Don't Test Ride a 2020 RT...

[MRH]

...at least unless you want to buy one!

I had a great chance at a local dealership to ride a 2020 RTL with my wife on the back. I own a 2014 RT-S SE6, and here are my impressions:

1 - Yes, I can put my shocks I got for my 2014 on a 2020. Since the shocks I have can be rebuilt by the manufacturer, they ought to be as good as new. My anti-sway bar, lid locks, and windshield can also come with me.

(now that that's out of the way)

2 - When you put the two Spyders side-by-side it really becomes much more apparent just how much the body and design has been updated. It take a lot its heart from the F3, and to me just looks a lot better. If you ride with two wheelers, like I do, taking off the back really makes it fit in better visually with conventional motorcycles. With or without it, the back is just so much better looking (as is the entire body). The flakes in the metallic paint are also striking, and really elevate the bike.

3 - Based on my limited experience on an F3, I would say that the ride and the feel of the engine is between the previous RT and the F3, and the handling is tighter. There weren't any canyons in the area, so I didn't get to test that out, but my impression is that the handling will be improved.

4 - I'm short, and that is worth addressing. I either need something to push me about two inches forward in my seat, or I'll need the short reach handlebars and some kind of extension for the break pedal. We discussed it, and it seems that I should be able to insert some kind of extension between the pedal and where it attaches, preserving the look and bringing the break forward 2-3 inches.

5 - The rear seat is larger, heated, more comfortable, and I think a bit higher. That heated seat really sold my wife, although even she was struck by seeing it in person.

6 - I know we've talked here about that misfitting bit of plastic near the passenger handles, but knowing it will eventually be fixed I can't see that it would bug me at all.

7 - Trade in value. Never mind, I can a lot better selling my 2014 myself, even if I lowball it to move it quickly.

8 - Timing. I can wait until the rebates hit and the dealers want to clear inventory. I'd rather save what might a $6K difference over six months of waiting.

9 - Chrome vs Black. I kept going back and forth on the BRP website and couldn't decide. In person, the chrome really did look a lot better with the design of this Spyder, but to each his own.

10 - They made so many very good choices in this update. While the 2010/2014 really fixed a lot of problems (engine power, dependability, etc), this update is more about taking it to the next level. It is more of a motorcycle, and less of a curiosity, which I really like.

11 - Yep, I'll get one.

12 - Do I really have to wait until September, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.....

[safecracker]

Great write up. Bruce

[woods]

Test driving a 14 is how I ended up wih my 18. Was later summer so rebates and finance deals made it sooo easy!LOL! Probly be the same with the 20,really liking them already!

[Arcamguy]

Just received my ticket to test drive one on 6/18/20 is San Antonio, TX. Excited to see how the RT is different from the F3.

[ARtraveler]

Great write up. Choices, choices, choices. It does appear that BRP has a winner on their hands.

[MRH]

Confused - "Bruce" as in "Wayne"??

-Mark

[KX5062]

You mentioned the previous generation shocks will transfer onto the new RT. Is this confirmed information? Because I haven't read this yet.

[Raprider]

Scheduled for testing in May...

[MRH]

You mentioned the previous generation shocks will transfer onto the new RT. Is this confirmed information? Because I haven't read this yet.

The Can-Am guys who are doing the ride made a phone call to check that for me. I was told that they’re interchangeable. For me, that’s not a small financial difference.

[CentralCoastCA]

Great write up. (I think we’ve seen you a few times on Foxen Canyon/Zaca Station road?)

[MRH]

Foxen is a favorite.

[safecracker]

No, Bruce "Wayne".

[sduskin]

dont wait that long...

[TicketBait]

Great write up!

So your going to keep your shocks, I too have great
shocks(works performance) They cost me $900 back in 2011, they
can be repacked. Maybe I will keep them then. So did you
keep your old shocks? or are you gonna swap them out with what
comes on the 2020? I no longer have my original shocks.

