newbie questions

[wmh9680]

Good Morning,
I’ve been looking at the Spyder for a couple of years now. My wife and I have enjoyed 2 wheelers for years. That was really our only hobby. No matter how bad our day was if we came home and hopped on the bike everything was fine.
Well this year she had here 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] spinal fusion and I’m 65 and my shoulders hurt (I’ve already had one rotator cuff surgery and need 2 more) and I’ve had 4 knee surgeries. Needless to say we are looking at trikes and Spyders. We finally took a Spyder for a ride about a month ago and really liked it (we plan to rent one for a day in the spring). Now I have a few questions about them so here we go.
What is everyone’s opinion about the benefits of the semi-automatic trans (I’ve never used paddle shifters) versus the manual. I mean if you ride bikes you are used to shifting and that was part of the fun. That being said it would be nice to not have to shift up/down all the time and with the automatic maybe my wife might learn to drive it.
How big of a difference is it between the pre 2014’s 990 and the new 1330 engine. I’ve read about heat problems with the 990’s.
The 990 and manual transmission are cheaper to buy so is the money for the 2014 or newer worth the price?
I have read the “Do's & Do Not's” for New Spyder Owners: and it seems very interesting and informative.
We live in the Chicago area (Flossmoor) and heated grips and seat would be nice. My wife has Reynolds phenomenon and can’t take the cold and as I get older I’m not a big fan either. What about the adjustable suspension? With my wife’s surgeries we need a smoother ride than my Yamaha Virago 1100. We were looking at trikes (Honda-Harley-whatever) and diff trike kits and we think we will be happier with the Spyder. I have always done most of the work on my bikes and cars and was concerned about doing so on a Spyder.
Any info/opinions on diff years or features would be greatly appreciated.
I recently went to a dealer and put a drop cloth under the bike to get the footprint of it to see what I will have to do to fit it into my garage. One day I would like to bring one home to actually try it. We are looking at the Touring model. Thanks, Mike

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

SPYDERS

:welcome:You've come to ...." ANSWERLAND "...In 7 years I have owned 3 spyders...2 had the 990 engine and now I have an RT ( semi-auto ) with the 1330 engine. You could not give me a Spyder with the 1330 engine for 4 good reasons ....Expense, maintenance, noise, smell. And the Auto trans. isn't FULL auto .....You need to shift up ....it will auto shift down ( or you can do it manually )...But there is no clutch....I have the semi-auto and would never go back to a manual again.........And please do not even consider a REGULAR trike ie. GoldWing or H.D. , they S*UCK in handling and comfort compared to a Spyder.........Good Luck .....Mike :thumbup:....Look at the Ad here ....IMotorsports ...they will ship to you for FREE and they take trades :yes:

 

[Bob Denman]

:welcome:
1330, versus 998: The triple has Gobs more low-end torque, and the new clutch engagement setup no longer has you worrying about keeping the rpms up.
With the 6th forward gear, it even gives MUCH better fuel economy!

Paddles, versus Clutch levers; It all comes down to "Whatever floats your goat!"
I had to switch to an "ESSIE" due to a weak left ankle. Knowing what I know now; I'd have switched anyway! :2thumbs:

Is it all worth the price? :dontknow:
That's for you and your "Best-Half", to decide...

 

[Darren111]

Newbie point of view

Speaking from a newbies view with no previous riding experience. I have an Semi-Automatic F3 and mastered the down and upshifting after a few hours of riding. As mentioned by BLUEKNIGHT911 the Spyder "it will auto shift down ( or you can do it manually) and this is great for someone new to riding like myself.
Semi automatic versus manual? I never test rode a manual F3 and if I was going to buy another Spyder (4 to 5 years time) I would test ride a manual and find out if it would be easy for me to master.

You mentioned heated grips, as a newbie I have found these a god send to have and have used my heated grips for 100% of riding time since starting to ride (mainly cold weather).

 

[Rocketman 2012]

"You could not give me a Spyder with the 1330 engine for 4 good reasons ....Expense, maintenance, noise, smell. And the Auto trans. isn't FULL auto .....You need to shift up ....it will etc etc." Quote Blueknight.

I think you meant you could not give me a Spyder the V-twin engine---etc etc?????

Sam:yes:

 

[Cruzr Joe]

:welcome:You've come to ...." ANSWERLAND "...In 7 years I have owned 3 spyders...2 had the 990 engine and now I have an RT ( semi-auto ) with the 1330 engine. You could not give me a Spyder with the 1330 engine for 4 good reasons ....Expense, maintenance, noise, smell. And the Auto trans. isn't FULL auto .....You need to shift up ....it will auto shift down ( or you can do it manually )...But there is no clutch....I have the semi-auto and would never go back to a manual again.........And please do not even consider a REGULAR trike ie. GoldWing or H.D. , they S*UCK in handling and comfort compared to a Spyder.........Good Luck .....Mike :thumbup:....Look at the Ad here ....IMotorsports ...they will ship to you for FREE and they take trades :yes:

BlueKnight:

You need to read your post again ................. it is confusing, first off there is no Automatic, it is either semi-auto or manual.

