Ex Goldwing GL1800 owners?

[NorthStar]

I am seeking feedback from ex Goldwing GL1800 owners who switched over/or plan to switch to a Can Am Spyder.
I currently own a 2001 GL1800 and I am seriously considering the purchase of a Can Am Spyder RT-S, with the SE transmission come next spring.
Given the cold temps up here in the frozen north, we won't be able to do a serious test ride until March, but I would appreciate hearing the opinions of any one who has previously driven the Goldwing and test driven the new RT.

Any insight you are able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

M

[boborgera]

I am seeking feedback from ex Goldwing GL1800 owners who switched over/or plan to switch to a Can Am Spyder.
I currently own a 2001 GL1800 and I am seriously considering the purchase of a Can Am Spyder RT-S, with the SE transmission come next spring.
Given the cold temps up here in the frozen north, we won't be able to do a serious test ride until March, but I would appreciate hearing the opinions of any one who has previously driven the Goldwing and test driven the new RT.

Any insight you are able to provide would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

M

I never owned a Goldwing i did own a Valkyrie. In slow maneuver's the Valk was like a tank. The Spyder handle's like a slot car you can pull right into a parking space and pull right out. [reverse gear] For slow maneuver's you can't beat the Spyder. I hope this helps some? :thumbup:
For high way driving the Valk was as good as you can get.

[MarkLawson]

I have an '01 GL1800A & have ordered the RT Permiere Addition & trailer. At this point, I plan to keep both. If, after the riding the RT for a season I find that I no longer want to ride the Goldwing at all, I may sell it, but it would expensive to change my mind at a later date...

(By the way, I have not yet seen/ridden the RT.)

[AntelopeSpyder]

I currently have a 1997 Goldwing trike. As soon as I sell it I am going to order the Spyder RT-S. I test rode the Spyder with my wife on back.:2thumbs: We both loved it. The ride was very comfortable. It had plenty of power and I liked the way it handled.

Here is a link to my Craigslist listing: http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/1501935961.html (http://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/1501935961.html)

[Lamonster]

This guy might have some insite for you.


http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/../adpeeps/uploaded_banners/168733.jpg (http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/../adpeeps/adpeeps.php?bfunction=clickad&uid=100000&bzone=mbf&bsize=152x227&btype=3&bpos=default&campaignid=78601&adno=4&transferurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.spyderfred.com)

[Questions]

I have an '01 GL1800A & have ordered the RT Permiere Addition & trailer. At this point, I plan to keep both. If, after the riding the RT for a season I find that I no longer want to ride the Goldwing at all, I may sell it, but it would expensive to change my mind at a later date...

(By the way, I have not yet seen/ridden the RT.)

I do agree with your plan I would keep both of them and enjoy both as long as I wanted. :agree:

For me asking me which I enjoy more the Goldwing or the Spyder is like asking me which of my kids I like most, no way to answer the question so I enjoy them equally in their own special way.

The best idea is not to compare them, they are completely different experiences, both are great but very different.

I have owned a 1997 Valkyrie, 2006 Goldwing, and now my wife has owned an RTS for 2 months and I also have ridden it extensively, and can say this, the RTS Spyder is not a motorcycle, and will never give you a motorcycle experience. This is not to say anything bad about the RTS, the RTS gives me a great experience as enjoyable as any motorcycle experience I have ever had. My wife rides a motorcycle and the reason she purchased the RTS was she is 5"3" and wanted a top notch touring machine and the RTS was the perfect choice. :thumbup:

The Spyder should always handle better then a motorcycle at slow speed you don't need to balance a spyder cause it has three wheels.:dontknow:

[NorthStar]

Thank you everyone for the input.

My Goldwing is my principle transportation from March through to December and I enjoy the daily rides as well as weekend and vacation tours hauling a camper trailer.

The stability of a three wheeler is of interest to me, especially as I age and find myself getting tired of man handling a nine hundred lb. 2 wheeler around the countryside.

I will be looking at the RT S on Wednesday and hope to gain a positive first impression of the machine, up close and personal. The test drive will not happen until March when the grass returns to the meadows in my neck of the woods.

I will continue to follow this forum over the winter months and gain further insight into the RT S from forum members. The better one is informed, the easier the it makes the purchasing decision process.

Once again, thanks for you input, it is greatly appreciated.

Happy Holidays

Mike

[Questions]

I sold a 2002 gl 1800 trike and a 2005 ST 1300 to buy my Spyder and dont regret it at all,,The spyder is a little of both bike aqnd and I'm a happy camper. Planning a cross country trip in May.:spyder2:

[COOLMACHINE]

Hello NorthStar,
I can't wait to hear how you enjoy (or not) the Spyder. I sure love the ride of mine. It is a complete blast to ride. IMO. Very stable and quick. I love not having to put my feet down at stops. And reverse kicks butt too. :) But remember, if you get one, get ready to have a crowd of people around you where ever you go. It's the price you have to pay for stardom!
Jerry

[vt228]

Hello NorthStar,
I can't wait to hear how you enjoy (or not) the Spyder. I sure love the ride of mine. It is a complete blast to ride. IMO. Very stable and quick. I love not having to put my feet down at stops. And reverse kicks butt too. :) But remember, if you get one, get ready to have a crowd of people around you where ever you go. It's the price you have to pay for stardom!
Jerry

thats right every time i park mine people croud around it aske how fast it goes how it feels to steer it and what siz engine it has I love it but when I go to laconia in june I put a sign out telling every thing about the spyder . engine how manny gears it has and revirce is a blast I had a fat boy harley and a goldwing 1000cc 2001 and a nomad 1600cc I love my spyder
you well too but be ready to anser alot of questions people aske you some stupid one's too lol :congrats:welcome to the family...

[Yspyder]

My wife and I just traded in our bikes in favor of a Spyder RT. She was riding a VTX1300 and I had a GL1800. We test drove a Spyder for a full afternoon and felt it was time for a change, and the Spyder fit!! We will report back once we have our new toy and we are really looking forward to a 6 week trip out west this summer...on the Spyder. I agree with most of the comments about the Spyder and can't wait for the snow to clear so we can start riding..maybe March. Have fun :2thumbs:

[NancysToy]

My wife and I just traded in our bikes in favor of a Spyder RT. She was riding a VTX1300 and I had a GL1800. We test drove a Spyder for a full afternoon and felt it was time for a change, and the Spyder fit!! We will report back once we have our new toy and we are really looking forward to a 6 week trip out west this summer...on the Spyder. I agree with most of the comments about the Spyder and can't wait for the snow to clear so we can start riding..maybe March. Have fun :2thumbs:
welcome

[westgl]

I have three Goldwings 01' GL1800, 88' GL1500, 86' GL1200. Riding the GL1800 is great, A bike this big can be top heavy at slow speeds.

Coming to a stop on a 900-Lbs bike with 350-Lbs of rider & passenger, 1250-Lbs. another 100-Lbs in the saddle bags, or trunk and you have 1350-Lbs.

Think about that 1350-Lbs. going around a corner, make it a blind corner with gravel out on the rode. It happened to me on my GL1800 and the bottom end started coming out from under me this has happened several times.

I rode the RT-S and did a panic stop off the rode on gravel at about 35-40 mph. it stopped and braked perfectly, & we came to a stop perfectly and straight.

Last summer I had seven deer run across the rode right in front of me and I had to Panic stop the 1350-Lbs two wheel GL1800 Goldwing.

I tell always my wife since a GL1800 bike is sooo top heavy, coming to a stop on a GL1800 with two people on it is like a controlled crash.

Anyone want to buy a Goldwing??? Got three???

Anyone????

I have a Blue RT-SE5 with matching trailer on order.

just my 2cents

westgl

[TicketBait]

I have three Goldwings 01' GL1800, 88' GL1500, 86' GL1200. Riding the GL1800 is great, A bike this big can be top heavy at slow speeds.

Coming to a stop on a 900-Lbs bike with 350-Lbs of rider & passenger, 1250-Lbs. another 100-Lbs in the saddle bags, or trunk and you have 1350-Lbs.

Think about that 1350-Lbs. going around a corner, make it a blind corner with gravel out on the rode. It happened to me on my GL1800 and the bottom end started coming out from under me this has happened several times.

I rode the RT-S and did a panic stop off the rode on gravel at about 35-40 mph. it stopped and braked perfectly, & we came to a stop perfectly and straight.

Last summer I had seven deer run across the rode right in front of me and I had to Panic stop the 1350-Lbs two wheel GL1800 Goldwing.

I tell always my wife since a GL1800 bike is sooo top heavy, coming to a stop on a GL1800 with two people on it is like a controlled crash.

Anyone want to buy a Goldwing??? Got three???

Anyone????

I have a Blue RT-SE5 with matching trailer on order.

just my 2cents

westgl

good story, thanks for sharing :clap:

[NorthStar]

Took another closer look at the RT S (SE5) last week on the way up to the Toronto motorcycle show. I also had the opportunity to stop in at a second dealer and looked at their unit with the standard transmission.

The first dealer had a trailer hitch and harness in stock and took the time to haul it out and give me a chance to view both items. I was especially interested in the harness and pin set up, and viewing it up close allowed me to assess whether it was easily adaptable to other trailer wiring schematics.
In my opinion, given the VSS control units' designed integration with the 622 trailer, through this harness, one would think it best not to monkey around with the unit by trying to adapt it to another brand of trailer. Without seeing the schematics and understanding the VSS integration part I will not go the non BRP trailer route.

