Reliability of the Spyder

[vito1943]

Back in 2015, Consumer Reports rated the reliability of all the major motorcycle brands, and Can Am was at the very bottom of the list. Do you think things have gotten better in the last 6 years or is the Can Am Spder the Fiat of the motorcycle world?

[ARtraveler]

I know the report of which you speak.

I have a long history with the product. I bought the first one sold in AK in 2008. I have owned seven Spyders since then. All have NEVER had a major problem with them. I have done oil changes, tune ups, tires, and a couple batteries. That's it.

As of my most recent tally, I have 175,000 plus miles with the lineup.

I would say we are hearing fewer complaints than in times past. 2013 was the year of "watch out, your Spyder is going to self incinerate." There were less than 10 fires total. But it hurt the rep for a couple years. Many jumped on the bandwagon to try to kill the line. It did not work.

Now we are going through a year of dealer complaints. Most of that seems to be coming from dealers that don't know about them or just plain incompetency. I am kind of timing out now at 75. Just bought two brand new ones and these will probably last us. Time will tell.

[Jheck]

Back in 2015, Consumer Reports rated the reliability of all the major motorcycle brands, and Can Am was at the very bottom of the list. Do you think things have gotten better in the last 6 years or is the Can Am Spder the Fiat of the motorcycle world?

I don’t think they have anymore or less problems than say Harly Davidson or Indian. That’s just my opinion. What really hinders them is that their dealer network sucks. A touring bike is only as good as it’s dealer network. I have a 2014 and have had very little trouble with it, but because of the dealers being so few and far between I am very hesitant to take on a cross country tour. Which is maybe a good things because being in my 70’s multi day rides hurt a hell of a lot more than they used to. Lol
P.S. I’m with blue knight. Love riding my Spyder, but if Honda came out with a reverse trike. I would go that route.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Back in 2015, Consumer Reports rated the reliability of all the major motorcycle brands, and Can Am was at the very bottom of the list. Do you think things have gotten better in the last 6 years or is the Can Am Spder the Fiat of the motorcycle world?

The main issue as I see it - is the more complicated the machine ( any machine ) the more things that can go wrong.... and Spyders are complicated. The largest issue are the Spyders computers ... Spyders have quite a few ... the other issue is " redundancy ". Spyders have more than a few " over-lapping " systems , which makes diagnosing a problem more difficult not less .... I have over 100,000 mi. on three Spyders 2 V-twins and 1 triple, I haven't had any issues that weren't re-solved easily and mostly by me ( not a dealer ) .... I looooooooooooove my Spyders, but if Honda ever does a reverse trike, I'll probably go that route ..... Mike

[Motorcycledave]

The Spyder is fine maybe a little more finicky than than others.... HOWEVER they are more costly to repair
than any of the 30+ motorcycles I have ever owned. Service and parts are the biggest problem, you can find a
Harley, Honda, Yamaha, Indian, Suzuki, dealer almost any place city and state but that is not the case with
BRP there dealer network is lacking, they need many more dealers and service centers.

[UtahPete]

...is the Can Am Spder the Fiat of the motorcycle world?

Could be...the Fiat 124 Spyder was a great car in its day.

[Sarge707]

I have 85,000 miles in total on 4 Can ams and never towed or stuck.

[vito1943]

I appreciate t he remarks. At 78 this is my first Spyder, and could well be my last "motorcycle". I will not go gently into that dark night, but reality and age is what made me trade in my wonderful (but far too heavy for me) Goldwing. The degree of confidence I have with the Spyder is enormous, as for the last year or so I was always concerned when riding two up and coming to a stop that I did not have a tipover. That worry is gone for me, and just as important, for my wife. I was on a group ride today and as it turned out, all of the other riders were on Goldwing trikes. I wouldn't trade my Spyder for any of them.

[bigbadbrucie]

I appreciate t he remarks. At 78 this is my first Spyder I was on a group ride today and as it turned out, all of the other riders were on Goldwing trikes. I wouldn't trade my Spyder for any of them.

Why would you NOT trade any of them for a GoldWing trike? My RTS has been great, no worries other than a lack of dealers when I’m on a trip/tour, but that has often made me wish that I had a GW trike. This, from another 78 y/o, and I’ve had my Spyder now for almost 6 years.

[BajaRon]

I think that there is a little bit of Apples and Oranges with these Spyder reliability reports. There have been issues with the Spyder. Just as there are with any machine. The question is, is it more than average? Maybe. Is it the worst? I really don't thing so.

First, many of the 'Issues' were minor and easily fixed, (though some with potentially major consequences if not corrected).

Second, and I think more important. The percentage of Spyders sold to buyers of their first ever motorcycle, are much higher than probably any other machine, not counting smaller bikes specifically designed to appeal to a first time rider with such features as low price and simplicity. Combining a brand new motorcycle rider with a highly sophisticated machine has added a great deal of unnecessary issues. Like clutch & engine problems resulting from people lugging the engine.

Third, the Spyder, being the new, and unique, kid on the block, was, and still is, getting a lot of attention. And, there have always been a good number of old school riders that wanted to hate the Spyder, for various reasons. Not that the Spyder didn't have problems. But I think they got the magnifying glass and not necessarily a fair review.

Regrettably, when you're honest. The Spyder is not as reliable as it could be, or should be. At the same time, I think the Spyder has gotten an undeserved reputation as to the severity and frequency of problems. Especially in relationship to other machines. It is obvious that BRP has made great strides in reliability. And I don't think they were ever as bad as some try to make them out to be.

[trong]

Hi all,
First of all, I have a 2013 Spyder RT-L, I don't think mine is more or less reliable than the 14 Japanese motorcycles I've had over the 4 decades. I think the problem is BRP set their price too high for the Spyder models and owners expect prefect bullet proof machines. IMHO, I think these machines are built as solid as any other motorcycle brand mechanically. Yes the Spyders have their share of design flaws and manufacturing defects, but not out of the ordinary. Most of the problems I have seen on this board are computer related issues, and it happened to me. The Transmission Control Unit in my Spyder had to be reset by a dealer, it just misbehaved during a ride. No components had been replaced, just computer reset. Just for giggle, my $106K German car had problem recognizing the keys intermittently, it took the dealer 4 months trying to fix the problem, finally the manufacturer decided to replace the computer and the keys, problem went away.
Another problem I think is Consumer Report is not unbiased like they say they are.

Cheers!

[vito1943]

I didn’t trike my Goldwing for a few reasons. One was that I did not want the two wheel in the rear design, which to me felt inherently unstable. Second, the cost to trike my Goldwing would have been many thousands more than to trade it in and buy a new RT. And third, I was just ready for something new after 5 years with a Goldwing.

[Plarimer]

I’ve had no issues with my 2016 RT, and I would also like to say it has the best brakes of any two or three wheel vehicle I’ve ever owned. I can remember when Harley was owned by AMF, you could follow where they were going by the parts that were falling off like breadcrumbs on a forest trail. Now of course they’ve certainly gotten much better and they certainly have more support locations. But I truly believe Can-Am will step up to the plate and become better each year.

[Rednaxs60]

Spyder reliability can't be much different than any other vehicle on the road. We will put 10,000 Kms or miles on a vehicle in the local area but never venture out into the unknown because it might break down - then what? Have a good roadside assistance package. Asked a friend years ago about touring on a motorcycle just after I bought my '85 Goldwing Limited Edition in 2015 - not many places willing to work on this older motorcycle. He mentioned that you do all the maintenance/work you can think of and is required - don't defer anything, if you think you will do it after you get back - do it before you leave, have a good roadside assistance package, and VISA.

Those who have ventured out to Alaska, northern Canada such as Dawson city can appreciate that there is not much up there to assist you. If you have a breakdown for whatever reason, help is not close by. Getting parts for whatever vehicle is a challenge. Worst case is a flight home, car/truck and trailer back to pick up your vehicle, or you may just leave it there, transfer ownership to a person in the area - have read where this has been done.

Don't let your vehicle/tools dictate how you are going to enjoy life. Life's too short - eat dessert first! Just some thoughts. Cheers

[larryd]

I didn’t trike my Goldwing for a few reasons. One was that I did not want the two wheel in the rear design, which to me felt inherently unstable. Second, the cost to trike my Goldwing would have been many thousands more than to trade it in and buy a new RT. And third, I was just ready for something new after 5 years with a Goldwing.

I try to follow the reverse trike Goldwing aftermarket options available...If someone offered a 2018 or newer GW reverse trike that really caught my eye I'd have one...I like the looks of the R18's but to the best of my knowledge they are not available for the latest generations GW's...The Motor Trike's reverse trike is NOT eye appealing at all to me and I don't think they are available for the latest GW either...The only player that I know of is Endeavor...I never seen one in person, and know very little about them...

I was hoping that Honda or Yamaha would have stepped up by now with a factory build one, but no one has...

And for me at 78 it soon won't matter...

larryd

[ARtraveler]

I think that there is a little bit of Apples and Oranges with these Spyder reliability reports. There have been issues with the Spyder. Just as there are with any machine. The question is, is it more than average? Maybe. Is it the worst? I really don't thing so.

First, many of the 'Issues' were minor and easily fixed, (though some with potentially major consequences if not corrected).

Second, and I think more important. The percentage of Spyders sold to buyers of their first ever motorcycle, are much higher than probably any other machine, not counting smaller bikes specifically designed to appeal to a first time rider with such features as low price and simplicity. Combining a brand new motorcycle rider with a highly sophisticated machine has added a great deal of unnecessary issues. Like clutch & engine problems resulting from people lugging the engine.

Third, the Spyder, being the new, and unique, kid on the block, was, and still is, getting a lot of attention. And, there have always been a good number of old school riders that wanted to hate the Spyder, for various reasons. Not that the Spyder didn't have problems. But I think they got the magnifying glass and not necessarily a fair review.

Regrettably, when you're honest. The Spyder is not as reliable as it could be, or should be. At the same time, I think the Spyder has gotten an undeserved reputation as to the severity and frequency of problems. Especially in relationship to other machines. It is obvious that BRP has made great strides in reliability. And I don't think they were ever as bad as some try to make them out to be.

Well said.

[ARtraveler]

One of the reasons "against" GW trikes is the one wheel in front design. Easy to do a tip over if all the things line up for it.

Another problem, most dealers absolutely refuse to do any work on a GW trike modification. They say the warranty is voided and go on from there.

I like the bigger engine, the amenenities, but never jumped in because of the above. All my "trikes" have been Spyders.

And now (two months later) after my trade off of two wheels (forever), I do not miss them. I have a feeling of a bit more safety since I am not likely to tip over when coming to a stop. I can still do my almost daily rides, and now with a bit more confidence.

[Fatcycledaddy]

Just got back from a 2 week, 4,000 mile trip out west towing a camper.
We always run back roads and in some places would drive over 50 miles before we saw another car, and there were a hundred miles plus between gas stations.
Just as with the 2015 that we put 45,000 miles on, the 2020 RTL never missed a beat. Some ares only had 87 gas available, but the spyder kept going. Up and over Beartooth HWY and never hesitated, just like the 2015.

On any forum such as this, people come here with problems and ask for help so the problems are magnified. Get out and ride, trust it until it gives you a reason not to.

At the Deadwood three wheel rally there were hundreds of spyders and everyone was riding in places that would suck id you were stranded, I didn't see a single spyder sitting on the side of the road broken down. I did see a couple of other brands, but I wont mention them.

As Peter always says "ride more worry less"!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Just got back from a 2 week, 4,000 mile trip out west towing a camper.
We always run back roads and in some places would drive over 50 miles before we saw another car, and there were a hundred miles plus between gas stations.
Just as with the 2015 that we put 45,000 miles on, the 2020 RTL never missed a beat. Some ares only had 87 gas available, but the spyder kept going. Up and over Beartooth HWY and never hesitated, just like the 2015.

On any forum such as this, people come here with problems and ask for help so the problems are magnified. Get out and ride, trust it until it gives you a reason not to.

At the Deadwood three wheel rally there were hundreds of spyders and everyone was riding in places that would suck id you were stranded, I didn't see a single spyder sitting on the side of the road broken down. I did see a couple of other brands, but I wont mention them.

As Peter always says "ride more worry less"!

"
Is it your feeling that ( any ) Spyder WON'T run fine on 87 octane with or without " Ethanol added . ????? .... Except for a brief testing period ALL my Spyders have been using 87 oct. and mostly with Ethanol in it. Over 100,000 mi. total ..... Mike

[NuttyBuckeye]

I’ve had just one recall issue with my 2018 RTL, the parking brake motor. I will agree with those on available dealer services and the techs that work on them. I’m guessing a lot of techs don’t ride Spyders. It’s a different species from a car or motorcycle. The dealer I have gone to also sells Polaris and Indian so a lot of different machinery goes thru their shop.

