Let's Talk Test Rides!

[newbert]

For someone who doesn't even own a Spyder, I've been asking a lot of questions here (and getting great advice).

Well, it's almost "time for the rubber to meet the road" (literally). I finally have a test ride of both an F3 and an RT scheduled for tomorrow (at a dealer). So, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences of when you test drove the Spyder that you eventually decided on buying. Such as:

1. What was your ultimate deciding factor in choosing that particular model?
2. What did you do on your test drive to really help you make the right decision? Or did you just simply ride around the neighborhood?
3. Did you take multiple test drives on different days, or did you immediately "know" that this was the one for you?
4. If you bought from a dealer, how much savings, if any did you manage to get thru negotiating price?
5. For those who are a bit older <ahem> in age, like (I'm 64) - with achy hips and low back - which model did you find was most comfortable for you? (I understand that this is an individual thing....)

Any other tips about test rides?

Thanks!

[ARtraveler]

You are doing it the right way. Only you can decide what is going to work best for you. The test drive(s) goes a long way.

As close as you are getting, I suggest checking out the financing options with other lenders than the dealer assisted version. Ignore, if you are paying cash. Sometimes you can get a better rate than the dealer offers.

I bought all five 's sight unseen and no test rides. After the first one, I kind of knew what I was in for.

I have test sat the F3, and for me, it is not the right platform. Looks & colors would be a "buy" in the old days, but not this go around.

[SilverFox1]

Hi newbert. I hope you enjoy your test ride as much as I did mine. One thing for sure that you have to consider is if your better half is going to be riding with you. By all means take her along for the test ride. I've heard of a few cases where everything felt good for the rider but unfortunately things were very different for the passenger. Relax and enjoy. Keep in mind, these things are contagious!!! Good luck and let us know.

SilverFox

[Bob Denman]

It's good that you ask this...
And have I got a story for you!
I bought mine without so much as even having sat on one first!
My Missus drives me to the dealer (56 miles away...), and I'm thrown into the deep end of the pond.
The salesman reviews all of the controls (which I immediately forgot), and hands me the keys!
I climb on, start it up, and slap it into first...
Within the first two miles: I was positive that I had just made a $25,000 mistake! The thing was twitchy, bouncy... I could barely keep it on ny side of the road.
I was actually starting to feel sorry for the poor S.O.B. that I was going to hit head-on, when I realized something:
Ski Doo knew how to build great snowmobiles, that could track straight down a trail...
Surely, these things shared a lot of DNA with them.
So I relaxed my "White-Knuckle" stranglehold, that I had on the bars, and I took a deep breath...

...And the clouds parted; the Sun shined down on me, and I heard birds singing!
It's all about NOT trying to squeeze the bars until they pass out: relax, and let the machine find it's own way in the lane: you're just there for the BIG corrections!

[PW2013STL]

When we purchased ours the F3 was not out and the RS did not work with my hip as I would get a shooting pain when I tried sitting on one. First one we purchased was the ST for my wife as I still had my Harley. We soon went with the our current 1330 RT when that came out. I did test ride an F3 at last years Spyderfest and if that was an option back then I would have gone that route as the feet forward is more friendly to my knees.
Only you can tell what will work best for you.

Looking forward to finding out what you end up with!

[Arion]

I'll add my two cents to the Spyder buying process. First of all, I'm 72 (thought I hope I don't behave my age) with a two and a half year old artificial left hip. Secondly, I find that the older I become, the heavier stuff gets (like my BMW K75S for example). Two summers ago I had a zero speed topple-over (thanks to a bit of gravel and a moment of inattention) and reaffirmed that I am no longer able to muscle the 500-plus pound BMW back onto two wheels. It takes two grey heads to do that.

My spouse wasn't the least bit amused over the event and began trying to convince me to reconsider a Spyder. Over the past few years we attended two BRP traveling road shows and were able to test ride both the twin and triple versions. In both instances the BRP guys took the group on a 10 to 12 mile country road/highway tour before returning to the dealership. It actually gave us an inkling of what the machine would be like to live with. Certainly much better than a mile around the block test ride.

