Considering Going From 2 to 3 Wheels

[mzflorida]

I never test drove the RT. I immediately bought a 16 F3-T and do not regret it. I prefer a more sporty look and I love the looks of it. I will never own an RT because they remind me of my mother's station wagon back in the day. (no offense RT riders).

The F3 just plain looks and rides great. it is my baby.

I think I was leaning more toward the Cadillac XT5 (Which I own) than the Buick Roadmaster (which my parents owned) from the 80s! Kidding aside, that is all part of it. Unless it is a pure track or dirt bike, looks play into the equation.

 

[Piratezz]

75/ 80, The machine will do that the whole day, and twice on sunday, Only thing, you need to go to a learning curve, before you make significant changes to the Can Am, Out of the box, it's a tremendous machine, some here on the forum may differ this opinion.
It's certainly a customizable machine, with plenty of suppliers/ aftermarket parts, who are willing to help.
I am on many forums active, but the atmosphere here, is surely good. Start riding one of em, you cannot go wrong...

 

[spyder01]

Glad to hear that and thank you for the welcome! What do you attribute the increased riding on the Can Am vs. a two wheel MC to? Is it that you enjoy it more than two wheels?

Quick aside...what about rain? How is the protection on the CanAm?

If I could offer my opinion here,I ride my RT much more than I rode my other bikes in my life bc Ive simply got more time now(semi retired).As far as rain,with the wide front and the electric windshield I feel they handle rain better than any bike Ive owned,but your passenger may want to wear a hooded rainsuit so that water blowing forward onto her back will not go down her neck.A mud flap helps with this as well.

 

[FastOldGuy]

I moved to the Can-Am's starting back in 09 because of balance issues .... even if I could handle a Wing now I wouldn't go back ....I have the semi=auto trans RT, and wouldn't go back to manual - EVER ...... I tried a HD and Wing trikes first and they su*ked badly .... the Spyders handle as well as Auto's do ( I also have a Shelby Cobra ) ..... If possible go test ride some first .... just drive it like a CAR and you will love it ..... Mike :thumbup:

And we're damn near Clones of each other... I've been riding since 1972. I've owned a lot of different motorcycles but more Harley's (still own 2.5). My knees are about shot at 64 11/12's years old. My GF started looking at H-D Trikes early in the Summer and I told her, "Look my 2018 M8 Runs HOT As HELL and a New H-D Trike is Going To Run HOTTER and I think they look like a Wheel Chair for old Harley Riders". I started looking at Trikes and liked the Spyder but I knew she would Not Be Happy If I Bought an F3 (no Radio, stripped). I found a 2016 RTs made the Deal and then told her. Her reply was "Noooooo, Call Them And Tell Them You Changed Your Mind"! I said "Can't Do That. I Gave Them A $500.00 Deposit and We'll Pick It Up Tomorrow". At this point She can Tell You Why She Likes The Sypder Better than the H-D. We've put close to 3,000 miles on the Spyder this year (about 300 on the 2018 StreetGlide) and 3,000 on my Shelby. The Semi-Auto Transmission is great, it RIDES better than any motorcycle I've ever owned. No Regrets!

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

And we're damn near Clones of each other... I've been riding since 1972. I've owned a lot of different motorcycles but more Harley's (still own 2.5). My knees are about shot at 64 11/12's years old. My GF started looking at H-D Trikes early in the Summer and I told her, "Look my 2018 M8 Runs HOT As HELL and a New H-D Trike is Going To Run HOTTER and I think they look like a Wheel Chair for old Harley Riders". I started looking at Trikes and liked the Spyder but I knew she would Not Be Happy If I Bought an F3 (no Radio, stripped). I found a 2016 RTs made the Deal and then told her. Her reply was "Noooooo, Call Them And Tell Them You Changed Your Mind"! I said "Can't Do That. I Gave Them A $500.00 Deposit and We'll Pick It Up Tomorrow". At this point She can Tell You Why She Likes The Sypder Better than the H-D. We've put close to 3,000 miles on the Spyder this year (about 300 on the 2018 StreetGlide) and 3,000 on my Shelby. The Semi-Auto Transmission is great, it RIDES better than any motorcycle I've ever owned. No Regrets!

