claychaser
New member
I am a 2013 ST, Limited (White) with factory BRP back rest, owner. We rode, and decided to buy Saturday of Labor Day, 2013. Got a good deal, ($20,050), and an extended warranty thrown in from BRP. We have a really good dealership and service department in Grayslake / Gurnee / Antioch, IL on route 83.
I have ridden motorcycles for years and take the National Safety Motorcycle Class every few years. Gotta stay sharp, ya know.
A few things I have learned in 2000 miles of "Spydering".
1. Buy a good helmet. Yep, they cost at least 400.00. To prove a point, try on a $100.00 helmet, then the $400.00 helmet. You will never go back. Think of it this way, your head will live in there hour after hour. Make it happy with a good fitting helmet, of your own color choice. Also, the visor will snap on and off really nice. The best cleaner for your visor is Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish. Pop your visor off, rise well under warm water, clean with dish soap, rise well, dry with a Microfiber cloth. Spray on the cleaner & polish, rub lightly with two fingers, and let dry. Use your microfiber cloth to polish out. Use this on your windshield as well. Hose off well to get the dirt off, and use the Cleaner and Polish. The more you use it, the better the plastic gets.
2. Buy the Spyder you want and don't look back. We got the Limited Edition. Didn't have to buy bags, GPS and mount and wiring mess, heated grips, cruise control, radio, etc, etc. AND it all came installed! We had the factory BRP backrest installed ($$$ I know), but this feature makes it possible for my wife to ride. This is a super engineered really nice backrest. It matches, looks great, and you could put a hook thru this thing and haul the bike up in the air! My wife has actually fallen asleep on trips usint this. It comes off quite easily when you want to ride on your own, or want to bungee something to the carrier with the backrest removed.
3. You must get cruse control. No two ways about it. You will find yourself riding many miles, many hours on your Spyder. Its a long distance machine. It really should come standard.
4. The bags are pretty big. You can get more in there than you think. The front trunk (Frunk), is not a big as you think. Pack your overnight stuff in the rear bags, your rain gear and "get off the bike" bag in the front.
5. As for me, I have not had any heat or over heating issues. It got pretty hot here this summer, and all is well. Is this a topic people are going over board on? Not sure. All is well here.
6. Yep, the drive belt viberates. It varies from speed to speed, load to load, gear to gear. I found the bike much smoohter with two up and bags loaded. It viberated at 46 MPH and 61 MPH. Other than that, very smooth. The Rotax motor is the best. Super buttery smooth at all speeds. Oh, it will quit at idle for the first 1,000 miles or so. No one seems to really know why, ground issue, electronic fuel injection issue, software issue, take your pick. At 2,000 miles mine is now well behaved. Mine has quit a total of four times. No big deal, just dont panic and hit the starter button and you are on your way.
7. Oil. Use synthetic without a friction modifier. Things get kinda tricky. Mobil One, one of my favorite oils, is labeled as such. I contacted Mobil, and they said it was fine. Probably is, but I'm not going to use it. I use Valvoline full synthetic for motorcycles. You can change it yourself, just follow the instructions in the owners manual.
8. Take time to break in your new Spyder. Mine was pretty tight until the 1,000 mile mark. Just take it easy. No extended freeway blasts at 80 MPH. Brakes too. Things are wearing in there as well. It only gets better. Also, the engine does not like to live much below 4,000, unless the load is light. I shift at 5,000 - 6000 RPM and the engine seems happy with that.
I have the SE5, semi-Automatic transmission and love it.
On getting to know your Spyder - get out to that high school parking lot and practice. Practice some turns, then some close turns and have the Electronic Nanny kick in a few times to lean the limits of the machine. I admit to watching the BRP Safety Video a few times and it is helpful. Love the part where the "professional rider" is on a Spyder that has the electronic nanny disabled and he can lift the inside tire and do a rear wheel skid in slippery conditions! Again, practice some safe moves and slowly progress forward. The test course suggestion in the back of the book is pretty good. Also practice your panic stops until the ABS kicks in. Being on asphalt helps. All of this will be a big confidence booster.
9. Don't get depressed by all the negative posts. Get out and ride safe!
Enjoy.
Andrew
I have ridden motorcycles for years and take the National Safety Motorcycle Class every few years. Gotta stay sharp, ya know.
A few things I have learned in 2000 miles of "Spydering".
1. Buy a good helmet. Yep, they cost at least 400.00. To prove a point, try on a $100.00 helmet, then the $400.00 helmet. You will never go back. Think of it this way, your head will live in there hour after hour. Make it happy with a good fitting helmet, of your own color choice. Also, the visor will snap on and off really nice. The best cleaner for your visor is Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish. Pop your visor off, rise well under warm water, clean with dish soap, rise well, dry with a Microfiber cloth. Spray on the cleaner & polish, rub lightly with two fingers, and let dry. Use your microfiber cloth to polish out. Use this on your windshield as well. Hose off well to get the dirt off, and use the Cleaner and Polish. The more you use it, the better the plastic gets.
2. Buy the Spyder you want and don't look back. We got the Limited Edition. Didn't have to buy bags, GPS and mount and wiring mess, heated grips, cruise control, radio, etc, etc. AND it all came installed! We had the factory BRP backrest installed ($$$ I know), but this feature makes it possible for my wife to ride. This is a super engineered really nice backrest. It matches, looks great, and you could put a hook thru this thing and haul the bike up in the air! My wife has actually fallen asleep on trips usint this. It comes off quite easily when you want to ride on your own, or want to bungee something to the carrier with the backrest removed.
3. You must get cruse control. No two ways about it. You will find yourself riding many miles, many hours on your Spyder. Its a long distance machine. It really should come standard.
4. The bags are pretty big. You can get more in there than you think. The front trunk (Frunk), is not a big as you think. Pack your overnight stuff in the rear bags, your rain gear and "get off the bike" bag in the front.
5. As for me, I have not had any heat or over heating issues. It got pretty hot here this summer, and all is well. Is this a topic people are going over board on? Not sure. All is well here.
6. Yep, the drive belt viberates. It varies from speed to speed, load to load, gear to gear. I found the bike much smoohter with two up and bags loaded. It viberated at 46 MPH and 61 MPH. Other than that, very smooth. The Rotax motor is the best. Super buttery smooth at all speeds. Oh, it will quit at idle for the first 1,000 miles or so. No one seems to really know why, ground issue, electronic fuel injection issue, software issue, take your pick. At 2,000 miles mine is now well behaved. Mine has quit a total of four times. No big deal, just dont panic and hit the starter button and you are on your way.
7. Oil. Use synthetic without a friction modifier. Things get kinda tricky. Mobil One, one of my favorite oils, is labeled as such. I contacted Mobil, and they said it was fine. Probably is, but I'm not going to use it. I use Valvoline full synthetic for motorcycles. You can change it yourself, just follow the instructions in the owners manual.
8. Take time to break in your new Spyder. Mine was pretty tight until the 1,000 mile mark. Just take it easy. No extended freeway blasts at 80 MPH. Brakes too. Things are wearing in there as well. It only gets better. Also, the engine does not like to live much below 4,000, unless the load is light. I shift at 5,000 - 6000 RPM and the engine seems happy with that.
I have the SE5, semi-Automatic transmission and love it.
On getting to know your Spyder - get out to that high school parking lot and practice. Practice some turns, then some close turns and have the Electronic Nanny kick in a few times to lean the limits of the machine. I admit to watching the BRP Safety Video a few times and it is helpful. Love the part where the "professional rider" is on a Spyder that has the electronic nanny disabled and he can lift the inside tire and do a rear wheel skid in slippery conditions! Again, practice some safe moves and slowly progress forward. The test course suggestion in the back of the book is pretty good. Also practice your panic stops until the ABS kicks in. Being on asphalt helps. All of this will be a big confidence booster.
9. Don't get depressed by all the negative posts. Get out and ride safe!
Enjoy.
Andrew
Last edited:
hyea:
