About to purchase, need advice

[PANDA81]

I am getting to notice that it is getting hard to stabilize my bike especially with my wife, looking at several options, spyders are definitely at the top of my list by looks alone, i have done extensive research and found that owners are having issues, ie transmissions, paint, dealership knowledge of repair and product warranty. i would love to have honest feedback on any and all issues as well as notable accounts of owning one. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. thanks

[fredgal]

I am getting to notice that it is getting hard to stabilize my bike especially with my wife, looking at several options, spyders are definitely at the top of my list by looks alone, i have done extensive research and found that owners are having issues, ie transmissions, paint, dealership knowledge of repair and product warranty. i would love to have honest feedback on any and all issues as well as notable accounts of owning one. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. thanks

really love mine, 1000 miles this yr so far,,, dead battery yesterday morning, dealer is giving me a new one under warrenty, as i bought a 2020 leftover back in april, F3L....... the battery is prolly 2 yrs old,,, when on trickle charger it never reached full charge, so i suspect it was bad from the start.. they are lots of fun to ride, dont miss my 1500 vulcan one bit...

[ARtraveler]

Only a test ride will help you determine if the Spyder is good for you. On any site for a particular brand, you are going to hear more complaints than compliments. The most vocal tend to come out of the woodwork.

Personally, I have owned seven Spyders. Had the first one sold to a customer in Alaska. Had two GS/RS, three RT's, and now two F3's. Almost 200,000 total miles. I still like em. No major problems on any of them. No major warranty work on any of them.

[Pooch]

YOU TWO NEED TO TAKE SOME TEST DRIVES!!!

i switched from my beloved Gold Wing trike in February. No regrets!
I was test driving and waiting since 2017 to see if they would ever make some design changes I really wanted… they did in 2020 and I bought a 2021 Spyder RT Ltd.
Finally… they incorporated the handling, storage and comfort I was looking for.
It’s so nice to sit at a long stop light and not have to feather the clutch and throttle. I have been driving motorcycles since 1978 and this was beginning to get tiresome for my hands.
The reverse on this bike is phenomenal compared to my Gold Wing. I have had to back up on a pretty good incline with no hesitation at all.
Heated seats and grips.. front and back. Windshield automatically raises/lowers..or you can set it somewhere in-between. Large foot boards for lots of room. Storage is excellent with a top trunk that can fit 2 helmets, saddlebags, and a front trunk..called a “Frunk”.
Automatic suspension adjusts itself for the size load on its back.
Rides so smooth and and handles so nice now that I have lowered the air pressure in the front tires to 18.. as opposed to BRP recommended 20#. The power steering is excellent .. takes a very light hand.
Of course there are a couple of things that could be changed… no hand brake… its all foot brake. Reaching for this brake was a very ingrained habit. But I have found the foot brake to have plenty of stopping power.
The BRP system is questionable…but then I don’t use it.. I am a solo driver and usually like to listen to my own thoughts as I drive down the road…. But The speakers are really good for the FM radio setting. We use SENA 50S for bike-to-bike/driver-to-passenger conversation.

Keep an open mind when you first drive this machine.
Take it slow for a bit. They do not handle like a 2-wheeler or a trike conversion… and the dealer probably has too much air in the front tires which can make the handling real twitchy…

JUST GO TAKE SOME TEST DRIVES!!!! Only you can decide for yourself if its for you! Let us know what you decide!

[Arion]

Spyders are just like any other complex mechanical/electronic device - automobile, motorcycle, etc. Regardless of the price, quality and durability there are likely to be problems. Compared to some motorcycles, Spyders are well built and reliable. Our local dealers (there are three in the area) are reasonable and reputable. There are those who become upset over the wait for parts, but much of that results from manufacturing and distribution difficulties, and restrictions on border crossing between the US and Canada which have been caused, or at least exacerbated by the pandemic.

With one exception (an old and weak battery) we've had no problems with our three Spyders. My 2015 RT-S has performed faultlessly since I bought it "pre-owned" four years ago. My wife's first Spyder was a 2012 RTL we also bought used with over 30,000 miles under its belt. We traded it with over 45,000 miles for a 2021 Sea to Sky. The 2012's only problem was the weak battery. That's our experience in some 50 years of riding motorcycles - American, Japanese, British, German, and Italian - and every single one had what some would call "issues." Regardless, they were worth owning - well, except for the 1957 Harley Sportster - and provided miles and miles of enjoyment. The Sportster was the only one that ever left me stranded.

[PANDA81]

Thank you guys, definitely going to try to find a dealership that has one in stock to ride, one more question- sea to ski additional trim, I see difference in the paperwork but is that much difference in ride? Once again thank everyone for advice

[Joel The Biker]

No difference in ride for the Sea to Sky. It just has special paint color, seat, and a few other extras. I love mine, but its up to you to decide if being rare is worth the extra money.

[BertRemington]

PANDA81 -- I faced a similar situation with my Moto Guzzi Norge. Not only unwieldy in the city but ticket bait on the freeway plus not that much fun in the twisties.

For 3-wheelers you have two choices: side-by-side Slingshot (too wide and too long IMO) and fore-and-aft Spyder (just like your motorcycle). All other choices are too "unusual" or too expensive.

Your Spyder choices begin with the 1330cc engine. You have the SM6 transmission with clutch lever and foot shift or the SE6 transmission with paddle shifter (very nice). The SM6s are much rarer so you might be able to get a better price for a used one.

If you and your wife enjoy multi-day tours then the RT is best. Otherwise include the F3 in your choices as you can get luggage of various types for day rides.

New, used high mileage, used low mileage, etc etc -- that's complicated.

PS I gave the Norge to a nephew (along with a track Mustang to a niece and a track Integra to another nephew).

[JohnRuckus]

Panda,
Where are you in Ga?
There are a few dealers in/near metro Atlanta, Mountain Motorsports. There is also a dealer in Cartersville, Extreme Propulsion. There are a few others around the state. 1 near Savannah. Plus, there are some a short ride away into Al or the Carolinas, and TN.

I bought my '20 RT last year from an out of state dealer because I found better pricing and had a rather insulting experience at 1 of the dealerships I mentioned above. I can't speak on the differences in 2 wheels vs 3 wheels, but for what it's worth, I ride as often as I can. It has been a blast for me and passengers.

As mentioned in other posts, there will always be issues and complaints. The true question, is what is your breaking point? The questions that you may have to ask yourself are what do you want and what are you willing to accept? The black parts on the 20 RT does fade and lose it's gloss easily. The other painted parts seem fine to me.
Performance is fine for me. There are aftermarket parts and accessories to address a lot of the the things people want(additional lighting, throttle response, etc).


Some things are more of a preference than an issue. BRP has a solid warranty that can be extended for relatively cheap. A test ride may not give you everything you want to experience, but it is definitely something you'd want to do. I chose to do the 3 wheel riding course. It cost about $100 but gave me a decent understanding of the vehicle prior to buying.

1 other thing you can do is rent 1 for a day or and see how you like it.
You didn't say what year or model you're looking for. So, that will be the other thing to look for. As with most things, the newer the model, a lot of older issues should have been addressed, but new things will always creep up.
Oh yeah, maintenance can be expensive if you're not doing it yourself.
Either way, take your time, do your research and get what you want.

[PANDA81]

Northeast ga mountain area, carolina and tennessee not to far, and most issues i was getting a vibe of maybe rider habits (not all but some), as well as excessive abuse perhaps, thats why i asked here, the talk in forums seems to be more enlightening than internet reviews, most things maintenance i do myself, i am seriously thinking the sea to sky even though minor changes from rt would be the way i will go, after 26 motorcyles in 40 years it will be nice to just ride anywhere and everywhere and enjoy it, hope to see you all on the road soon, thanks everyone

[PANDA81]

I was looking at goldwing trikes, mainly dct version, interesting to know that they are people out there more adverted to spyders over goldwings, being goldwings have been the touring comfort "go-to" , this definetly speaks volumes, i have located a dealership not to far from me that has a f3 and a rt, i am going to test ride one for sure, thanks everyone

[Pooch]

I was looking at goldwing trikes, mainly dct version, interesting to know that they are people out there more adverted to spyders over goldwings, being goldwings have been the touring comfort "go-to" , this definetly speaks volumes, i have located a dealership not to far from me that has a f3 and a rt, i am going to test ride one for sure, thanks everyone

It was a problem for me finding a Honda dealer who would even touch my Gold Wing trike… just for an oil change.
Then too… the Motor Trike dealer nearest me (125 miles) went out of business… leaving me high and dry.
Found an independent mechanic who worked on both the Honda and Motor Trike kit … 150 miles from me.
Did this for a number of years .. then he decided he was getting too old to do this anymore…once again leaving me high and dry as I take excellent care of my vehicles.
That left me with no Motor Trike kit dealer closer than 300 miles one way… the actual manufacturing plant in Troup, Texas. I think they would have done oil/filter changes on the Honda part of the vehicle.
Not do-able for me. Too much involved to make that trip… 4 dogs in kennel, rent a trailer, hotel, gasoline, food expense… nope…
The Spyder dealer is just 46 miles down the road.
I am not capable of doing my own mechanic/maintenance work on any of my vehicles… they all go to the whichever dealer they need.
Pricey, but it is what it is..
I find this 2021 Spyder RT Ltd to be just as comfortable as the 2008 Gold Wing trike.
I am no longer taking cross-country trips as I did with the Gold Wing but would not hesitate to drive this Spyder on one.

[Mikey]

I was looking at goldwing trikes, mainly dct version, interesting to know that they are people out there more adverted to spyders over goldwings, being goldwings have been the touring comfort "go-to" , this definetly speaks volumes, i have located a dealership not to far from me that has a f3 and a rt, i am going to test ride one for sure, thanks everyone

Good Luck on your hunt, and if you get a chance to test drive take both of them for a good ride around the block!! It's hard to find a dealer here in Maine that will let you take it out of the door yard. When my wife and I test drove ours we must of looked like a couple of tools running the bike around the parking lot, couldn't even get it into 2nd gear!!! In the past I have told people to find a place that rent bikes and test drive that way, I feel you have to do 50 miles to even start to get the feel of the bike. Anyway, good luck, I think you will enjoy your ride!!

[RayBJ]

The Sportster was the only one that ever left me stranded.

Did you know that 90% of all HDs are still on the road?


The other 10% made it home.


I have never been stranded on any of my rides. The closest was when my Trophy sheared the shifter bolt. I manually set 3rd gear and rode home 30 miles without shifting and lots of clutch slippage from a stop.

Bottom line is all machines can break. Being mechanically astute adds a level of comfort so my many long distance tours don't concern me. 15k mi on the RT so far trouble-free.