My take on Homecoming

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here's what I observed. Homecoming was never intended to be, and was not, a rally meant for Spyder owners to interact with other and buy farkles for their machines. BRP put on the Homecoming as an invitation for owners to come to Valcourt and learn about the Spyder's genesis and who BRP is. They opened their doors like never before. You cannot get tours of the design and development centers on a normal day. The only vendor was Performance NC with the special store for Homecoming. Who knows, maybe BRP has an ownership stake in them. There were a few food trailer vendors, but you can be sure they were there only because the restaurants in town would have never been able to handle the crowd by themselves.

The Design Centre and Product Development labs were open for tours. What did we learn about what is coming down the track? Not a damn thing! Existing publicly exhibited items are what we saw in the design centre, the hybrid Spyder and the Turbo F3, as well as the jig for testing seating, foot, and handlebar ergonomics that was used to come up with the U-Fit system. In the product development center all the employee desks were cleared off. There wasn't a single piece of paper anywhere to give a hint of what they're working on for the future. The shop where prototypes are built had the prototypes of the F3 showing it's evolution.

The Ski-Doo assembly line was open for viewing from a walkway above it. Ski-Doos are built April to November. The Spyder line has been shut down since April but a number of Spyders in various stages of assembly were left on the line for us to see close up. They will be finished this coming week and shipped out.

All in all the Homecoming was a chance for BRP to show us how the Spyder came to be and how it is built. They succeeded to the extent they could without disclosing what's coming down the pike.

I'm glad I came.

[SpyderAnn01]

I agree Mac. I thought it was pretty cool that they had the SkiDoo line operating today just so people could see it in action. My only disappointment was not having enough time to see everything. I also didn't get a chance to see you so have a great trip home.

[PrairieSpyder]

X2

I'm sorry I missed seeing you here, Mac.

[billybovine]

Mac. I enjoyed talking to you for that minute before your group had to move on.

[Rob Rodriguez]

I went up to Valcourt for half the day Saturday. It's about a 90 minute ride for me from home. Rain all the way up and back Weather this spring in New England (or Vermont) has been mostly cold rainy days. Not much a person can do about that.

I thought I'd throw my 2 cents on what I thought.

I have no idea how many people were there but there certainly was a lot of Spyders..........which is a good thing. It would be interesting to know the average age of the riders in attendance. I'm 44 and I felt like a young kid there. Not saying that is bad, just saying it seemed to me most of the riders there were older. There were lots of riders from Canada from what I could see and I'd say a number of them I rode the shuttle with and went on tours with were closer (or the same) as my age. The US riders seemed older. Again, I mean nothing by this.....it just shows the age demographic that Spyders seem to fit into the most.

I'd seen the museum and factory tour before so I skipped those (I had limited time) and did the product center and design center tours. I thought both were excellent. I have a background in engineering, design and CAD so I felt right at home in both places. The design center had some great concept sketches and renderings of Spyders and to be honest there were a couple on the wall I would buy in a second if they actually produced them. All the BRP employees were friendly, knowledgeable and gave out great information. BRP should be proud of their workforce and the way they handled themselves.

I wasn't there a long time but for my experience I thought BRP did a great job with the event. I thought the announcement Friday was lame. I mean I have no interest in purchasing any new Spyder currently being produced and I certainly would not buy one in the black/gold color combo but to each their own. I'm sure they will sell some. I wasn't given any specific information at the event and there wasn't any BRP employees that would answer a direct question about a non cruiser riding position Spyder in the future. Just from what I saw and little bits and pieces from different conversations I have the gut feeling the public won't see a non cruiser riding position Spyder (a replacement for the RS) anytime soon.

My ride home was a bit of a conflict. I like my 2012 RS but it will be 6 yrs old soon (with no warranty) and that makes me want to purchase a new Spyder. There currently isn't a model BRP produces that I would lay money down on. This leaves me with two options. Keep my 2012, hope its reliable and wait (what I think will be 4-5 yrs or more) for a non cruiser riding position Spyder to be released and purchase then OR try and find a 2016 RSS at a good price, add the BEST warranty and that will get me through another 5 years at which point a "new" Spyder might exist. Just not sure what to do? On one hand I left the event loving BRP, their products (sleds, spyders, side x sides) and their drive to succeed in a tough business but on the other hand I hated BRP for taking my money over they years (for numerous products...sleds, spyders, etc) and then leaving me with nothing to upgrade too.

[south GA Farm Boy]

Guys,
We had a visitor in our small town, and he saw I owner a Spyder. He said he lives in Canada about 40 miles from where they make the Spyders. He told me that BRP was laying off worker at their plant, and may be considering shutting it down. Since I do not know the guy, or know where he lives, did any of you see any signs of slow down or closing their plant, or anything relating to his statements. To be honest, I did not believe him! I just told him I liked my Spyder!

[ARtraveler]

Glad to hear positive comments from those that were there.

[SpyderBears]

We found the factory tour very interesting, esp the Spyder assembly line. Also enjoyed the museum and the design and innovation center. All of the BRP employees were very helpful and friendly. Learned a lot about the company.
Celebration dinner was very good, quite the show afterwards.
Thank you, BRP

[Firefly]

Guys,
We had a visitor in our small town, and he saw I owner a Spyder. He said he lives in Canada about 40 miles from where they make the Spyders. He told me that BRP was laying off worker at their plant, and may be considering shutting it down. Since I do not know the guy, or know where he lives, did any of you see any signs of slow down or closing their plant, or anything relating to his statements. To be honest, I did not believe him! I just told him I liked my Spyder!

They lay off workers all the time just like the auto instructor does. They do it during changeovers and when production is down. Some of the workers look forward to the break and collect unemployment during those times.

It's much ado about nothing.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Guys,
We had a visitor in our small town, and he saw I owner a Spyder. He said he lives in Canada about 40 miles from where they make the Spyders. He told me that BRP was laying off worker at their plant, and may be considering shutting it down. Since I do not know the guy, or know where he lives, did any of you see any signs of slow down or closing their plant, or anything relating to his statements. To be honest, I did not believe him! I just told him I liked my Spyder!

Probably he was hearing stories that evolved around what they are doing. The current Spyder assembly line is being dismantled. The line and building are being revamped into an assembly line that can be used to assemble both Spyders and Ski Doos. The current Spyder line is good for Spyders only and does not run April to November. The building where the Spyder line is is also used to make the box frame for Ski Doos. The remaining assembly of Ski Doos is in another building. So I think it's the first phase of Ski Doo manufacturing that is being joined up with Spyder manufacturing in a single dual purpose line.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

It would be interesting to know the average age of the riders in attendance. I'm 44 and I felt like a young kid there. Not saying that is bad, just saying it seemed to me most of the riders there were older. There were lots of riders from Canada from what I could see and I'd say a number of them I rode the shuttle with and went on tours with were closer (or the same) as my age. The US riders seemed older. Again, I mean nothing by this.....it just shows the age demographic that Spyders seem to fit into the most.

I think what you saw is probably not an accurate representation of the population of US Spyder owners. Why? Because it is mostly the retired crowd who are able to find the time to go to events like this. Not many of the work age group can get away long enough to something like this. So, in short I think you were seeing a retirees vs. currently working difference.

[CanAmChris]

I think what you saw is probably not an accurate representation of the population of US Spyder owners. Why? Because it is mostly the retired crowd who are able to find the time to go to events like this. Not many of the work age group can get away long enough to something like this. So, in short I think you were seeing a retirees vs. currently working difference.

Yes, there were many USA grey beards. At 49 years, I am pretty long in the tooth. The people I met that came from California were all retired. Might have been luck of the draw, but not many young folks are willing to use a weeks worth of vacation on a specific themed event. They want to go with their friends on vacation and if you are the only one out of five that has a Spyder, and you are 28,you go where the rest of the group wants to go.

[billybovine]

Probably he was hearing stories that evolved around what they are doing. The current Spyder assembly line is being dismantled. The line and building are being revamped into an assembly line that can be used to assemble both Spyders and Ski Doos. The current Spyder line is good for Spyders only and does not run April to November. The building where the Spyder line is is also used to make the box frame for Ski Doos. The remaining assembly of Ski Doos is in another building. So I think it's the first phase of Ski Doo manufacturing that is being joined up with Spyder manufacturing in a single dual purpose line.

They had a robotic vehicle carrier being demonstrated. Follows lines and symbols on the floor for guidance. So it looks like they are going to use that system instead of a slow constantly moving conveyor. That's what they where using in GM Oshawa assembly plant when I was there in 2004. So not real new tech but a lot of advantages for the assembly line folks.

