Spyder vs. HD Trikes

[Rogue Hawk]

I have never ridden a trike like the HD Freewheeler. How are they different from our Spyders?

[Bob Denman]

The controls are heavier, the engine heat on your right knee is... impressive, the steering is less precise, and the ride is pretty stiff!
But the seating position is really relaxed, there's lots of room, and you get to hang out at some pretty cool dealerships!
Oh! The torque of the engines is awesome!

But overall: they're no match for the Spyder!

[spydaman60]

cornering on the HD is almost scary if you ride aggressively. it always felt like when the front shock compressed in a turn that the rear wheel wanted to come off the ground. right turn , right wheel. left turn, left wheel. didn't like the ride at all!

[furface90]

My wife and i rented one when we were in Las Vegas to try it out.
She could not even steer it, way to stiff.
I put about 200 miles on it, convinced us to buy a Spyder.

[Chupaca]

The only similarity is the three wheels...But like most it is in the test ryde. There are those that will not go any other way and those that can't handle them. If you are coming from nowhere I think you will lean towards the spyder. Gotta say i have met a few that only have them because they are Harley Davidson and are not all that happy with them. You might want to throw a side car in the mix cause that is a whole nother ryde.....still three wheels...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

..... This is like an opinion poll on what is the feeling in your pores when you sweat ??????? ..... try an HD then you will know .....until then you won't ..... jmho ..... Mike

[rayeade]

I had a 2013 RT Limited and traded for a Tri-glide. Each has it's good and bad points. On the other hand the Freewheeler is not in the same class as the Tri-Glide. My wife can handle my Tri-Glide just fine but when she wanted to get back into riding her own bike I recommended a Spyder. She is now the proud owner of a 2016 F-3 and has done some short rides on it and likes it much better than the Spyder that I once had. She says the handling is far better then the RT Limited.

[ARtraveler]

When RT first came out in 2010 I went to HD to try the triglide. I did not like the ergos. When they started it up--that was enough for me. I ran and bought a RT Premier Edition.

[Large1]

Stock HD! I agree about the steering it is hard and the ride is rough. Now A HD with a Roadsmith Kit that is a Horse of a different color, The Triple Tree is kicked out and that makes it almost as easy as the Spyders to control it's very lite, The ride is hands down way better the the Stock the Roadsmith is wider by 6 in and longer by ?? with independent suspension over the HD.
Better that the RT we will see My riding partner has put the Roadsmith on his 16 Road Glide so June its 7000 miles planed for our yearly ride. We both will be riding on Russel seats so comfort should be real close.
I will have a better Idea of the real difference between them after that ride.

[Zip]

cornering on the HD is almost scary if you ride aggressively. it always felt like when the front shock compressed in a turn that the rear wheel wanted to come off the ground. right turn , right wheel. left turn, left wheel. didn't like the ride at all!

We were looking at HD and Goldwing trikes but what you mentioned and some input from dealers (not even spyder dealers) convinced us to go with the spyder. Very happy with our choice. And happy I went with the manual over the semi.

[CoolSpyder2014]

How about the Scorpion converted HD? Not sure how the ride feels, but love the look of that machine.

[trikermutha]

I had a TRIGLIDE I didn't find the steering hard and I could drive it pretty aggressive on turns.. Now let me get to the beating up affect from the straight axle and the tank like affect while driving. The dam thing was hot on one side and spent a ton of money to try to get it cooler. The compensator was crap..fretting and rust was present after 300 miles and it was in a oil bath. Now I haven't driven a Freewheeler and is a lot lighter than a TRIGLIDE.

Then we got on a Spyder and the more we drove it the more we were happy with the ride . We can ride for hours and not have that I got beat up feeling and our right side burned up for the heat of the Cat and engine.

I now had my Spyder almost 3 years and my first drive this year was amazing I got it dialed into my liking. Tires,lights,bars, Tire PSI I think I have set almost perfect now..

My thoughts were never to buy anything else except a Harley but as I got older my body told me it cannot take the beatings anymore.

So unless Harley fixes the issues they have with quality and a better ride I have no plans to go back right now..

A few changes to the Spyder from the factory would make it and exceptional bike.

[Rogue Hawk]

Sounds like I made the right choice, thanks

[acpd22]

I rode a TriGlide that a friend of mine has. I only rode it about 3 miles and it felt like it would try to push me in the ditch. He told me that if his wife wasn't on the heavy side he would be on 2 wheels. I love my F3 and so does the wife. I hope to teach her to ride it this summer.

