First Post

[mrwizrdd_66]

I have finally gotten around to posting instead of just reading. For those that don't like to read much, here's a few questions.
What dealer is best in the Cincy/Dayton area? or a bit further?
Is there anything in particular to watch out for with a used Spyder?

Now the long version... My wife and I were rear ended on an ST1300 about a year and a half ago. Fortunately, we wear gear and helmets so we managed to get by with back/neck problems and really messed up ankles. It took some time but we are pretty much back to normal. I have been riding my fathers old 1500 Goldwing but I really don't like the bike. So, I'm looking into what to get next. I have pretty much decided on either a sport tourer, or a Spyder. I test drove one at an event right as they were entering the market. The only problems that I had with the bike were the brake placement and a really warm foot. Other than that I really enjoyed the lengthy test ride that we had. Based on some posts, it seems that some dealers are much better than others. I live in the Northern Cincinnati area, so does anyone know of a good dealer around me? The only other hesitation that I have about a Spyder is that it seems that some have a lot of problems with them... or maybe it's just that people complain a lot on the internet or that those posts are easier to find. Never the less there is usually a short list of more common problems for every bike, what do I need to watch out for on a Spyder?

Cheers,
Kirk

[coz]

welcome to the site kirk. i've had my 08 for about a year and i've had no problems at all. it seems rt's have more problems than rs's. semi's have more problems than manuals. this question will get many, many answers. proper set up when new determines the reliability. middletown cycle is the only game in town, but i've heard only good about them. good luck with it.

[Big Iron]

Hi There,,, I know there are other dealerships out there but I have only dealt with Power Sports of Cleveland, 5475 Engle Road, Brookpark Ohio, 44142 Phone 216 433-9011. They have pretty good deals on the few used Spyders that they've had. (Most of us keep ours) The problems that the Spyders had have been worked out pretty much so with the DPS. The problem with the hot foot thing also has a solution,,,, one of the sponsers sell a kit that vent the hot air away, and it works well. Also with the ankle problem you have/had,,, well with a Spyder you don't have to worry about supporting the weight of the vehicle. Hope this helped a little!!!

[CyncySpyder]

Teddy & I are located in Covington KY, right on the river across from downtown Cincy. We're starting to get a pretty good group of local Spyder Ryders here in the tri-state metro area with new owners joining just about every week it seems. The ONLY local dealer for us as mentioned by Coz is Middletown Cycle located in Franklin Ohio, right up your way I believe. Their a good dealership & Aarron is the owner, a younger guy, but eager to please & build his business. As for a brand new Spyder, proper dealer set-up makes for a good experience or a troubled one, like you discussed in your post. Something as simple as making sure the battery connections are properly tightened, if overlooked, can cause a cascade of problems down the road for the new owner. When the RTs first came to market back in 2010, ours was rushed thru set-up by the dealer in WVA where we bought it & that unit was in the shop more than in our pocession, loved the Spyder, just not that particular unit. Our 2011 RT-S that we have now, has been trouble free for over 24,000 miles in one year now. Can't say enough about the initial dealer set-up, if buying new, ask the dealer to go over the Pre-Delivery Inspection with you, IMHO. If your thinking used, there's usually some great deals here posted on the SpyderLovers ForSale Forum, so that might be a good option to check out. If you'd like to actually talk, feel free to send me a PM & I'll send you my contact info. Also, if you can make SpyderFest in Cuba MO starting April 24th, they will have the BRP demos there & you will see every type of vendor & mod imiganable, not to mention Len & Cowtown are doing some great deals for SpyderFest as well. Good Luck, do your homework, but be careful, as these machines are EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE & once bitten, game over, you gotta have one

[SpyderAnn01]

you are coming from a great bike in the ST1300 and you will definitely miss the gas mileage you get with the Honda. But the Spyder is also a fantastic machine and I think you and your wife will really enjoy riding on one.

[ARtraveler]

CincySpyder gave some very good advice.

[SteveMac]

If you can make it to Spyderfest you will see more options for Spyders and the vendors who supply us all with mods than you will see anywhere in North America. No joke. It would be well worth your time to visit!

[mrwizrdd_66]

Thanks for the posts guys. I'm glad to here that Middletown is a decent dealer. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to drive to Columbus or down into Kentucky for a good dealer. I live in West Chester so it is very close to me. I stopped by there a few weeks ago to get a feel for the place and chat a bit. I talked to an RT owner that stopped by that absolutely loves his bike and the salesman was good to talk to as well.

The salesman was also rear ended and had to have his ankle rebuilt. My wife and I were very fortunate. I installed BygDawg tip over bars on the ST that did a lot to save our legs. They are about 3/8 solid steel and the one side was ground down about half way. If I didn't have those things our legs would have been toast. So yes, one of the main considerations for the Spyder is because of my ankle. There has been a few times with the Goldwing that I just had to grit my teeth and deal with the pain to keep the bike up.

I don't think that I'll be able to get off work at this point to make it to Cuba. I can't believe you are at 525 registered at this point! It will definitely be a fun time. I think it says a lot for a specific bike model when it has a lot of dedicated and friendly riders. I will have to stop by Middletown again on Saturday morning and see if I can test drive one again. Who knows, I might get hooked.

[zrc]

"...I might get hooked"

You're here, so chances are, you already are

[mrwizrdd_66]

"...I might get hooked"

You're here, so chances are, you already are

Almost, I'm just nibbling at the moment. This seems to be the best place online to get info about the Spyder so that is why I am here.

So what is the short list of common problems with the Spyders?

[mrwizrdd_66]

How hard is it to do general maintanence? or how about more extensive work?

Having to tear into the Goldwing for Carb work this winter has made me bring up this question. I think it took me longer to take off and put on the plastic that it did for me to clean and rebuild the carbs. And some of the hoses were impossibly difficult to get to. I've had cruisers that weren't too bad and the ST wasn't too bad either. Just wondered how the Spyder was to work on.

[NancysToy]

How hard is it to do general maintanence? or how about more extensive work?

Having to tear into the Goldwing for Carb work this winter has made me bring up this question. I think it took me longer to take off and put on the plastic that it did for me to clean and rebuild the carbs. And some of the hoses were impossibly difficult to get to. I've had cruisers that weren't too bad and the ST wasn't too bad either. Just wondered how the Spyder was to work on.

The Spyder guts are as buried as the Goldwing, and many components are packed in tighter. Tough, but not impossible. In my opinion the bodywork is easier to remove than the GW or BMW, though...at least there are fewer screws. Lots of stuff an experienced owner can do himself, but there are some things that require a dealer...such as updates through BUDS. Some diagnostics and tests must be done via BUDS, too, especially if they involve the CANbus.

[MikeinGA]

How hard is it to do general maintanence? or how about more extensive work?

Having to tear into the Goldwing for Carb work this winter has made me bring up this question. I think it took me longer to take off and put on the plastic that it did for me to clean and rebuild the carbs. And some of the hoses were impossibly difficult to get to. I've had cruisers that weren't too bad and the ST wasn't too bad either. Just wondered how the Spyder was to work on.

First get a Green Manual for the Spyder, read it. Next, if it's a RS, install Dzus quarter turn clips, makes it a snap to get the plactic off. The maintanence is easy to do, but with out BUDD's there are things you can't do. That's IMHO.

Mike

[Hawk Eye]

You will love the Spyder.

Hawk Eye

[TOPDOGJIM]

Best of luck, I am sure you will be happy.