thinking about cross country ride?

[sandeejs]

I'd really like to take my Spyder on cross country ride. If I take a major highway, will there be repair shops if I get into trouble? I've got a 2016 in good shape, new tire on the rear and good tread on the front. Starts without arguing, fresh oil, newer battery. I have AAA and AMA as backup. (And charge cards if needed.)
Whar do y'all think?
~Sandee~

[2dogs]

Check your brake pad thickness front/back and it sounds like you're good to go. OEM brake pads don't last a heck of a long time. Stay safe have fun and wish I could go.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Brake pads - I ride hard and the OEM pads did 30,000 rear ( but they were toast - so 25,000 mi. is safe ) ...... Front 42,000 mi. and could have gone another 5000 mi. without an issue ..... I would not rely on any REPAIR shops other than at a Can-Am dealership .... so map your route and find out where they are before you go ..... I don't take my Spyder to any dealers, but you may have to. ..... good luck and have a happy safe trip ..... Mike :thumbup:

[Peter Aawen]

Sandeejs, I think you've got it well & truly covered, especially with the good advice above! :2thumbs:

If your Spyder is well maintained & otherwise running well; then simply toss & replace any OE Spec tires & check that any replacement auto tire you've fitted has suitable tread depth to last your anticipated trip (I'd suggest you start with at least 1/2 of their 'new depth' for a cross-country trip! ;) ); similar on the brake pads, as BK911 mentions above; and try to work out where you'll be whenever you're likely to hit your next scheduled service, particularly if you need to get one or more done while you're away! :thumbup: . You might even want to do a pre-trip service a little bit early & get that oil tested so that if you need to stretch your next or any subsequent oil change interval juuussst a little bit to make it home, you can confidently do so knowing how well your oil is likely to be lasting. :ohyea:

My 2013 RT Ltd still eats up the miles (& kms! ;) ) and I haven't yet & despite many earlier similar trips, I still don't hesitate to just pack up, gas up, and head off on the next 10,000km trip either solo or with me'n the Child Bride aboard - but I do always pay head to the above! :yes:

Go On - DO IT!! You know you want to! :thumbup:

Ps: sure, you might wanta stick to the major highways for your very first cross country trip, but don't let that restrict you for all your future trips! :rolleyes:

[PistonBlown]

If you are doing a long journey and want to keep family etc updated on your whereabouts there is a free Spotwalla service that may be of interest. Its often used by Iron Butt riders (which is why I know about it) but can be used for anything. Spotwalla will display your location on a map every 15 minutes (or how often you choose), or you can choose to tag where you currently are. Theres also an SOS option as well - fortunately I've never needed it:-).

You can connect to it using a dedicated device (like SPOT or Garmin) but there are also app's for both Apple and Android - I use SWConnect on the Apple phone.

Here is an article about it written by one of the local riders, it was written for the TT2000 event but it got lots of good info on general usage:

https://www.wiltshire.net/2021/01/23/getting-setup-with-spotwalla-for-the-tt2000-event-2021/

[Plarimer]

Go where you wanna go. I broke down in the middle of nowhere on my Harley all on the Great River Road. I called Harley owners group and they said it would be at least $700 for a tow. I then called AAA and they got the exact location through my phone and a wrecker was there within 20 minutes. To get to a Harley shop they had to haul me all the way back to Memphis which they did at no charge. They were very understanding about motorcycles and trikes. And although it cost me a day of my trip the experience was exceptional. So get off the major highways and enjoy the fresh air.

[JayBros]

If you have AAA you should contact them about adding RV coverage if you don't already have it. There is a waiting period of about a week as I recall but it has a much longer towing, I really mean rollback lift vehicle, mileage limit should you have a problem on the far side of beyond. You can always cancel the RV coverage after the trip. You can also have AAA create a TripTik to route you the way you want to go.

IMO, if you're going to make the trip I recommend planning it off interstate highways as much as possible; they're duller than dirt and no fun unless your primary objective is to eat up mileage as fast as possible. There is much more of our beautiful country to see and interesting people to meet off the interstate highway system. Jump on the opportunity and have a blast!! Good luck!!!

[Scotts8826]

How far do you plan to travel and what distance do you expect to cover each day? Don't over think the trip. Long distance riding is my favorite time on the Spyder.

[almosthere]

Last year my wife and I went north over the Big Mac then west on US2 all the way to Mount Olympic National Park, Then south down Highway 101 / US 1 to the Golden Gate Bridge. Through Sequoia National Park then west to Hot Springs, AR. There you will find Spyderpops's shop where the best group of people, who will treat you like family and your bike like their own. There they can get your ride purring like new again before you head back out on the road to come home to MI or continue on your adventure.