Anyway, I ultimately chose an RT-S. I like the more upright riding position and the massive storage capacity. A dealership friend put me onto a used 2015 model with a mere 436 miles for what I thought was a good price. I wouldn't trade the RT-S for anything else at the moment. We recently added a 2012 RT-Limited for my spouse and she wouldn't trade hers either. I like the triple engine and she likes the twin and that means we're both happy.

The "legs forward" position is something I've not become comfortable in 50 or so years of riding but, as you say, it's a personal thing. My spouse favored the cruiser riding position but still chose the RT over the letter C riding position. And, the bottom line is that we ride MUCH more than we used to while on two wheels. We can't ask for much more than that.

[PrairieSpyder]

My first test ride scared the crap out of me. So of course I had to do it again. I got the hand of the machine not leaning and bought one!

[SpyderSteveFL]

My $.02 is it really comes down to 2 things in order...

1. Comfort. If you are not comfortable you will hate it instead of loving it. This really comes down to riding position as the RT can be reconfigured with a different seat, tri-axis handlebars, etc. But you have to like the higher seating position and what I would say like sitting in a regular chair position. The F3 you will be lower and feet out some, more like a partially extended recliner vs a regular chair. The F3 does have U fit so the bars are adjustable and there are 5 foot positions. Same with F3 you can customize with floorboards, etc. But no matter what you do you can't change the overall seating position. Make sure you choose what feels best.

2. Storage space. The RT will have roughly double the storage of even the F3 Limited, so if storage is a concern, points go to the RT. Of course if you need alot of room and get a trailer then maybe this is moot.

The rest is up to you - style (you have to look at it all the time, get something you like seeing).

I think after about 10 minutes on each you will have an overall idea of which way to go. I didn't have a choice of F3 (except first basic model) when I bought and I just actually rode one for the first time last week at a demo day. I couldn't fully evaluate it because the pegs were not in the best spot for me, so make sure when you ride an F3 they adjust at least the pegs to what you need - otherwise it won't be a fair test. I found my knees hitting right in the bumpout of the bodywork and I hated it, but I think if my leg was out to where I needed it (last position forward) my knees would have nestled in nicely below the edge. If I had to choose today and the last position was more comfortable I probably would have gone with the F3 Limited but it certainly wasn't that much better for me to take a bath and trade my RT.

Good luck.

[asp125]

With ours, I rented both the RS and RT (no ST out back then) and decided we were more RS types. Had the ST been available back then, we'd have gone that route.

[rcturner]

For someone who doesn't even own a Spyder, I've been asking a lot of questions here (and getting great advice).

Well, it's almost "time for the rubber to meet the road" (literally). I finally have a test ride of both an F3 and an RT scheduled for tomorrow (at a dealer). So, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences of when you test drove the Spyder that you eventually decided on buying. Such as:

1. What was your ultimate deciding factor in choosing that particular model?
2. What did you do on your test drive to really help you make the right decision? Or did you just simply ride around the neighborhood?
3. Did you take multiple test drives on different days, or did you immediately "know" that this was the one for you?
4. If you bought from a dealer, how much savings, if any did you manage to get thru negotiating price?
5. For those who are a bit older <ahem> in age, like (I'm 64) - with achy hips and low back - which model did you find was most comfortable for you? (I understand that this is an individual thing....)

Any other tips about test rides?

Thanks!

1) It had to be comfortable for my wife as passenger and me as rider. (2012 RT-L)
2) My dealer let us ride their demo as much as we wanted. In about 10 miles, we had decided.
3) One ride was enough.
4) Not sure of discounts but, they gave me a lot of money for my trade (2009 Goldwing with lots of goodies) and the difference was very reasonable.
5) I am currently 73 with many aches and pains. My wife is the same age but in a lot better shape. I added the comfort seat to the 2012 and moved it to my 2014. I still need a cushion but, it is quite tolerable.

The dealers service is far more important than the purchase price. Make sure they are really in the business of being a dealer and service facility and in it for the long hall.

[Chupaca]

enjoy the opinions and reviews you will get here but in the end the test ryde will answer all your questions. Shopping is a lot of fun...

