So...who let that smelly mutt in?

[Houndguy]

Hey all!


I am considering buying a used Spyder because my GF and I want to go touring. I'm a still new to the art of motorcycling (been riding about 3 or 4 years now) and this would be our first 3-wheeler.


Right now I'm still in research mode and would be taking a 3-wheeler class via my local dealer (I am licensed already but it never hurts to learn to do things properly). So I guess the questions I have are really about how easy it is to drive? Maintenance costs? Any hidden issues I should be aware of?


I'm more interested in the semi-automatic version than then standard transmission models.


So...what can tricks can this old dog learn here?

[ARtraveler]

Hey all!


I am considering buying a used Spyder because my GF and I want to go touring. I'm a still new to the art of motorcycling (been riding about 3 or 4 years now) and this would be our first 3-wheeler.


Right now I'm still in research mode and would be taking a 3-wheeler class via my local dealer (I am licensed already but it never hurts to learn to do things properly). So I guess the questions I have are really about how easy it is to drive? Maintenance costs? Any hidden issues I should be aware of?


I'm more interested in the semi-automatic version than then standard transmission models.


So...what can tricks can this old dog learn here?

to the party. There are a lot of threads about the machine. Since you mentioned used, I would recommend 2012 or earlier. Lots of discussions about 2013 models and that is a whole different subject.

Test drives should help determine what you prefer. The RS is like a sport machine and the RT is more like a touring machine. Both machines are available in semi auto--which many people like. Once you determine that, its time to search threads about your chosen ride and to ask questions about it.

[SpyderAnn01]

If you want to go touring you will most definitely want the RT. It is the more comfortable model for both the rider and passenger. The 2014 are awesome but if you are looking for a used model go with a 2012 or earlier. Let's just say that 2013 wasn't the best year.

Look for one that has the extended BEST warranty or one that is still under factory warranty (then you can still buy an extended warranty) these are complicated machines and therefore can be expensive if something goes wrong.

[NetJunkie]

Given the fact that BRP appears to be attempting to fix the heat problems on the 2013s..and keep in mind that there are a lot of 2013s that have no heat problem... I think it's worth looking for a 2013 at closeout prices.

They are easy and fun to ryde. I have zero on-road motorcycle experience and got a 2013 RS-S about 6 weeks ago and love it. Didn't take long at all to get the hang of it.

[SNOOPY]

Whew, when I heard smelly mutt, I thought someone was complaining about me again.

[Cruzr Joe]

Very few places that i am aware of do 3 Wheel classes using a Spyder, a 3 wheel class using a traditional trike will not really give you a good feel for the dynamics of a Spyder.

Find a dealer that will let you demo a Spyder.

Any type of safety class is better than none, but there are many riding differences between a traditional trike and a Spyder.

Good Luck

Cruzr Joe

[Cruzr Joe]

Whew, when I heard smelly mutt, I thought someone was complaining about me again.

Me too, I was getting ready to defend you (not a whole lot, but a little anyway).

Go Snoopy

Cruzr Joe

[SNOOPY]

[Spyder601]

Keep In Mind that with the addition of highway pegs and a simple handle bar riser you can be pretty comfortable on a RS model for much less out of pocket! Have fun with your search! Lots of good info here to read for hours, well who am I kidding DAYS haha

[Jeriatric]

Search the site and read. Search more...read more. Continue repeating this process until you think you have the answers you're looking for. Then, come back often to keep current. The spyder is evolving.

[Dat Guy]

The following is my opinion based off my experience and research.


The pros:

-Fun to ride.
-Easy to ride and comfortable.
-Lots of options; cruise control, storage space, good sound... it's all great.
-Lots of compliments and questions.
-SAFETY - the Spyder mitigates minor road hazards like gravel/sand, blowouts, and road trash quite well.


The cons:

-Lousy MPG. My new 2013 has never got better than 24 mpg no matter what I've tried, and I ride very conservatively. This isn't true for all Spyders, but even the most fuel efficient Spyders average 32 mpg, so expect to stop for gas after every 110-130 miles to be safe depending on how you ride because that low fuel light will be glaring worrisomely into your eyes. This makes touring long distance a pain in the butt. You'll be stopping every hour to an hour and a half at gas stations, and carrying a gas can with you at all times. I too bought my Spyder to go touring in the area I now live in, but some of these scenic desert roads don't have a single service station for 100 miles or more in any direction (and it's posted too), so it makes the idea of remote touring seem impossible to me and I wouldn't risk it. I spend half of my time while riding looking for gas stations instead of enjoying the ride.
-Terrible, TERRIBLE gauges. The analog fuel and temp gauges bounce everywhere and are almost never accurate. This seems to be the norm. Switching to the digital gauges barely helped. It seems to me that a $20-30k toy should be able to give an accurate fuel reading on the OEM gauges, especially considering I can buy 2 new fully equipped cars for that price, and I gaurantee you that the fuel and temp gauges on both of those cars would work.
-These machines are apparently plagued with gremlins. Excessive heat, oil & coolant leaks, dripping gas and fumes, strange software glitches & codes, Spyders that go into limp mode for no apparent reason, techs and mechs that don't know how to work on them properly or assemble them at the dealership incorrectly... Some people are free from any issues, but a lot have experienced some sort of problems, big and small, that do detract from the joy of ownership.


