Spyder vs. Conventional Trike - What are the Biggest Differences?

[robmorg]

I went from 2 to 3 wheelers back in my 30's and at one point had a two wheeler and a 3 wheeler..since then its all been 3 wheels since..
I got tired of putting my foot down in oil at a stop lights along with trying to hold up the bike when its windy out etc etc..

Went from the Harley Tri Glide to a 2014 Spyder and have not been happier..

But before you decide I recommend test driving different types of trikes to see if it is for you..I just saw trikermutha's post above, and it it got me thinking.... I often get asked the question, "Why did you decided on a Can-Am rather than a conventional trike?" (often asked by other riders), or... "How does your Can-Am compare with a trike with the two wheels in the back?" I usually babble something about how the two wheels in the front are more stable, etc., but I don't have any personal answers to those questions because, while I've ridden large cruisers for years, I've never ridden a conventional trike. But I am very curios about how others with trike experience would answer those questions.

So... For those with conventional trike experience, what would you say are the biggest differences you've noticed (good or bad) between the conventional trike and the Can-Am "reverse trike"?

[Bob Denman]

The reverse trikes steer so much better... nojoke :thumbup:

[ARtraveler]

Good question for what I am sure will be a lively discussion. :yes:

I am one who came over from big cruisers (mostly). Jumped right in when the GS first came out because it was new and "different."

When the RT first came available in 2010, I went to HD and did a tire kick on the Tri Glide. Wanted to make sure I was not making a mistake. For me, I did not like the ergos, from the get go. Did not like the shudder and shake, or even the sound. Then they talked about price, Instead of $27K or so (the mfg. MSRP) for the basic that I was looking at, He wanted $39K. Rotsa Ruck Charie. That sealed the deal for me.

I have done other research and the glaring things that seem different are:

:ani29:: Handling is different with one wheel up front. Prone to tipping if corners are taken too fast.

:ani29:: With the GW trikes, a lot of dealers will not service them or do warranty work. The local dealer states that the triking of the GW, voids the warranty, and that you are on your own from there.

:ani29:: Cost for a triked up version of the GW or a TG is usually a lot more than the entry fee for a :spyder2:.

:ani29:: Electronically and safety wise, the :ani29: is somewhat ahead of the other choices at the moment.

Let's see how the information compares with those who have had actual miles experience on "other" trikes.

[Pennyrick]

Had a GL 1800 with a Hannigan trike kit and traded it in on my first Spyder Rt.

- two wheels in back puts a lot of 'push' on the single front wheel making it very hard to steer at low speeds. It also takes an armload of power to get it through tight turns at any speed because the rear 'push' wants to make that single contact patch up front go straight. The solution is a 'rake' kit to kick out the front wheel by anywhere from 4-10 degrees and this changes the steering angle to be more like a chopper but it does turn easier.

- A trike kit doesn't allow room for bags so the only storage on a two-wheels-in-back deal is the little baby trunk that doesn't hold much. A Spyder has about three times the storage space of a triked two wheeler.

- Dealers (except Harley) do not want to work on trikes because they are a 'kit' and not assembled and warranted by Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki or what ever base bike is used. Most dealers do not have a lift that can get the single front/double rear design off the ground.

[ARtraveler]

I neglected to add in my post above:

:ani29:: Triumph now makes a "factory" trike and uses the 2300cc triple for the engine. This gives one more trike that comes with a factory warranty. I like the 2300cc engine, but am not going to change at this point in time.

[2dogs]

Comfort, cost, performance/technology/MPG, storage, safety and most of all; my wife liked the test ride. :2thumbs:

[Chupaca]

sums up in one word...handling. All the rest is cosmetic looks, bling, farkels, demensions, name etc. Spyders have the most safety and assist systems. At least from ryding both and the sidecars thats it for me...well there is the fun factor...:ohyea::ohyea:

[2dogs]

I neglected to add in my post above:

:ani29:: Triumph now makes a "factory" trike and uses the 2300cc triple for the engine. This gives one more trike that comes with a factory warranty. I like the 2300cc engine, but am not going to change at this point in time.

Do you still have to park your triumph over a cookie pan? :roflblack:

[ARtraveler]

Do you still have to park your triumph over a cookie pan? :roflblack:

I have heard of no issues with the newest Triumphs and leaking oil. The early ones were pretty leaky. There are a lot of T-Triple riders up here, and in the group I sometimes ride with. No leakers. :yes:

[2dogs]

I have heard of no issues with the newest Triumphs and leaking oil. The early ones were pretty leaky. There are a lot of T-Triple riders up here, and in the group I sometimes ride with. No leakers. :yes:

My first step up to a big bike from a Honda 50, was a 250 triumph. Shift pedal on right brake pedal on the left, and what a mess it left on the garage floor. :banghead::banghead: That was long long ago and far far away, but things are much better now thanks to my 14 RTS. :2thumbs:

[lightnin leeRoy]

The biggest reason I say, is the Spyder is the safest bike or trike on the road.
Other reasons would be stability and comfort along with others as mentioned above.
Lightnin`LeeRoy

[PistonBlown]

Spyder vs 'Convential Trike'. Ones designed for purpose, fun and fast - one isn't. I rest my case:

100622

[BajaRon]

As others have stated,

Stability

Handling

A standard trike cannot overcome the simple physics that having 1 front wheel dictates.

[Dragonrider]

For those with questions, take the MSF Trike/Hack class. First time you "two Wheel" a trike, will make you a Spyder believer..

[MidTNDawg]

will suffice. Whether the one word is handling or stability , this is the biggest difference. The result of the difference is another one word answer, "fun".

[eddie j henry]

The Spyder have a true reverse gear.

[flaggerphil]

Handling and stability...or has that been brought up yet?

:thumbup:

Also, it's really a lot better when you can see where the two wheels are when they're in front of you. Makes it much easier to go into smaller areas.

[LEEB]

I rode Harley (2 wheels) for a long time and love them, but when it was time to go to 3 wheels we test rode a 2014 Tri-Glide. My wife didn't like it at all, and I was not impressed by it's handling characteristics. Throw in a starting price of over $33k plus setup and delivery. We then test rode the 2014 Spyder RT-S (SE6). I was impressed by the handling and nice performance, although it did take 500 miles to really feel comfortable. My wife liked the way it rode, and it seems to her that she actually has more seat space on the Spyder over the Tri-Glide. Now, through in a sticker price of $28.5k, which was then negotiated down with the dealer, and you have a deal. As many on this site have said, 'We have never looked back!"

[rays hell]

I saw a great comparison video on Youtube. I thought was very interesting
When it comes to corrective steering the Spyder wins.
What would you prefer?

[bhfromme]

I test rode both GW and Harley trikes before falling in love with Spyders. The difference was like night and friggin day.

The snappy acceleration of the Spyder can't be matched by either the GW or Harley trikes. That was huge for me. Plus I like seeing both tires in front of me instead of wondering if your rear tires are going to fit through a tight space. And cornering with a Spyder is a blast. Cornering on a trike is less than fun at best and downright terrifying at high speeds.

Another important consideration for me was passenger comfort. Passenger comfort on the HD got very low marks. The GW was better but when my wife sat on the Spyder she just smiled. Big, big difference.

Spyders are more comfortable, more modern, accelerate better and handle better. It was an absolute no brainer.

[MarkLawson]

I have had only little experience on a conventional trike, but my brother rode a 2008 Goldwing with the California Side Car trike kit installed. We rode several 10-day, 4000-mile trips together & he always averaged 8 mpg better than me. Same roads, same time same speed.

[Buggy]

Innovation ..the others are just bikes cut in half with boxes added on the back! Spyder was designed from the ground up.

[trikermutha]

I have driven a converted Harley to a factory tri glide and Two wheels.

The spyder has somethings good and bad..

I will just list the good..Smooth ride,Power Steering,water cooled,has get up and go..

Now steering on other trikes all depends on the rack/trail setup..My converted Harley DFT was smooth to steer once I setup the trees and handle bars to my liking.

The Tri Glide has its good and bad points now everyone has there own opinion and has there own riding preferences.

Since I have driven several bikes/trikes over the years and as I age my preferences have changed. So for now the Spyder works for me..

I like both rear trikes and front trikes..The front trikes do take a bit to get use to versus the rear wheel trikes..

[robmorg]

Lots of good answers here, and some of them were things I hadn't thought of before. :thumbup:

Thanks, Guys.

[Dan_Ashley]

A spyder has dynamic power steering, linked brakes, ABS, vehicle stability system, a manufacturers warranty, great after market products, semi-auto or manual trans, heated grips, auto raise/lower windshield, dealer network, and thousands of trikes on the road as the result of a dedicated group of engineers.

Goldwing trikes have have none of those.
Harley trikes have a few.
Spyders are the least expensive of the three.

What is the true difference among them? The Spyder was specifically designed to be a trike. The others were not.

[eaglemrpaul]

Shortly after purchasing my Spyder I was riding out of a small town. I was behind a compact car with their right blinker on suggessting that they would be turrning into a subdivision. Instead of turning the driver of the car decided to make a uturn in the road directly in front of me. I turned hard to the left and jammed on the break. I watched the Spyders right front fender and waited for the impact. The driver of the car finally saw me and came to a stop about a foot to the left of the center line. I missed their front bumper by 6 inches. With full brake being applied while turning I never lost control of the Spyder. While turning back in my lane and rolling to a stop I remember thinking, "How did I just do that". In a full brake situation the inertia weight of the Spyder was on both front tires which never lost traction. I don't think I could have done that on a conventional trike. On a two wheeler I would have been sliding.

[den1953]

I have demo ridden 2 Goldwing trike conversions. One an older GL1500 and the other a 2007 GL1800. The older one didn't have a raked front fork kit and was harder to steer and I wasn't very comfortable with the handling. The newer one had the raked fork kit plus had an independent rear suspension and the ride and handling was much-much better. Low speed turns still required some upper body strength though. As for Can Am Spyders, I have demoed three of them so far. First was a 2009 GS and it was fun but the cramped footpegs and bent forward riding position wasn't for me. I got my first taste of G-forces trying to throw me off but quickly learned how to handle it. The next one was a 2013 RT-S SE5 and it was much more comfortable. I didn't care for the yellow color but it rode and handled pretty nicely. The only thing it lacked was legroom. Last Fall I demoed a 2014 RT-S and the cognac color was much more agreeable to me. The legroom wasn't any different but the engine was in a very nice way. The low end torque and not having to rev to at least 3500 to save the clutch was nice. The handling was identical to the 2013 and I think the BajaRon sway-bar would be about the only thing needed besides highway pegs. I'm still waiting on my dealer to get a new 2015 F3 in so that I can try it out. The legroom can be tailored to the rider on that one and I expect it will handle better and be quicker.

[cyclekid58]

For me the decision was fairly simple. A conventional Trike has the same manual shifter, clutch, hand brake etc. of a standard MC of which I was trying to get away from. Plus having talked to owners of those trikes many were not that enthused with them but it was a "Status Symbol". The Spyder offered many things including optional adjustable handlebars making it a lot easier to drive for my wife. Both of us rode 2-wheelers and medical issues made us look to 3 wheels. We looked at the harley and gold wing trikes, but they just didn't fit us, and there was the manual controls thing, we got a chance to demo ride a 2013 RT on a raceway road course track and was hooked, the next year we bought a new 2014 RT-S and love it. We have put more miles on it in the short time of ownership than on the two wheelers over multiple years combined. We plan on eventually getting a 2nd RT and spend many years of happy riding. :yes:



