Spyder RT Limited or Harley Davidson Triglide

[BajaRon]

Congratulations to you on at least 2 counts!

1- You're doing you homework BEFORE you deal with the sales pitch at the dealership.
2- You are thinking for yourself rather than letting some died in wool Harley or Spyder owner tell you what to think.

As stated many times, these are 2 very different animals. And you add a 3rd variable with the RS/RT choices.

Still, regardless of subjective opinion, there are some inherent characterists due to the laws of physics that are pretty much boilerplate.

2 wheels in front provides a safer, more stable and better handling format than 1 wheel in front. You also get quicker response to steering input (which can feel 'twitchy' to a new rider until they get used to it - then it feels 'responsive').

The angular force exerted in a turn is forward and towards the outside of the turn. 1 centered wheel just cannot compete with 2 spread wheels in resisting this force.

As you can see from my feeble attempt at a visual below, the tipping force from turning is also resisted better with the 2 wheels forward format. If you add braking to your turn the blue line force is multiplied. With the Spyder platform you're getting the greatest stability where it is needed most. Adding aftermarket suspension components to the Spyder can significantly increase these positive traits. There really is little that can be done to the front end of a standard trike platform, assuming that the rake and trail are already correct.


Not only does the Spyder have 2 wheels resisting the biggest force encountered, you get added traction from the 10" (5" x 2) wide contact area
(with the stock Kenda tires). As you can see from the Tri-Glide picture, you may be getting 3" of total contact area.



Of course there is more to a ride than handling and stability. And there are many more differences between these two machines than what I have covered here. Everyone has to decide what is most important to them. Everyone should ride what they like best.

[BajaRon]

I absolutely love my Spyder HOWEVER:

it is the most expensive vehicle to maintain that I have ever been involved with . 600 mile oil change and inspection 250 bucks, a dealer network that is either loved by all ( ie Cowtown) or totally inept and incompetent.

Seems to me that any decent wrench can deal with a Harley but if you follow these threads you will begin to see that it takes a very skilled, competent computer expert who can also wrench to deal with the Spyder

Oh yeah, it also seems that BRP would prefer that you the owner, fix things that are poorly thought out by them. For example: the turn signal indicator is totally iossible to see except at night and requires the touch of a surgeon to cancel consistently on lane changes.

It is the funniest machine to ride that I have. We will see over time how I feel about the cost of ownership.

Some valid observations depending on the situation.

As with any vehicle, the Spyder being more to the spendy side, it pays to do your own maintenance (in more ways than just money). It doesn't take a computer expert to change the oil. That is a great place to start.

[SpyderVikki]

Hi all, new to this forum.  Thinking about getting my first motorcycle and it has come down to the Spyder or the triglide.  Any input about these two machines would be much appreciated.

I can only tell you that I've had my Spyder RT5 for a year and I LOVE it. I don't know anything about the other brand.

[eddieshep999]

Someone posted earlier ref Moving from a Goldwing to a Spyder And Why did you buy a Spyder

Great deal of information which may be useful in your quest

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...lk-to-me-Goose

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...light=GOLDWING

Perhaps you could let us know your decision and the reason you made it

Whatever you decide enjoy it and ride safe

All the best

Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK

[Dib52]

First off, let me say I have no experience with the HD brand. However, it was on the short list when we began looking. So we set aside a Saturday morning/afternoon to go look at the market. We're fortunate that we have dealers of both brands close to home. Went to the Spyder dealer first, and as soon as I saw the look in my wife's eyes, I knew we were never gonna make it to the HD dealer. I love my wife to death, but she just ain't real coordinated. The safety features built into the sold us. The semi-auto convinced me she could handle it. I guess the rest they say is history. Came home later that day with

[Mspiv]

First off, let me say I have no experience with the HD brand. However, it was on the short list when we began looking. So we set aside a Saturday morning/afternoon to go look at the market. We're fortunate that we have dealers of both brands close to home. Went to the Spyder dealer first, and as soon as I saw the look in my wife's eyes, I knew we were never gonna make it to the HD dealer. I love my wife to death, but she just ain't real coordinated. The safety features built into the sold us. The semi-auto convinced me she could handle it. I guess the rest they say is history. Came home later that day with

You must know my wife from your description above and she managed to pass an evergreen safety and lisencecing course 2 weeks after purchase.

[Georgia Peach]

I recently traded my 2011 Triglide for a 2012 RT Limited. I a was previous owner of the RT SE5 in 2010, the Triglide to me was hard to handle the clutch was very tight my hand would get tired really quick. Had thought about putting on a easy clutch but decided I didn't want to put any more money into it. Also with the reverse it would kick out if you went over the slightest bump. The Triglide reverse button you have to hold down while backing up. The RT has power steering vs Triglide you don't have to worry about turning the RT around vs Triglide when you get in a tight area. With the RT you don't have to worry about holding the clutch when you come to a stop or gearing up or down. Triglide uses more gas than the RT and you feel more heat from the Triglide. Hope this info will help

[Dib52]

You must know my wife from your description above and she managed to pass an evergreen safety and lisencecing course 2 weeks after purchase.

Your wife has the jump on mine. She passed 1 month to the day after purchase. She had ZERO riding experience going into this. I let her practice for 3 weeks(shhh, don't tell anyone) awaiting her entry into a class. Good to go...a happy wife makes for a happy life!

[Bob Denman]

I recently traded my 2011 Triglide for a 2012 RT Limited. I a was previous owner of the RT SE5 in 2010, the Triglide to me was hard to handle the clutch was very tight my hand would get tired really quick. Had thought about putting on a easy clutch but decided I didn't want to put any more money into it. Also with the reverse it would kick out if you went over the slightest bump. The Triglide reverse button you have to hold down while backing up. The RT has power steering vs Triglide you don't have to worry about turning the RT around vs Triglide when you get in a tight area. With the RT you don't have to worry about holding the clutch when you come to a stop or gearing up or down. Triglide uses more gas than the RT and you feel more heat from the Triglide. Hope this info will help

The rider who has been on both...

[bikeguy]

As everyone else has said, test ride both and make your own decision. But, I want to make one more point and that is to think very seriously about what kind of riding you intend to do. Here's an example of what I mean: We stopped in a store one day this week to buy a few things and in the parking lot was a Harley trike. It wasn't a Tri-Glide. It apeared to be a Sportster with a conversion kit. I've never seen a prettier trike, heck, I've never seen a prettier bike at all. It was shiny black with just enough chrome and the proportions were perfect. It was absolutely beautiful. I would have traded my RT for it in a minute - except that I don't think I could have ridden it 600 miles a day.

Understand that I don't mean to say that my RT is a better long distance tourer than a Tri-Glide. I don't know. I'm just saying that each of us has to decide for ourselves what is important in choosing one ride over another. And to do that, you have to know what you want to do.

Cotton

P.S. I have a friend who bought a cruiser style bike because when he rode it through town and saw his reflection in the store windows he looked cool. That wouldn't work for me but, by golly, it was a valid reason for him.

[Dragonrider]

I was offered a Red 2012 TriGlide today, with 1260 miles on the clock for my 2010 RTS & $2500 cash….. thinking really hard about it.

[dancogan]

...Triglide uses more gas than the RT...Hope this info will help

Wow! That really surprises me. I've never been on a Triglide but it was under close consideration before we bought our RT. I'm a bit disappointed in the limited range of the RT but I would have been really bummed out by the Triglide. Thanks for the info.

[FWBCRUISER]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.

Thanks again all!

[Camdenlake]

Congrats. Great choice .

Josh

[epiphysis]

no one mentioned the other obvious difference.......if you buy a HD, you have to buy all the HD clothing and accessories.....that can become super costly!!!!!!

[spyder3]

[DrAwkward]

Thanks, I am getting a more unbiasd opinion here then on the Harley forum. I am going to Thunder Beach tomorrow and Can Am is there offering demos so I am going take one out and see how it feels. I do agree the 2 wheels up front will give more stability.

Well I've been lurking here for a while reading and learning in the background trying to decide someting similar and here's what I've found. I currently own a Harley Ultra Classic and love it dearly, it's my 13th and final bike. I love the new Harleys and would ride forever but a medical condition with my feet makes three wheels my next venture. I am a die hard Harley guy, i have a big tattoo on my arm that will never go away but..... I would never buy the Harley Tri-Glide. It has a solid rear axle, a good enough reason to walk away but there's more. If you are on the Harley forums as I am you'll know the tri-glide has had many issues, and the extra weight makes the 103 engine work very hard especially if you rides in twisties or hills. I guess even though I'm a harley guy till i die I look at the Tri-Glide an ancient technology and the Spyder as newer technology. Again just my 2 cents.
When I rode the Spyder I was disappointed in two things only. Lack of tourque down low, yeah again Harley guys are used to tons of tourque so you miss it. The other thing I wanted for on the RT-S I test drove was a sixth forward gear. On the highway the revs were too high in my opinion to get good fuel economy and keep the buzziness to a minimum. One more gear would've been appreciated. Last year I rode my Ultra from the Cape to FLA twice and on long trips keeping the revs lower makes for better enjoyment and less tiredness at the end of the day.
In closing I love my bike but medical stuff dictates I change to three wheels. My choice sadly is not the Harley, it is the RT-L next fall after I sell my Ultra Classic this summer.
Again just my 2 cents and as a newbie here I would've never weighed in except our search paths seem to align.
Good luck with your search and whether you buy the Harley or Spyder join the groups - socialize and make new friends for life, I loved riding with my HOG brothers and sisters and leading rides.
Get involved!
Doc