[Rocketman 2012]

I have a related question so this isn't a high jack: How fast is safe for the Spyder, eating long distances on the Interstates, since the average speed I see is between 75 and 80 miles per hour? My new ride is a 2021 RT SE6 and I'm thinking about touring to Southern Calif in early Summer. I've done this many times on my past Motorcycles but I'm concerned about long distances on the RT.

To the OP, I suggest this: Never, ever start a long touring Vacation unless your Vehicle is in tip top shape! (A half worn tire for instance will wear out magically before your eyes in no time when you least want it to)

Sam:)

[JayBros]

...How fast is safe for the Spyder, eating long distances on the Interstates, since the average speed I see is between 75 and 80 miles per hour?

A properly aligned Spyder with tire pressure equalized front tires is capable of of being safely ridden at speeds that far exceed the skill of the nominal rider. In 2017 I comfortably rode for hours on end through OK and NM at 80-85 into a vicious headwind on my way to UT. My only concern at that speed was watching the gas gauge because at those speeds and into the headwind I got only a bit over 28 mpg. Unless you're a professional racer the Spyder has much more capability than you do.

[Explorer]

1. Take the phone # of at least one knowledgeable Spyder owner or Service Mgr. If you do have a problem, it helps to have another person to lend advice or moral support.
2. If you have to go to a dealer, stress the fact that you are on an extended road trip and must be taken care of today or first thing in the morning. Even if they have to take parts off another Spyder. Be very polite, but very firm.
3. Definitely Go and Enjoy.
Roger

[Lew L]

.

Got hooked up on a ryde out to Middlegate Nv. last fall. ( Should be called the middle of Nowhere Nv.) Between Fallon and Austin Nv. Hwy 50 is known as the loneliest road in the country nojoke. It is basically un patrolled. The fast sport bikes in the group were cruising a 90+ ----- and so were the Spyders ( all 4 of us ) No problems at all. We did loose some of the V-twins though. nojoke

Lew L

[RayBJ]

Most of the above replies are breakdown related so that's covered.
My suggestion is to keep your eye on the weather reports and radar maps. If you're not locked into a specific route, you can re-route around trouble spots and make the trip more of an adventure. We take long trips a couple times/yr and sometimes play "Radar Tag" to avoid rain, hail, or snow. We end up finding new gems we would have missed otherwise.

Just do it!

[ARtraveler]

I'd really like to take my Spyder on cross country ride. If I take a major highway, will there be repair shops if I get into trouble? I've got a 2016 in good shape, new tire on the rear and good tread on the front. Starts without arguing, fresh oil, newer battery. I have AAA and AMA as backup. (And charge cards if needed.)
Whar do y'all think?
~Sandee~

Repair shops are usually few and far between. The good old days, where you could pull into any gas station and get pretty much anything fixed are long gone. The :spyder2: is a very technical piece of equipment. Most of the things are controlled by computer. Road repairs are for the learned Spyder mechanic or for the brave. It is better in the lower 48 than what I experienced in Alaska for almost twenty years.

There were two Spyder dealers at first, then one, then none. I put on 150,000 assorted miles on five Spyders while I was there. Never had a breakdown on the road. At least, in the lower 48, there is at least one dealer in every state. Independent mechanics or gas stations, are not likely to want to work on them. Over the last five years, I think the Spyder is more dependable than the earlier models. I will drive mostly anyplace without the fear of breaking down. I keep mine maintained according to schedule and get anything I am not sure about looked at in a timely manner. :bowdown:

[YIRYDE]

Here is a thread that may be helpful, https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?119778-Coast-to-Coast-trip

I’m in the planning phase of a 3 - 4 week trip to CA next Spring.

[milryder]

When I google or BRP search for Can Am Spyder dealers I get fewer locations than if I just search for Can Am dealers. I know a lot of dealers are primarily 4 wheelers but are they qualified on the Spyders or required to be?

I also plan a 2,000 mile trip this summer KS to AZ and want to map out dealers beforehand in case of issues. Just wondering?

[ARtraveler]

When I google or BRP search for Can Am Spyder dealers I get fewer locations than if I just search for Can Am dealers. I know a lot of dealers are primarily 4 wheelers but are they qualified on the Spyders or required to be?

I also plan a 2,000 mile trip this summer KS to AZ and want to map out dealers beforehand in case of issues. Just wondering?

Non Spyder, CanAm dealers are usually not qualified to work on Spyders, nor are they likely to volunteer. Dealers that go through the actual process for "official" Spyder mechanics spend a lot of time and money for that. Even the dealer where I came from fudged the last couple years, and I was getting to the point of move or sell the Spyders.

