What a machine!

[UtahPete]

I recently took a weekend trip from So. Utah to Los Angeles and back. Mostly freeway driving, unfortunately. with lots of cross winds and buffeting from trucks. But, never once felt unsafe. The bike is stable, brakes powerful and passing power more than adequate in all conditions, even though I was towing a small trailer. All well and good. Nothing surprising there.

BUT, at one point I had to pull off the busy freeway and the only place to do it was in the concrete median. Fortunately, it is a couple of lanes wide and a mile or so long at that point, so I felt I had a margin of safety and enough of a 'runway' to blend with left-lane traffic when ready. After checking the bike over and fixing a loose trailer wire, I was ready to join the freeway traffic. The left lane was moving at 70-75 mph and pretty steady, with occasional breaks big enough to merge into without interfering with other vehicles' progress. I opened the throttle and within 3 seconds or less (by now in 3rd gear) I was exceeding 75 mph and had to throttle back in order to merge.

This while towing a trailer. I was pretty impressed with the power and speed of this machine (2014 RTL) when it's needed. I can only imagine what the other drivers thought of this 'rocket launch' of a touring bike.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

You do know that you can’t legally tow a trailer in CA over 55 mph?

 

[Arion]

You do know that you can’t legally tow a trailer in CA over 55 mph?

And you can't legally speed in California either (or most other places in the US) but that doesn't stop folks from doing it.

 

[UtahPete]

You do know that you can’t legally tow a trailer in CA over 55 mph?

Yes, I know. Sometimes you just have to break the rules.

 

[UtahPete]

And you can't legally speed in California either (or most other places in the US) but that doesn't stop folks from doing it.

Fortunately, the several CHP that passed me (I cruised at 65mph) were more interested in pulling over unsafe drivers, as I figured.

 

[Mad Mac]

If you do the speed limit in Calif., you WILL get run over! As a "native" of that state, you have to be a defensive driver or else...... You should even use those mirrors more than you would normally. Mac:yikes:

 

[UtahPete]

If you do the speed limit in Calif., you WILL get run over! As a "native" of that state, you have to be a defensive driver or else...... You should even use those mirrors more than you would normally. Mac:yikes:

Yup. Posted speed limit was 65mph; the traffic I needed to merge with was going 70+. My point is, the Spyder was more than capable of getting up to merge speed in a very short distance.

 

[missouriboy]

...I was pretty impressed with the power and speed of this machine (2014 RTL) when it's needed. I can only imagine what the other drivers thought of this 'rocket launch' of a touring bike.

I was trailing 7 or 8 Harleys in a group-ride, doing around 60, when I had occasion to communicate with the leader. So I downshifted, quickly caught him, and stopped the group to wait for a straggler. Later, at a planned rest-stop, one of the Harley boys from about mid-line came up to me and asked, "What have you got in that thing, a V8?" :clap:

We were all riding 2-up.

 

[blacklightning]

Good deal, and yes, these things really accelerate pretty quick. I have been very impressed with my F3T, RT and my RSS. But considering it takes the Vmax nearly 2.5 to get from 0-60, these things aren't quite as quick as we think. But they can really move out when needed:thumbup:.

 

[UtahPete]

Good deal, and yes, these things really accelerate pretty quick. I have been very impressed with my F3T, RT and my RSS. But considering it takes the Vmax nearly 2.5 to get from 0-60, these things aren't quite as quick as we think. But they can really move out when needed:thumbup:.

Sure caught me by surprise. No hesitation, just GO!

 

[DGoebel]

Pete,
Thanks for the report! It's always nice to see someone posting about the good times! I'm jealous, we still have 10 inches of white ground cover here in MN. Still haven't visited my Spyder in winter storage.

 

[UtahPete]

I recently took a weekend trip from So. Utah to Los Angeles and back. Mostly freeway driving, unfortunately. with lots of cross winds and buffeting from trucks. But, never once felt unsafe. The bike is stable, brakes powerful and passing power more than adequate in all conditions, even though I was towing a small trailer. All well and good. Nothing surprising there.

BUT, at one point I had to pull off the busy freeway and the only place to do it was in the concrete median. Fortunately, it is a couple of lanes wide and a mile or so long at that point, so I felt I had a margin of safety and enough of a 'runway' to blend with left-lane traffic when ready. After checking the bike over and fixing a loose trailer wire, I was ready to join the freeway traffic. The left lane was moving at 70-75 mph and pretty steady, with occasional breaks big enough to merge into without interfering with other vehicles' progress. I opened the throttle and within 3 seconds or less (by now in 3rd gear) I was exceeding 75 mph and had to throttle back in order to merge.

This while towing a trailer. I was pretty impressed with the power and speed of this machine (2014 RTL) when it's needed. I can only imagine what the other drivers thought of this 'rocket launch' of a touring bike.

BTW, both my RT are the SE6 transmission. There is NO lag between gears when shifting with this under power!