I have demo ridden 2 Goldwing trike conversions. One an older GL1500 and the other a 2007 GL1800. The older one didn't have a raked front fork kit and was harder to steer and I wasn't very comfortable with the handling. The newer one had the raked fork kit plus had an independent rear suspension and the ride and handling was much-much better. Low speed turns still required some upper body strength though. As for Can Am Spyders, I have demoed three of them so far. First was a 2009 GS and it was fun but the cramped footpegs and bent forward riding position wasn't for me. I got my first taste of G-forces trying to throw me off but quickly learned how to handle it. The next one was a 2013 RT-S SE5 and it was much more comfortable. I didn't care for the yellow color but it rode and handled pretty nicely. The only thing it lacked was legroom. Last Fall I demoed a 2014 RT-S and the cognac color was much more agreeable to me. The legroom wasn't any different but the engine was in a very nice way. The low end torque and not having to rev to at least 3500 to save the clutch was nice. The handling was identical to the 2013 and I think the BajaRon sway-bar would be about the only thing needed besides highway pegs. I'm still waiting on my dealer to get a new 2015 F3 in so that I can try it out. The legroom can be tailored to the rider on that one and I expect it will handle better and be quicker.

[den1953]

The power steering plus the ABS with traction control and stability control puts the Spyder ahead of conventional trikes for me. The SE electric shift option is just icing on the cake, especially if you do a lot of city stop & start driving. The RT models have it in spades for luxury touring with all the luggage capacity and the air adjustable suspension. The only thing I'd need is more legroom with some highway pegs. I think the BajaRon anti-sway bar would be equally worthwhile to keep the big Spyder more stable in cornering and in crosswinds. Now the F3 has a few things I'd like as well, mostly the forward controls but also the lower seat height and the lower center of gravity. I think it might handle just fine without a beefier sway bar. The only downsides are the smaller frunk and the high priced accessories, but the aftermarket might have some other choices later on. Needless to say I'm game for a Can Am Spyder as my next ride, just not 100% sure which one yet.

[MikeT]

Had a GL 1800 with a Hannigan trike kit and traded it in on my first Spyder Rt.
- A trike kit doesn't allow room for bags so the only storage on a two-wheels-in-back deal is the little baby trunk that doesn't hold much. A Spyder has about three times the storage space of a triked two wheeler.
- Dealers (except Harley) do not want to work on trikes.
I am confused by you comment on srorage capacity between a conventional trike vs. an RT. I have a Gen1 GL1800 Hannigan Trike. Using the manufacturers' storage specs converted to cu.ft., there is no way there's more storage on a RT than on the Hannigan. From a practical standpoint, 4 oddly shaped ztorage compartments can't hold as much as a rectangle with over the wheel storage(trike trunk) plus a square(tour box). You do get more storage, if you add the 622; but then you're not comparing apples to apples.
My decision to move to a Spyder is not based on storage capacity.It is due to adapting to physical changes as one ages.

[GeoffCee]

...While turning back in my lane and rolling to a stop I remember thinking, "How did I just do that". In a full brake situation the inertia weight of the Spyder was on both front tires which never lost traction. I don't think I could have done that on a conventional trike. On a two wheeler I would have been sliding.

You hit the nail! I've always thought of a conventional trike as an optimistic vehicle. Frinstance, the owner optimistically hopes he can bring his Thundering Great Beast to a safe and rapid halt when the situation demands, despite having only that skinny little patch of front wheel rubber to hold back most of the TGB's weight and inertia. Given two big fat wheels at the rear, in a social sense levering so much responsibility onto the little guy up front just ain't a fair division of labour, no way! :roflblack:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mulK8BnPXAY

[slather1]

I am confused by you comment on srorage capacity between a conventional trike vs. an RT. I have a Gen1 GL1800 Hannigan Trike. Using the manufacturers' storage specs converted to cu.ft., there is no way there's more storage on a RT than on the Hannigan. From a practical standpoint, 4 oddly shaped ztorage compartments can't hold as much as a rectangle with over the wheel storage(trike trunk) plus a square(tour box). You do get more storage, if you add the 622; but then you're not comparing apples to apples.
My decision to move to a Spyder is not based on storage capacity.It is due to adapting to physical changes as one ages.

