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Is the new ACE RT ready to do battle with the GL1800 Trikes

M

MikeT

Member
I've been reading all manner of glowing reports regarding the new 3-cylinder RTs, until this lack of factory QC on some clutch screw that resulting in an oil leak on these new beauties. That issue aside, and hoping there are no more issues, do you that have had both GL1800 trikes and are now Spyder riders feel that the playing field has been leveled? My concern is those of us that have Comfort/Navi/XM GL1800 trikes will "loose" to much from the system integration standpoint in making the switch.
Last year someone who went the other direction(SpyderRT LTD 2 Wing) wrote a long pro and con post. The falicy in his argument was he was comparing a V-Twin to a Boxer 6. Not a fair fight in my mind.
Thanks,
Mike
 
Mike,
:shocked: :dontknow:
I've read it twice; could you provide a bit of explanation as to what point you're making?
(Sorry! :opps:)
 
I looked into a Goldwing trike before I bought my 13 RT/S and the availability of the Goldwing trike was what put me in the Spyder. I love the Spyder (minus the heat issues) but the power is not there and I'm pretty sure the 1330 is not there either. Theres something about being able to roll on the throttle in 5th gear and pull killer hills without downshifting, that 1800 flat 6 is an awesome motor. I have yet to try the 1330 but reports so far have the power only slightly better than the V1000 twin. What could be their next step?? They cant go much wider so a inline 4 cylinder might not fit. Personally I would like to have seen a 1600 or larger V-twin go in there, my Kawasaki Mean Streak was a fun bike with loads of power.
 
(Now that the coffee has kicked in...)

I've been the biggest fan of GoldWings since 1975... Without a doubt; they are the best Horizon-chaser on the Planet! :2thumbs:
But my adoration extends only as far as the original two-wheeled versions. :shocked:
Conventional trikes are, in my humble opinion; inferior to the design introduced by BRP.
And EVERY GoldWing trike is a conversion... There is no warranty, and may even be some reluctance by Honda dealers to tackle a project, where the factory, and aftermarket efforts meet. :yikes:
We're starting to see some reverse trike 'Wings now... :clap:
Time will tell if they'll become the impetus for Honda to take the "Big Step" or not...:dontknow:
But I never bought a bike with the intention of racing anybody anyway! :D
It's not the engine that matters; it's the ride... :thumbup:
 
Bob Denman said:
(Now that the coffee has kicked in...)

I've been the biggest fan of GoldWings since 1975... Without a doubt; they are the best Horizon-chaser on the Planet! :2thumbs:
But my adoration extends only as far as the original two-wheeled versions. :shocked:
Conventional trikes are, in my humble opinion; inferior to the design introduced by BRP.
And EVERY GoldWing trike is a conversion... There is no warranty, and may even be some reluctance by Honda dealers to tackle a project, where the factory, and aftermarket efforts meet. :yikes:
We're starting to see some reverse trike 'Wings now... :clap:
Time will tell if they'll become the impetus for Honda to take the "Big Step" or not...:dontknow:
But I never bought a bike with the intention of racing anybody anyway! :D
It's not the engine that matters; it's the ride... :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Well said! :bowdown:
 
Gearing and RPM aside, just how much HP and torque does the GL1800 make? I have never felt at a loss for HP on the Spyder as long as its in the right gear. This coming from someone that drives a 700HP car to work many days.

The biggest downsides to the GL1800 trike are, first and foremost its an aftermarket conversion and all in nearly 2x the cost of my well equipped Spyder. Second, the dual wheels are on the wrong end of the bike for cornering and braking. Of what use is the power if it cannot turn or stop? Third, the GL1800 does not offer the equivalent of the SE6 trans.

Not sure what all the hubbub is about WRT CB, Intercom, sound system etc, the combo that BRP and Sena offer have the bases pretty much covered. With the improvements of Bluetooth in recent years, CB is a has been technology. But its still available if you want it.

If BRP wants to up the HP game, there is growing room in the new 1300. There is also supercharging route for lots more low end grunt.
 
