Looking At A RT-S Have Question?

[EddieK]

Looking at upgrading my ride, I’m currently on a 05 BMW LT. The old girl is great and has never failed me but old age (me) and arthritic knees are telling me it’s time to make a change. The other factor is the wife, she has had both knees replaced and mounting the bike just doesn’t work for her anymore. I’m heading out on a 5K ride next week and I suspect that by the time I get home in three weeks I will have OD on ibuprofen. I have tried J-pegs and Mic-O-Pegs with no real relief.

Where I’m going with this is I rode the new K1600GTL, fantastic bike with nowhere to stretch out my legs on long runs. Don’t really want to go back to the Motor Company even though it would make a lot of my ridding buds happy and the significant other is pushing hard for me to look at the Can Am RT-S or Limited.

I don’t know much about the Can Am other than people either love it or hate it. There seems to be no middle grown. That said I’m open minded and have a demo ride scheduled here in Knoxville later this week. If the ride goes well and I’m comfortable with the bike my next step is to get the wife on the back and see how well she handles it.

What is the cost of ownership?

As I said I’m currently riding a BMW, the 12K service is pricy and runs between $850 to well over a grand in the Knoxville area with a do it myself $60 oil change in between. I asked my Can Am dealer what the service requirements were and he kind of stepped around the question with they have “pre-paid” service plans available. What are the required service schedules and what can I expect to pay if I decided to pass up the pre-paid plan? Also what if any know issues am I potentially looking at with a RT-S? BMW has its well documented final drive failures and I just want to know what I’m possibly looking at. The last question my, closest dealer is Alcoa Good Times, does anyone have any feedback on them? I’m new to area and don’t know the local dealers.

Whatever feedback you guys can pass along is greatly appraised. I really like what I see and being recently retired I’m looking for something that I can rack up some miles on now that I finally have some spare time.

Thanks,

Ed

[fastfraser]

Coming off two wheels and on to a :spyder2: I can tell you right now you will not like it,you will fight the steering all the time . It is a totally different ride, as others in the same scenario have posted. But give it a few hundred miles and a lighter grip on the handle bars and a great big smile will slowly come across your face . I would look into the BEST warranty or the BEST plus. As far as oil changes if you do them yourself you are bang on at 60 bucks (oil,filters and washers ) The valve check is the ball breaker as is the brake fluid change .

Alcoa Good times has good sales on from time to time but as far as service goes I can't help you there.

Hope you get a Spyder and get Miles of Smiles from it .

[Pennyrick]

Ed:

The demo ride is a good idea but the real test of a Spyder is at least a couple of hours on the road. You have to unlearn the stuff you have ingrained into your noggin from riding on two wheels. The Spyder is more related to a sports car or, if you have ever ridden a snowmobile, more like it.

Once you get hooked, you will wonder why you ever considered anything else but the comment that you won't like it at first is valid. It will feel unstable, you will think it wanders and you will be uncomfortable on turns. Once you 'learn' how to ride it, however you'll find it the most stable machine on the road.

My dealer offers a service package for a negotiable price that covers three service intervals a year for three years. My wife has already used that for her 600, 3000 and 12,000 mile services with no additional costs.

My RT has had the 600 and is now due for the 3,000.

If I am not mistaken, I think the package cost was $750 for each bike. We would have spent that on the first three trips that my wife's RT made to the service department.

[Spyder Cat]

I tend to agree based on the feedback from others going from 2 to 3 wheels. And those who stick with (like my husband did), they usually love it once they come to terms with it.

The Spyder is not like anything else you have driven before and if you start with that understanding, you'll succeed. We've put 31,000 miiles on our 2 Spyders in 15 months, so it is do-able.

Good luck with your test drive.... We'll be eager to hear your thoughts.

[boborgera]

The only thing i can add if your going to rack up miles and your worried about cost / repairs, Get the extended warranty.:thumbup:

[CanAmMick]

I would have to agree with what everyone else is saying. We've had our for about 6 weeks now. 1600 miles so far and were enjoying every minute of it.

My wife has two artificial knees and a fused back and she still enjoys riding on the :spyder2:. It does take some time to get a feel for it. To me it feel like a combination of a 4 wheeler and a snow mobile. If you give it some time I think you'll really like it!!!

[StanProff]

I have an RT-S and as you have seen in the threads, going from 2 wheelers to 3 is like comparing football and baskerball. They are both good games but are different as can be. I have ridden motorcycles for 45 years and have a bunch in my garage along with my spyder. Tough habbits are hard to break but the outcome is well worth it. The best advise is relax your grip and it will be fine. The spyder is the most stable and safest ride you can get. I have 1500 miles on mine and to be honest the first 800 were a challenge to stay off of my two wheelers because I didn't want to Un-learn what I was learning on the spyder. Now I am very confident and have a ball with it. (yes the VSS does work and on a rainey day I was able to experience the traction control as well) this thing is awesome. I still love the 2 wheelers but the wife will only ride the spyder with me. She loves it. I will be turning 60 this year and we are taking a cross country ride to Mount Rushmore South Dakota in September.

[NancysToy]

I have a 2000 BMW RT. I have had some of the same problems and worries. I love the Spyder! Different than two wheels, but so's my lawn tractor. Great for two-up, bad weather, and towing a trailer. Easier for the wife to get on, and much easier for her to get off. It is nowhere as mentally fatiguing as the Beemer, although it takes slightly more physical effort. Everyone is different, but the Spyder is much more comfortable for me, arthritis, replacement knee, and all. Last year I put about equal miles on my BMW and my Spyder RTS. This year the Beemer hasn't left the garage. Take a couple of test rides. Keep an open mind. I have not ridden the K12GTL, but it will have to work hard to lure me from my Spyder. Too similar to my BMW RT. That is a 300 mile bike (with ibuprofen), the Spyder is good for 500-600 a day with no meds.

Cost of ownership will be similar to BMW, but maybe a little higher. The Spyder maintenance is at half the BMW interval, for one thing. It needs tires less often, though. The bodywork removal adds to the labor costs. Oil changes will be more costly, unless you do them yourself, and the valve adjustment takes several hours, adding significant labor costs. Despite that, I have no complaints.

[Ga Blue Knight]

:agree: with everything that has already been said but I will add that you should try both the RT and RS versions of the :spyder2:As they are somewhat different in ride, handling and performance. Not better or worse just different. I rode HD and BMW's for over 30 years and to give you a refence the RS is more like the old BMW airhead R-90S while the RT is more like the large touring BMW's with all of the touring comforts. I ride an RS by choice as I prefer the nimbleness, small size and somewhat better performance. I also ride alone for the most part and that is a big factor. I have a Garmen 550 as well as GIVI bags installed and that is all I need. You may want the other A and C features on the RT. Anyway look them both over and ride both before you buy. Either way you won't be sorry or disappointed (after about 200 miles in the saddle)!:welcome: