Contemplating buying a Spyder - any reliability, power, and buyer's remorse issues?

[grampi]

I regret owning a Spyder.
Maintenance is a HUGE hassle, getting through all the plastic.
Dealer service is far too expensive; independent repair shops are rare. None in my area, only one dealer who makes it clear that Spyders aren't his preference.

I bought a two-cylinder, which I regret. If I had to buy a Spyder again, I'd go with the three.

This is my opinion based only on my experience. Others, no doubt, will disagree. As is their choice; their opinion.

I have also heard bad things about the 2 cylinder versions, but the 3 cylinder models seem to be fairly reliable from what I've read. Maintenance is the least of my worries. I'll do most of it myself, and I have a very good independent mechanic who can work on anything for the stuff I can't do. My concern is more about buyer's remorse...

I bought my first Spyder in 2014 put 49,915 miles on it trouble free and a great ride. Just sold it and bought a new 2024 RT Limited and plan as many good miles as my first one. Keep your two wheeler as I have one too but I think you will love the Spyder. Happy trails.

I will be keeping ONE of my 2 wheelers, but unfortunately, the Gold Wing would have to go. Congress isn't going to approve of me having two high dollar toys. That means the Spyder will have to take over the touring duties of my GW. Once I let the GW go, there's no going back. I'd better be damn sure the Spyder is the direction I wanna go before I go there...

[grampi]

The power is very slow compared to bikes. No way can I keep up with the gang on a ride out. I miss not being able to filter through traffic too.

This is exactly my concern. The GW is actually pretty fast considering it's a big, heavy touring bike, and I'm sure considerably faster than a Spyder. That may make me sound like a speed demon, but I'm actually not on the Wing, though I do like having the acceleration there when I want it. I suppose I would get used to the Spyder's power delivery, just as I would its handling, and it doesn't sound like a total slug to me. It must certainly have adequate power if most people like it as a two-up rider, which they seem to. Again, only I can determine if the power is adequate FOR ME by riding one, or more... right now we seem to be stuck in a weather pattern that's not very conducive to riding...

[ollicat]

Good to see you can do a test ride. Beware though, they are very different machines, and can feel unsettling the first time you ride one after many years on two wheels. You body is going to get inputs that it isn't used to, which can make the Spyder feel "wrong." On the first corner of my test drive, even though intellectually I knew what to expect, I still got a !!!! jolt of adrenaline when the Spyder slightly tipped the wrong way. Also note, that because the bike doesn't pivot slightly below you as you ride, it'll feel like it's jostling a little side to side, especially on rough roads. Try to go into the test drive remembering it's NOT a motorcycle despite you sitting on it like one, and holding handlebars. They are their own machine. The handlebars "steer" instead of using leaning.

If you get one and still struggle with how it feels, most will tell you to give it a 1000 miles to get used to it. This is good advice, because it'll take a while for your subconcious mind to get used to the new inputs, and instead, of being alarmed, it'll start seeing them as normal.

Good luck with your test ride. Stay relaxed and loose, and be ready. Start slow and get used to the new feel.

What he said - you will hate it for 200 - 300 miles. Then, shortly after, you will wonder how you lived without it.

[ollicat]

This is exactly my concern. The GW is actually pretty fast considering it's a big, heavy touring bike, and I'm sure considerably faster than a Spyder. That may make me sound like a speed demon, but I'm actually not on the Wing, though I do like having the acceleration there when I want it. I suppose I would get used to the Spyder's power delivery, just as I would its handling, and it doesn't sound like a total slug to me. It must certainly have adequate power if most people like it as a two-up rider, which they seem to. Again, only I can determine if the power is adequate FOR ME by riding one, or more... right now we seem to be stuck in a weather pattern that's not very conducive to riding...

Answer - Pedal Commander. When I ride now, if I turn the throttle too quickly, I might get thrown off the grips.

[grampi]

Answer - Pedal Commander. When I ride now, if I turn the throttle too quickly, I might get thrown off the grips.

What is a Pedal Commander? Sounds expensive...

[BertRemington]

it looks like the resale value of my GW is still high enough

CycleTrader says $14K to $20K for 2018 Gold Wing with most in $17-18K range so Yes you will be buying Used.