I say the above not to try and dissuade you from buying one, but because these are things I wish someone had told ME before I bought mine. I did a few days worth of research before I bought, but I wasn't prepared for all the little issues that add up. Now, if I had known all that going into the dealership, I would probably still have bought the Spyder. BUT, the difference would be that I would understand from the start that I'm basically part of a trial and error test on a design that's only a handful of years old and I wouldn't be quite so upset when any problems arose, understanding BRP would fix it. In other words, I would have felt more like a test pilot than a guinea pig. For their part, BRP service seems pretty darn good from my own experience and from what I've seen from other peoples' experiences regarding most issues.

To be fair, I spent half my ride time on traditional 2 wheel motorcycles worrying about safety and never letting my guard down, which was pretty stressful in itself, and still didn't save me in the end. I rode for 11 years without a single accident before a gravel driveway spilling into the road on an inside corner took me out on a Victory Kingpin doing 60 mph. Thankfully I was riding solo that day, but after that I would NEVER put my wife on the back of another 2 wheeler again. I feel fine letting her ride (and sometimes drive) the Spyder though. We get to be outdoors safely while we commute to places locally for fun. That alone is pretty much worth it to me to have the Spyder.

P.S. As an honorable mention that doesn't specifically relate to the mechanics of the bike, another "pro" for the Spyder would be the Spyder community overall. Being 34 myself, I appreciate that Spyder riders are generally more mature and interested in helping each other and enjoying themselves instead of bragging about how many cubic inches their bike has or how loud their pipes can get. Vehicles do identify people into certain groups and cliques whether we like it or not, and that being the case, this is the community I most want to participate in.

[Bob Denman]

Let me say "", on your great taste in websites!
Regarding picking a used ; the 2012 RTs seemed have offfered up the fewest issues... 2010 to 2012 RS models were also noteworthy for their relatvie lack of "" faces...
So relax; kick back, and ask anything that you want. You'll get at least 20 different opinions on each and every subject...

[bruiser]

Agree with SpyderAnn. I have a 2012 RTS SM5 and haven't had any problems at all. The wife has a 2010 RTS and has has some very minor issues. The Spyder is a fun, different beast. One thing to remember is a light grip on the handlebars. No counter steering.

[schnauzermom]

Can't tell what part of the country your in but here in western Washington, You can get your 3 wheel endorsement thru Evergreen Motorcycle Training And they do have RS Spyders in their fleet.

[Pirate looks at --]

The following is my opinion based off my experience and research.


The pros:

-Fun to ride.
-Easy to ride and comfortable.
-Lots of options; cruise control, storage space, good sound... it's all great.
-Lots of compliments and questions.
-SAFETY - the Spyder mitigates minor road hazards like gravel/sand, blowouts, and road trash quite well.


The cons:

-Lousy MPG. My new 2013 has never got better than 24 mpg no matter what I've tried, and I ride very conservatively. This isn't true for all Spyders, but even the most fuel efficient Spyders average 32 mpg, so expect to stop for gas after every 110-130 miles to be safe depending on how you ride because that low fuel light will be glaring worrisomely into your eyes. This makes touring long distance a pain in the butt. You'll be stopping every hour to an hour and a half at gas stations, and carrying a gas can with you at all times. I too bought my Spyder to go touring in the area I now live in, but some of these scenic desert roads don't have a single service station for 100 miles or more in any direction (and it's posted too), so it makes the idea of remote touring seem impossible to me and I wouldn't risk it. I spend half of my time while riding looking for gas stations instead of enjoying the ride.
-Terrible, TERRIBLE gauges. The analog fuel and temp gauges bounce everywhere and are almost never accurate. This seems to be the norm. Switching to the digital gauges barely helped. It seems to me that a $20-30k toy should be able to give an accurate fuel reading on the OEM gauges, especially considering I can buy 2 new fully equipped cars for that price, and I gaurantee you that the fuel and temp gauges on both of those cars would work.
-These machines are apparently plagued with gremlins. Excessive heat, oil & coolant leaks, dripping gas and fumes, strange software glitches & codes, Spyders that go into limp mode for no apparent reason, techs and mechs that don't know how to work on them properly or assemble them at the dealership incorrectly... Some people are free from any issues, but a lot have experienced some sort of problems, big and small, that do detract from the joy of ownership.


I say the above not to try and dissuade you from buying one, but because these are things I wish someone had told ME before I bought mine. I did a few days worth of research before I bought, but I wasn't prepared for all the little issues that add up. Now, if I had known all that going into the dealership, I would probably still have bought the Spyder. BUT, the difference would be that I would understand from the start that I'm basically part of a trial and error test on a design that's only a handful of years old and I wouldn't be quite so upset when any problems arose, understanding BRP would fix it. In other words, I would have felt more like a test pilot than a guinea pig. For their part, BRP service seems pretty darn good from my own experience and from what I've seen from other peoples' experiences regarding most issues.