[milryder]

In that case southern KS through southern CO to Flagstaff will be w/o Spyder repair contacts. My guess is a 4 wheeler dealer would be better than a non BRP dealer if one had problems.

[ARtraveler]

In that case southern KS through southern CO to Flagstaff will be w/o Spyder repair contacts. My guess is a 4 wheeler dealer would be better than a non BRP dealer if one had problems.

One might get lucky, and it does not hurt to ask if a situation does come up.

[milryder]

They would be my first choice but with new machine hopefully no issues. Hope to get 3,000 mi check before that trip the end of June. Will be stock other than updated front pulley. Dealer wants $260 for Rollo align and said one of their customers had it done and no adjustment was necessary. So far my RT seems to track well.

[RayBJ]

Dealer wants $260 for Rollo align

Wow! That's more than twice what I paid. Try a different dealer if possible.

[Fatcycledaddy]

We head out on roughly a 5-thousand-mile trip for two weeks every summer. We run nothing but back roads and prefer to be in the middle of nowhere, the views are nicer!
We have never mapped our travel via Spyder Dealers, and if I had to, I wouldn’t own one!
somewhere between 45 and 50 thousand miles on the 2015 SE6 RT limited, most towing an aspen camping trailer, now over 5 thousand on the 2020 RT Limited.

I have never had to see a dealer or get a repair on the road. I have blown a fuse, had trailer hitch come loose, the latch to hold down the top of the camper broke, and a few other minor things go wrong on the trips. Nothing has ever has gone wrong pertaining to the spyders dependability.

[canamjhb]

When I google or BRP search for Can Am Spyder dealers I get fewer locations than if I just search for Can Am dealers. I know a lot of dealers are primarily 4 wheelers but are they qualified on the Spyders or required to be?

I also plan a 2,000 mile trip this summer KS to AZ and want to map out dealers beforehand in case of issues. Just wondering?


A few years ago I was on my Spyder and stopped by an out-of-the-way dealership. They specialized in 4WD off road vehicles including Can Am. I had a conversation with the service manager about their experience/capabilities changing Spyder belts and rear tires. His response was "Well, this is the first time I have seen one up close." Enough said..... Jim

[YIRYDE]

I forgot to mention this site that may be of assistance:

https://roadtrippers.com/

https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/banff-motorcycle-road-trip/

https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/motorcycle-road-trips/

[milryder]

Is 360 mi a day any problem with the RT on non interstates. That's what I need to do to get to my destination in 3 days. I always ride early and try to finish by 3 or 4 P.M.

[Scotts8826]

Milryder - I did that trip in the fall of 2019. I spent some time with my wife and friends in Colorado first. Then my wife flew back to KC while I rode on to Phoenix. I don't know where in Arizona you are heading, but returning from Phoenix I stopped at Albuquerque and then Liberal, KS. Each day was about a 6 hour travel day. Combination of Interstate and US highways. I like to plan my trips by the time not distance. Your 360 estimate is right on for the trip I mentioned. A little more when running the Interstate. I like the 6 hour riding time. Once I add a couple hours for lunch, gas, rest or scenic overview stops it makes for an 8 hour travel day that won't wipe you out physically. So, an 8am-4pm day is perfect for me.

OP, make sure your bike is in good shape, YOU are in good shape and GO. Worries will keep you from wonderful life experiences.

[milryder]

Scotts88 - that is about what I was thinking based on other experiences. Will go through Liberal, Pagosa Springs, then on to Flagstaff. Have been on those routes by car before but not for several years.

[canamjhb]

Traveling mostly secondary roads for over 40 years I experience one hour travel time yields 50 miles. For 360 miles plan on riding 7 hours. That will give you time to eat, fuel, and take butt breaks. That works if you are touring. If you sight see on very twisty scenic and mountain roads, add extra time for that. When touring I like to get on the road somewhere about 9AM and off by about 4PM. That way I never miss a meal..... Jim

[milryder]

Agree on that. My last 270 mile yielded 52 mpg average moving speed and 50 mph total mph including several breaks. Combination country roads and a bit of 75 mph interstate.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My suggestion is to keep your eye on the weather reports and radar maps. If you're not locked into a specific route, you can re-route around trouble spots and make the trip more of an adventure. We take long trips a couple times/yr and sometimes play "Radar Tag" to avoid rain, hail, or snow. We end up finding new gems we would have missed otherwise.
Sandee, to follow up on the above since you have a 2016 you have the weather band on your radio. Listen to it for weather updates if weather starts to look iffy. Make a list of all the counties you plan to travel through. The NOAA weather warnings areas are identified by county and if you're unfamiliar with the names of the counties you're passing through it makes it more difficult to figure out if a particular warning applies to you or not. There have been several times I wished I would have known what county I was in or heading for when the warning was related to tornadoes!