Cruzr Joe

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

1330 engine

"You could not give me a Spyder with the 1330 engine for 4 good reasons ....Expense, maintenance, noise, smell. And the Auto trans. isn't FULL auto .....You need to shift up ....it will etc etc." Quote Blueknight.

I think you meant you could not give me a Spyder the V-twin engine---etc etc?????

Sam:yes:

..:gaah::gaah::gaah: OMG .......I'm glad you caught my mis-take ....I went back and corrected my original post ........Thanks much......I would hate to have Him buy a " V-Twin " on my recommendation :yikes::yikes::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:......Mike :thumbup:

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Good Morning,
I’ve been looking at the Spyder for a couple of years now. My wife and I have enjoyed 2 wheelers for years. That was really our only hobby. No matter how bad our day was if we came home and hopped on the bike everything was fine.
Well this year she had here 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] spinal fusion and I’m 65 and my shoulders hurt (I’ve already had one rotator cuff surgery and need 2 more) and I’ve had 4 knee surgeries. Needless to say we are looking at trikes and Spyders. We finally took a Spyder for a ride about a month ago and really liked it (we plan to rent one for a day in the spring). Now I have a few questions about them so here we go.
What is everyone’s opinion about the benefits of the semi-automatic trans (I’ve never used paddle shifters) versus the manual. I mean if you ride bikes you are used to shifting and that was part of the fun. That being said it would be nice to not have to shift up/down all the time and with the automatic maybe my wife might learn to drive it.
How big of a difference is it between the pre 2014’s 990 and the new 1330 engine. I’ve read about heat problems with the 990’s.
The 990 and manual transmission are cheaper to buy so is the money for the 2014 or newer worth the price?
I have read the “Do's & Do Not's” for New Spyder Owners: and it seems very interesting and informative.
We live in the Chicago area (Flossmoor) and heated grips and seat would be nice. My wife has Reynolds phenomenon and can’t take the cold and as I get older I’m not a big fan either. What about the adjustable suspension? With my wife’s surgeries we need a smoother ride than my Yamaha Virago 1100. We were looking at trikes (Honda-Harley-whatever) and diff trike kits and we think we will be happier with the Spyder. I have always done most of the work on my bikes and cars and was concerned about doing so on a Spyder.
Any info/opinions on diff years or features would be greatly appreciated.
I recently went to a dealer and put a drop cloth under the bike to get the footprint of it to see what I will have to do to fit it into my garage. One day I would like to bring one home to actually try it. We are looking at the Touring model. Thanks, Mike

I would recommend that you test ride a 14 or newer RT series Spyder with the semi-auto transmission. less problems than the 998 V Twin and less expensive on maintenance, and with the reverse front fans it is a lot cooler bike, also a Spyder puts less stress on your upper body than a traditional 3 wheeler.

Cruzr Joe

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Speaking from a newbies view with no previous riding experience. I have an automatic F3 and mastered the down and upshifting after a few hours of riding. As mentioned by BLUEKNIGHT911 the Spyder "it will auto shift down ( or you can do it manually) and this is great for someone new to riding like myself.
Semi automatic versus manual? I never test rode a manual F3 and if I was going to buy another Spyder (4 to 5 years time) I would test ride a manual and find out if it would be easy for me to master.

You mentioned heated grips, as a newbie I have found these a god send to have and have used my heated grips for 100% of riding time since starting to ride (mainly cold weather).

Darrin:

you also have a Semi-Automatic, Can Am does not make a Spyder with an automatic transmission.

Cruzr Joe

 

[Brentc]

From one newbie to another

Welcome to the wonderful world of all things Spyder. One thing I'd like to mention is that there seems to be a thought floating around the motorcycle world that Spyders and trikes are the bike you get when you get old and can't ride the two wheelers anymore. Not the case, I'm in my mid forties, have ridden two wheelers for the past 20 years, and can ride a HONDA CBR1100 as well as the next 20 year old. I did however choose a Spyder with my wife because we have gotten past that phase in life and to us it's all about enjoying the ride in comfort and style.
My wife and I have had our 2014 se6 rts since April of this year. We have no other Spyders to compare it to, but I have ridden the f3 that the dealer loaned me when I was in for service and we both love the bike we picked. As for the manual shifting, I don't miss it one bit. As for heated grips and seat, your right on with that. I just got back from a two hour ride today, it is 40 degrees out there, and I was not cold with the grips on.
I would highly recommend your wife and yourself taking a little test drive. After taking my wife to the dealership, she couldn't wait and picked out the color she wanted the first trip to the dealer. We haven't looked back yet.

Welcome aboard and good luck.

