##NEW MEMBER CLOSE TO BUYING A SPYDER##

[Questions]

Hi out there I am a long term two wheel rider who always thought that the Spyder looked great but thought "na not for me"........................that is until i rode the Spyder!!

I am seriously considering buying one as since I rode one I can't stop thinking about it.!

After the adjustment period of an hour or so when I first rode it I basically fell in love with the damn things and must have one.:thumbup:

I have one question from you guys out there who have owned one for a while (i know i could probably search for this info but people may have new views) the question is are they high maintenance? the only reason I ask is that they are high tech and as such have a lot to go wrong.

I am looking at a 2010 model sm5 it is new but last years model.

Any thoughts would be great.

Cheers :cheers:

 

[SpyderAnn01]

:welcome:

 

[Star Cruiser]

I too, am looking at purchasing an RT. My thought is to avoid the first year model (2010) but not sure if I get a good deal on one if I should take it. (I want a Blue RT-S). I will be watching your replies to help me decide as well

 

[BajaRon]

Maintenance costs really depend on how you approach it. If you go by the book and have the dealer do all the work then you're looking at a higher end maintenance cost.

If you do oil changes and other maintenance yourself, it's very reasonable. Tires are much less expensive and you can do most of that work yourself as well.

Of course there are a number of things you can't do yourself because of the technology. But these are mostly non-routine issues.

 

[Questions]

I bought one last Friday, not looking back I love the thing. I was going to get a ninja 650r and ended up getting a spyder and I think I made a good choice. I'm not sure what the age is of everyone but I'm 31.

 

[Questions]

BTW I have a 09 hs with 2100mi on it and got a Hell of a deal on It.

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome:

Compared to most other motorcycles--the :spyder2: can be quite expensive to maintain. $300 oil changes, $800 valve adjustments.

RTS: That aside, you are getting a vehicle that is ahead of the others in safety items. It is on a par with the top luxury motorcycle (Goldwing)--not counting the engine size.

The techy items--should problems arise--should be covered by the warranty.

I had an early 2008, an early 2009, and #474 of the RTS 2010. I have experienced no major problems in 60,000 miles total on the three :spyder2:'s.

I did not buy the :spyder2: because it was cheap to operate--I bought it because I wanted something different.

 

[Freddy]

costs, reliability etc

Seriously Steyr, if you can't afford the time to do a bit of research here, why worry about it. Alternatively, spend an hour or 2 and decide for yourself then you won't be surprised later.

 

[MouthPiece]

:welcome:

Compared to most other motorcycles--the :spyder2: can be quite expensive to maintain. $300 oil changes, $800 valve adjustments.

RTS: That aside, you are getting a vehicle that is ahead of the others in safety items. It is on a par with the top luxury motorcycle (Goldwing)--not counting the engine size.

The techy items--should problems arise--should be covered by the warranty.

I had an early 2008, an early 2009, and #474 of the RTS 2010. I have experienced no major problems in 60,000 miles total on the three :spyder2:'s.

I did not buy the :spyder2: because it was cheap to operate--I bought it because I wanted something different.

Couldn't of expressed it better.

Chris

 

[Bob Denman]

Expensive to maintain??? If you compare it to a BMW I'd say "No." pps: But if you figure what you're getting out of it rather than what you put into it, I'd say that it's more than worth it! :thumbup:

 

[NancysToy]

I think the Spyder is similar, in terms of maintenance costs and a stringent maintenance schedule, to my BMW. It has the added cost of having maintenance intervals that are at 3,000 miles instead of the 6,000 that BMW specifies. That increases the costs further. In terms of tires, the costs are less. The BMW goes through tires faster, and the tires cost as much or more. Although there is only one front to replace on the BMW, the Spyder fronts last at least twice as long if the alignment is right. So, in general, Spyder maintenance is toward the top of the list in terms of costs, but it is not out of line. The cost of ownership does have to be taken into account, but the Spyder is worth it, IMO.

 

[Lamonster]

:welcome:
If you do your own work on your bikes you can do your own work on the Spyder.

Rear tire on my 109 is $300 just for the tire and I get about 6K out of it.
Rear tire on my Spyder is $120 tops and I get about 12K out of it.

Front's on my 109 are $200 for one and I get about 8K out of it.
Fronts for my Spyder are $150 for two and I get about 25K out of them.

Oil changes are about the same.

The Spyder doesn't cost me any more to maintain than my bikes other than I seem to put more fuel in it. My bike does get much better fuel mileage but I still seem to put more miles on the Spyder. :doorag:

 

[daveinva]

As I've mentioned previously, the Spyder can be an expensive bike, but it's all in the comparisons.

If the Spyder is your fifth bike, after you've owned a Goldwing/BMW/high-end HD/other custom trikes, the Spyder is about equal. It's far more affordable to buy, but CAN be a bit more expensive on the back end of things (and cheaper in others, as Lamonster noted), and finicky in the way that new products with limited/inexperienced dealer networks can be.

If the Spyder is your FIRST bike, however, it'll be far more expensive to maintain than a comparable 250-650cc "starter" bike, not to mention more expensive to purchase in the first place.

That said, as others have noted, if you're new to riding, there is simply no other way to SAFELY get the level of quality and performance that you get out of the Spyder as your "first ride." If you've never been on a motorcycle before, it'll take months if not years to develop the level of competency, comfort and safety on two-wheels. On a Spyder, you'll be there in a matter of *weeks*. That's not to say you won't have plenty to learn-- traffic is traffic, safely dealing with it takes years to learn regardless of two wheels or three-- but the learning curve for the new Spyder rider is so much more forgiving than two-wheels.

Which is a long way of saying, in order to get to the point where you could ride a two-wheeled motorcycle with all the performance and creature comforts of a Spyder would take you years and a lot more $$$ than you might think. When you factor all of that in, the Spyder is a bargain in the marketplace today, even if those oil changes get pricey when you don't do them yourself.

EDIT: I know the OP isn't a new rider... which means there's nothing to be afraid of in buying a Spyder!

 

[Questions]

Thanks for the feedback:thumbup: It is the second day of spring over here so it may well be a good summer on as spyder (that sounds like a song title)

I will post again when I have purchased.

Cheers :cheers:

 

[8 legs nz]

What part of NZ are you from , I am all so looking at getting one from Auckland.:thumbup:
I live in Hamilton NZ

 

[Smokinspyder]

Id like to say if you have to worry about it blah blah blah. But i dont make great money I am paying for one that I ride every day unless it rains ,and I LOVE HER . Had I known i was going to love riding this machine I would never have bought my R6 . I would have fixed my GSXR and bought a Spyder. for my last oil change it was like 100 bux around there . and the last oil change on my R6 it was almost 90 .But im sure with some of the technology and it being out in the elements ( circuit boards dont like moisture he hehehe). IMHO get the spyder , you will not regret it ! IM sure EVERYONE on this site will agree that you wont regret it . I am only like 3 months into being a spyder owner and I have met some really cool people !!!!

 

[Questions]

What part of NZ are you from , I am all so looking at getting one from Auckland.:thumbup:
I live in Hamilton NZ

I am in Wellington there quite a few for sale here at the moment i'm just trying to sort a deal at the moment so hopefully I will be doing a south island ride over summer on a Spyder!!
Who,s the dealer up there?
Cheers and go the mighty All Blacks!!!:cheers:

 

[34fun]

"Cheers and go the mighty All Blacks", most people on here probably think you are talking about the Spyder Phantom kit, but isn't England not New Zealand now the "New Mighty All Blacks"?

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

If your looking for new tires I just bought 3. 2- fronts 185/60 R 14 and 1 225/50 R 15 all for $197.00 Total. That included the deliverary too !. This was from Discount Tire Direct 1-800-707-8473. The tires are not seconds or blems. I got Falken's for the front and a Kumho for the rear, this was because of the tread patterns. all tires are 130 mph rated, and their load rating is three times what the Kenda's are. The "manufacturors waranty is 40,000 miles I think ( thats on a car that weighs 3600 lbs. ) I can do better on the :spyder:... As far as oil changes, it takes a bit longer but it's not rocket science. hook up with "bajaron" for filters etc.. As far as the actual oil I use "walmart" 100% synthetic, I
know it says not good because of the dreaded "SM" classification (clutch problems) ?????..But i haven't had any in 12,000 + miles and my mechanic (45 yrs. ) says I won't. You do what you think is best , Buuuuutt Walmart 10/40 is about $22.00 for 5 quarts (yes I said 5 - thats what is in the container).. Welcome aboard brother ...I love saving money and will pass on any ideas I come up with.....