My concerns are reliability, power, and buyer's remorse.

Reliability largely depends on the previous owner, although certain years (eg 2018 had excessive LHS failures, brake switch in early 2nd Gen) had some issues. Generally, the 2014+ Spyders are trouble-free rides. Power means you will be buying the 2014+ 1330cc powertrain. The engine is a sweetie, gets better the higher you rev it. The single-stage hydraulically-engaged multi-plate clutch isn't as smooth as your Honda's DCT, but it's not harsh either. Engagements are firm, although with 50K+ miles you will probably get some flare during shifts (use 20-50W oil and change it every 5K miles). Buyer's remorse is not a factor. You have to get off the Honda, so there's no looking back. Get over it. I mean, you're still married - right?

Maintenance is the least of my worries. I'll do most of it myself, and I have a very good independent mechanic who can work on anything for the stuff I can't do.

This is a tremendous positive factor for broadening your selection range. It allows you to choose modest-mileage early models (2014-2016 were good years) loaded with accessories, with money left over for more accessories or better yet (I consider it mandatory), a full end-to-end service including battery replacement, tire replacements, brake upgrades (EBC), and suspension upgrades.

Post pictures of your choice.

[grampi]

CycleTrader says $14K to $20K for 2018 Gold Wing with most in $17-18K range so Yes you will be buying Used.



Reliability largely depends on the previous owner, although certain years (eg 2018 had excessive LHS failures, brake switch in early 2nd Gen) had some issues. Generally, the 2014+ Spyders are trouble-free rides. Power means you will be buying the 2014+ 1330cc powertrain. The engine is a sweetie, gets better the higher you rev it. The single-stage hydraulically-engaged multi-plate clutch isn't as smooth as your Honda's DCT, but it's not harsh either. Engagements are firm, although with 50K+ miles you will probably get some flare during shifts (use 20-50W oil and change it every 5K miles). Buyer's remorse is not a factor. You have to get off the Honda, so there's no looking back. Get over it. I mean, you're still married - right?



This is a tremendous positive factor for broadening your selection range. It allows you to choose modest-mileage early models (2014-2016 were good years) loaded with accessories, with money left over for more accessories or better yet (I consider it mandatory), a full end-to-end service including battery replacement, tire replacements, brake upgrades (EBC), and suspension upgrades.

Post pictures of your choice.

I don't HAVE to get off the Honda. I'm intrigued by the Spyder, but I'm still fully capable of riding two wheelers. A Spyder will have to impress me substantially in order for me to make the move.

[BertRemington]

#51 I will be keeping ONE of my 2 wheelers, but unfortunately, the Gold Wing would have to go. Congress isn't going to approve of me having two high dollar toys.

#57 I don't HAVE to get off the Honda.

Compute Fault -- Divide by Zero. Goodbye.

[grampi]

Compute Fault -- Divide by Zero. Goodbye.

Let me explain it another way. The GW would have to go IF I decided to go with a Spyder. The wifey poo isn't going to approve of me having both the GW and a Spyder. Does that compute?

[AstroTom]

Yeah, the CFO in my house only allows one bike at a time too.

Predicting buyer's remorse for someone else is almost impossible, because you would be going from one type of handlebar equipped machine you straddle, to a completely different machine who's only similarities is a windshield in front of you, a seat between your legs, and handlebars in your hands. The Spyder is more like a go-cart you straddle and steer with handlebars, than a motorcycle even though both give you the open-air ride.

It seems that new riders take to them quicker, because they have nothing to compare them to, they learn to ride them as-is. Long-time 2-wheelers have to get past their bodies telling them things just feel wrong. I did the switch, knowing I wanted a Spyder, and was mentally prepared for the differences. Watched YouTube videos of rides and tried to imagine myself on the bike. I was ready when it came to make the purchase. Even so, my 2-hour ride home from the purchase was very tense, especially at first. I had to keep telling myself, trust the bike, this is new, trust the bike, this is just different, relax, no, it's NOT 12 feet wide, no, it's not going to throw me off on curves, trust the bike. I was giddy with my purchase, but it took me a while to relax. After that, I had all the time in the world to learn this new machine.

By going into this process, knowing it would be different, I was determined to not compare the Spyder to any two wheeled bike I'd ridden in the previous 50+ years. I went for easy fairly short rides and experimented with my techniques. I'd read suggestions on this and other Spyder forums, and I would try them out. Within just a few days, all the weirdness was almost completely gone, the new stuff was coming forward, and so were the smiles. I live just a few miles from a twisty climbing road in one direction, a highway with long straight aways and round-abouts in another. Perfect places for getting familiar with the new bike. In mere days I was coming home and telling my wife I love this machine. I'd read: don't get an RTL if you like the twisties, but it wasn't long before I was having an absolute blast on the curves - curves that I always worried about on two wheels. I've never been a knee dragger, but in the last decade, I've worried more and more about losing traction in a curve and going down. Worse yet, dropping the bike with my wife on the back. I'm a bit of a wee lad, and my legs aren't getting any stronger in my senior years, and it seemed like the chances of 0mph crashes were getting higher and chances of (us) breaking when we fell, higher too; so the three wheeled Spyder was one way of taking that worry away, while keeping the fun intact. It's not only kept the fun intact, but also brought me even more fun.

To reinforce the positive....

On the Spyder, I can take curves like never before. I like to call it my three-wheel, luxury, European sports car. And the other things like not having to put your feet down when you stop... Oh, man, that is so nice. Last week I had to stop for road work to wait for a pilot car. I stopped, shut off the bike, leaned back on the backrest with my hands in my lap, no kickstand, no foot down, no lifting an 800lb bike upright (like my previous Harley Ultra); and when it was time to go, I started the bike, shifted into 1st, and just went. Sweet! Same with backing out of parking spaces - no balancing a heavy bike on two wheels, especially with a very important passenger onboard. Doesn't matter how slow I'm going in a parking lot, or if I suddenly decide to pull to the side of the road to look at something. No feet down, and no focus on maintaining balance, just do it. Nice! Just about 10 days ago during a cooler spell, I took my first long ride - Check out the road(s) from Congress, AZ to Sedona, via 89 and 89a through Jerome on Goggle Maps. The first curvy part of Hwy 89 is where I practiced in the curves going up and back at various speeds, honing my techniques. The next fun part on 89 is before Prescott; the next going up 89a to Jerome; before dropping back down into the desert; then climbing again to Sedona. That ride on the Spyder was wonderful, not only fun, but comfortable too. Did I mention it was FUN!?

Now, that of course is me, and again, I wasn't only interested in a Spyder, I had decided I wanted one for sure. Oh, and the same CFO who would nix two bikes, sent me the ad for the Spyder I bought, saying: "This is the one we should get!!" Exclamation marks included.

I still don't know how she'll like the bike. It's just been too darned hot here in AZ to get her on the bike except for a couple very short rides around the neighborhood. I have not an ounce of buyer's remorse, I absolutely love the thing, but that could be 180 degrees from what you might feel if you make the jump. Good luck with your choice. As they say: WMMV.

[grampi]

Yeah, the CFO in my house only allows one bike at a time too.

Predicting buyer's remorse for someone else is almost impossible, because you would be going from one type of handlebar equipped machine you straddle, to a completely different machine who's only similarities is a windshield in front of you, a seat between your legs, and handlebars in your hands. The Spyder is more like a go-cart you straddle and steer with handlebars, than a motorcycle even though both give you the open-air ride.

It seems that new riders take to them quicker, because they have nothing to compare them to, they learn to ride them as-is. Long-time 2-wheelers have to get past their bodies telling them things just feel wrong. I did the switch, knowing I wanted a Spyder, and was mentally prepared for the differences. Watched YouTube videos of rides and tried to imagine myself on the bike. I was ready when it came to make the purchase. Even so, my 2-hour ride home from the purchase was very tense, especially at first. I had to keep telling myself, trust the bike, this is new, trust the bike, this is just different, relax, no, it's NOT 12 feet wide, no, it's not going to throw me off on curves, trust the bike. I was giddy with my purchase, but it took me a while to relax. After that, I had all the time in the world to learn this new machine.

By going into this process, knowing it would be different, I was determined to not compare the Spyder to any two wheeled bike I'd ridden in the previous 50+ years. I went for easy fairly short rides and experimented with my techniques. I'd read suggestions on this and other Spyder forums, and I would try them out. Within just a few days, all the weirdness was almost completely gone, the new stuff was coming forward, and so were the smiles. I live just a few miles from a twisty climbing road in one direction, a highway with long straight aways and round-abouts in another. Perfect places for getting familiar with the new bike. In mere days I was coming home and telling my wife I love this machine. I'd read: don't get an RTL if you like the twisties, but it wasn't long before I was having an absolute blast on the curves - curves that I always worried about on two wheels. I've never been a knee dragger, but in the last decade, I've worried more and more about losing traction in a curve and going down. Worse yet, dropping the bike with my wife on the back. I'm a bit of a wee lad, and my legs aren't getting any stronger in my senior years, and it seemed like the chances of 0mph crashes were getting higher and chances of (us) breaking when we fell, higher too; so the three wheeled Spyder was one way of taking that worry away, while keeping the fun intact. It's not only kept the fun intact, but also brought me even more fun.

To reinforce the positive....

On the Spyder, I can take curves like never before. I like to call it my three-wheel, luxury, European sports car. And the other things like not having to put your feet down when you stop... Oh, man, that is so nice. Last week I had to stop for road work to wait for a pilot car. I stopped, shut off the bike, leaned back on the backrest with my hands in my lap, no kickstand, no foot down, no lifting an 800lb bike upright (like my previous Harley Ultra); and when it was time to go, I started the bike, shifted into 1st, and just went. Sweet! Same with backing out of parking spaces - no balancing a heavy bike on two wheels, especially with a very important passenger onboard. Doesn't matter how slow I'm going in a parking lot, or if I suddenly decide to pull to the side of the road to look at something. No feet down, and no focus on maintaining balance, just do it. Nice! Just about 10 days ago during a cooler spell, I took my first long ride - Check out the road(s) from Congress, AZ to Sedona, via 89 and 89a through Jerome on Goggle Maps. The first curvy part of Hwy 89 is where I practiced in the curves going up and back at various speeds, honing my techniques. The next fun part on 89 is before Prescott; the next going up 89a to Jerome; before dropping back down into the desert; then climbing again to Sedona. That ride on the Spyder was wonderful, not only fun, but comfortable too. Did I mention it was FUN!?

Now, that of course is me, and again, I wasn't only interested in a Spyder, I had decided I wanted one for sure. Oh, and the same CFO who would nix two bikes, sent me the ad for the Spyder I bought, saying: "This is the one we should get!!" Exclamation marks included.

I still don't know how she'll like the bike. It's just been too darned hot here in AZ to get her on the bike except for a couple very short rides around the neighborhood. I have not an ounce of buyer's remorse, I absolutely love the thing, but that could be 180 degrees from what you might feel if you make the jump. Good luck with your choice. As they say: WMMV.

I'm curious to find out what CFO means. I'm allowed to have more than one motorcycle, they just can't both be expensive ones. I paid $3300 for my '98 Super Hawk, so that bike's not going anywhere. Besides, selling it wouldn't bring in enough $$$ to make a difference. I'm not hell bent on making myself like a Spyder right off the bat. If I don't like it, I'll re-evaluate my situation at a later time. At some point my age is going to dictate that I move on from two wheelers, or at least the big, heavy ones like the GW, and at 66, how much longer could that be?

[troop]

I'm curious to find out what CFO means. I'm allowed to have more than one motorcycle, they just can't both be expensive ones. I paid $3300 for my '98 Super Hawk, so that bike's not going anywhere. Besides, selling it wouldn't bring in enough $$$ to make a difference. I'm not hell bent on making myself like a Spyder right off the bat. If I don't like it, I'll re-evaluate my situation at a later time. At some point my age is going to dictate that I move on from two wheelers, or at least the big, heavy ones like the GW, and at 66, how much longer could that be?

CFO = Chief Financial Officer

[OldAge]

Also SWMBO. She Who Must Be Obeyed. !!!!

[BCNewell]

Two-wheels vs three-wheels is just a different ride. Not better or worse - just different. I’m 60 y.o. and have had my F3-S just over two years. Love it. Just got back from riding ~2,700 miles in 7 days, including 700+ miles of “spirited” riding in eastern OK / western AR, the Talimena Byway, and two of the Three Sisters in central Texas. Keep the revs up in the 4,800+ range, and what these bikes are capable of is quite startling. You can ride the twisties “with your hair on fire” and not have to worry much about small patches of loose dirt or leaves sending you into a low side slide. With proper lean/pull/push on the seat/handlebars/footpegs (floorboards) these things handle marvelously. Curvy roads posted at 25mph and 40mph can be taken at 50mph and 65mph (allegedly - shhhh !!). And if you get too aggressive, the Nanny will rein you in a bit, and that will make you want to work on your technique to be smoother, which is faster.

As for quickness - I came off a 2014 Honda CTX1300 (one-year-only bike - think 3/4-scale Goldwing w/ a V4 engine). Nice “Jack-of-all-trades, master of none” bike with good low-end grunt and fairly capable in the twisties. That bike ran 13.5x seconds at 98mph in the 1/4 mile at the drag strip (2 different occasions). The F3-S has run 13.4x seconds (best of 13.398) at 101mph (3 different occasions), and over 83mph in 1/8 mile. It ain’t slow.
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ght=Drag+strip

Again, just a different kind of ride. I thoroughly enjoy it. Sometimes still long for a two-wheeler, but not disappointed AT ALL with what I have. Good luck with your choice.

[ollicat]

What is a Pedal Commander? Sounds expensive...

Pedal Commander changes the throttle response and allows you to tap into that 1330 CC engine a lot faster. It has 12 modes I believe and the most aggressive ones will rock your world. Do a youtube search for pedal commander and Spyder. They are about $200 I believe.

[grampi]

CFO = Chief Financial Officer

I call mine congress...

[grampi]

I rode two Spyders today. Both were 2017 models.

The first one was an F3 Limited.

What I liked: the handling, the looks (I like the narrower front end with the radiators mounted length wise. He also had a '22 RT and I don't like the way the radiators are mounted, that's all you see when looking at it from the front). The F3 also had chrome front rims, and the side pieces were chrome. The RT had black wheels, and pretty much everything else was blacked out. I'm not a fan of the blacked out look, I'm a chrome guy. I like the analog gauges for the speedo and tach better than the all digital display of the newer models.
What I didn't like: the fixed position windshield, and the mirrors shook so badly I could barely see anything in them. The electric windshield on my Wing has me spoiled, I want one on the Spyder.

The second one I rode was an RT.

What I liked: The power windshield, and the larger storage space in the frunk.
What I didn't like: I was very cramped on this one, the F3 seemed to have a lot more room for me. I also hated the trunk. It is a very weird looking design, and there isn't much room inside. The F3 had a REAL trunk.

Both seemed to handle similarly, and I also didn't notice much difference in acceleration. I honestly was expecting these things to be a dog, but I thought they actually had plenty of get up and go. Of these two, I liked the F3 better, but I don't know if I could do without the power windshield. Something would definitely have to be done about the shaky mirrors.

Mileage was around 8600 for the F3, and a little over 30K on the RT, so the F3 had a big advantage here.

Bottom line, I could do a Spyder. The F3 may have been more comfortable than my Wing, it was that comfortable. I actually got used to the handling fairly quickly. I did notice the faster I went, the touchier the steering input was. I took both up to about 80 or so and they felt rock solid. It was nice setting at stop lights without having to put my feet down...

[BCNewell]

Grampi - remember that the F3 will have 5 different positions for the footboards. You can tailor the footboard position fore/aft to your liking, but you will have to buy the correct length brake rod to match a change.

Also, you didn’t notice much difference in acceleration because both models you rode had the 79-tooth rear sprocket. In 2016, ALL F3 models had the 89-tooth sprocket; while in 2017, only the F3-S and F3-T had the 89-tooth while the F3 base and F3-L had the 79-tooth sprocket. The 89-tooth sprocket will accelerate quicker.

[askitee]

I enjoy the brand and can attest that it is important to find the right people to service it. The 1st 12 months of ownership saw me almost sell mine (bought new) and cutting my losses due to the number of problems I was having. Tried a different dealership and after that day I took home a different bike - took it for a test ride and had to stop and check the license plate to be sure I hadn't accidentally taken someone else's. Since then its been great. They are "arseholes" when it comes to warranty, and again having the right dealership relationship will help immensely (warranty replacements so far include both Headlight assemblies, Park Brake sensor, Tie Rods, 4 x Drive Sprockets, Power Steering sensor ..... there are more that I can't recall)

My biggest gripe with BRP at present - I hit an animal back in 2022, claimed it on insurance and the repairer and I are still waiting on the parts from BRP. When I had mine assessed in 2022, there were 3 RT Ltds (Their flagship product) sitting in the workshop waiting on bits, so I count myself lucky I can at least ride my RTL. I have made the decision that once repaired I'll ride it into the ground and sell it when Its due for replacement and get something else.

[grampi]

Thanks to Peter for rearranging my post. It reads much better this way!

[KX5062]

Grampi: Just an FYI. The mirror shake is a known issue and is easily and cheaply fixed with a kit from Lamonster garage.

[grampi]

Grampi: Just an FYI. The mirror shake is a known issue and is easily and cheaply fixed with a kit from Lamonster garage.

You beat me to it! I was just going to post a message asking about a mirror fix. Thank!

[grampi]

[QUOTE=askitee;1719924"They are "arseholes" when it comes to warranty, and again having the right dealership relationship will help immensely (warranty replacements so far include both Headlight assemblies, Park Brake sensor, Tie Rods, 4 x Drive Sprockets, Power Steering sensor ..... there are more that I can't recall)

My biggest gripe with BRP at present - I hit an animal back in 2022, claimed it on insurance and the repairer and I are still waiting on the parts from BRP. When I had mine assessed in 2022, there were 3 RT Ltds (Their flagship product) sitting in the workshop waiting on bits, so I count myself lucky I can at least ride my RTL. I have made the decision that once repaired I'll ride it into the ground and sell it when Its due for replacement and get something else.[/QUOTE]

They aren't the only company that are a**holes when it comes to honoring their warranty. I swear Honda tries their damnedest to get out covering ANYTHING under warranty. I've heard the same about other makes as well. The lack of replacement parts still being a problem is a total mystery to me. I could understand it during the pandemic when everything was shut down, but 2 years after the pandemic is inexcusable...

[ARtraveler]

I rode two Spyders today. Both were 2017 models.

The first one was an F3 Limited.

What I liked: the handling, the looks (I like the narrower front end with the radiators mounted length wise. He also had a '22 RT and I don't like the way the radiators are mounted, that's all you see when looking at it from the front). The F3 also had chrome front rims, and the side pieces were chrome. The RT had black wheels, and pretty much everything else was blacked out. I'm not a fan of the blacked out look, I'm a chrome guy. I like the analog gauges for the speedo and tach better than the all digital display of the newer models.
What I didn't like: the fixed position windshield, and the mirrors shook so badly I could barely see anything in them. The electric windshield on my Wing has me spoiled, I want one on the Spyder.

The second one I rode was an RT.

What I liked: The power windshield, and the larger storage space in the frunk.
What I didn't like: I was very cramped on this one, the F3 seemed to have a lot more room for me. I also hated the trunk. It is a very weird looking design, and there isn't much room inside. The F3 had a REAL trunk.

Both seemed to handle similarly, and I also didn't notice much difference in acceleration. I honestly was expecting these things to be a dog, but I thought they actually had plenty of get up and go. Of these two, I liked the F3 better, but I don't know if I could do without the power windshield. Something would definitely have to be done about the shaky mirrors.

Mileage was around 8600 for the F3, and a little over 30K on the RT, so the F3 had a big advantage here.

Bottom line, I could do a Spyder. The F3 may have been more comfortable than my Wing, it was that comfortable. I actually got used to the handling fairly quickly. d notice the faster I went, the touchier the steering input was. I took both up to about 80 or so and they felt rock solid. It was nice setting at stop lights without having to put my feet down...

RE: Windshield. I came off of three RT's before my two final F3's. I did NOT miss the power windshield on the F3's. I stuck with the OEM windshields that came with the F3's. Even though I could look OVER the tops of the windshields I NEVER felt any wind buffeting. Never had a mirror problem with my F3L's.