[MRH]

A thought on towing - even the AAA Premier is 200 miles, which may or may not be useful depending on where you are. GoodSam will tow you to the nearest location "willing and able" to do the work, so the membership is likely worth the peace of mind.

I don't agree that a dealer is the only place to get serviced, Lamonster isn't a dealer, and neither is my mechanic and he knows more about Spyders than any dealer I am aware of.

If I broke down, I'd put a post rather quickly here - and probably on the FB group as well. I did that about six years ago and was directed to the best of the three dealers in the Las Vegas area.

I also carry a Garmin inReach Mini, because it will work where cell phones won't. The process is annoying, but having somebody who can act on your behalf if you need a tow and call the right people is a good idea. You can text them with the Garmin no matter where you are. And, in a true emergency, there is and SOS to send medical help.

Always have water, and I keep a bag with all sorts of misc stuff from a battery to jump my Spyder to extra cables to a tiny mylar blanket. And always a bit of extra cash just in case.

I keep a flat metal key in my wallet, and the other chipped key is in a place where I can get to it with my flat key.

What everybody else said, start with new tires, good brakes, check everything out.

And I'll be jealous because my cross country won't be possible for a while to come. Enjoy!

[porkchop1965]

I'd really like to take my Spyder on cross country ride. If I take a major highway, will there be repair shops if I get into trouble? I've got a 2016 in good shape, new tire on the rear and good tread on the front. Starts without arguing, fresh oil, newer battery. I have AAA and AMA as backup. (And charge cards if needed.)
Whar do y'all think?
~Sandee~

So, just an invite for your trip.
Wife and I live about 80 miles NW of Washington, DC and Baltimore in the eastern panhandle of WV.
If you want to save a few $$$ on the trip and crash at our home, please let us know.

We are also close to :

Harpers Ferry National Park
Multiple Civil war battlefields. 20-40 miles away
Skyline Drive- 45 miles away
DC Attractions- 80 miles away
Ocean City Maryland or VA Beach- 250 miles away ( Atlantic Ocean )

[ARtraveler]

Traveling mostly secondary roads for over 40 years I experience one hour travel time yields 50 miles. For 360 miles plan on riding 7 hours. That will give you time to eat, fuel, and take butt breaks. That works if you are touring. If you sight see on very twisty scenic and mountain roads, add extra time for that. When touring I like to get on the road somewhere about 9AM and off by about 4PM. That way I never miss a meal..... Jim

:agree:x2. We like those AR secondary roads. We have slowed most of our sightseeing down to 40-45 mph. Lots of curves, twisties, and great scenery. If we need to "make time," I will run it up to 50 mph. Most of the roads we have been driving are mostly deserted, so the slow speed is not an issue to other cars. When one gets behind us, we find a good spot and send them on their way.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

A thought on towing - even the AAA Premier is 200 miles, which may or may not be useful depending on where you are. GoodSam will tow you to the nearest location "willing and able" to do the work, so the membership is likely worth the peace of mind.

I don't agree that a dealer is the only place to get serviced, Lamonster isn't a dealer, and neither is my mechanic and he knows more about Spyders than any dealer I am aware of.

If I broke down, I'd put a post rather quickly here - and probably on the FB group as well. I did that about six years ago and was directed to the best of the three dealers in the Las Vegas area.

I also carry a Garmin inReach Mini, because it will work where cell phones won't. The process is annoying, but having somebody who can act on your behalf if you need a tow and call the right people is a good idea. You can text them with the Garmin no matter where you are. And, in a true emergency, there is and SOS to send medical help.

Always have water, and I keep a bag with all sorts of misc stuff from a battery to jump my Spyder to extra cables to a tiny mylar blanket. And always a bit of extra cash just in case.

I keep a flat metal key in my wallet, and the other chipped key is in a place where I can get to it with my flat key.

What everybody else said, start with new tires, good brakes, check everything out.

And I'll be jealous because my cross country won't be possible for a while to come. Enjoy!