I have commenced preliminary price negotiations with both dealers and the "package deal" for the RT S and trailer is progressing.

I will have a 1.5 hr. drive up to the dealer on my GL1800 before my test ride on the Spyder. This should allow me to better compare ride, comfort and noise factors on both units, under similar riding circumstances.

Hopefully soon!

M

[tea6638]

I have had several bikes through the years. To name a few; 88 Yamaha Venture, 2000 Vulcan Drifter, 2003 HD NightTrain and 2004 HD Electra Glide Classic. Much like Westgl stated, think about the weight with a loaded Gold Wing. When getting older, you'll see that it doesn't any easier when trying to muscle 12-1300 lbs of bike around a parking lot (2-up and Loaded), or at a stand still and slow turns. The RTS solves all the worries and makes for a more enjoyable ride. However, I will not give up the Sunday 2 wheel ride. Sold the 04 Bagger and got a Kawasaki 900 custom for that. The RTS-PE is for wife and I. :thumbup:

[westgl]

I wanted to let Northstar and people that have Goldwings know, what to expect. If you have not test ridden the RT yet.

You Can Not compare the two, it's even hard to describe.

For starters My dealer said that the dealers bikes all came shipped with the suspension at it's softest setting. this makes the RT handle poorly in my point of view.

from what I hear once the suspension is cranked up firmer the RT becomes a much better handling vehicle and not so darty/scary.

The engine has a bit more of a roar to it, which I like. It is not a drone that is bothersome at speed, but a more powerful sound.

a Single rider on flat ground, with the suspension cranked up, the RT is great

Westgl

[SpyderSteve]

Took another closer look at the RT S (SE5) last week on the way up to the Toronto motorcycle show. I also had the opportunity to stop in at a second dealer and looked at their unit with the standard transmission.

The first dealer had a trailer hitch and harness in stock and took the time to haul it out and give me a chance to view both items. I was especially interested in the harness and pin set up, and viewing it up close allowed me to assess whether it was easily adaptable to other trailer wiring schematics.
In my opinion, given the VSS control units' designed integration with the 622 trailer, through this harness, one would think it best not to monkey around with the unit by trying to adapt it to another brand of trailer. Without seeing the schematics and understanding the VSS integration part I will not go the non BRP trailer route.

I have commenced preliminary price negotiations with both dealers and the "package deal" for the RT S and trailer is progressing.

I will have a 1.5 hr. drive up to the dealer on my GL1800 before my test ride on the Spyder. This should allow me to better compare ride, comfort and noise factors on both units, under similar riding circumstances.

Hopefully soon!

M welcome i bought my spyder at snow city, great dealer hope to see you this summer

[syclemom]

We traded my wifes 2007 Wing Champion Trike, my wife has about 90,000 mi. on trikes 2000and 2007 she said hands down the bike is more fun easier to steer more secure in curves , it is much peppier than I would have expected , the massive grunt of a 1800 Wing has no equal thre RTS pulls the trailer easily passing at will she now has 3700mi. She says NO REGRETS .

[NorthStar]

I would like to thank all of you who have responded to my posts concerning your experiences with the new RT as compared to the Goldwing. All posts were very constructive, and dare I say, "real world".

Based soley on your recommendations :joke:, I put the Goldwing and tent trailer up for sale a few weeks back. Trailer departed last week, and closing the sale on the Goldwing later today.

Signed the papers for the RT-S (with semi automatic) and 622 trailer yesterday afternoon.

Thanks to many of the posts I have read here on Spyderlovers.com, I was able to secure, what I believe was, a win/win deal with the dealer. Once I take delivery of the machine I will become a more active participant in forum discussions, especally as it pertains to RT Shop Talk.

Again, thank you all for your responses, they were greatly appreciated.

Regards

Mike

[timpani]

:congrats:

[Lamonster]

:2thumbs::congrats::ohyea:
I would like to thank all of you who have responded to my posts concerning your experiences with the new RT as compared to the Goldwing. All posts were very constructive, and dare I say, "real world".

Based soley on your recommendations :joke:, I put the Goldwing and tent trailer up for sale a few weeks back. Trailer departed last week, and closing the sale on the Goldwing later today.

Signed the papers for the RT-S (with semi automatic) and 622 trailer yesterday afternoon.

Thanks to many of the posts I have read here on Spyderlovers.com, I was able to secure, what I believe was, a win/win deal with the dealer. Once I take delivery of the machine I will become a more active participant in forum discussions, especally as it pertains to RT Shop Talk.

Again, thank you all for your responses, they were greatly appreciated.

Regards

Mike

[syclemom]

Cindy said you need to start boning up on specs. etc. prior to getting your RTS you will get stopped everywhere to ask questions, but she says more importantly you dont feel old on this it is much sportier, our friend is 80yrs. old is trading his Trike in for that very reason and the ride is so much softer on the Spyder.