Hate to be a party pooper but...

[GregQ]

Got a new out of the box 2019 Spyder RT Limited in April 2021. Just passed 1000 miles on the odometer. Here's the deal.

Of course, 3 wheels is not 2 wheels. Still getting used to that. But I've got some gripes and would love to hear your comments.

I cannot enjoy the ride because of the left/right twitchiness. Bought a Baja Ron sway bar but have not yet had it installed. Hoping that will make a difference.

The Spyder size for me seems a bit cramped. I'm 5'10", 242 pounds. It seems especially cramped when riding 2-up. Duh.

I'm 65 years old, started riding with a Cyclops mini bike at age 8. I've had a lot of bikes of various styles. I'll list some highlights below. This is my first 3 wheeler. I got the Spyder cause I dumped my 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale while STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN! So the Spyder keeps me from repeating that stupidity. That's good.

But the Spyder feels a bit like a toy compared to ALL my other bikes. I don't want a toy, I want a BIKE! Being passed on the expressway at any speed by a tractor/trailer is very disconcerting.

As background for my riding experience, some of the bikes I've had are:

Honda Super Cub - 125cc
Allstate Scooter - 90cc
Norton Atlas - 750cc
Harley Sportster XLCH - 900cc
Kawasaki GPz 750
Yamaha Venture Royale - 1200cc - which I currently still own and love.

The reason for my post is this: I really want to like the Spyder and can't quite get there. I frequently ride 2-up and the wife LOVES it.

Any thoughts?

[bigbadbrucie]

You don’t mention having had it done, so I’m guessing that you haven’t.....Get a Lazer alignment done. It’s not a two wheeler but a three and thy need wheel alignment and needs to be done by a SKILLED technician.

[CopperSpyder]

Here is what I see. The seating is way different then what you are use to. Looks like you are use to having your feet out front like the Spyder F3L has not the RTL so you will have to get use to having you feet bellow you instead of in front like your two wheeler. The Bajaron bar will help with cornering and feeling more stable. I would look to see if you have someone around your area that do laser alignment on Spyders. Then there is just plan 'o seat time and reading the forum here for things that might interest you like better tires or other mods like arm rest etc. It's never as easy as it sounds, Good luck it will come to you with a little time.

[UtahPete]

It's a completely different riding experience from anything you've ridden before. It has its pros and cons and a (re)learning curve.

Comfort seat will give you more room, but your passenger less. I think you need to get more miles on it before deciding what mods to make to it.

Twitchiness is relative. A beefier sway bar won't help with that, but an alignment MAY be in order. More likely it's in your riding technique. Plenty of info on this forum about that.

[BajaRon]

There is a definite transitional period of varying degrees from 2 wheels to 3. At 1,000 miles, you should be just about there. Are these all your miles? 1,000 miles in maybe 2 years isn't ideal. It's a bit of a vicious cycle. If you don't like the Spyder, then you don't ride it. But you have to ride it to get used to it. And you won't like it until that happens. 1,000 miles in a few months would give you a quicker trip over the learning hump.

When you have 2 wheels out front, the machine necessarily has to follow the road surface. 2 wheels will never encounter this left/right movement. The Spyder has no choice in this. It's a matter of physics. Though there are some things that will help to control and lessen it. Most learn to ignore it. If you concentrate on any particular Idiosyncrasy that aggravates you. You'll never get over it. It will just get worse.

As far as getting passed on the highway. I find that I don't get passed unless I don't care one way or the other. Your 2019 Spyder isn't a crotch rocket. But it should have no trouble keeping up. Even 2-up. Don't be shy to rev it. If it's lagging. You may be lugging it. It doesn't really make good HP until you get to 5,500+ RPM.

I too had been riding for a long time when I went to my Spyder. I absolutely hated it. It actually scared me for a short time. But I rode it as much as I could. It took about 600 miles and 30 days to get the hang of it. It's been all love between us since then. Hopefully, you will find the same. There has to be some incentive to make it work if the wife is happy.

[Bartender]

Actually, one of my previous rides was a twin to your Venture followed by a BMW 1200rt and a Kasasaki Councours C14 just so you will know that I have known and loved some well performing two wheelers. I too hated the Spyder when I first got it. I could repeat BajaRons comments and in fact at some points at first it actually scared me. It is a 2019 RTL SE6. At first I was ready to sell it and go looking for another two wheeler but I didn't. I had sold my C14 at the same time I bought the RT just so I wouldn't be tempted to just slide back. I did get it lazer aligned, installed a BajaRon Sway bar and new tires all the way around. Now I love it. I think the sway bar and alignment were the real solution but who knows. I just know that now I'm glad I want to Spyder Land. No more worrying about dropping the bike in the parking lots, looking for a level place to park and on and on. Get your bike aligned, install a sway bar, loosen your grip on the bars and enjoy it. You won't regret giving it a chance. I plan to get the ECU flashed to Monster Stage II this fall but if you give it a chance to rev a little it will get down the road.

[JayBros]

Others have addressed the sway bar and, most important, laser alignment plus MILES YOU NEED TO GET ON THE BIKE. Regarding the twitchiness, you absolutely MUST learn to totally relax your grip on the bars. With a tight grip EVERY movement of your arms and torso, no matter how slight or what causes it, gets transferred to the bars and causes the twitchiness.

[Mazo EMS2]

Lazer alignment, sway bar, proper/equal tire pressures up front, and a looser grip will all help you adapt to the two wheels up front. Remember, you're feeling twice as much of the road contours and that will give it that twitchy feel too. Give it time and keep that grip loose. You'll learn to like it and then ask why you didn't do it a long time ago. There are after market seats that would help you too.

[pidjones]

I was having issues with the being tossed about right-left until I realized that I was locking my elbows. Once I bent my arms at the elbows it suddenly became natural. Many things are this way - fly casting and bait casting are different but each has the things that you must learn to make them work.

[BajaRon]

A bit off subject. But let me just say this.

There are a lot of boards out there, that if a person made similar comments about the groups beloved ride, would have gotten flamed unmercifully by this point. It would be a dog-pile for sure. I commend this great bunch of Spyder Ryders for not only being kind, but giving some very good, heart felt advise to someone going through the discouragement and indecision of a new ride that might be giving him buyers remorse. I suppose it helps that most of us have gone through this same scenario.

I appreciate all of you! You make this, what I consider to be, the best forum I've ever been a part of.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Having many years of riding TWO wheelers is IMHO a detriment to riding a Spyder .... If you just drive it like a CAR you will do much better .... The Spyder feels much better if you ONLY " guide it " around. As others haver said it is going to take about 1000 mi. before you start to feel comfortable. Mike

[Bill W.]

Wife was in the driveway one afternoon as I was putting my 1985 Venture away coming home from work. She told me that after all the years we had been together, she really wanted to start going on rides with me. I jokingly said "Well, we will have to buy a different motorcycle then." "OK" she said, and walked into the house. The rest, as they say, is history!
Wanted a trike, no more holding up a bike at a red light sort of thing. A work friend had an F3, said you've got to try a Spyder! Went out and rode a couple, liked the RT best. Ended up getting a used 2014 RTL, and have proceeded to put over 30k miles on it, about a third of them 2-up.
The hardest thing for me was to loosen my grip on the handlebars. It's going to wander a bit more than you're used to, just because you've got more rubber on the road, more contact with the bumps and cracks and all the other stuff that roads can throw your way. You have to unlearn the 2 wheeled-ness that you're comfortable with, and learn the ways of 3 wheeled-ness. We've all done it! Get out there and ride, ride, and ride some more! Have fun! Isn't that why you own a Spyder??

[BajaRon]

Having many years of riding TWO wheelers is IMHO a detriment to riding a Spyder .... If you just drive it like a CAR you will do much better .... The Spyder feels much better if you ONLY " guide it " around. As others haver said it is going to take about 1000 mi. before you start to feel comfortable. Mike

I agree to a point. There is no doubt that a 2 wheeled brain is, initially, a great detriment. But once you get your brain cross trained. There are a great many 2 wheel safety skills that transfer to the Spyder. Skills that an inexperienced rider is wise to learn. The safety factor of a Spyder is light years ahead of 2 wheels. But you still need to lean the tricks to riding safely. So, what you learned on 2 wheels is far from a total loss on a Spyder.

[JKMSPYDER]

Greg regarding Laser alignment, Extreme Propulsion in Cartersville does Laser alignments. They aligned my new ‘2015 F3-S when I bought it over five years ago and did a great job. Check your tire pressures, use a loose grip on the bars, get a Laser alignment and BajaRon’s bar and I think you will fall in love with your Spyder.

[GregQ]

Greg regarding Laser alignment, Extreme Propulsion in Cartersville does Laser alignments. They aligned my new ‘2015 F3-S when I bought it over five years ago and did a great job. Check your tire pressures, use a loose grip on the bars, get a Laser alignment and BajaRon’s bar and I think you will fall in love with your Spyder.

I've been to Extreme Propulsion and talked to them about Lazer Alignment. Really good folks. Based on that conversation, my plan is to get the Sway Bar installed, see what difference it makes, then get Lazer Aligned and see what difference THAT makes.

Regarding tire pressure, after much tweaking, I've settled on 18.5 PSI* up front and 20 PSI rear. Again, all comments welcomed and encouraged.

I've read the "Do's and Don'ts" sticky 50 times. And as was stated by Bill W. and JayBros, loosening my handlebar grip made a LARGE positive difference.

As far as flaming goes, I spent a lot of time lurking and reading before I posted about "Party Pooper". It seemed most folks were just friendly and happy to help. So I knew there was a risk, but based on my observations, went ahead with the post. And so far, it turns out I was right. Look at the helpful replies I've gotten already. You folks are fabulous and should be proud to be on this forum. I know I'm proud of it.