[PrairieSpyder]

They had a robotic vehicle carrier being demonstrated. Follows lines and symbols on the floor for guidance. So it looks like they are going to use that system instead of a slow constantly moving conveyor. That's what they where using in GM Oshawa assembly plant when I was there in 2004. So not real new tech but a lot of advantages for the assembly line folks.

We had a mail cart that worked like that back int eh early 90s. Not too new, I think.

[NU2Spyder]

Probably he was hearing stories that evolved around what they are doing. The current Spyder assembly line is being dismantled. The line and building are being revamped into an assembly line that can be used to assemble both Spyders and Ski Doos. The current Spyder line is good for Spyders only and does not run April to November. The building where the Spyder line is is also used to make the box frame for Ski Doos. The remaining assembly of Ski Doos is in another building. So I think it's the first phase of Ski Doo manufacturing that is being joined up with Spyder manufacturing in a single dual purpose line.

Look in your private mail box and let me know if you got any mail from me. Tryjng to find may way around site.

[safecracker]

My wife was commenting on their (BRP)marketing. She saw what all the above posters are posting about. That everybody that buys Spyder are older folks. It seems they are trying to market to younger crowd that does not have money to spend. This is just our observations. Bruce

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Look in your private mail box and let me know if you got any mail from me. Tryjng to find may way around site.

Nope, nothing there.

[viperryder]

We signed up for the before ride to the BRP plant. Notification stated ride would leave at 9:45 AM Friday morning. Put address in GPS, that was sent in email, but unable to find starting point. Was able to see about 10 or 12 other Spyders, at supposed to meet site, and a young lady came back to tell us to follow them to starting point. Well, after about another 20 minute ride we finally found starting point. We arrive about 20 minutes early and got in line for the ride, which was to leave at 9:45. A lady kept coming over the loud speaker, that they were going to start anytime. Finally at 11:25 we started to pull out of the parking lot. All morning it looked like rain, but when we left, it stated to pour. The ride to Valcourt took about 60 minutes, all in the rain. Had we left at 9:45, maybe we could have beat the rain. When we got to the plant, there was suppose to be shuttles to take people around to different places in Valcourt. Quite a few people had to walk all the way around the plant to get to the registration, in a lite rain. Finally some school buses stared arriving and we took one back the plant for a tour of the Spyder line. Friday night at the bar-b-que diner, we were able to get to the front of the food line. They had ham burgs and hot dogs along with all the fixens. My hot dog was cold, as wells, my wife's. Later we heard that some people had to wait for hours to get there food. This did not seem to be planed very much in advance.

[rnet]

Back from Valcourt and was all set up by noon here in Lake George. Premeire camp grounds here (LGRV park) all the amenteties and even free wifi at every site, so I am catching up on everything. Just to say a few things about the homecoming, first it was great to see folks that I haven't seen in awhile and it was a fabulous event even with the overcast and some rain, but I never had to put on the rain gear. The closing event made up for just 2 things that could have been better, that being the food at opening BBQ was not good and the shuttle system was inadequate after the first day, did allot of walking. Glad I was there on day one, but I do want to dwell on the on the things that were right and I'd like to thank, the BRP employees were the greatest and always there to help anyone in need, this was noticed byall, BRP for opening it's doors for all of us to see, (my favorite, watching the sleds being built on the assembley line) and might add they all came in on a saturday to do this, and of course the closing specticle with some great entertainment. Again I would like to thank BRP for putting on it's best event to date and hoping for another some day in the future, Ron

[billybovine]

OK I have a question. What's the story behind the guy dressed in the pirate outfit at the Saturday night dinner?

[WackyDan]

Guys,
We had a visitor in our small town, and he saw I owner a Spyder. He said he lives in Canada about 40 miles from where they make the Spyders. He told me that BRP was laying off worker at their plant, and may be considering shutting it down. Since I do not know the guy, or know where he lives, did any of you see any signs of slow down or closing their plant, or anything relating to his statements. To be honest, I did not believe him! I just told him I liked my Spyder!

The Spyder line does not run year round just like some of their other lines. There are workers that they lay off every single year once a production run is done. I met one of those workers this trip. Apparently in order to keep a line running all year takes about 34,000 plus units of sales/demand. BRP currently makes up to 16,000 Spyders a year. Some of the guys work multiple lines and are full time. Some get laid off yearly and then return to do it again. The guy I talked to was knowledgeable and said he liked being laid off. He has been working for BRP for several years like this.

[Gordy]

I bought 4 new gold wings and never even got a thanks .Bought one new spyder and every year BRP puts on something ,at least they appreciate us