On another note back in November 2016, the last year BRP
was at the motorcycle show, ran into Mark / MRH at the show.


L/R TicketBait/ MRH, mark bruce wayne

[MRH]

So, 6 months to save 4-6K when I currently have a great Spyder seems like a very good trade-off. This a want, not a need, and $6K is more than I need to get it the way I want it.

I have Race-Tech shocks that Lou Gutowski installed, and they'll probably have only about 40K miles on them, so with a rebuild they will be more or less as good as new at a fraction of the cost. Lou usually replaces a lot of shocks, so he usually has ones lying around he can use as replacements. My plan is to pull the shocks, sway bar, and lid locks and off right before I purchase, switch my windshield and x-screen at the last moment, and then put mine up for sale, as the extras add so little value and I'd want them on this bike as well.

Thanks for posting that, TicketBait, I forgot that we did that snapshot.

[MRH]

TicketBait, on shocks that are pre-2014, I may be wrong, but as I understand it those won't fit.

[Deanna777]

Thanks for the write up.

Deanna

[blacklightning]

So, 6 months to save 4-6K when I currently have a great Spyder seems like a very good trade-off. This a want, not a need, and $6K is more than I need to get it the way I want it..

Great write up, and I agree with you 100% on being able to wait 6 months for the better deals. When they made the changes in 2014, my buddy bought one in February. He loved the bike, and it was great for him. But in September, I bought the exact same bike and saved myself $4500 off the "great" deal that he thought he had. As for me, I will probably be waiting another year just to see if there will be any driveline changes like they did with the progression of the 2013 to 2014 years. First they did suspension changes in 2013, but the real changes didn't take place until 2014. My thoughts are that they might do the same thing in 2021. Maybe not, but since I am still in love with my 2016 F3T, I don't have a problem waiting for a while.

[ARtraveler]

To wait, or not to wait...that is the question.

I have done it both ways. The 2014 was purchased at the beginning of the run, April 2014. No spectacular deals. But the yellow was really pretty.

The 2019 was purchased at the end of the cycle. December 2019. I did get a good enough deal to make me jump on the purchase. I got a color that I was happy with...but I do favor the red that is being offered on the new 20's.

Three of the other four, 2008, 2009, ,2010 were purchased when they first came out. I got the first 08 sold in AK to a customer.

The 2011 was purchased in 2012 at a pretty good savings. There is the whole history.

[scooterexpress]

this is true traded in my2011rts for 2015 rtl was told my elkas were not interchangeable..

I need to know if the exhaust system is the same as of a 2015 and also the cat delete will be the same?? anyone

[al0vely]

Thanks for your write-up.

I too have a Yeller 2014 RTS that I am thinking about parting ways with to get the 2020 when the price drops OR I find a gently used one in a buyers remorse sell.

[KX5062]

this is true traded in my2011rts for 2015 rtl was told my elkas were not interchangeable..

I need to know if the exhaust system is the same as of a 2015 and also the cat delete will be the same?? anyone

I can't say for sure, but after crawling around underneath my 2020, I believe the exhaust systems are the same. From my memories of my 2014, I can't see any difference, especially in the area of the cat back to the tip of the tailpipe.

[MrBill5491]

Our dealer here is having test ride days the next 3 days here. They have 3 2020 RTs in the line up. But after looking at one, I'm not that impressed with it, gonna stay with our 2015 RT for now, need to put some miles on it. Only have 6,300 on it since we bought it in the summer of 2017.

[MRH]

Our dealer here is having test ride days the next 3 days here. They have 3 2020 RTs in the line up. But after looking at one, I'm not that impressed with it, gonna stay with our 2015 RT for now, need to put some miles on it. Only have 6,300 on it since we bought it in the summer of 2017.

I’ve got 65K on a 14, and still couldn’t make a good argument that this is something I need. I do think it’s become reasonable though, to get another one if I’d like.

With a 10th of the number of miles, and a third of the time, I couldn’t imagine any good reason to make a jump unless you’re having serious mechanical issues.