Well, I'm Selling My Spyder

[Chupaca]

Sorry you have had such a bad time with the issues you came upon. Stay in touch and good luck with the next ride. I guess I have been lucky and have not been to the dealer but three times in the last four years and clocked 40,000 miles. Never had to deal with BRP so don't know what that is like....Pictures of the new ride would be nice....

[Deanna777]

3000.00 miles on it and I have nothing but trouble with it. From DESS to Hard Starting, Belt Runout, and a lot of little things hear and there. BRP
warrenty is usless. They don't want to back anything up. Really liked the F3, but it's in the shop more then I ride it. Looks like I am going back to
Harley Davidson. Well, you live and learn.

I have had the DESS twice, and both times the BRP warranty covered the DESS module, and the switch.

There is a very long thread "DESS KEY CODE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! which I started, it has some very use full info about the DESS. ( the first dess module was replaced on July 2015, & the second dess module & switch was replaced on Aug. 2015) on that thread, I posted pictures of the DESS ERROR.

I have a 2014RTS-SE6 with 16,000 miles on it. The dess is the only thing that I have had problems with. Deanna

[al0vely]

Hurry and get that old reliable HD. My BF purchased a used Ultra Glide a couple of weeks ago with 25k miles. He died to have it ... said it is a trophy bike. It burns his left thigh with engine heat so he has ordered a heat shield. We went for a 100 mile ride today ... check engine light came on coming home - from a visit to the Harley dealership to get a t-shirt. We stopped to eat on the way home and he drops it ... so far more fun than the law allows . Some trophy [emoji471]. [emoji851]


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[Fat Baxter]

I've got almost 18K miles on my 2014 RT-S. The only problems I've had were finding a third party to replace the rear tire, then later the front tires (as none of the dealers in my region will install non-OEM tires). Other than that, it's been just fine.

But I'm not sure I'd strike out for the west coast without first investing in an Airhawk seat cushion.....

[Fatcycledaddy]

That's a big hit. You're not the first to throw in the towel and won't be the last. Is it your dealer? Most likely plays a major role in it, but, BRP shares responsibility there too. Speaking strictly from my experience, Spyders may be fine for riding back and forth to the coffee shop,
but they're hardly a dependable tourer. Dependable, is the key word here.

I will strongly disagree with this statement. Two riding seasons, two 5,000 plus mile TOURING trips, most of the time towing a camper trailer, and over 18,000 miles to date. First from MI up through Canada and all around Nova Scotia. Second trip from MI to UTAH and all around their 5 national parks. Spyder had NEVER been in the shop for any repairs!
G

[acpd22]

My dealer has about 6 mechanics, one I have worked with in the past. He told me that BRP is tight on the purse strings when it comes to paying for warranty work and the time book the mechanics go by is ridiculous. But far be it for BRP to be the only culprit. He told me that Polaris was worse. I just hope I get as many miles as I have on my other bikes as I do my Spyder.

[otter28169]

Gonna have to throw the BS flag on the "unreliable" posts on this thread. I have 45,000 miles on my RS-S and the only issues I have had I have brought on myself. I regularly take 400 mile day trips and I ride like the seat is on fire and my @$$ is catching.

Just not believing it.........
Just sayin'...........

[dndfindley]

That's a big hit. You're not the first to throw in the towel and won't be the last. Is it your dealer? Most likely plays a major role in it, but, BRP shares responsibility there too. Speaking strictly from my experience, Spyders may be fine for riding back and forth to the coffee shop,
but they're hardly a dependable tourer. Dependable, is the key word here.

You hit the nail on the head.

[PaladinLV]

How many posts from how many DIFFERENT users?
Then consider the actual number of units sold and the percentage is?????

Now go to a Harley Forum.
Check out the number of problems posted.
How many posts from how many different users?
Then consider the actual number of units sold and the percentage is????

Guess what you would find.
The end results will be almost identical!!!!

What you first need to understand about Forums is that they are places people go to complain, NOT praise.

AJ

These are the posts that scare me from getting Spyder, been looking since Dec and finally finally enrolled in a motorcycle class so that I can actually test drive one!

[Peteoz]

Gonna have to throw the BS flag on the "unreliable" posts on this thread. I have 45,000 miles on my RS-S and the only issues I have had I have brought on myself. I regularly take 400 mile day trips and I ride like the seat is on fire and my @$$ is catching.

Just not believing it.........
Just sayin'...........

Otter, you'd better keep that BS flag in your poclet. I'm sure those posting have indeed experienced unreliability issues and are not bull ****ting. Someone who has experienced something like a DESS error in a remote location is usually, and understandably, going to be far more vocal that someone who lives next door to a dealer. What does need to be looked at objectively, is exactly how many riders HAVE experienced reliability issues. Paladin has hit it on the head. Every brand has issues.

[PistonBlown]

Gonna have to throw the BS flag on the "unreliable" posts on this thread. I have 45,000 miles on my RS-S and the only issues I have had I have brought on myself. I regularly take 400 mile day trips and I ride like the seat is on fire and my @$$ is catching.

Just not believing it.........
Just sayin'...........

Yep but we've got RS's and everyone knows they are the best looking, most reliable and fastest Spyder model there is;-)

Regulars to this forum will know how much punishment my poor RS suffers at my hands, and yet its never let me down. Taking me to first place in my last endurance event that saw several bikes, including a Honda and BMW, drop out due to mechanical failure.

[Road-Kill]

I'm new to Spyders and so far have only clocked 1500 miles on it with no problems other then the vibration issue which when snow clears I'll ryde my ryde over to the dealer. My Harley was epic fail from day one and after 3 years and 30,000 miles I sold it never to return to Harley again. Of all the different brands only my Hondas (Shadow, Silverwing and Forza) were near zero issues with extensive miles I might add.

Before you sell I would try a different dealer/shop and explain your situation. A quality dealer will take you in, fix your issues, make you a customer for life, that's how businesses survive and thrive. My dealer is a SMALL mom-pop operation but the customer service is excellent (so far). The LARGE dealer closer to me is a running joke and screwed up previous bikes to the point I sold them.

In short......try a new mechanic.

[Bob Denman]

Tho the Indian has only 10K on it in the first year, and for good reason, it like the other bike has been without issue mile after mile.

I'm glad to hear that your Indian has proven to be so reliable!
(I like them also; I just can't ride a "leaner" anymore. )

[murphybrown]

Always my "qualifier"...I am sooo not mechanical...I can fluff tires, add fuel and check oil. [ And that is fact]..but I do live 4 hours from nearest Spyder dealer and ryde an average of 20-25k miles annually. As you see below I am on my 3rd Spyder. My '10 and '14 were both running great when I traded them in. But like akspyderman I am OCD about doing maintenance as outlined in manual. Have I had issues in my 120k+ of Spyder miles...yep...some while on road and dealers were awesome to get me in, fixed and back on the road. Big time issues...oh yea I had the 622 trailer from HELL...it ate tires (like every 300-500 miles) like I drink coffee....first the dealer I purchased from (Pitbull in MO...I live in WA) was awesome for putting the pressure on BRP...plus I am pretty good at being a "squeaking...albeit nice [mostly] wheel". Did it take longer than I thought it should for BRP to finally say...this trailer is BAD ... sure but along the way they always paid for the replacement tires and kept me on the road ... inconvenience to me? Sure some would say YEP...me at my station in life I just see those as challenges to have an adventure when it's lemons you've been given!!! Above is how I roll and let me tell you the Spyder is the most awesome ryde out there. As far as HD...hey I'm from a family of HD only folks...but interesting enough when I started looking for a trike...went to HD dealer and he said go find the Spyder..and It has been a "marriage made in heaven" ever since. Oh boy...38' out and the most gorgeous blue skies...guess what I'm going to be doing today. Winner winner...yep Ryde Baby Ryde...

[SteveP]

Ive been on two charity runs in the last couple years , both I can't bring myself to attend again because they refuse to set up a chase vehicle or service vehicle to deal with breakdowns , and both turned into 12 hour days to do a 4 or 5 hour ride while we all waited on disabled bikes ... 5 out of the six were Harley's while the other was an old RD 400 Yamaha that kept flooding . Just seems you got a bad egg with a few glitches , I've had them in cars , trucks , bikes and snowmobiles and yes it's frustrating... Just read the overall reviews of long time riders on here and you will see mostly happy Ryders

[Highwayman2013]

That's a big hit. You're not the first to throw in the towel and won't be the last. Is it your dealer? Most likely plays a major role in it, but, BRP shares responsibility there too. Speaking strictly from my experience, Spyders may be fine for riding back and forth to the coffee shop,
but they're hardly a dependable tourer. Dependable, is the key word here.

We have a person with a 2014 RT that is near 100,000 miles and has had 2 small warranty claims, and we had an RT that was on quite a few long trips without a problem so please do not lump all spyders together.

[Jeriatric]

We have a person with a 2014 RT that is near 100,000 miles and has had 2 small warranty claims, and we had an RT that was on quite a few long trips without a problem so please do not lump all spyders together.

You must have missed my qualifier.


"Speaking strictly from my experience"

[ARtraveler]

Wow! This has indeed turned into a long thread and the good, bad, and ugly have come out for sure.

Being a forum, this is good for discussion purposes. Have not heard from any trolls (IMO), or people trying to intentionally bad mouth the brand.

Hearing other experiences are good. We all have choices, and I do respect what others think and do.

My experiences are mostly good--but I have had a couple run ins over "issues" with the dealer. Posted here over the last nine years. Still here, and still riding 's. Another season is coming up. I am sticking with what I have though, and not going to buy number six this go around. Next year or years?.

[kngfsh27]

I put almost 19k miles on my '14 RTL over two years. I enjoyed riding it. Had a lot of fun. Took many trips. Never rode just around town. My only issues were coolant leaks and I could not get anyone local to mount anything but OEM tires. At a premium price and at premium labor costs. I also had a tough time keeping it aligned, which was probably more the roads that I take. My wife was concerned about the lack of dealer support in some of the areas that I traveled. That took me back to Harley and a '17 TriGlide that I also enjoy riding (1500 miles since I got it). Any mechanical device can have issues. This is even more true today now that motorcycles have more things on them that can go wrong. The Spyder overall is a good machine. I just wish they came out of the factory with better tires. I will see where the Harley takes me over the next two years. I am just glad to see as many people riding that there are, no matter what they ride.

[Bob Denman]

You must have missed my qualifier.
"Speaking strictly from my experience"

The problem with making a judgement based upon that size sample: it's only one bike out of a hundred-thousand...

[Jeriatric]

The problem with making a judgement based upon that size sample: it's only one bike out of a hundred-thousand...

You're right. To bad it's the only one I own.

[Bob Denman]

It probably could have happened to any of us...
But if you believe what you read in other forums about other vehicles (or anything else!); it happens to them as well.

[Jeriatric]

It probably could have happened to any of us...
But if you believe what you read in other forums about other vehicles (or anything else!); it happens to them as well.

Well, you know what they say about bad press. "It's better than no press at all."

[Bob Denman]

It sux... but it's better than not even being noticed!

[40Xshooter]

Speaking strictly from my experience, Spyders may be fine for riding back and forth to the coffee shop,
but they're hardly a dependable tourer. Dependable, is the key word here.

Jees, I sure hope you're wrong.....I passed a lot of coffee shops during my first 2,000 miles. Just an observance; You must need a lot of gear to go to the coffee shop. That must be what the trailer is for...Carrying all the "fix it" parts you need.

(lol) Just messing with you man. No malice intended.....Ride on!

Bill