 

[Highwayman2013]

Good Morning,
I’ve been looking at the Spyder for a couple of years now. My wife and I have enjoyed 2 wheelers for years. That was really our only hobby. No matter how bad our day was if we came home and hopped on the bike everything was fine.
Well this year she had here 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] spinal fusion and I’m 65 and my shoulders hurt (I’ve already had one rotator cuff surgery and need 2 more) and I’ve had 4 knee surgeries. Needless to say we are looking at trikes and Spyders. We finally took a Spyder for a ride about a month ago and really liked it (we plan to rent one for a day in the spring). Now I have a few questions about them so here we go.
What is everyone’s opinion about the benefits of the semi-automatic trans (I’ve never used paddle shifters) versus the manual. I mean if you ride bikes you are used to shifting and that was part of the fun. That being said it would be nice to not have to shift up/down all the time and with the automatic maybe my wife might learn to drive it.
How big of a difference is it between the pre 2014’s 990 and the new 1330 engine. I’ve read about heat problems with the 990’s.
The 990 and manual transmission are cheaper to buy so is the money for the 2014 or newer worth the price?
I have read the “Do's & Do Not's” for New Spyder Owners: and it seems very interesting and informative.
We live in the Chicago area (Flossmoor) and heated grips and seat would be nice. My wife has Reynolds phenomenon and can’t take the cold and as I get older I’m not a big fan either. What about the adjustable suspension? With my wife’s surgeries we need a smoother ride than my Yamaha Virago 1100. We were looking at trikes (Honda-Harley-whatever) and diff trike kits and we think we will be happier with the Spyder. I have always done most of the work on my bikes and cars and was concerned about doing so on a Spyder.
Any info/opinions on diff years or features would be greatly appreciated.
I recently went to a dealer and put a drop cloth under the bike to get the footprint of it to see what I will have to do to fit it into my garage. One day I would like to bring one home to actually try it. We are looking at the Touring model. Thanks, Mike

Welcome, you will like the RT it is a fine machine. If you can swing the money for a '14 or newer then go with that but we have a 2012 RT and can say that is a fine machine as well. There are many accessories made for the RT by Can Am and various other vendors. Ebay is your friend for an idea of prices on new and used RT's. The air ride on the rear suspension is very smooth too.

 

[Darren111]

Darrin:

you also have a Semi-Automatic, Can Am does not make a Spyder with an automatic transmission.

Cruzr Joe

I have now edited my post to show "Semi-Automatic." :thumbup:

 

[Cruzr Joe]

I have now edited my post to show "Semi-Automatic." :thumbup:

Thanks,:thumbup::thumbup: sometime when a newbie see's automatic, they think that there are three options, when there are only two, semi-automatic and manual.

Cruzr joe

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Welcome, you will like the RT it is a fine machine. If you can swing the money for a '14 or newer then go with that but we have a 2012 RT and can say that is a fine machine as well. There are many accessories made for the RT by Can Am and various other vendors. Ebay is your friend for an idea of prices on new and used RT's. The air ride on the rear suspension is very smooth too.

Well said, thanks

Cruzr Joe

 

[k7xi]

FITTING IN

You have 3 shoulders and 4 knees ?? You'll fit right in here. GRIN NOW

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

BlueKnight:

You need to read your post again ................. it is confusing, first off there is no Automatic, it is either semi-auto or manual.

Cruzr Joe

.............:gaah:..:lecturef_smilie:... Actually you need to read my post again , I was referencing what the OP said " Automatic " trans.........I corrected Him stating " Semi-Auto ", with an explanation....your welcome ......Mike

 

[robmorg]

I'll just second what everyone else said, with an additional comment on the semi-automatic transmission...

Yeah, you are used to the toe shifter that motorcycles have, but it does not take long to appreciate the ease and smoothness of the semi-automatic. And the hand paddles are just as fun to use as the toe shifter, but they are much easier to use. No more "trying to find neutral", or missed gears, or having to manually down-shift through every gear every time you stop, etc. Having also ridden motorcycles for years before buying the Spyder, I'm very glad I opted for the semi-automatic. For me, it's a lot more enjoyable to use. As others have said, you MUST manually shift up with the semi-automatic, while down-shifting is entirely at your discretion. So it's not an automatic transmission in the conventional sense. (Which is what makes it just as fun to use.) :thumbup:

 

[bmccaffrey]

.............:gaah:..:lecturef_smilie:... Actually you need to read my post again , I was referencing what the OP said " Automatic " trans.........I corrected Him stating " Semi-Auto ", with an explanation....your welcome ......Mike

You didn't read Joe's thread read before you post :lecturef_smilie:

 

[Lew L]

Raynauds Syndrom

My wife also has it----- a bit ghostly. One thing that helped in our decision to get an RT-S-----It has heated PASSINGER GRIPS. Air ride rear suspension is good too. We came from crusising on 2 wheels also and she feels much better now. I still put-put around on either the Valkyrie or the V-Max.

Maybe consider waiting untill all those surgeries have healed before dropping big monies on a ride that won't get used for a while????


Kaos

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

OMG

You didn't read Joe's thread read before you post :lecturef_smilie:

...This is the kind of crap that caused me to stay off the board the last time...Joe is a big boy and can stand up for Himself, I'm sure. So why don't you mind your own business, instead of trying to start trouble. Since this is a family oriented board I'll just leave it at :cus: :cus: :cus: :cus: :cus:......