[keeblyn]

i rode the HD trike, coming from a HD Heritage, thought that is where i wanted to be. I drove it 20 mins. and felt like i worked out for an hour after i got off! i was sooo sore. tried 2 different Spyders....Game over! Got a Spyder.... love it!

[BajaRon]

I've got a neighbor, died in the wool HD guy. He purchased a Tri-Glide after many years on 2 wheeled Harleys. He's got all the HD gear and he's really into it. But he does not like the Tri-Glide. He always asks me about my Spyder and the newer Spyder models that have come out. He complains to me about the aspects he and his wife do not like about the Tri-Glide but he won't even try a Spyder out. He feels like his HD 'Buddies' will disown him if he gets a Spyder.

I just think that's sad. If you appreciate the person, what difference does it make what they ride?

[trikermutha]

I've got a neighbor, died in the wool HD guy. He purchased a Tri-Glide after many years on 2 wheeled Harleys. He's got all the HD gear and he's really into it. But he does not like the Tri-Glide. He always asks me about my Spyder and the newer Spyder models that have come out. He complains to me about the aspects he and his wife do not like about the Tri-Glide but he won't even try a Spyder out. He feels like his HD 'Buddies' will disown him if he gets a Spyder.

I just think that's sad. If you appreciate the person, what difference does it make what they ride?

[Road-Kill]

I have never ridden a trike like the HD Freewheeler. How are they different from our Spyders?

Before I purchased my Spyder I test rode a 2017 Harley Freewheeler at Battlefield Harley in Ghettysburg PA. That tranny shifted like a Harley....cu-clunk, cu-clunk, cu-clunk. I owned an Ultra Classic 16 years ago and the tranny is still the same. The Harley is not water cooled , does not have an auto tranny, no ABS, no traction control and no power steering. The Freewheeler was beautiful but at $10,000 more then a Spyder AND missing those items it was a no brainer for me. Other then the Harley tranny it rode OK at best. My thoughts

[dieselengine9]

I've got a neighbor, died in the wool HD guy. He purchased a Tri-Glide after many years on 2 wheeled Harleys. He's got all the HD gear and he's really into it. But he does not like the Tri-Glide. He always asks me about my Spyder and the newer Spyder models that have come out. He complains to me about the aspects he and his wife do not like about the Tri-Glide but he won't even try a Spyder out. He feels like his HD 'Buddies' will disown him if he gets a Spyder.

I just think that's sad. If you appreciate the person, what difference does it make what they ride?

A friend I ride has a neighbor that is similar to this, HD or nothing, but GET THIS, he doesn't own a bike/trike at all says they're too expensive. Doesn't stop him from making fun of spyders though...


....from his front porch

[BajaRon]

A friend I ride has a neighbor that is similar to this, HD or nothing, but GET THIS, he doesn't own a bike/trike at all says they're too expensive. Doesn't stop him from making fun of spyders though...


....from his front porch

Jealousy can be a terrible thing!

[Bob Denman]

They're nothing but Poseurs...

Poseur.jpg

[Dirtbag]

A HD trike is just a glorified servi car but even the original servi cars had reverse buit right in the trans

[kngfsh27]

Something nobody mentioned. The Freewheeler and the TriGlide each have real car tires on the rear.
The 2017 TriGlide has the 107ci engine with four valves, two spark plugs per cylinder. It is a duel cooled engine. Yes, the tranny will go "clunk" when shifting gears. So did my '14 RTL. Harley made some changes to the frame for 2017 and changed the geometry of the front end. They also moved the catalytic converter farther back and routed the left tail pipe under the bike. I have not noticed any heat when riding. The TriGlide has just over 1 cubic foot more luggage space than the RTL. One major difference that I have found is the TriGlide doesn't get moved around in gusting winds. There are pros and cons with each vehicle. It just comes down to prefenence.

[Mr. Pickels]

I have never ridden a trike like the HD Freewheeler. How are they different from our Spyders?

I rented a HD trike while vacationing in Sedona AZ, (one day $$$).... It was a fabulous trip and the HD trike day was a hoot... HOWEVER, I would not buy one...37K???? (model I would buy)... Nope, I fell in love with the RT the moment I sat on it.
That being said...rent and/or test drive for sure.

[trucker1]

The last trike I rode was a nightmare. I felt like I was always waiting for the rear tires to just keep going straight and push the front end into a ditch every time I went into a curve. Not a good day. Especially in the rain. Just hold on and hope for the best.