Bike Week Demo Rides

[wanderingman]

I am a Spyder owner wannabe. For this reason i took the opportunity to test ride both the ST SE5 LTD and anF3 S. I thought that the F3 with the new Cannonball seat would be a bike I would love. It is a sweet bike in many respects, but not for me. When riding the riders legs must be spread too wide at the foot end. During the demo ride I developed extreme hip cramps. Also I experienced the vibration that others have written about between 65 mph and 70 mph. It became severe enough that if I had not read about it here on Spyderlovers I would have pulled the bike to the side of the road. I made my living as a field service rep for a large gas turbine manufacturer. This envolved a lot of vibration analysis. Of course my present analysis is purely seat of the pants trouble shooting, I would agree with those that believe it is caused by the drive belt.not very scientific but it would change with throttle load.

The ST, for me pure joy. Very slight vibration felt in the foot boards. Seemed like normal engine vibration. Not a super bike, but more than enough power to scare yourself. For me a great riding position. Perfect teach for the brake. Other than the lack of fuel economy I have only read about. I love the engine. I must ask do any of the other people on this forum know the durability record of this engine. I only ask due to the normal high RPM that is recommended. My only other concern with the ST is that I don't know if I can make it comfortable enough for my wife. I also looked at Ultimate Seats and found their seats to be great but nothing for the ST where there could be arm rests. I am 77 and my wife is 72. I lust for a superbike but she requires comfort. She has health problems which make her comfort much more important than my lust.

[2ndChildhood]

For comfort did you take the RT for a test ride?


ToM
SpyderFest '15

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[ARtraveler]

Me Too! If you are looking at comfort aspects a test drive of a 2014 or 2015 RT is also recommended. The new 1330 triple engine is something else. Same engine as the F3, but with all the bells, whistles, and comforts of a touring machine.

Gas mileage about 10 mpg better than the 998 as well as an easier maintenance schedule.

A couple win-win possibilities.

[Professor]

Test ride an RT. My wife and I (70 and 66) just got a 2014 RT Limited. She says it is more comfortable than the BMW GTL and the BMW LT that we previously owned. She LOVES it - and I LOVE it. We will be heading to Springfield for Spyderfest with absolutely no worries about comfort. The Limited edition of the RT is more expensive, but to me, the extra bells and whistles (including the Comfort seat) are worth it.

[Highwayman2013]

The RT may be the bike for you, the 998 twin is a high rpm engine but the durability is there. You should be able to get a used RT with low miles and a 998 engine. Most of the vibration at speed is usually the drive belt. Vendors have not caught up on the F3 yet.

[SPYD3R]

EACH TO THEIR OWN......

I'LL TAKE MY NEW F3-S OVER MY '09 RS ANYDAY/EVERYDAY....
i wish you luck and enjoyment regardless of what you decide to buy...
DAN P
SPYD3R

[latony007]

i agree with everyone else, for your age bracket and for comfort the RT is the way to go, just make sure you get a 2014 or newer or suffer the heat problems everyone else is having. There is a difference from being comfy on a 30 minute test ride versus a 4 hour or more ride you would make after you buy it and for that the RT is the way to go.
I dont know much about the 1330 but the 998 has been around a long time in aprilla bikes i think and possibly more and has a great track record.
The vibration issue is one i have not heard with the F3 (i dont follow it that close) but with all the heat issues on the earlier RTs it would not surprise me to see some kind of design defect in the F3. If i were going to get one i would wait a couple years on it thats for sure. IMO

[wanderingman]

I had test ridden a 2014 RT previously? After the test rides yesterday I tend to agree with the recommendations regarding the RT. I rode on 2 wheels for many years and quit some time ago. Now I hope to go back. The talk in this forum I have been very informative regarding what ever choice I make.
.

[cjryder]

I went down and test drove the F3 today at Daytona. I really didn't like it. Now I am sure if I drove it more i would get more familiar and be more comfortable. I was actually glad when the test ride was over. I was all over the road. I tried to relax and lighten my grip but that only worked to a point. We had a short stint on i95 and I was going about 70 mph and a truck almost blew me off the road, I over corrected a bit to much and swerved to far left. I then finally got the thing going straight again. I didn't like the brake pedal at all. I couldn't get my foot in a comfortable position. I have never ridden a snowmobile but I am guessing these things are way closer to being a snowmobile than a motorcycle. I have had a couple cars with paddle shifters which I never liked, and I even liked them less on this snowmobile. On a positive note I must say the thing had good power. I didn't use much of it because of the control issues. There weren't many curves (it's Florida), thank God, I found curves Very difficult to maneuver. Oh well, I went, i tried, it's just not for me. It sure made me appreciate my Road King.

[Professor]

I went down and test drove the F3 today at Daytona. I really didn't like it. Now I am sure if I drove it more i would get more familiar and be more comfortable. I was actually glad when the test ride was over. I was all over the road. I tried to relax and lighten my grip but that only worked to a point. We had a short stint on i95 and I was going about 70 mph and a truck almost blew me off the road, I over corrected a bit to much and swerved to far left. I then finally got the thing going straight again. I didn't like the brake pedal at all. I couldn't get my foot in a comfortable position. I have never ridden a snowmobile but I am guessing these things are way closer to being a snowmobile than a motorcycle. I have had a couple cars with paddle shifters which I never liked, and I even liked them less on this snowmobile. On a positive note I must say the thing had good power. I didn't use much of it because of the control issues. There weren't many curves (it's Florida), thank God, I found curves Very difficult to maneuver. Oh well, I went, i tried, it's just not for me. It sure made me appreciate my Road King.

I know how you feel. I didn't ride during the official F3 demo rides and I'm so glad I didn't. I went to the dealer a couple of days later and rode on my own and was all over the place - over-controlling like crazy. I never got above about 35 mph and would have been terrified to take it on the interstate at that time. By the time I took it back to the dealer, I was doing slightly better, but still uncomfortable and thinking, "How do people enjoy these things?" I had been riding two-wheelers for more than 50 years and I figured my riding habits were too deep to change now.

But since physical disability has stolen my ability to continue riding my much loved BMW K1600 GTL and reading on this forum how much fun people seemed to be having, I convinced myself that I could learn to ryde. With the urging of my wife, I bought a 2014 RTL and more than once thought I had made a mistake. Curves felt very unnatural with the Spyder leaning to the outside and I almost always slowed to at least 5 mph below the marked speed for the curve - and the bike still felt squirrelly. I remember thinking that my two-wheeled Beemer was much more stable than this three-wheeled machine. The first time I took it on the freeway it truly scared me. Then two important things happened: 1. I installed a Bajaron anti-sway bar and 2. I kept on riding. Little by little it got better and somewhere around 700 miles it was like a switch was flipped and I realized it was me that was unstable, not the Spyder. But my neurology finally figured it out and curves are not only alright, but are now lots of fun. And it gets better and better. I don't know if anyone else has been as slow to adapt as I have been, but the struggle has been worth it.

[cjryder]

Professor,
I also have been riding for close to 50 years. You described my experience perfectly. I was thinking if I had this thing on my own and could build some confidence I would be OK. They are fantastic looking machines. I even think my skills or ability to ride a two wheeler have deteriorated a little over the past couple of years. For one thing I don't ride as much as I used to. I noticed my riding improved a lot down here at Daytona after riding 5 days in a row. I am hoping that now that I am semi retired I will be able to ride a lot more.
I also rode BMW's for several years. They are great machines and I logged tons of miles all over the country. And I have also really enjoyed my Harley's. For now I am going to stay on two wheels, at least for another year or two. At some point I might reconsider. Thanks for your understanding.
CJ

[Professor]

You are welcome. When I read your post, I thought, "I know exactly how he feels". I wonder if those group demo rides scare a lot of people away from Spyders. But now, I'm having so much fun. My wife and I will be riding about 400 miles to Springfield, MO next month for Spyderfest. A couple of months ago, I didn't think it was possible.

[BB1 Roadsta]

Wow, so sorry to hear about all the problems with the f-3. We found them to be an excellent upgrade in the
roadster line. never felt the vibration, very easy to control, the speed was to die for ( 85mph smooth & steady on I-95).
This is after the intro demo last year,& this past Saturday. Remember you can adjust everything to your fit, & that's
a big plus. being 6' tall I found the RT to confined. We both own the R S model ,but the F-3 is only a few weeks away.
Just our opinion. Good luck.

[BikerDoc]

I have ridden two F3s over 1000 miles at this point (a demo unit 425 and my own bike over 600 in 5 days). I have not experienced any of the vibration issues you mention. The demo bike did not have a windshield and was not set up right for me so it was a tad uncomfortable and I just enjoyed the power. Once I got my own ride and they tailor fitted it to me, It has been great. I am already planning some 500mile day trips for the F3 after I add storage. Experience in ryding Spyders (I have over 100,000 miles) and a good ufit can make all the difference in how you perceive this ryde.