I agree a CSC Trike has more storage than a Spyder RT. We have a 2014 RTS and wear modular helmets. ONE modular helmet will fit in the Frunk. Even her small will not fit in any of the other three bags. Both modular helmets will fit in a GL1800 trunk which leaves 8 cubic feet for everything else.

[Pennyrick]

I agree a CSC Trike has more storage than a Spyder RT. We have a 2014 RTS and wear modular helmets. ONE modular helmet will fit in the Frunk. Even her small will not fit in any of the other three bags. Both modular helmets will fit in a GL1800 trunk which leaves 8 cubic feet for everything else.


The Spyder RT has about 7 cubic feet of storage capacity and that is about equal to the Hannigan storage @ 6.75 cubic feet.

But I completely forgot about the back case on the GL 1800 that has about the same amount. So I was wrong, the GL 1800/Hannigan conversion has about double the RT storage.

What I like about the Spyder is that storage is in four different locations, with the trunk, the back case and the two side bags. We use half helmets and they fit anywhere and extra clothing and emergency tools and stuff just seems to fit well everywhere else.

To be honest we do have a second RT 622 trailer that we didn't have with the Gold Wing trike set up so I'm probably overlooking that aspect.

[Roadster Renovations]

As far as conversion trike go, ABS is disabled when converted. Guess they take out the bulb for the ABS light before they sell them, "But, of course, you REALLY don't need anti lock brakes".
Able to corner faster with more hands on control.

[slather1]

As far as conversion trike go, ABS is disabled when converted. Guess they take out the bulb for the ABS light before they sell them, "But, of course, you REALLY don't need anti lock brakes".
Able to corner faster with more hands on control.

CSC does not disable the ABS. I believe Hannigan and a couple of others also keep the ABS.

[johnwinslow]

the spyder is COOL that's it

[slather1]

[QUOTE=Doc Humphreys;922778]As far as conversion trike go, ABS is disabled when converted. Guess they take out the bulb for the ABS light before they sell them, "But, of course, you REALLY don't need anti lock brakes"

[jimnsusie]

I had no trouble picking the spyder over a trike. The spyder is so much quieter when compared to the harley trikes that I ride with. Plus the spyder was easily 10 grand less. The spyder is quicker to respond as far as speeding up or slowing down and it seems to corner better than the trike. I really enjoyed my 2 wheeler but could rarely take my wife due to her ms. When I got the spyder she was riding it in no time with me. The harley trikes that I ride with seem to have trouble getting into neutral in order to use reverse. The spyder has no problem going into reverse. What a fun bike. But on the other hand I know those with the trikes really enjoy them as well.

[Jester]

I ryde with friends all over the country. My personal rule is 300-350 miles, I ryde to the party. 300-500, I tow my Spyder behind my 04 Chevy SSR. Beyond that, I jump a jet and rent. That nearly always means a HD trike either factory or converted. Around town or parkway cruising is fine but this lifestyle is where I learned the RT is the clear choice: A 3 wheeled 'Vette with handle bars vs a nice, shiny log truck:yes:. Have fun whatever you ryde!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

For me, cost was the initial big difference that prompted me to buy a used 2013 RT. My original plan was to buy a wrecked GL1800 with a good conversion kit on it, and move the conversion parts to my 2005 GW. But by the time I figured out what a wrecked bike would cost, $6000 +, plus a grand for shipping and another grand for painting, plus maybe a new triple tree if the wrecked one wasn't any good or wasn't a raked one, all added to the used bike value of my '05, I was right up there in the price range for a new Spyder. Added to that would have been all the manhours to make the changes. I decided it was smarter to look for a used Spyder which I found. Still cost me a grand for shipping, but I saved thousands and got the benefit of the nanny, all wheel ABS, and power steering!:yes: I've never ridden a conventional trike and at this point I don't care if I ever do! :)