MY FIRST BIKE!!! What should I do first?

[bejio]

Alright everyone, it is all but official that I will be getting a spyder on Wed. DEAR GOD, I'm so excited that I can't even sit still. I know that the thing is going to become a MASSIVE money pit b/c I want to trick it out something fierce. That said I'd like to ask veteran riders, particularly the big boys (I'm 6'5", 400 lbs, with a 33" inseam), what kind of options should I look at getting first? I know some of the things that I definitely want. Like I really want to get a set of Corbin saddlebags, though I've seen a lot of hate for those and that makes me worry if I should get them. I think that risers for the handlebars would help but I'm not sure how big to get. As I've never ridden a motorcycle, other than the three test drives for spyders that I've done, I'm not sure what would be the best/correct position that I should be in while riding. I think that floorboards would also be needed but I'm not sure what would be a good brand. The two that I'm looking at are the Seal and VTC floorboards. The big thing I don't like about the VTC boards is that while they look great I still have to paint them after receiving them and they are extremely expensive. Also are there any options for cruise control on the RS model bikes? I've seen some that are mechanical but I worry that they would be dangerous if I wanted to try and stop in a hurry. Thank you for any suggestions that you guys may have. Hopefully I'll see you guys on the road soon.

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: and :congrats: on the pending purchase.

I recommend putting about 1000 miles on the RS before beginning to trick it out. You will have plenty of time to make it "yours". This will give you a chance to see what you like and don't like about the stock bike.

RE: Corbin bags--I think they are the best looking bags you can buy for an RS. I had the Givi on both mine and they looked nice--but not as great as the Corbins. It was a money issue for me.

RE: Floorboards--I have the Seal's and like them a lot.

 

[BajaRon]

:agree: Put some miles on your Spyder in the stock configuration. As you ride you will get a much better idea of what you want and what will work for you. If you start throwing mods at it right away you'll proably waste a fair amount of money with stuff that you end up replacing.

Also, if you can get to a ride with a lot of other Spyders you can walk around and see what has worked well for others (and what has not).

Above all, just enjoy your new ride. There is no perfect motorcycle, everything has trade-offs. You just want to get as close to the sweet spot (for you) as you can.

 

[GloryRyders]

:welcome: and :congrats: on your new ryde..................:agree: with the other comments about ryding your :spyder:for awhile before adding anything. It's a shame that Spyderfest isn't comming sooner, you could come and see every possible mod known to man if you attend.

 

[Bob Denman]

So Christmas is coming on Wednesday for you this year. :2thumbs: Congratulations on the newest addition to your family! And now the fun wil start...:shocked:

 

[r1100rider]

I agree about putting some time on the bike first I think most people miss understand the rs riding position a small amount of forward lean has it's plus side what happens is that the forward angle of your chest causes a little lift in the wind at hy speeds taking some weight off your but and some is carried by your hands , get in the pull back riser easychair position and all your weight is square on you tail plus a little forward puts you in a better position for quick control moves in case of suprises if you are in town all the time at slow speeds that makes a differance. I have an Airhawk seat and it's great adds 100. Miles or more to my seat time the new under $ 100 one. I like better than the original (have both) the little bit of squirm they give keeps moving the but bones into differene positions and some airflow all helps a lot

 

[tofriendscreek]

:agree: Put some miles on your Spyder in the stock configuration. As you ride you will get a much better idea of what you want and what will work for you. If you start throwing mods at it right away you'll proably waste a fair amount of money with stuff that you end up replacing.

Also, if you can get to a ride with a lot of other Spyders you can walk around and see what has worked well for others (and what has not).

Above all, just enjoy your new ride. There is no perfect motorcycle, everything has trade-offs. You just want to get as close to the sweet (for you) as you can.

:agree: :agree: :agree:

And :congrats: :welcome: get ready for the rydes of your life!!!:thumbup:

 

[SteveMac]

Ryde. Just rYde.
Then rYde some more!!

Enjoy, welcome and congrats!!

 

[Hawk Eye]

Just ride it gets better with age.

