About to be a new Spyder owner......please calm me down!

[MouthPiece]

Hi everyone,

After a couple years of looking at the Spyder and being very intrigued, I have placed an order for 2014 RS-S. While waiting for my loan processing paperwork to be completed I have been reading a lot of threads on this forum and others. Now I'm starting to question my decision about selling my motorcycle and going this route. It seems like 2/3 of the threads are about problems, recalls, or being stranded because of the machine breaking down. I was and still want to be excited about this purchase, but now I have way too many negative thoughts in my head. My past recreational vehicles have all been very reliable, so I'm not sure I'll have much patience if I continually have problems. I realize any man made machine can have problems, but they seem to be excessive on the Spyder..........or am I being paranoid? Is it just a case where only the angry owners or people looking for help post threads and it is actually a very small minority or should I reconsider my choice and go back to a motorcycle? Please talk me off the ledge.....haha! Thanks in advance for your replies!

Yes, you're being paranoid.

​Chris

 

[Bob Denman]

As for the RT needing a larger sway bar - it dosen't. You only put that on if you feel you need to because you are trying to get the max handling out of it. The belt hop doesn't bother me as I feel it is very minor so I do not have that and I would need to ride one that has it on to see if it does help. You could purchase a 2014 RT and not do anything to it and be happy, but most people (including me) like to modify their ride to fit there riding style.

:agree: There seems to be a lot of confusion between "needs", and "wants"...

 

[Darwood]

Wow, thank you to everyone for the great responses! I just signed the papers and will be taking posession of my new 2014 Spyder RS-S SM5 either Wednesday or Thursday. I'll be sure to make a new post after my first riding impressions. As for the comments, keep them coming! I love hearing the POSITIVE things about them!

My only ride on a Spyder has been a short ride on the ST, but I loved it enough to sell my bike and get the RS-S SM5. I probably should have gotten the ST, since I know from experience that I like it, but the sporty look lured me to the RS-S. I'm 40 years young, so I think I can still pull it off. As to the question of where I'm located, I'm in Piqua, Ohio, which is near Dayton. If anyone else might be in the area, feel free to send me a PM. Thanks again!!!

 

[Bob Denman]

:congrats: :clap::clap::clap: :2thumbs: :nopic:

 

[OJ UK]

Hi Darwood....Congratulations! You're still a young guy at 40!
If you happened to be in my neighbourhood in the UK yesterday you would have seen me on my RS-S
at something over 100mph taking the sweeping curves on one of our main roads. Yeah, I have a BajaRon
sway bar fitted to tighten up the handling but even without it the ride is acceptable....I feel that on the
RS-S the Ron bar is extremely desirable...it makes the ride effortless, minimises the amount of physical input
and aids the fatigue factor.
It'll take you around 200-300 miles to get used to the handling characteristics, after that you'll be having so
much fun you won't want to stop! You're gonna love it! I'm 66 this year and not even thinking about hanging up my helmet!

 

[murphybrown]

Congrats

Wow, thank you to everyone for the great responses! I just signed the papers and will be taking posession of my new 2014 Spyder RS-S SM5 either Wednesday or Thursday. I'll be sure to make a new post after my first riding impressions. As for the comments, keep them coming! I love hearing the POSITIVE things about them!

My only ride on a Spyder has been a short ride on the ST, but I loved it enough to sell my bike and get the RS-S SM5. I probably should have gotten the ST, since I know from experience that I like it, but the sporty look lured me to the RS-S. I'm 40 years young, so I think I can still pull it off. As to the question of where I'm located, I'm in Piqua, Ohio, which is near Dayton. If anyone else might be in the area, feel free to send me a PM. Thanks again!!!

i traded my '10 with 70k in on RTS se6 April 26...had first service sat am...will turn 4000 in 5 miles...still saying WOW what a ryde. You will luv it..pictures when you post next. Congrats

 

[coz]

good for you darwood

you are buying the most reliable and proven spyder- rs, sm. it's a great bike. you'll love it.:thumbup:

 

[arachnophyle]

About to be a new Spyder owner

Not to worry. The machine is super reliable. Are there problems? Sure. I have ridden my RT 16000 miles in 15 months and have yet to experience any kind of breakdown or malfunction. I am SICK of the rear brake howl when I back up, and sicker yet of all the dealer techs telling me it can't be helped, but all you have to do is to wait until all the Harley riders have left the rest stop before you back out of your space. I've been disappointed in the gas mileage, but then again this bike has a big profile, so I just suck it up because of how satisfied I am with my 3-legged horse.

 

[spydaman60]

you are buying the most reliable and proven spyder- rs, sm. it's a great bike. you'll love it.:thumbup:

:agree: traditionally the rs and rss has been the most trouble free machine in the line. add to that the sm5 and it brings you in on the spyder with the least amount of problems!!! enjoy the ride! best machine I have ever owned!!!

 

[SPYD1]

You will be very happy!

 

[billrob71]

you are buying the most reliable and proven spyder- rs, sm. it's a great bike. you'll love it.:thumbup:

100% agree you will not be disappointed , I love my RSS SM5 congrats on the new ride what color did you get?

 

[Saluda]

'13 STS

Love it, no problems. Heat has never been an issue.

 

[Darwood]

I got the white/black RSS SM5, like the one Danica Patrick is on in the promotional pictures. Now only if she was included with the purchase! I'll include pictures and a first ride impression after receiving it later this week.

 

[SpyderLady]

Calm down and make the jump. I went from a Harley soft tail deluxe to a R s in 2009 and in 2012 upgraded to an RT. Love both my machines. You will often hear from the negatives, but for the rest of us it is a great machine.

 

[Flanker]

No real problems (that weren't self inflicted) with mine. Besides if yours does explode a spread flaming debris over a wide area........................you'll still be a cable news and internet sensation for 5 or 10 minutes. Don't get no better than that! :joke:

 

[StanProff]

1 This is the reason that I am still sitting on the sidelines. The lack of support from BRP concerns me, especially the heat issues associated with previous model year Spyders. I understand that the 2014 models appear to have addressed these issues. But, if this is such a magnificent machine, why do you have to install an aftermarket stabilizer bar and a device to takeout the belt hop? I mean 30K plus for a toy you would think that they concerns would be taken care of during production. Maybe I'm wrong in assuming this, but these concerns are keeping me from buying what appears to be a very interesting mode of transportation.....:banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

I am glad I didn't stay on the sidelines 3 years ago. 22,600 miles later and zero problems have amounted to a train load of adventure and fun. I have seen a lot of the country and plan to see more on my 2010 RTS. We have been on many 3 and 4 day trips and loved every minute of it. If you ever decide to buy, be sure you ride the Blue Ridge parkway from one end to the other. It is my favorite ride. Just got home last night from a 4 day trip (My 3rd time) to the Outer Banks of N.C. My wife and I have been across the country on a 18 day excursion that included Mount Rushmore, Devils tower in Wyoming, Denver Colorado, Kansas, and many more states. If I had worried about the very small % of owners that post problems on a forum, I suppose I would still be sitting on the sidelines and would have missed out on more than one "trip of a lifetime".
Stan