To be fair, I spent half my ride time on traditional 2 wheel motorcycles worrying about safety and never letting my guard down, which was pretty stressful in itself, and still didn't save me in the end. I rode for 11 years without a single accident before a gravel driveway spilling into the road on an inside corner took me out on a Victory Kingpin doing 60 mph. Thankfully I was riding solo that day, but after that I would NEVER put my wife on the back of another 2 wheeler again. I feel fine letting her ride (and sometimes drive) the Spyder though. We get to be outdoors safely while we commute to places locally for fun. That alone is pretty much worth it to me to have the Spyder.

P.S. As an honorable mention that doesn't specifically relate to the mechanics of the bike, another "pro" for the Spyder would be the Spyder community overall. Being 34 myself, I appreciate that Spyder riders are generally more mature and interested in helping each other and enjoying themselves instead of bragging about how many cubic inches their bike has or how loud their pipes can get. Vehicles do identify people into certain groups and cliques whether we like it or not, and that being the case, this is the community I most want to participate in.

I agree with all of the positives of this post, but with 7000 miles on my RT LTD, I have not experienced any of the negatives mentioned. But then maybe I am just a "glass half full Guy!

[Oldmanzues]

I now ride a 2010 RT (22 thousand miles), had a GS/rs 14 thousand miles. No real problem with eith of them. Close to 500,000 miles (60 years/some ilegal on motorcycles (including spyders).
I believe you can learn things on any course you take. I took the the GWRRA course on a Honda VTX 13300 conversion (borrowed)and then on my RS. Leaned things both times. I would suggest letting people know where you are located. There may a rider close bye to talk to in person
Good Luck and safe riding in any case
Oldmanzues

[greatrides]

I have a 2012 rs and love it. I have not had it 2 years and put over 23,000 miles on it! I had sway bar end links become lose and a cracked exhaust pipe that is it! You can not beat how fun it is to ryde and you can tour with it too!

[bruiser]

300px-Lucy-van-pelt-1-.jpg

Whew, when I heard smelly mutt, I thought someone was complaining about me again.

If you don't get over this paranoia I'll have to send you to see Lucy.

[Houndguy]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I guess I will have to fill out my profile a little bit more. I am 47 and live in Tampa, Florida. I like girls, soccer, writing, girls, craft beers, good food, good local wines, girls and soccer. Oh, did I mention motorcycles?

I had a feeling that MPG was bad but I was surprised about the heat issues. Frankly that is something that I would have not thought about and will have to ask to see the maintenance record on any bike I buy.

Well I'm not sure that a 3-wheeler is in my future, the Spyder is in the running. I got to admit that I like the lines of the bike.

But someone mentioned steering and I'm a little confused. I thought I saw a review on Youtube where they were talking about leaning into the corners on a Spyder (which to me would indicate counter steering). I assume you drive the bike comparable to a car then?

[SNOOPY]

To me it drives more like an ATV.

You don't necessarily lean to help the bike through a curve, you lean so you don't get thrown off in a hard curve...if that makes sense. LOL


Then again, I've never ridden a 2 wheeled motorcycle in my life, so what do I know.

[bmccaffrey]

I have a 13 rs that I bought in june last year and put 3200 miles on it with no issues. With the price of the 13 they are worth looking at. But I don't believe the rs in 13 had any real problems.
was thinking about upgrading ti the 13 rt but with some of the problems there having think I will stay with what I have and put the extra farkles on to make it like the rt.
love my spyders

[billybovine]

Whew, when I heard smelly mutt, I thought someone was complaining about me again.

You're the speedy mutt

[schnauzermom]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I guess I will have to fill out my profile a little bit more. I am 47 and live in Tampa, Florida. I like girls, soccer, writing, girls, craft beers, good food, good local wines, girls and soccer. Oh, did I mention motorcycles?

I had a feeling that MPG was bad but I was surprised about the heat issues. Frankly that is something that I would have not thought about and will have to ask to see the maintenance record on any bike I buy.

Well I'm not sure that a 3-wheeler is in my future, the Spyder is in the running. I got to admit that I like the lines of the bike.

But someone mentioned steering and I'm a little confused. I thought I saw a review on Youtube where they were talking about leaning into the corners on a Spyder (which to me would indicate counter steering). I assume you drive the bike comparable to a car then?

the Spyder does not lean going thru the curves like a 2 wheeler. However, as the rider, you need to lean forward and into the curve. Otherwise, you get the sensation of being thrown off the bike. The Spyder turns on a dime and with seat time you become more comfortable with the ride.

[Bob Denman]

If you've got any ATVing experience; it's a lot of help.

[SNOOPY]

You're the speedy mutt