2011 Can Am Spyder RT-S SE5 Issues?

[ronaldh2os]

I am new to this forum. I am a motorcycle owner but I have never Owned a Spyder. I am considering buying a 2011 Can Am Spyder RT-5 SE5. This bike only has 2000 miles on it and is in like new condition. Is there anything I should watch out for with this year of Spyder? Also I am trying to find out what the fair purchase price for this motorcycle would be. Any advice you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I am new to this forum. I am a motorcycle owner but I have never Owned a Spyder. I am considering buying a 2011 Can Am Spyder RT-5 SE5. This bike only has 2000 miles on it and is in like new condition. Is there anything I should watch out for with this year of Spyder? Also I am trying to find out what the fair purchase price for this motorcycle would be. Any advice you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks

... starting in 2014 the RT got the new engine and trans - much improved …. Buy you are looking at a 2011, check the Blue Book value and NADA … they tend to be a bit higher than most actually sell for also check Cycle Trader and Craigs list …. If possible get a dealer plug it into their BUDS computer, anything that was done at a BRP dealership can be printed out....this can show the REV pattern of how the bike was operated ... it may cost you or the current owner a few bucks but it is worth it. …. good luck … keep us posted …. Mike

[ARtraveler]

Glad to see you came here for some advice.

I looked up the kbb numbers for you. The RT-S version SE5 lists trade in value at $8,030. The retail price is $11,270. The magic price to buy at is somewhere between. This is for "average" miles and condition. You mention 2,000 miles so they may be putting a premium on that.

I do recommend have any CamAm Spyder dealer run the vehicle VIN. This will give an indicator of previous work done. At 2,000 miles there should have been at minimum a 600 miles break-in service. Then, service at 3,500 mile intervals. If it has been sitting around, not driven for years, I would be very careful on that. 2011 and 2012 were the best years for the 998 engine.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The OEM tires quite possibly have deteriorated from age. Also other rubber items such as vacuum hoses. Think about and look for anything that looks like it could be affected by age rather than mileage.The fluids maybe should all be changed just to be on the safe side, especially if the bike has sat and not been ridden for months on end.

[Oldtimer51]

I just learned that they Spyders ( many of them) have the dreaded "DPS CODE" problem and apparently nobody including the dealers know what is the cause of the problem. I just got a 2011 Spyder RT and the Stupid Code turned on today while on the road followed by a "Limp Mode" code which basically puts the motor at very low power. Some people think it is caused by the weak battery, loose cables, faulty signals, the Driver Power Assisted ( DPS) Unit failure you name it people has tried. I just pulled off the road, turned the engine off waited 20 seconds turned it back on and ride all the way home without any additional problem. What caused the problem? Don't Know still.

[Mikey]

I just learned that they Spyders ( many of them) have the dreaded "DPS CODE" problem and apparently nobody including the dealers know what is the cause of the problem. I just got a 2011 Spyder RT and the Stupid Code turned on today while on the road followed by a "Limp Mode" code which basically puts the motor at very low power. Some people think it is caused by the weak battery, loose cables, faulty signals, the Driver Power Assisted ( DPS) Unit failure you name it people has tried. I just pulled off the road, turned the engine off waited 20 seconds turned it back on and ride all the way home without any additional problem. What caused the problem? Don't Know still.

Keep us posted on your out come!! Having a 2012 myself I like to know of possible problems coming down the road!! Good luck

[Eviltwin]

They are good bikes, but keep in mind that its close to 10 years old and even with low miles, some things deteriorate and may need to be replaced. I would also ask about what service was done over its lifetime. With those few miles, I'll bet the oil may have been changed once during break in. You would also need to flush brake fluid and maybe antifreeze. Battery if original is probably shot. tires may look new but have been sitting for a while and the rubber tends to harden over time. In some ways its better to get a bike that has been ridden all its life and the maintenance kept up rather than a hanger queen that just sat, but that wouldnt put me off if the prices was right.

Also, be sure to run the vin and verify the mileage, don't trust what anybody says about the history unless it can be backed up with documentation.

[M109Dreamer]

I am new to this forum. I am a motorcycle owner but I have never Owned a Spyder. I am considering buying a 2011 Can Am Spyder RT-5 SE5. This bike only has 2000 miles on it and is in like new condition. Is there anything I should watch out for with this year of Spyder? Also I am trying to find out what the fair purchase price for this motorcycle would be. Any advice you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks

We have a 2011 RTS/SE5 about 15k on the mileage. I would make sure to have all of the BUDS software has been updated. Ours had a throttle body replaced under warranty. There is a TSB out for that part. Havent hear of anything else, except small things. If its been sitting, plan on new tires, new vacuum hoses and any other rubber item. They tend to break down over time.

[ARtraveler]

I posted some suggestions in post #3.

We recently traded our 2011 in for a new F3. We had 33,000 trouble free miles on it. We purchased it new in 2012 and it was serviced and maintained per the manual. No issues whatsoever.

[Oldtimer51]

They are good bikes, but keep in mind that its close to 10 years old and even with low miles, some things deteriorate and may need to be replaced. I would also ask about what service was done over its lifetime. With those few miles, I'll bet the oil may have been changed once during break in. You would also need to flush brake fluid and maybe antifreeze. Battery if original is probably shot. tires may look new but have been sitting for a while and the rubber tends to harden over time. In some ways its better to get a bike that has been ridden all its life and the maintenance kept up rather than a hanger queen that just sat, but that wouldnt put me off if the prices was right.

Also, be sure to run the vin and verify the mileage, don't trust what anybody says about the history unless it can be backed up with documentation.

My 2003 Yamaha FJR with almost 50,000 miles of actual service has NEVER left me on the middle of the road. So, age does not have to do with this DPS problem since the Spyder trike has only been on the road for 3500 miles out of those 9 years. It looks to me that by the large numbers of failures of the same components it indicates poor design or probably most likely poor quality products. It is not Ok for a fairly new vehicle of any kind to fail such a main critical component like the steering system by just seating parked in a garage. And the only solution is to pay the dealer large amouts of cash to try to resolve the issue. No reason to make excuses for a poor quality products of any kind. Most Spyders that you see for sale around the US have very low miles from owners that purchased them on impulse and never rode them much. My trike came from a Reputable dealer with only one previous owner who got sick and never rode it much. The bike was very well inspected by me and it looks like new even the paint under the chassis is in mint condition.

[Oldtimer51]

I just purchased a 2011 RT S5 with 3500 miles for $9000. Everything was kind of Ok until I did an oil change and found a small screw attached to the oil plug inside the engine. Asked a local dealer to call BRP to see if it was covered NO can do, Too old they say! I have been driving it like that and posting here and learned a lot of info on the same problem with similar bikes. Apparently BRP got wind of my postings and they called me today. Don't know what they are going to offer but will see tomorrow. Hopefully they have good news for me to post soon. I am surprized of the large number of OLD Spyders with very low miles for sale. Wonder if buyers purchased them on impulse and never rode them much. I have put almost 2500 new miles in the last 4 WEEKS in short rides. So, the previous owner put only 3500 miles in nine YEARS! What is up with that?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

What is up with that?

Buyer's remorse? I understand that's the case with any m/c. Bought on a whim and don't have time to ride, or it just isn't the thrill they anticipated, or life circumstances changed overnight, or whatever. I going to guess that most m/c put on the market are relatively low miles. That's one reason why Honda was able to offer up to 10 years warranty on Goldwings with no mileage limitation.

Let's hope for the best from BRP! We seldom see any input from BRP here on the forum, but they do monitor it.