[Spin]

All good advise so far. As far as price, check prices on the internet. I used a price I found on Ebay to negotiate with my dealer. He matched the price I found, plus what it would have cost me to ship it. I saved about 10% from what they were going to charge me.

[newbert]

1) It had to be comfortable for my wife as passenger and me as rider. (2012 RT-L)
2) My dealer let us ride their demo as much as we wanted. In about 10 miles, we had decided.
3) One ride was enough.
4) Not sure of discounts but, they gave me a lot of money for my trade (2009 Goldwing with lots of goodies) and the difference was very reasonable.
5) I am currently 73 with many aches and pains. My wife is the same age but in a lot better shape. I added the comfort seat to the 2012 and moved it to my 2014. I still need a cushion but, it is quite tolerable.

The dealers service is far more important than the purchase price. Make sure they are really in the business of being are dealer and service facility and in it for the long hall.

Ah Yes - I knew that there was a question I forgot to ask. With dealers few and far between around here, service quality is certainly important!

So, other than checking the dealer out with the Better Business Bureau and/or Consumer Protection Board, how do you evaluate them on service if you know nothing about them other than that they sell Spyders?

[newbert]

All good advise so far. As far as price, check prices on the internet. I used a price I found on Ebay to negotiate with my dealer. He matched the price I found, plus what it would have cost me to ship it. I saved about 10% from what they were going to charge me.

Good Advice, Thanks! (I have nothing to offer in trade other than my 10-speed bike!)

[Bob Denman]

Ah Yes - I knew that there was a question I forgot to ask. With dealers few and far between around here, service quality is certainly important!

So, other than checking the dealer out with the Better Business Bureau and/or Consumer Protection Board, how do you evaluate them on service if you know nothing about them other than that they sell Spyders?

While you're wandering around inside the shop: keeps your eyes open for any "diplomas" or certificates... take a good look at them, and don't be afraid to ask the Service Manager about who got exactly what kind of training; and where they got it!

[rcturner]

Ah Yes - I knew that there was a question I forgot to ask. With dealers few and far between around here, service quality is certainly important!

So, other than checking the dealer out with the Better Business Bureau and/or Consumer Protection Board, how do you evaluate them on service if you know nothing about them other than that they sell Spyders?

You will have to trust them to be honest but, ask them about factory training for their techs. Do they have the specialized equipment to maintain the bikes. Do they have inventory or just one or two bikes so they can be called a dealer. Also, in my case, my dealer has a lot of other BRP inventory. Four wheelers, watercraft, etc. If they have the other products, they probably intend to support them.

[ARtraveler]

While you're wandering around inside the shop: keeps your eyes open for any "diplomas" or certificates... take a good look at them, and don't be afraid to ask the Service Manager about who got exactly what kind of training; and where they got it!

I know a dealer that proudly displays on their front door a Platinum Service Dealer sign. It was from 2012.

[Tomline]

A Canadian buddy & I test rode the first Prototypes in St. Pete, Florida years ago. They had a course set up in a vacant lot and you had to go thru it twice making both left and right turns and stop & start a number of times. If you could handle that they took us out eight Spyders at a time on the road with a leader & tail end person. We went thru a couple of neighborhoods and then out onto a multilane (3) highway. They told us to try and stay reasonably close together. When we got onto the highway and the leader started to pull away and we cranked on it, before we knew it we were running 80mph+! No BS, Really We had to give our opinion about them after and little did I realize that Many Years Later I'd be riding one and enjoying the heck out of it. A couple of hip replacements and a foot issue kinda helped me "Take the Plunge!"

[newbert]

Since I'm the type that tries to leave no stone unturned, and I don't like surprises, I have a few more questions about the purchasing process. At the two dealers that I've been to so far, it seems that they have new and (a few) leftover Spyders on the showroom floor and unseen "Demo's" to test-ride. (I hope to finally test-drive a few later today...) Now - my experience is only with cars, where you test drive the actual car that you're considering buying. Apparently, the process with Spyders is different, since you only get to try a "Demo".

So, how does it work when you're considering purchasing a leftover (ie:'15 or '16) and the demo is a '17 (or vice-versa)? Is there any significant difference between the model years? Even if you buy the same year as the demo, have any of you experienced any significant differences between what you test drove and what you actually bought?