IMHO it will difficult enough just to find the nearest Dealer along the Route they decide on ..... finding someone else who can work on the Spyder with some degree of knowledge is not even within the realm of possibility. .... How do you find someone when you don't know who you are looking for ???? ..... Mike :thumbup:

[JayBros]

BRP screwed all of us who bought GPS devices from them when they stopped updating the dealer list that they periodically provided to Garmin. If you have the time once you settle on your basic route you can go to the BRP Spyder/Ryker web site, https://can-am.brp.com/on-road/us/en/, find the Locate a Dealer link and type in Zip Codes along your route to get dealer information. It might be worth your time. I agree with others who have opined that if your maintenance is up to date and you have three good sneakers on it and good brake pads you shouldn't have any difficulties with your Spyder. Be certain to include some duct tape and an assortment of zip ties for emergency use. I had a rabbit strike at a good clip a couple of years ago and although it cost me less than a Benjamin to replace a radiator grill when I returned home I was able to keep everything securely together with two long zip ties.

[sandeejs]

Traveling mostly secondary roads for over 40 years I experience one hour travel time yields 50 miles.

Hey, Jim. That's exactly the method I use! Has served me well over the years.
~Sandee~

[sandeejs]

I want to thank everybody for for the great ideas and suggestions. At this point, I'll probably take this trip with my camper instead of Spyder. Save time and money by crashing in rest stops. Maybe less tiring.
Again, thanks so much for the helpful comments, suggestions and sites!
~Sandee~

[bikerbillone]

Sandee, guess you're not pulling a trailer, should be and interesting pack. Good luck and enjoy the journey.

[crossbowme]

If you are doing a long journey and want to keep family etc updated on your whereabouts there is a free Spotwalla service that may be of interest. Its often used by Iron Butt riders (which is why I know about it) but can be used for anything. Spotwalla will display your location on a map every 15 minutes (or how often you choose), or you can choose to tag where you currently are. Theres also an SOS option as well - fortunately I've never needed it:-).

You can connect to it using a dedicated device (like SPOT or Garmin) but there are also app's for both Apple and Android - I use SWConnect on the Apple phone.

Here is an article about it written by one of the local riders, it was written for the TT2000 event but it got lots of good info on general usage:

https://www.wiltshire.net/2021/01/23/getting-setup-with-spotwalla-for-the-tt2000-event-2021/

Excellent advice! I have taken some very long trips by car/motorcycle and found that you should also take back up paper maps with you (if you can find some). I have found that as you approach the Arctic Circle, rugged mountainous terrain or jungle (don't go unless you must) the GPS gets real squirrelly.

[alaskaloon]

Non Spyder, CanAm dealers are usually not qualified to work on Spyders, nor are they likely to volunteer. Dealers that go through the actual process for "official" Spyder mechanics spend a lot of time and money for that. Even the dealer where I came from fudged the last couple years, and I was getting to the point of move or sell the Spyders.


I'd really like to take my Spyder on cross country ride. If I take a major highway, will there be repair shops if I get into trouble? I've got a 2016 in good shape, new tire on the rear and good tread on the front. Starts without arguing, fresh oil, newer battery. I have AAA and AMA as backup. (And charge cards if needed.)
Whar do y'all think?
~Sandee~

We have rode from Alaska to Key West, Florida to Arizona (2011 RT-S); Washington to Florida (2015 RT-L), and all points in between. Many 3-4K mile trips. On the older 998 I had the DPS fail in th Dakotas. That was pricey but did not prevent us from getting to a dealer for repair. Only other mishap was a belt replacement after picking up sticky gravel from a road repair area in Missouri. Even with some stripped teeth the Spyder still made it to the Florida panhandle for a belt replacement. I’ve towed a pop-up Aspen camper and an aluminum cargo trailer totaling about 25K miles without issue. The Spyder’s, IMO are very reliable if maintained and cared for. If a service comes due during a tour I plan ahead to find a Spyder dealer enroute to perform it. We stay off the Interstates and often find ourselves in surprisingly great places! Go and enjoy, life’s too short :)

[milryder]

MRH, would you explain the flat key - not familiar with it's use? "I keep a flat metal key in my wallet, and the other chipped key is in a place where I can get to it with my flat key."

[Snoking1127]

MRH, would you explain the flat key - not familiar with it's use? "I keep a flat metal key in my wallet, and the other chipped key is in a place where I can get to it with my flat key."

You get a non chipped key made that will open the compartments, but not start the trike. It's an Ilco X270 blank.

[sandeejs]

If you are doing a long journey and want to keep family etc updated on your whereabouts there is a free Spotwalla service that may be of interest.......

You can connect to it using a dedicated device (like SPOT or Garmin) but there are also app's for both Apple and Android - I use SWConnect on the Apple phone......


Thanks!
I have used the android app in the past. I found that my family WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN WHERE I AM. My birdy sitter/neighbor and one friend tracked me. :( :(
~Sandee~