Hellooooo.*coughs* :D

[Rayelljay]

For what it's worth...
I elected to get a 2011 RS with manual transmission kinda figuring there's less chance of electronic stuff going futz with nothing but the basics......so far I've only had one minor glitch in near 4k miles and he is ridden every day.
I had the opportunity to talk to my tech. guru while I watched his procedure for an oil change.
I mentioned the problems I'd read about on this site and his answer was that I had nothing to worry about and that the majority of glitches were to do with RT machines.
I don't know how close your dealer is....some of us have some decent distances to go to our dealers and some dealers apparently have problems in the "give a durn" department.
If you have decent mechanical skills you should have no problems with a Spyder....one of the things common on this site is the passion for the machine.
Even if you don't get on this year and wait for next season, stay with us and learn more.
There's no such thing as a dumb question in this group. Questions posed will elicit responses with humour, courtesy and such stories as will make you laugh and cry.
Ray

 

[SheWolf]

Thanks Ray! I know my way around a toolbox fairly well; I pulled wrenches for a logging contractor on the equipment in the yard, and I pretty much work on all the vehicles (plus...it seems...other ppl's as well:gaah I own. It's kinda like someone breaks something, I'm the one it comes to to get fixed. Not sure why I didn't take it up as a profession, but I digress.
As far as the distance to go to get to a dealer, I have two within 45 minutes of where I live. Same guy owns both. I haven't had a chance to pick a tech's brain on any of it, but I'm sure I'll be able to sneak my way in at some point. I know that the RS I took was a real sweet gem; it had the 5MT which I found was pretty straight forward. Just real sensitive getting it into neutral. That's pretty much where I sit with it; I like the fact I can shift it like my bike, and it rips like a raped ape!:thumbup:

 

[Wattsmyname]

Dual Sport...Spyder maybe??

Have had a Spyder for a month, I was thinking the same way since I am a Dirt Biker at heart but forget about it. They are unique machines for sure but if BMW, Honda, Yamaha etc came out with one, Can Am sales would be dropping quickly. You are use to a bike you could Thrash if you wanted and it would not hiccup once, not sure that is the case here but that is just my 1 month impression. I have a BMW R1200GS/ KTM 400 EXC street legal, I did 180 miles today on the GS about 1/2 dirt roads, I am confident most of the plastic would have fallen off the Spyder-just not made for anything like that. I have yet to find anyone with riding experience that liked a Spyder 1st ride-me included, I finally had a customer tell me just plan on 500 miles to get use to it. They dart around easily if you try to steer them, feels like you could easily be thrown off, it's no Motorcycle, there's a learning curve for sure. Also keep in mind these things are NEW and there is a lot to improve on, Yamaha has been perfecting your bike for many years, the BMW GS has been getting better for 30 years. Not sure after reading about the new Spyders of just how fast Can Am is planning on improving them, when I see "Bold New Colors" on the add, I hope there is a lot more being done under that. I found a guy that just bought a new house-needed the cash, picked it up with 674 miles(has 1600 now) one year left on factory warranty for $10,200 in DFW Texas-it's like new. This is an experiment so I'm keeping an open mind, Good luck but keep the Spyder out of the Dirt