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Welcome Aboard, Smart choice I knew I could convince you to get a Spyder......Mike... Partay, Partay, Partay

[DrAwkward]

Wow! That really surprises me. I've never been on a Triglide but it was under close consideration before we bought our RT. I'm a bit disappointed in the limited range of the RT but I would have been really bummed out by the Triglide. Thanks for the info.

I get 42mpg with my 08 Harley Ultra classic over the last 25,000 miles except when I'm towing my Bushtec Turbo+2 trailer then I get 38mpg. Trikes on our HOG trips average 38mpg except when towing trailers then they get low 30's. Mountains, twisties or spirited rides result in lower numbers of course!
Doc

[dancogan]

I get 42mpg with my 08 Harley Ultra classic over the last 25,000 miles except when I'm towing my Bushtec Turbo+2 trailer then I get 38mpg. Trikes on our HOG trips average 38mpg except when towing trailers then they get low 30's. Mountains, twisties or spirited rides result in lower numbers of course!
Doc

Well, that's better than I average on my RT. I'd be delighted to average 38 mpg with no trailer.

[flaggerphil]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.

Thanks again all!

[chickridin]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.

Thanks again all!

[hogmanjem]

I myself was a Harley rider up until I got hurt and had to sell it. I am a true Harley guy in that I don't think you can beat the look and the sound of a Harley. I'm now looking at getting a Trike to be able to get back into riding. I've been looking at both the Harley and the Spyder RT's. What I have found is that the Harley gas mileage is better at 38 MPG's vs the RT's 28 MPG's. The service cost on the Harley is less than the Spyder's, but in fairness I must say the reason is that the Spyder's are more high-tech. I would also say that for comfort and stability the Spyder wins in that reguard.At first glance it looked to me that the Spyders pricing were at lot less than the Harley's, but not so fast. For some reason the top of the line Spyder RT Limited does not come with all the bells and whistles, you still have to add the CB and maybe a few other things to get the communications set up the way I would like. In doing this, the Spyder then will cost as much as the Harley! However the other thing the Spyder has that Harley does not have and should...and I really like this, is that the Spyder has a true reverse gear!!! The 2012 Harley comes now with ABS and electronic throttles which I have never seen on them before. I took my older brother a couple of times when I looked at the Spyder's and he now owns a 2012 Spyder RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the black seat. His dealer here in Birmingham, Al offers a way to cut the service expense in that they offer a service package that covers the first 36 months at a savings of almost $1,100.00 during that time frame.That will go a long way in trimming the service cost difference between the Harley and the Spyder. I don't know if they all offer this and if all dealers honor this or if you have to have all services done at that dealership??? Maybe some of you on this site can answer that for me.The next problem I am having trying to decide betweenthe two is color, with the Harley they have a couple of colors I really like, with the Spyder RT I like all the extras of the Limited, but I like the Pure Magnesium Metallic, so I was looking at the RT-S but adding all the extras it was going to cost as much or more than the Limited. So, at this point I'm still not decided between the Harley and the Spyder. Giving it more thought, Jack

[Georgia Peach]

Congrats!! Had plans for Thunder Beach my husband was hit by a driver on her cell phone Tuesday so there went our trip. He ended up with some cuts and bruises and a broken foot. Enjoy

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.

Thanks again all!

[Dragonrider]

Since I got that offer, I've done a ton of reading, and:

1. The fit and finish of the Harley is tops
2. Fuel economy is better with the Harley
3. The Harley is cheaper to fix, and has a dealer network second to none
4. I'm 6'4", and the Triglide feels like a toy - very small
5. The Triglide's shifter and controls need to be adjusted for me - and the heel/toe shifter isn't a plus
6. The Triglide has a six speed trans.
7. You need to spend roughly $2000 in "illegal" (pipe, header, air cleaner, tuner) to drop the engine temperature to ridable levels.
8. The Spyder has far more "bells & whistles" - iPod interface vs CB & intercom - neither of the latter do I have any interest in.
9. The Spyder doesn't look like a bike, but is inherently safer.
10. Lots of owners state they would sell theirs if they could, and will never buy another one.

Looks like I keep the RT..