Pete:doorag::doorag::yes::yes:

 

[sealfloorboards]

Hey :congrats:. I think we talked last night. The first thing I did when I got my RS was put on 5" handle bar risers, and a 25" windshield. That put me in a much better riding position. I designed my FloorBoards as the final step to sitting in a comfortable position and being able to move my feet around. Nex I added ThrottleMeister locks for cruising, they worked and looked great. The RS is a great ride and I loved every minute of it. Today it's the RT for the luxury. Whatever mods you choose, ride, ride, ride....

Ride in comfort,

John
Seal FloorBoards

 

[DougB]

HD shocks

 

[daveinva]

:congrats:

If you pardon the cut-and-paste job, I've addressed this question before, and I'm happy with my stock answers :thumbup:

I went into my Spyder mods with a plan, immediate, mid-term, long-term:

1. Safety first (0 miles): LEDs, modulating lights, mirror extensions, etc. These I did as soon as I could, no regrets. I also count good safety gear in this category-- your first $300-$1500 in aftermarket mods should be used for what sits on the bike. Also bought my immediate road necessities: cleaners, 12v compressor, tire repair kit, etc.

2. Local convenience (1-1500 miles): beadrider, grip puppies, upgraded windshield, drink holder, soft bags (tank, passenger seat, sides). And an upgraded anti-sway bar :thumbup:. Anything I could use to make running around town better. Also started upgrading my tool kit around then (new motorcycle jack, jack stands, torque screwdriver/wrench, etc.)

3. Long-distance touring (1500 miles+): risers, footboards, pegs, upgraded seat, hard bags (hopefully... Santa?? ray. Anything needed for long-distance comfort.

You can mix-and-match between categories, of course, and no need to get everything at once. But the plan helped focus my mind, and my wallet (I just scratched stuff off of a spreadsheet as I bought them).

 

[DocRags]

:congrats:

If you pardon the cut-and-paste job, I've addressed this question before, and I'm happy with my stock answers :thumbup:

:agree: Can't personally address the issue of your size questions, but I would think floorboards, taller windshield and handlebar risers would help you. You might want to look at the floorboards on TricLED's website since they are the ones we have and we love them. We installed the BRP saddlebags...one advantage of them over the Corbin's (besides cost) is the fact you can take them off your :spyder2: when you get to your location and unpack directly out of them, rather than shuffling contents back and forth, making multiple trips back to the bike to unload things. Definitely would put some miles on the :spyder2: before adding mods. We've found it to be very helpful to look at other :spyder2: at various rallies/events to see what's been done, talk to other owners, etc. Welcome to the group.

 

[daveinva]

Oh, another thing: I'm not as "in charge" as the OP, but at 5'10, 300 lbs , 30 inseam, the stock RS seating position is definitely NOT built for a guy like me, at least not for endurance. I know there are some freaks here on the board :joke:who can get more than 50-75 miles at a time sitting atop a stock RS, but I think they're an exception more than the rule.

The good news is, risers, floorboards/pegs, and seat options all exist, and almost universally address those concerns.

The bad news is, in total, you can spend a lot of $$$ in a hurry tweaking the RS position, and the bitter irony is that once you're all done with making the RS position all comfy for long-distance touring, you've pretty much spent the price differential between the RS and the RT.

Of course, even most RT riders like to tweak their bikes, too, so there's no guarantee you wouldn't have spent *even more* money after getting the RT.

Anyway, the one "no brainer" set of mods to me was my collection of ESI lighting mods-- safety first! After that, all the other mods are gravy.

But I think at the OP's stature, risers, mirror extensions and someplace to move their feet during a ride will be no-brainers, eventually. The rest is a personal choice.

For now, however, just ride! :doorag:

 

[coz]

take your time

just take your time, ride the bike, get comfortable with it at least 1000 miles, do your research, talk to other members then decide what you want to buy. just my two cents worth.:thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

welcome aboard, as others have said learn about what you have then you will know what to change...Maybe only once!....Enjoy:clap: