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Maybe moving to a Spyder RS???
Hi! Some of you are familiar faces, some are not, but I've come to solicit some input.
We have a 1997 Honda Valkyrie that we have been tossing around the idea of triking for me...and we've also looked at the Spyders. Money is not an issue, it's more of style, safety, features and comfort decision. We ride anywhere from a few hundred miles on a weekend to a bike vacation of 2,000+ miles.
Did a test ride of the RT last Fall. It was nice, not really "me" and the ride was, well, interesting, different but not in a bad way. I have been riding 2 wheels for the past 8 years and I realize either bike is going to take some time to get used to.
I do plan to ride an RS this spring (when it stops raining!) to take another assessment of the Spyder. I think the seating position will be better for me and I like the sportier look of the bike.
It will primarily be my ride however I'm sure we'll do some 2-up riding as well.
Questions - we have an Escapade trailer. Have you all had any issues in getting other equipment compatible with the Spyder? Of course, the dealer wanted us to buy the matching trailer... No issues with us doing a little electrical work (on the trailer), just wanted to hear any horror stories.
Seems to be some recalls with these bikes. Anything serious that I should be aware or concerned about?
Anything that we're missing? Any/all comments, suggestions and input are welcome.
TIA
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman
Welcome to our little slice of the universe, Tia!
You've landed in the right place and we'll try to answer whatever questions you have...
Two wheels up front vs two wheels out back... No question about this one; The Spyders handle way better than any conventional trike!
"Conventionals" will often tend to push the front wheel if cornering speeds get a bit too frisky... (Understeer...)
As far as recalls; Just about anything built in recent years has had some sort of recall on initial models... The spyders are packed with technology, so that makes for more places for the "teething pains" to hide! BRP is doing a pretty good job of catching and fixing them now, so I think (Hope!) that they're no longer going to be an issue...
Trailers... I don't have one, and there are lots of folks here who are in a much better position to tell you what they've learned about them..
Thanks for the welcome and the input. Much appreciated!
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before we bought our spyder last fall we test drove an Rs. I like the looks of the RS but for long distance travelling and rider comfort we ended up buying the RT-S. We both really liked the comfort of the Rt and I liked the upright riding position and my wife likes having the comfortable seat. We are new to triking as we have never owned a bike before. I hope this helps.
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IMO the RS is the best looking Spyder anyway. My wife and I, take long trips on ours and it is NOT as bad as some people say in regards of comfort. It is not a Lazy Boy recliner like the RT, but it won't leave you sore the next day like some bikes I have been on. Good luck with your choice, but it seems from what you are saying the RS would be a perfect fit for you.
To make it way more attractive, rip off the back fender and slap a aftermarket exhaust pipe on there. Talk about a wicked cool look and sound. YEEEEEE HAAAAA !!!
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I've owned three Valks, and loved every one of them. Before I bought my first Spyder, I was headed down that same path, At that time, my '01 Valk only had 11K on the clock (2009) - I had found a show wannabe the year before, and couldn't pass it up.
I decided to take the trike & hack MSW course in Hood River, and, following that, decided that triking the Valk was out of the question - not to mention that there's no way to get reverse on a Valk trike - how are your knees?
A friend mentioned the Spyder, and I went for a test drive (note:I had ridden ATVs for decades too). I was bitten - had to go 180 miles away to get a deal I could live with, & the RT wasn't an option then. Bought my RS, and enjoyed it for a year, then switched to an RT S.
It WILL take 300+ miles to adjust to the Spyder, but you'll not regret it.
My Valks are now gone - yes, I sometimes miss them, until I roll the RT out.
You'll find lots of answers to any questions you may have on this forum.
Ride safe.
Last edited by Dragonrider; 04-26-2011 at 08:43 AM.
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BTW, the Escapade will work just fine with the Spyder. You won't know it's there. The Spyder was made to pull a trailer..
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Originally Posted by Dragonrider
I've owned three Valks, and loved every one of them. Before I bought my first Spyder, I was headed down that same path, At that time, my '01 Valk only had 11K on the clock (2009) - I had found a show wannabe the year before, and couldn't pass it up.
I decided to take the trike & hack MSW course in Hood River, and, following that, decided that triking the Valk was out of the question - not to mention that there's no way to get reverse on a Valk trike - how are your knees?
A friend mentioned the Spyder, and I went for a test drive (note:I had ridden ATVs for decades too). I was bitten - had to go 180 miles away to get a deal I could live with, & the RT wasn't an option then. Bought my RS, and enjoyed it for a year, then switched to an RT S.
It WILL take 300+ miles to adjust to the Spyder, but you'll not regret it.
My Valks are now gone - yes, I sometimes miss them, until I roll the RT out.
You'll find lots of answers to any questions you may have on this forum.
Ride safe.
Thanks for the input and feedback. Good to know about that adjustment period as well.
We bought an ATV last year and I took to it like a duck to water - that's what spurred our re-interest in Spyders.
And, yes, reverse on a Valkyrie is manual. LOL I'm 44 so the knees are still in good shape & I have long enough legs.
Great to know that the Escapade will work too! Hated the thought of buying another trailer. Painting, we can deal with.
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