I will be working on the basic maintenance myself moving forward. I get tired of hearing ‘you have to leave it here for a few days (up to a week). I will go for software updates and tire replacements. I just don’t want to invest any more more on support equipment. Investing in such would save in the long term, but I don’t know if I’ll stay with the Spyder long term.

There’s a Spyder Tech guy out in Washington that has a YouTube channel. He rides them and knows them. Very informative videos…TheSmoaksVlogs. Wish he was closer.

I will say, just ride and enjoy whether it be a day trip or longer. Things can happen on any vehicle you choose to take on that trip. Deal with it when it happens ����

[Fatcycledaddy]

No, I know the spyder will run on it, and I get the no Ethyl in all octane, if it is available. Just in the higher altitude, towing the trailer up steep grades, I like to run the higherr octanes.

[Baron14y]

I guess I'm lucky (maybe I shouldn't say anything. The Gods that control these things might get mad.) I bought a used 2015 RTL a few years ago and the only problem I've had is a leaking seal. What I don't understand is why, when a Spyder is not under warranty, that you drive many miles to go to a dealer if there is a local shop that knows Spyders. In my case, there are at least two motorcycle shops that know Spyders and work on them. At least as well as a dealer (in most cases better) and far less expensive. Replacing the seal took about 2 1/2 hrs labor and with parts, fees, and tax, the total was $197.95. $70.00/hr labor v. $120.00.

[UtahPete]

I guess I'm lucky (maybe I shouldn't say anything. The Gods that control these things might get mad.) I bought a used 2015 RTL a few years ago and the only problem I've had is a leaking seal. What I don't understand is why, when a Spyder is not under warranty, that you drive many miles to go to a dealer if there is a local shop that knows Spyders. In my case, there are at least two motorcycle shops that know Spyders and work on them. At least as well as a dealer (in most cases better) and far less expensive. Replacing the seal took about 2 1/2 hrs labor and with parts, fees, and tax, the total was $197.95. $70.00/hr labor v. $120.00.

You are very fortunate to have those options.

[BigLenny]

I do remember that 2015 CR motorcycle reliability report. It was a huge thing at the time among the motorcycle enthusiast world. A lot of people were talking about it. CR rated Yamaha as the most reliable motorcycle brand in the market, and that really didn't surprise me at all, given the fact that my wife and I had spent many trouble free years riding a Yamaha touring bike while experiencing 38 states of our beautiful nation. There are a number of people on the Venturerider forum that have eclipsed 200K miles on one single Yamaha Venture bike. 100K miles on that machine is very common. Honda was rated #2 on that list, and I believe it was followed by Suzuki, and Kawasaki. I certainly remember Can Am being rated at the bottom of the list, but was I was kind of confused by that ranking, because I think I remember BMW being right above them. And, that didn't make too much sense to me because I know a number of folks that own BMW's, and they ride the heck out of those bikes, all over the nation, and abroad.

I tell you one thing that kind of told me a lot of what Americans think of quality: Harley Davidson was ranked smack dab in the middle of the ranking, or they might've even been a tad lower than halfway, I can't quite remember. But, they were rated #1 in overall customer satisfaction. I was dumbfounded at that. Here is a brand that was obviously not rated very good in quality, but had the highest ranking in customer satisfaction. I have my own opinions about what that says, but, I wonder what you folks think that says about us Americans, and our buying tendencies.

So, here I am 6 years after that initial CR ranking. In 2015 I was in the middle of enjoying the many years of Yamaha bliss, and now I have left that brand for what that ranking says is the worst quality brand. Well, I don't think I believe that ranking. Or, maybe Can Am was just getting it's quality legs under itself back then, but I certainly think the 2020 RTL I bought last October is a solid quality built machine. Now, Is it as good as a Yamaha, my gut tells me it's probably not, but, is it way better now than back then? I'd say you betchya. Or, at least I'm hoping like heck it is.

I know we're enjoying the heck out of our Spyder!

Big Lenny

[Eckhard]

Back in 2015, Consumer Reports rated the reliability of all the major motorcycle brands, and Can Am was at the very bottom of the list. Do you think things have gotten better in the last 6 years or is the Can Am Spider the Fiat of the motorcycle world?

Why ask the question when you have already bought one. Don't second guess yourself. Get out there and ride it and let us know if Consumer Reports got it right.. Better yet just ride it.

BTW did you look at the Tilting Motor Works conversion? I'd love one but my Goldwing is too old.