My "Being passed on the expressway" refers to the wind blast that seems to adversely affect the Spyder more than any of my other large bikes.

I put the thousand miles on the Spyder since April this year. So I'm also hoping that continuing to ride will will settle some of my qualms.

Thank you all so very much. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

[happyspyder2039]

Check your tires pressure. If the fronts are to high the twitches are worse. Especially on stock tires

[Navydad]

Yes, the wind blasts can be brutal, but remember the RT is a much bigger target than a two wheeler. I compare it to pushing a barn door down the road. The sway bar will help with that a good bit.

[bigbadbrucie]

GregQ, your tire pressures sound in the ballpark...IF YOU’RE ON CAR TIRES, but if you’re on Kendas, you’re too light. As for the swaybar and the lazer alignment, I’d reverse the order...alignment first and see the difference. After 5 years of my RTS, I still have the original swaybar. jmho

[RICZ]

+ TWICHINESS is caused by too tight a grip and tense arms. OPEN HANDS, LOOSE ARMS = no twitches.
+ Yes, get that laser alignment. It will help with control.
+ No, don't put the sway bar on until you feel you have complete control of the bike. First, it isn't going to help you climb the learning curve. Second, once you mastered controlling the bike, only then put the sway bar on. Then you will know what it dos for the handling. Bajaron told me that and I am grateful I listened.
+ Make certain there is the correct air pressure in the tires per the manual and the sticker under the frunk lid. Very important.
+ These engines love to rev -- shift at 3500+ rpm. Don't ride under 2800 rpm.
+ Lastly, but most importantly -- read the manual cover to cover.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

IMO the most important thing is be open minded and recognize that being an experienced two wheel rider does not make you an experienced three wheel rider. Recognize and accept the fact the Spyder is different, especially in cornering. Look for those differences and then figure out how to deal with them. As far as buffeting let your body be buffeted and stay loose on the Spyder. The Spyder will track straight as long as you don't let your body movements get transferred to it.

To a great extent you ride a two wheeler but you drive a Spyder, especially in corners.

[Woodaddict]

have you ever rode a off road 4 wheeler?? or the really old 3 wheeler?? I have when you make a turn, they want to throw you opposite way of the turn. kinda same way as spyder. best way to ride, is keep torso / body upright, let the spyder follow pitch / roll of road by flexing elbows / wrist. this will keep you from getting seasick!!

i still have 2 wheeler, i much like the spyder better for wind blasts. on 2 wheeler you'd be leaning into the wind blast and maybe more swaying back and forth. following a semi with wind whipping around sides of trailer, can get you scared in a hurry on 2 wheeler, more stable for me on spyder.

JUST MORE SEAT TIME NEEDED................. lately, been alot of these same new spyder rider comments, "I don't like my ride", that this forum are helping these new riders get acquainted with 3 wheels

[MonPaul]

A lot of great advice here. I just wanted to add that if you are feeling like you made a mistake purchasing the Spyder, I think those of us who came from 2 wheels all felt that way at some time. Just give it more time, it took me like 1500 miles to feel comfortable! But I still remember that day - it was like riding a different bike and I was wondering why I had so many problems before.

[Piratezz]

Agree with all the advice given, Ride your spyder, go to a parkinglot, or large slab of asfalt, look for the limits( while being comfortable), and you'll see, that the spyder, is more than capable, of fullfilling all your needs.
I tried many manouvres, and still not close on the limit, with the spyder, but don't backup at high speed (ask me how I know), that's terrifying....

Furthermore, it's a blast to drive, when you get the hang of it, I ride in a group, with all kind of motorcycles, Ducati's, Honda's etc. even a few quad's, mostly the racers have commented, wow, your spyder does corner....
Have a Laser aligment, swaybar, and upgrades shocks, on my spyder f3s, even a custom tune, but do your upgrades, one at the time, so you feel the difference, Myself did it in this order, swaybar, aligment, tyres( that makes the most difference), and then shocks front and back, Now the machine is ready to tackle anything.

So drive, enjoy, It will grow on you

[Patt]

After riding 2 wheels for 55 years,had a crash,6 weeks in hospital,time for 3 wheels,took to the Spider like a Duck to water,maybe being a Plant Operator helped,Diggers in particular require soft hand operating,probably can get through the twistis quicker than when I was on 2 wheels ,ride 2 up with the wife,after 18 months she is still not liking it as much as my bikes,not leaning in the corners is her problem ,but does enjoy the comfort & smooth ride, good comments from other riders you will master it in time,my F3 Limited is Stock Standard,it does get a little body roll 2 up , might look at a sway bar in the future but only because I ride 2 up regularly.
John

[fredgal]

after riding atv's all my life, it was a piece of cake when i first rode my F3L, almost 1000 miles and i love it, spyders have a fun factor, fun to ride, i also came from a 1500 vulcan classic, sold it and will never own another 2 wheeler.... hang in there, nice roads are your friend ,