:clap::clap: .... good for ( both ) ..... your Cobra looks like an FFR, ( like mine, I have pics in my Album page titled Porsche 917 ) ..... your's looks sweeeeeeeeet :thumbup::thumbup: ...... Mike

 

[WilcoJunoHotel]

I would like to add that I test rode a 2020RT and it scared me to death it was so hard to control: It felt like a 1960s car with 300K miles on it. I went to another dealership and rode another one that was an altogether different and pleasant riding experience. Not sure what the issue(s) were with that first bike but I couldn't believe BRP could sell a single bike like that. I now have a 2020RT and have no regrets moving from 2 wheels to 3. For me the benefits greatly outweigh any negatives. Unless you are a knee dragger, lane splitter or just need the sheer acceleration of a highly powered motorcycle, I personally don't see any dramatic benefits (of a 2 wheeler) - my opinion of course.

 

[Possible]

I would like to add that I test rode a 2020RT and it scared me to death it was so hard to control: It felt like a 1960s car with 300K miles on it. I went to another dealership and rode another one that was an altogether different and pleasant riding experience. Not sure what the issue(s) were with that first bike but I couldn't believe BRP could sell a single bike like that. I now have a 2020RT and have no regrets moving from 2 wheels to 3. For me the benefits greatly outweigh any negatives. Unless you are a knee dragger, lane splitter or just need the sheer acceleration of a highly powered motorcycle, I personally don't see any dramatic benefits (of a 2 wheeler) - my opinion of course.

It's often been said, that if you have to explain it to someone, they'll never get it.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I would like to add that I test rode a 2020RT and it scared me to death it was so hard to control: It felt like a 1960s car with 300K miles on it. I went to another dealership and rode another one that was an altogether different and pleasant riding experience. Not sure what the issue(s) were with that first bike but I couldn't believe BRP could sell a single bike like that. I now have a 2020RT and have no regrets moving from 2 wheels to 3. For me the benefits greatly outweigh any negatives. Unless you are a knee dragger, lane splitter or just need the sheer acceleration of a highly powered motorcycle, I personally don't see any dramatic benefits (of a 2 wheeler) - my opinion of course.

Un-fortunately almost ALL new Spyders arn't ALIGNED properly .... most arn't too bad but I've read about some that were soooooooooooooooooo Bad they wore out the front tires in 750 + miles ..... could be you found one of those at that dealership ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[mzflorida]

Thanks everyone. Going for a test ride this weekend or next. I'll post after the ride. Safe travels to all! Mike.

 

[Big F]

do a test ride on the various models offered.. like touring vs. non touring etc. after a few miles you will wonder why you didn't change years ago.. I switched to a Spyder 10 years ago and now on my 4th Spyder and love every mile of enjoyment.. good luck
BIG F

 

[GRUNT]

MZ, where do you live in Florida? I’ve purchased 4 Spyders from 4 different dealers based on the bad experiences but this last one was absolutely fantastic. Last month I purchased a 2020 RTL Dark from Sky Powersports in Lakeland, keep in mind I live 3 hours away but would do it all over again. RideNow in Jacksonville where I work 3 miles away was insanity. I was hit at $34K OTD with no trade... Not sure how they got to that price based on the $26,200 price point on there website. After explaining this to the sales manager he came back 10 minutes later telling me $31K OTD was the very best he could do. Again no way to get to that price even at sticker but I sent 1 email to Sky Powersports and within an hour was hit with $26,400 OTD for the same exact unit. I drove down 3 days later and purchased. I was in there a total of 1 hour, I can’t tell you how easy they made it. You can email Bre who’s in their internet dept or speak with Chris in sales. If you wanna send me a pm I can provide their email addresses. I also have no regrets going with the RTL, in my previous posts you can read my opinions on the 4 different units I’ve owned. All of them were great except for the 2018 F3 Limited... It was so damn sluggish... I think I could run faster... Anyways good luck.

 

[wmjweber45]

I also transitioned from two wheels when I could no longer trust my legs to keep even a mid-size upright in all conditions. BRP runs training classes for the Spyder. If you can find one anywhere near you, I strongly suggest you sign up. It was worth every dollar and every mile I had to drive to get there.