Also, once you decide on which to purchase, what specifically do you expect the dealer to provide in terms of prep?

Sorry for all of the questions....

Thanks!

[greybeard]

you really need to take a factory team led test ride or at least follow a experienced rider so you can gauge the speeds and actions to take

[Large1]

Spyder Shopping Made Easy!
After doing what has been posted here just sit on them (as many as they have ) the right one will say Take Me Home,

[wvedec]

I almost bought an RT-S without ever even sitting on a Spyder. Thank God, those deals fell through.

I finally sat on an RT-S twice in a dealer showroom and decided it was not for me. The feet were too far back, I was sitting too high, and there seemed to be an awful lot of "Machinery" in front of me. I kind of felt like I was on an ATV. I originally "chose" this model because I felt my wife would ride two up and be comfy. That is true - the passenger seat is phenomenal. However, I realized that my wife would not really be riding that much and that an F3 would suit her for the short rides we would make. So it made no sense to bet a Spyder that would be great for her occasionally but uncomfortable to me all the time.

So, I finally sat on an F3 and it felt right - low, "in" the trike instead of "on" the trike. Less "stuff" in front of me. The foot forward position felt like my Harley and recumbent bicycle, and the UFit system would allow me to dial in the comfort. You can adjust the leg position with different rods and the reach with different handlebars. I am 69 years old and need to really dial in these features to be comfy. I then test rode an F3 Limited, courtesy of an incredibly generous neighbor, and it felt perfect. Do I wish I had test ridden a RT-S? No - the seat height and straight down leg position convinced me even standing still that it would not work.

You are correct to do a test ride - the RT or F3 will work for you.

Happy hunting,

[Buckeye Bleau]

So I relaxed my "White-Knuckle" stranglehold, that I had on the bars, and I took a deep breath...
...And the clouds parted; the Sun shined down on me, and I heard birds singing!

Bob, again, we worry about you. This sounds a lot like another instance of a flashback to the 1960's when "better living through chemistry" was much more popular.

Joe

[HayRog]

[QUOTE=newbert;1251668]For someone who doesn't even own a Spyder, I've been asking a lot of questions here (and getting great advice).

Well, it's almost "time for the rubber to meet the road" (literally). I finally have a test ride of both an F3 and an RT scheduled for tomorrow (at a dealer). So, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences of when you test drove the Spyder that you eventually decided on buying. Such as:
(end quote)

I,m probably too late with this -- but if you register with GROUPON they are advertising discounted test rides on Spyders right now. You can then deduct the groupon cost from your Spyder purchase.

This is the way we did it.

[newbert]

you really need to take a factory team led test ride or at least follow a experienced rider so you can gauge the speeds and actions to take

Well, I'm back from my test rides, and the main thing I learned is that it doesn't always go as you expect. Beforehand, I was convinced that I'd like the F-3 over the RT - Now I'm not so sure.

I test rode an F-3 Limited first , and then an RT Limited (both out of my budget, but those were the two demos they had). Both were semi-automatics. Each ride was about 6 miles while following the salesman. (He rode one while I rode the other, then we switched off.) I got each up to highway speed (approx. 65mph). TBH, neither was 100% comfy for me (my damn hips again...), but the F3 wasn't "U-fitted" to me either. I was glad that each had the floorboards and driver backrest though. The RT is definitely more of a vertical sitting position as everyone here has said, and the brake pedal was easier to access for me. I felt that the RT's shifting was a bit smoother as well.

I started by just riding around the small-ish parking lot (on the F-3) and after 15 seconds or so I almost ran into a parked car at the end of the lot. . The throttle was more sensitive, and the steering radius was larger, than I anticipated so I actually accelerated while making the U-turn in the parking lot instead of pressing the footbrake, and almost hit the car. It's good thing the salesman was retrieving his helmet and wasn't watching. After that, it went a lot more smoothly.

All in all, I liked them both, especially the RT. I liked the salesman - not pushy at all and very patient. He suggested I come back in a few days to test-drive them again now that I have a little seat-time. I liked that idea!