Old School Rider - The only sounds I need are the wind and the bike!

[RangerRick]

Reading about all the issues riders are having with the new Spyders audio systems.

The only sounds I need are the wind and the bike. My 2013 Spyder does not even have a Radio, my phone stays in my pocket and no GPS unit either.

[Dasmoetorhead]

Reading about all the issues riders are having with the new Spyders audio systems.

The only sounds I need are the wind and the bike. My 2013 Spyder does not even have a Radio, my phone stays in my pocket and no GPS unit either.

You're not alone ;-)>

[Navydad]

Reading about all the issues riders are having with the new Spyders audio systems.

The only sounds I need are the wind and the bike. My 2013 Spyder does not even have a Radio, my phone stays in my pocket and no GPS unit either.

There are a lot of us. I ride to relax and see the world around me. I guess I am different in the fact I don't feel the need to be connected to anyone or anything 24 hours a day and if I have fuel I am never lost.

[Lew L]

Your not alone ;-)>

. +1....

[ARtraveler]

We very rarely ever used the radio when traveling about.

I used the cruise control a lot though. It was always fun to study the maps (as in rand mc nally) the night before a trip.

[Sampi1099]

I agree with you;-) >

[old Timer]

I've never understood the need for a radio on either a motorcycle or Spyder. The need for 100% of all your senses should concentrate on your machine and the world around you. Your Spidy sense should be always alert.

[ryu1867]

+ Another one!

My Ryker has no sound system or GPS. Phone is in my pocket.

[OK-DZ9R]

Long time motorcyclist of many types. It's comforting to find I'm not alone on no music while riding. I do use a GPS though. It helps me avoid interstates and turnpikes.

[2dogs]

Like ARtraveler, I know where I'm going and where I've been; uh most of the time. And I've never been lost, for very long. I enjoy the radio and listen to country music 99.9% of the time. I've multi tasked for so many years I kind of feel like something is missing when I only have one thing going on. The older I get maybe it won't be long until every song and every ride will be a new adventure.

[Two2Three]

Kinda depends on what I'm doing. If the scenery is beautiful or the roads are technical, the music is off.
If I'm doing 300 miles straight down the slab, music gives me some distraction.

[Cobwebs]

I tune into Two Brothers at redline.

[BajaRon]

I like to run coms with my fellow riders. It adds enjoyment and safety. Beyond that, I'm 100% with you. I don't even want a windshield, though a small aerodynamic one is fine with me. If I want all of these things, I have a car I drive instead. In short, I'm not an RT guy.

Each to his own. I don't begrudge anyone who wants all these things. Though it is amusing to me that people go by the shop with bikes that you can hear the pipes form a block away and their stereo from 2 blocks away. Go for it if that's the way you like it. Just not for me.

[Mikey]

It's strange how you change as you get older, when I was young, I would ride my bikes and sleds with no shields on the units or on my helmets and enjoy the heck out of the ride for miles of fun. But the time when my dog bone broke on my windshield on my RT in the middle of a ride one day and I had the windshield basically in my arms most of the way home and getting blasted in the face, I said to myself how did I do that all those years!! But on the music side of it, some days I like a little background stuff going on, but mostly I am listening to my bride telling how I am driving and how she would take that turn! Happy wife, happy life!!

[FrankR]

I agree no sounds but the fresh air flowing around me and the beauty of the road, Great for PTSD relief...

[JohnRuckus]

I have appreciation for both. If you like it, good for you. If you don't like it, good for you. Enjoy your ride and whatever soundtrack accompanies it.
With that said, if you pay for something you'd probably want that something to be as advertised...from vehicles to food. If I pay for the option to have music, I expect it to work. If I pay for a cheeseburger, I expect for it to have cheese. Of course, I could just get a hamburger and add my own cheese later or pay for a cheeseburger and scrape the cheese off, but give me what I paid for is probably what the sentiment is for those posting about audio issues.

Side note.....

I rode a 2024 F3-S recently during the Can Am Experience... no music, no shield. Well... doggie it was a blast.

[Peteoz]

I like to run coms with my fellow riders. It adds enjoyment and safety. Beyond that, I'm 100% with you. I don't even want a windshield, though a small aerodynamic one is fine with me. If I want all of these things, I have a car I drive instead. In short, I'm not an RT guy.

Each to his own. I don't begrudge anyone who wants all these things. Though it is amusing to me that people go by the shop with bikes that you can hear the pipes form a block away and their stereo from 2 blocks away. Go for it if that's the way you like it. Just not for me.

I’m with you on everything but the windshield, Ron. Riding over 100kph with 6’7” and 300lbs in the “wind”, nearly pulls your arms out of their sockets without a screen.

Pete

[Peter Aawen]

I’m with you on everything but the windshield, Ron. Riding over 100kph with 6’7” and 300lbs in the “wind”, nearly pulls your arms out of their sockets without a screen.

Pete

I wondered why people were being rude about the length of your arms, Pete??

And I always wondered why, back before I got an RT with a windscreen, when I used to prefer the 'screen-less' look, people would call me a 'knuckle-dragger'?? But I think I'm beginning to see the light on that one now?!

These days, I like my RT with a windscreen, altho I do have a 'shorty' for the hot summers here... I'm a bit ambivalent about the radio/music tho - loooong solo trips, it's sorta nice to have it available, but I could easily live without it; and in fact, on trips of anything less than about 1000 km's, I prefer to listen to the V-twin's revs & the song from the (relatively quiet, but free-er flowing than stock) exhaust, especially if I'm working it a bit on the track or thru the Twisties that're just out the door from where I live in the Adelaide Hills.

I have worked to get that free-flowing exhaust and still keep the noise down a bit tho; it doesn't matter how loud it is when I'm sneaking up behind all the 'big twin' Harleys & Indians, cos they can't hear schmick anyway, and their mirrors vibrate so much they don't have any idea that someone's caught up & is about to over-take, so it always scares the crap outta them! But let it get too noisy and it spoils the fun of ripping up behind the 'go faster wanna-be's' on their sport bikes and then blowing them into the weeds as I overtake on a short straight where they thought they were the fastest thing ever; then dive into the corner waaay faster than they think possible; braking much later than they'd ever be game; waaaay out-braking them into/thru the next hairpin; then getting off the brakes again and accelerating away before they've even thought it possible to get off the brakes going in!! Now THAT is fun, even on an RT!!

I just LUUURVE the way these Spyder things will stick to the road & track around corners like a rocket-sled on rails, not caring too much about the bumps, gravel, leaves, or even wet roads too much at all!! And it's a great work-out too, IF you want to ride it that hard and are prepared to put in the practice to make it smooooth! And when you don't want to do that, it'll tool along like a luxury limo, all relaxed & cruisy!

BRP might fall a little short in the customer service area & occasionally in the actual delivery of some of the great engineering concepts that're built into these things (and I can't let the opportunity pass to say that if you wanta ride them hard, the OEM tires don't even rate as highly as 'crap'!! ) but that aside, these Spyders ARE wonderful machines, with Miles of Smiles built in for just about every rider who wants to take advantage of them!

[Cobwebs]

when I'm sneaking up behind all the 'big twin' Harleys & Indians, cos they can't hear schmick anyway, and their mirrors vibrate so much they don't have any idea that someone's caught up & is about to over-take, so it always scares the crap outta them!

I have a way to change your mind on that comment Peter if your ever in my neck of the woods. Key to my V Rod. Buttery smooth to redline with an exhaust note that Tom Jones uses at his pre show warmup. High speed sweepers nanny would have heart failure on.

I was joking about the key bit...

[Peter Aawen]

I have a way to change your mind on that comment Peter, if you're ever in my neck of the woods. Key to my V Rod. Buttery smooth to redline with an exhaust note that Tom Jones uses at his pre show warmup. High speed sweepers nanny would have heart failure on.

I was joking about the key bit...

You must only be talking about the noise and vibrations... in which case I'll willingly admit that there's very likely a few outstanding exceptions that basically just prove the general rule! . Cos unless that V-Rod SERIOUSLY scares many very competitive road/track bikes in/thru the tight stuff Cobwebs, then I doubt you'll change my mind...

Riding fast in/thru tight corners & short straights, then I haven't met anything yet that'll come close to most well ridden Spyder's, let alone mine (post upgrades ) even when it's being ridden by someone as old & decrepit as I am these days!

This all harks back to basic physics again - with their Reverse Trike configuration and three tires worth of car-sized contact patches instead of just two tires of somewhaty less than half that worth of contact patch, then just about any well ridden Spyder on a good set of tires will out corner & out brake just about any road legal 2-wheeler on their equally good set of tires; cos the Spyder is capable of carrying more speed deep into the tight turns, then braking later, cornering faster, getting on the accelerator sooner, and digging out of the corners a whole lot earlier and faster, basically leaving the 2-wheelers waaaay behind...

And if the rider knows how to use their 'body english' to their advantage and avoid getting thrown off by 'G' forces most 2-wheelers NEVER get to experience simply due to the significantly improved cornering & design, the Spyder'll do that right out until the hairpins & tight turns start to open up into long sweepers and the straights start getting looonger too, which is when the dirty great wall of air the Spyders hafta push in front of them comes into play, & it feels like . But that's well over the general Open Road speed limit here in Oz, and then some; so if the corners are tight enough to be signposted at anything much less than that and they come thick and fast on each other, then like I said, I doubt that!

[Cobwebs]

You must only be talking about the noise and vibrations... in which case I'll willingly admit that there's very likely a few outstanding exceptions that basically just prove the general rule! . Cos unless that V-Rod SERIOUSLY scares many very competitive road/track bikes in/thru the tight stuff Cobwebs, then I doubt you'll change my mind...

Riding fast in/thru tight corners & short straights, then I haven't met anything yet that'll come close to most well ridden Spyder's, let alone mine (post upgrades ) even when it's being ridden by someone as old & decrepit as I am these days!

This all harks back to basic physics again - with their Reverse Trike configuration and three tires worth of car-sized contact patches instead of just two tires of somewhaty less than half that worth of contact patch, then just about any well ridden Spyder on a good set of tires will out corner & out brake just about any road legal 2-wheeler on their equally good set of tires; cos the Spyder is capable of carrying more speed deep into the tight turns, then braking later, cornering faster, getting on the accelerator sooner, and digging out of the corners a whole lot earlier and faster, basically leaving the 2-wheelers waaaay behind...

And if the rider knows how to use their 'body english' to their advantage and avoid getting thrown off by 'G' forces most 2-wheelers NEVER get to experience simply due to the significantly improved cornering & design, the Spyder'll do that right out until the hairpins & tight turns start to open up into long sweepers and the straights start getting looonger too, which is when the dirty great wall of air the Spyders hafta push in front of them comes into play, & it feels like . But that's well over the general Open Road speed limit here in Oz, and then some; so if the corners are tight enough to be signposted at anything much less than that and they come thick and fast on each other, then like I said, I doubt that!

I'll give you the tight stuff is Spyder territory 130kph onward V Rod with it's looong wheelbase and steep head angle is rock solid and feels better the faster you go v Spyder not so much. Latest Revolution max engine from HD is no slouch either with 150 HP.Last thing anyone wants when exploring these capabilities is Tom in their ear describing the colour of his grass!

[BajaRon]

I’m with you on everything but the windshield, Ron. Riding over 100kph with 6’7” and 300lbs in the “wind”, nearly pulls your arms out of their sockets without a screen.

Pete

Done just over 150 mph on my M109R. Didn't have a problem... Though I am a bit smaller... Can't get any of my Spyders to do that...

Dragon.jpg

m109r pics 008.jpg

[Jesster72]

For us it depends. We can ride with music or without, and when we have our full face helmets and comms on, we might be chatting or not. I like having the option to turn on or turn up the music if the situation warrants.

[Peteoz]

I'll give you the tight stuff is Spyder territory 130kph onward V Rod with it's looong wheelbase and steep head angle is rock solid and feels better the faster you go v Spyder not so much. Latest Revolution max engine from HD is no slouch either with 150 HP.Last thing anyone wants when exploring these capabilities is Tom in their ear describing the colour of his grass!

Reminds me of a “mate” we used to ride with who had a VRod, Cobwebs. He always ended up as Tail-end Charlie, not because he specifically wanted to be, but because no one wanted to ride behind him. Without a word of exaggeration, he used to stop before every corner, put the Rod on its stand and walk around the corner checking for angle, loose gravel etc, remount and ride around the corner at the appropriate speed…….well, maybe there is just a LITTLE exaggeration.

We all chipped in to buy him a GPS, because no one wanted to wait at one of the turnoffs for him.

Pete

[Cobwebs]

Reminds me of a “mate” we used to ride with who had a VRod, Cobwebs. He always ended up as Tail-end Charlie, not because he specifically wanted to be, but because no one wanted to ride behind him. Without a word of exaggeration, he used to stop before every corner, put the Rod on its stand and walk around the corner checking for angle, loose gravel etc, remount and ride around the corner at the appropriate speed…….well, maybe there is just a LITTLE exaggeration.

We all chipped in to buy him a GPS, because no one wanted to wait at one of the turnoffs for him.

Pete

Ha ha ha. I carry a comb with me for those sort of riders and offer it to the ninjas when I finally arrive. Helmet hair is usually their weak point.
V Rodders were the black sheep of the pushrod fraternity in the early days, that's why you ended up with that guy Pete. By the end of the models run they were importing them from the states cause they couldn't get enough of them here. Once the performance and customisation possibilities were discovered, they gained cred from the airheads and are good property to own now.
Definitely not a canyon carver, although there was a Street Rod model that was set up with mid mount pegs, taller suspension and steering that was pretty capable.
Man, I'm struggling to stay on track here lol! um,........... oh yeah jezuz, if there's a better sounding exhaust than a V Rod I want to hear it. To want to listen to any synthesised squawking over that gift from the decibel gods needs assessment.