• There were many reasons for the change of the site software, the biggest was security. The age of the old software also meant no server updates for certain programs. There are many benefits to the new software, one of the biggest is the mobile functionality. Ill fix up some stuff in the coming days, we'll also try to get some of the old addons back or the data imported back into the site like the garage. To create a thread or to reply with a post is basically the same as it was in the prior software. The default style of the site is light colored, but i temporarily added a darker colored style, to change you can find a link at the bottom of the site.

Any feedback or Comments on the complexity of the RTL?

Metalman

New member
I am seriously thinking about purchasing a 2023 RTL. My concern is with the number of electrical and electronic gizmos. Are they prone to problems?
 
They are not prone to any more problems than any other modern machine. All cars and motorcycles are run by sensors, electronic gadgets, and gizmos today. It comes with a good warranty and the BEST warranty offered by BRP is great also, but you must buy that before your factory warranty expires. Prices vary, so shop around. I have had my Spyder 13 years and 80,000 miles and it has not had any sensor or electronic problems in that time!
 
I bought my first Spyder in 2020. Rode from one end of the country to the other. Traded it in 2022 for a new F3L. Rode it everywhere. Traded that in on new 2024 F3L and I am now riding it just like others. I have not had any issues on trips or otherwise. The only things that did not hold up were the rear top stowage lid struts, which are not good quality to start with.
 
I purchased a 2023 RTL in August of 2023, and now with 26k miles on it, I have had zero problems electrically. Prior to the RT, I had a 2020 F3L with around 40k miles on that, with no electrical gremlins either. No complaints other than the sorry battery it came with, but that was changed to a lithium battery 6 months into my ownership and I strongly recommend a lithium battery for these Spyders.
 
If you have some mechanical ability, and would like to learn more about maintenance, there are many posts here and on YouTube showing you how to do oil changes. There are also folks telling you how to install “Speedbleeders” on your brake calipers, which can make that a simple one man job.

There are more and more folks sharing maintenance tips, which really help you to save money and learn more about how to care for your Spyder. If you have that interest, it’s worth while doing as much as possible yourself, to avoid downtime waiting for a service technician to get to your Spyder through the backlog of other customers.
 
I have a 2021 RT, with 18,000 miles. I had a speed sensor fail, which took the dealer 3 months waiting for the part and I missed an entire Fall riding season. I also had the latch on a side case break and that was more costly to fix than I expected. I don't do any of the maintenance myself, and just accept the high cost of oil changes and new tires as part of the price of ownership. My RT might not be as bullet proof as was my Honda Goldwing, but it certainly has been reliable enough for me to think about upgrading to a 2026 next Spring.
 
The seller just told me that it has a five-year service warranty that is transferable. The trike was purchased by him in April 2024.

Unless that 'five-year service warranty' that can be transferred to your ownership is the 2 year BRP Factory Warranty, plus 3 years of BRP Backed BEST Warranty, then it may not be recognised anywhere but at that particular dealership, and if it's not, it could be useless anyway, due to all the exclusions & limitations many of those type of 'service warranties' have that the BEST Warranty doesn't! :oops:

I believe that over your way, the OEM BRP Factory Warranty can run for as much as 2 years, and to take advantage of the BRP Backed BEST Warranty, it must be purchased BEFORE the OEM Warranty runs out, so if it IS the BEST Warranty that he purchased early, then there's still just a tad under a year on the OEM Factory Warranty to run, up until April 2026, and then there's up to 3 years of BEST Warranty to follow, which can be handy. (y)

Not necessarily so handy if it's 'just' a 'service agreement' with that specific dealer, as those tend to be fairly limited, restrictive, and rarely worth much more than the paper they're written on - and in these modern times, where sooo much is done on-line, it may never have been written on any paper to start with!! 😖 Caveat Emptor!
 
Unless that 'five-year service warranty' that can be transferred to your ownership is the 2 year BRP Factory Warranty, plus 3 years of BRP Backed BEST Warranty, then it may not be recognised anywhere but at that particular dealership, and if it's not, it could be useless anyway, due to all the exclusions & limitations many of those type of 'service warranties' have that the BEST Warranty doesn't! :oops:

I believe that over your way, the OEM BRP Factory Warranty can run for as much as 2 years, and to take advantage of the BRP Backed BEST Warranty, it must be purchased BEFORE the OEM Warranty runs out, so if it IS the BEST Warranty that he purchased early, then there's still just a tad under a year on the OEM Factory Warranty to run, up until April 2026, and then there's up to 3 years of BEST Warranty to follow, which can be handy. (y)

Not necessarily so handy if it's 'just' a 'service agreement' with that specific dealer, as those tend to be fairly limited, restrictive, and rarely worth much more than the paper they're written on - and in these modern times, where sooo much is done on-line, it may never have been written on any paper to start with!! 😖 Caveat Emptor!
I bought the trike yesterday and will meet the owner at the local dealer to transfer the service warranty. I don't know anything about the particulars of the warranty, but I know it was purchased when the bike was new.
 
If you have some mechanical ability, and would like to learn more about maintenance, there are many posts here and on YouTube showing you how to do oil changes. There are also folks telling you how to install “Speedbleeders” on your brake calipers, which can make that a simple one man job.

There are more and more folks sharing maintenance tips, which really help you to save money and learn more about how to care for your Spyder. If you have that interest, it’s worth while doing as much as possible yourself, to avoid downtime waiting for a service technician to get to your Spyder through the backlog of other customers.
I agree with you about maintenance. I've always done general maintenance on my motorcycles, but the Spyder is a different beast. I have watched videos about changing oil and I will be buying the service manual. Now that I am at a ripe old age, doing the sorts of maintenance I used to do might not be possible. But I intend to do what I can.
 
I agree with you about maintenance. I've always done general maintenance on my motorcycles, but the Spyder is a different beast. I have watched videos about changing oil and I will be buying the service manual. Now that I am at a ripe old age, doing the sorts of maintenance I used to do might not be possible. But I intend to do what I can.

A good relationship with a dealer that has a good maintenance shop is always good. Due to work I never had time to do maintenance on my two Spyders so relied heavily on our local dealer to do the service work. Initially we had a rocky start but over the years the service department has great improved which puts my mind at ease (but not my wallet). Now that I'm recently retired I plan to take my Spyder in for only maintenance I can't do (rear tire replacement) and do the easy stuff at home (battery replacement, headlight replacement, and possibly oil changes).

To answer your original question, my wife has never had a problem on her 2021 Spyder. With my 2017 Spyder (I am the original owner) I've only had one problem, a camshaft position sensor that went bad. Easy repair at the dealer but the part took two weeks to get there.
 
I also have only had the cam position sensor fail so far. Common problem on certain years. The original part number has been discontinued and replaced with a new part number.
 
Extended warranties are big profit items for those who sell them. Consumer Reports used to advise against buying any extended warranties on anything (I don't know if they still give that advice) but I have never regretted NOT buying one.
 
I purchased an extended warranty for my Spyder about a year and a half after taking possession. I did so because the roadster is a rolling computer and Murphy was an optimist. The extended warranty expired unused as the only failure I've experienced is a parking brake motor failure that was replaced under the manufacturer's warranty at a bit over a year. Were I in the market for a new Spyder, MY 2020 and later, I would absolutely do it again and would buy it from Thomas Palmer at iMotorsports.
 
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