracked the code" and will floor us with it. Right now? It's still shiny vaporware on a showroom floor.

[pitbull]

.... and magnets!

....I'm guessing very high dollar rodents......on a special little wheel with a big mean predator video playing right behind them....the more you twist the throttle the bigger the predator gets.......run little buddys run

[daveinva]

Huh. Sorry about the lack of paragraphs, I didn't write it THAT way, and now I can't edit that post.... great, now I *look* like a crazy man, too!

[Bob Denman]

....I'm guessing very high dollar rodents......on a special little wheel with a big mean predator video playing right behind them....the more you twist the throttle the bigger the predator gets.......run little buddys run

Has anybody mentioned flux capacitors yet???

[Roadkill]

+It's only been a year...

"Over the next four years the CTA will produce three generations of prototypes and their components. The final product must pass the test in terms of performance, reliability, durability, and economic mass production."

See the full 12/20/10 Press Release here:
http://corp.brp.com/en-ca/company/ne...pyder-roadster

Ride on.
Roadkill

[bruiser]

....I'm guessing very high dollar rodents......on a special little wheel with a big mean predator video playing right behind them....the more you twist the throttle the bigger the predator gets.......run little buddys run