Having owned a GL1800 wing that was triked. It has it's good and bad points. I am presently waiting for my Yellow RTS SE6 to arrive. The Wing has a rear wheel hp approx 109, torque 105. Before triking. So yes it has some get up and go. The rear suspension is very good. A combination of air shock, and the trike suspension. A major weak point is the wings front forks. When converting, the forks need to be raked. And the internals should also be upgraded. After doing all that, you still need to muscle the front end. On a long day. it can really get to you. The brakes are good. Mine had upgraded rear brakes from the manufacturer. But it's difficult to compare the braking with the Spyder. My conversion weighed 1300 lbs.. I have yet to see rear wheel hp and torque form a Spyder after it was dyno'd. But with 115 crank hp it should be faster. The Spyder also weighs 350 lbs. less. With that much less weight, it should brake better as well. The Spyder also has DPS making it easier to steer, and handle. The test bike I rode, before it burned to a crisp, had a front suspension that was very compliant. The rear was also very compliant. We crossed over RR tracks and didn't feel them.

Another thing to bring up is warranty. Trike a wing, you lose some warranty benefits. Namely, the transmission. The wing trannies are known for problems. Ghost shifting, missed shifts, bent shift forks, chipped gears. Most dealers don't want to be bothered with a tranny problem. Some will go even further and tell Mother Honda your wing is triked. A black flag! Tranny repair runs $3500, parts and labor. Another problem, stop at a dealer that doesn't do trikes of any kind, and they will tell you go somewhere else. They are afraid they will screw something up they can't fix. :banghead:

My wing trike experience was a good one. 20,000 and only one problem. Albeit a major one. The splines inside the driveshaft spun out with only 5-6,000 miles on it. I am hoping my Spyder experience is a good one also. Also think this will be my last bike purchase as I'm not getting any younger. The mind says yes. The body? Well round is a shape isn't it? :roflblack: Tom :trike:
 
Tango said:
Also think this will be my last bike purchase as I'm not getting any younger. The mind says yes. The body? Well round is a shape isn't it? :roflblack: Tom :trike:
Click to expand...
Tom,
I really appreciate a first-hand viewpoint... :clap:

Yes; Round IS a shape! And we hope you're a-ROUND with us for a VERY long time! :thumbup:
 
The Ride

Bob Denman said:
(Now that the coffee has kicked in...)

I've been the biggest fan of GoldWings since 1975... Without a doubt; they are the best Horizon-chaser on the Planet! :2thumbs:
But my adoration extends only as far as the original two-wheeled versions. :shocked:
Conventional trikes are, in my humble opinion; inferior to the design introduced by BRP.
And EVERY GoldWing trike is a conversion... There is no warranty, and may even be some reluctance by Honda dealers to tackle a project, where the factory, and aftermarket efforts meet. :yikes:
We're starting to see some reverse trike 'Wings now... :clap:
Time will tell if they'll become the impetus for Honda to take the "Big Step" or not...:dontknow:
But I never bought a bike with the intention of racing anybody anyway! :D
It's not the engine that matters; it's the ride... :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Bob, Just like Can-Am says "The ride says it all"

Bob
 
I have considered a GW trike--but the fact that you lose your factory warranty and the local dealer will not work on them chased me away from that line of thinking.

Honda is coming out with a NEW 1300 cc, four cylinder V engined model. This is very similar to the F6B. It will be available soon--price to TBD. This will probably be a better comparison tool as far as engines go.

IMO: until BRP ups the ante to a larger than three cylinder/1330 cc's the :spyder2: is still going to be an underpowered version of the GW. They are pretty close as far as amenities, except for the fact that the GW does not have a nanny. The GW has an airbag available, where the :ani29: does not.

The new 2014 :spyder2:'s are getting good reviews except for the oil leak that is now rearing its ugly head. I do not consider that to be a major problem--but it is an irritating glitch that they tell us the fix is easy for.

Bottom line for me--an interesting discussion--but more like apples to oranges because of major differences. Most people tend to like one or the other.
 
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