The new 2013 Spyder RT ST and RS

[daveinva]

Well, looks like I picked a great weekend to be completely cut off from the internet.

Now that I've returned... can't really add much that hasn't been said before. Sadly, count me in the department of the underwhelmed (but not disappointed-- although I was wrong about the ST being a hybrid, the ST is pretty much exactly as I expected, a very modest styling and function upgrade).

The best I can say about the ST is that it looks as if BRP put out a "pre-upgraded" RS that would have saved me some of the trouble I went through in upgrading my RS to be a sport tourer in its own right. Given the amount of money and modding time I spent on my bike after I got it, it would have been plenty nice to get a bunch of those modded items straight from the factory and made all pretty-looking.

That said, like others have said, any one of the three things that would have REALLY wowwed me weren't addressed: more range, more power, or a leaner. In fact, count me with those who can't comprehend how any manufacturer can justify simultaneously adding weight *and* reducing HP... it boggles the mind, it does.

Bottom line: it's a nice evolution, if I were buying new today I'd almost certainly buy the ST over the RS, but it's absolutely nowhere near enough to get me to trade in my RS as it's modifed today. Guess I'll be waiting a few more years to see what BRP comes up with next.