 

[bikerbillone]

Interesting comment Butter, I too like the 'interaction' of the front wheels with the road. I will be torn when it comes tire time K9s vs car, but I will probably opt for the car tires, there are some good recommendations on this forum, plus the old timers here talk up the car tires.

 

[ARtraveler]

At this point, not enough input from the people who are beta testing the K9's. Longevity is what I am concerned about.

I have gone the car tire route with two of mine, one now traded off, one with 10K miles and counting.

My new F3L has OEM's of course. When it comes time to tire up, I am currently leaning back to car tires. :bbq:

 

[mzflorida]

MZ, where do you live in Florida? I’ve purchased 4 Spyders from 4 different dealers based on the bad experiences but this last one was absolutely fantastic. Last month I purchased a 2020 RTL Dark from Sky Powersports in Lakeland, keep in mind I live 3 hours away but would do it all over again. RideNow in Jacksonville where I work 3 miles away was insanity. I was hit at $34K OTD with no trade... Not sure how they got to that price based on the $26,200 price point on there website. After explaining this to the sales manager he came back 10 minutes later telling me $31K OTD was the very best he could do. Again no way to get to that price even at sticker but I sent 1 email to Sky Powersports and within an hour was hit with $26,400 OTD for the same exact unit. I drove down 3 days later and purchased. I was in there a total of 1 hour, I can’t tell you how easy they made it. You can email Bre who’s in their internet dept or speak with Chris in sales. If you wanna send me a pm I can provide their email addresses. I also have no regrets going with the RTL, in my previous posts you can read my opinions on the 4 different units I’ve owned. All of them were great except for the 2018 F3 Limited... It was so damn sluggish... I think I could run faster... Anyways good luck.

Very gracious! We live down in Estero, south end of Lee County Just north of Naples. Lakeland is not that far at all. It is just off a route that I ride from here up to Gainesville (I am presuming you're a Noles fan being from up there...Gators here). I am friends and former neighbor with a big shot over at Sunsports here in town. They play games but just the typical stuff. If we make the decision to purchase I think I'd have to give them first shot. Tha is CRAZY about RideNow. I know they are a nationwide cooperative of dealerships but not for long with antics like that. Lake Wales is another nice place to ride through not too far from there.

Again, thank you very much for being so helpful!

 

[mzflorida]

I also transitioned from two wheels when I could no longer trust my legs to keep even a mid-size upright in all conditions. BRP runs training classes for the Spyder. If you can find one anywhere near you, I strongly suggest you sign up. It was worth every dollar and every mile I had to drive to get there.

Thank you. Yes they do. Though we are not a large market overall, it is a very popular destination for powersports. just tons of bikes, trikes, and ATVs sold here every month. We don't have many advanced courses here but the basic courses are widely available.

I am still fit, healthy, and strong enough to handle my bike with luggage, etc. I am going to take her on a 6000 mile trip to South Dakota next year. But lots of things are changing as i move past 53 years old; with me and with the crazy growth down here in SW Florida. I'm not riding with fear but rather common sense and introspection. One way or the other, before or after the 6K trip, I'm going to be on either three wheels or a much lighter and smaller displacement bike.

 

[bikerbillone]

Grunt, glad you had a good experience with Sky Power Sports, I live in Lakeland, we could not get together on a price, but then I had a trade in and it's all about the out the door price. Wow, from JAX, you did do a ride, guess you won't be getting your service there.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Interesting comment Butter, I too like the 'interaction' of the front wheels with the road. I will be torn when it comes tire time K9s vs car, but I will probably opt for the car tires, there are some good recommendations on this forum, plus the old timers here talk up the car tires.

" OLD TIMERS ":roflblack::roflblack: , I'm definitely one of those ..... and Proud of it ......Mike :clap:

 

[bigbadbrucie]

" OLD TIMERS ":roflblack::roflblack: , I'm definitely one of those ..... and Proud of it ......Mike :clap:

Mike, I think that the majority of us on SL fall into that category. I also think that the same majority came to 3 wheels after many years on 2.

 

[Peteoz]

At this point, not enough input from the people who are beta testing the K9's. Longevity is what I am concerned about. :bbq:

Yeah, everyone has different drivers, AR. Longevity is on my radar, but not strongly. I get a much more sure-footed feeling from my aftermarket tyres than from the Kendas, which is why I chose that route. :thumbup: