grapnel
05-12-2015, 10:34 AM
Hello From Kansas. My wife and I just bought a yellow 2013 RTS. I have a 2012 Road Glide that just hit 50,000 miles. my wife had been wanting a cycle, but was not ready to ride on just 2 wheels. We rode about 300 miles to a dealer and picked up her Spyder with 77 miles on it. She rode it home after riding around for a few minutes, I was impressed that she was able to ride that far and on the highway for her first ride.
She only had a few complaints, the crosswinds felt like it was going to blow her off the rode and she kept looking down to see if her foot was on fire from the heat. When I test rode it, I didn't notice the heat and only got up to about 55 mph and didn't really feel any cross winds.
After a 500 mile trip to KC and back, I was getting frustrated that she was having issues keeping up on the highway at times. When we got back home I decided that I needed to get more time on the highway to see if I could help her figure out what the issues were.
After doing some highway riding, I felt like the Spyder tracked pretty good, but the wind was actually moving me in the seat more than it was moving the bike on the road. When I was going with the wind I could go 80 mph with no effort. As soon as I got into some head or cross winds, wow was I having trouble staying in the seat. I have since ordered a new windshield in hope that it cuts back on some of the turbulence. And I read good things about a new sway bar.
As far as the heat goes, I ride a Harley and am used to the feeling like my leg is on fire if I wear shorts. I did read a few post about the 2013 having heat issues and will look more in to that when they actually have a fix for it.
I did find that the seat on the Spyder was not as comfortable as I thought it would be. The seat was cushy, but not particular comfortable. I asked my wife about the seat and she agreed. She asked about the comfort seat, but when I told her that it sat you back 2 inches, she declined. She wants taller bars that come back to her a few inches, not get them further away.
I don't like the way that I have to press the mode button to get back to the IPOD screen so that I can skip songs.
I like my turn signal switches on each hand better. It's not a huge issue, I rode for the 1st 10 years using the same kind of turn signal switch. I did get honked at from her a few times when we change lanes or turn because she accidentally hits the horn instead of the turn signal. I made fun of her and then did the same thing when I rode it.
I like the way that I can twist my throttle forward on the Harley to disengage the cruise control.
Over all I find it a fun bike to ride. I am not ready to get ride of my bike for a Spyder yet, but I do ride it occasionally. With it being so different than my bike or a car, I have no issues on trying to ride it like my bike or drive it like a car.
Last time I rode it to the store with my wife on the back, she tells me that she prefers being the driver and not the passenger for now on. And that I completely understand.
We are planning on going to Sturgis again this year, except this time she will be on her own ride. Hopefully we can get the wind and heat issues resolved so that she can have a more enjoyable trip.
My 2 favorite things about the Spyder, are the that I will never drop it. I have dropped my bike more than once, and that it has reverse. I love the reverse!
She only had a few complaints, the crosswinds felt like it was going to blow her off the rode and she kept looking down to see if her foot was on fire from the heat. When I test rode it, I didn't notice the heat and only got up to about 55 mph and didn't really feel any cross winds.
After a 500 mile trip to KC and back, I was getting frustrated that she was having issues keeping up on the highway at times. When we got back home I decided that I needed to get more time on the highway to see if I could help her figure out what the issues were.
After doing some highway riding, I felt like the Spyder tracked pretty good, but the wind was actually moving me in the seat more than it was moving the bike on the road. When I was going with the wind I could go 80 mph with no effort. As soon as I got into some head or cross winds, wow was I having trouble staying in the seat. I have since ordered a new windshield in hope that it cuts back on some of the turbulence. And I read good things about a new sway bar.
As far as the heat goes, I ride a Harley and am used to the feeling like my leg is on fire if I wear shorts. I did read a few post about the 2013 having heat issues and will look more in to that when they actually have a fix for it.
I did find that the seat on the Spyder was not as comfortable as I thought it would be. The seat was cushy, but not particular comfortable. I asked my wife about the seat and she agreed. She asked about the comfort seat, but when I told her that it sat you back 2 inches, she declined. She wants taller bars that come back to her a few inches, not get them further away.
I don't like the way that I have to press the mode button to get back to the IPOD screen so that I can skip songs.
I like my turn signal switches on each hand better. It's not a huge issue, I rode for the 1st 10 years using the same kind of turn signal switch. I did get honked at from her a few times when we change lanes or turn because she accidentally hits the horn instead of the turn signal. I made fun of her and then did the same thing when I rode it.
I like the way that I can twist my throttle forward on the Harley to disengage the cruise control.
Over all I find it a fun bike to ride. I am not ready to get ride of my bike for a Spyder yet, but I do ride it occasionally. With it being so different than my bike or a car, I have no issues on trying to ride it like my bike or drive it like a car.
Last time I rode it to the store with my wife on the back, she tells me that she prefers being the driver and not the passenger for now on. And that I completely understand.
We are planning on going to Sturgis again this year, except this time she will be on her own ride. Hopefully we can get the wind and heat issues resolved so that she can have a more enjoyable trip.
My 2 favorite things about the Spyder, are the that I will never drop it. I have dropped my bike more than once, and that it has reverse. I love the reverse!