Newbie Wannabee

[rtlister]

Yeah, I do not have any experience with motorcycles so a bit behind the curve, I just walked into a dealer and sat down on one and said to myself I can do this!!!

I'm somewhat frustrated by the process, can't test drive cause I don't have a license, can't get a license cause I don't have one. Not gonna drop 25-30K on something I think I might like.

So now got to wait until 3/31 in order to take the motorcycles after class so that I can get a motorcycle license to test drive.

I can understand from dealer point of view but still sucks.

To me adding more lighting to the back to heighten visablity seems a priority. I kind of thought decals might add to the visablity. Think the chrome will actually add a bit as well

I didn't care for any of the 2017 colors. I thought the red from 2016 looked sharp and kind of stood out visually, but that's just me. Fellow at the dealer recommended a headlight that nearly strobed, not sure about that.

The bright colored jacket seemed like a good idea, would have just assumed black.

Rain suit idea makes sense.

Will check out the dos and don't I'm sure that will add to my overload.

Thanks all.

Come to South Carolina. You only have to have a regular drivers lisence here to drive a Spyder Sorry for your delima... that is a bummer!

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[Tyris]

Well its giving me time to do more research, looked at Honda Goldwing Trikes today. They may be above what I wish to spend, even the used ones.

Taking the motorcycle course for license on 3/31 so now I wait and learn.

If the test drives go well and enjoy the ride will look for 2016 rt limited, just worried that in 3 months they will be hard to find. If so, I wait for used.

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[Ron2andia]

:welcome::congrats:

 

[rcturner]

When I bought my 14 RT this summer, the dealer is located in the middle of a lot of traffic, I had one of the employees drive the bike home for me, since I was not accustom to the bike. It was late evening just before dark and I noticed the bike was not very visible. The employee happened to work in the parts department. (Hmm) LOL. We talked abit and he gave me a lot of pointers that helped a lot. I mentioned to him about visibility, he suggested the high visibility kit from TricLED, with the turn signal kit. The kit replaces the fender yellow and red reflectors and saddlebag red reflectors with LEDs. Added an upper brake light. Ordered it the next morning. Really lights up the bike.

At a minimum I suggest clothing with High visibility colors and reflective parts.

BE VISIBLE TO OTHERS.


Just my 2 cents.

:agree::agree: The very first issue should be visibility. High visibility clothes, helmet, gloves, etc. It is amazing how invisible you are to other drivers even when you are on a large bike like the Spyder.

 

[ReRyRo]

"I also carry windsheild cleaner/microsoft clothes."

Personally, I prefer apple clothes - the microsoft clothes blue screen of death scares me too much.

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[Paula]

power steering...

Stear or steer? ReRyRo... I didn't even catch that microsoft mistake! LOL. One consideration to OP. Last year I was debating on the spyder verses a harley trike. What sold me on the spyder was the power steering (stearing?). Ran into a person who bought a trike that I thought I wanted. He sold it right after buying it because he said it hurt his shoulders trying to turn it... I figured if it hurt his shoulders it would probably hurt mine...

 

[Peter Aawen]

If you are talking about 'guiding or directing' your Spyder Paula (or guiding anything really!!), then it's definitely 'steering'

But if you are talking about using a certain specific proprietary gear system, then it might be 'using Steare gear', which I s'pose could be called 'stearing';
but I reckon it's far more likely that for most other Trike riders, 'stearing' is gonna be more of a cross between 'staring' enviously & 'tearing up' & crying/weeping simply because their trikes just don't have Dynamic Power Steering like our Trykes do!! :thumbup:

As for your windshield cleaner & microfibre cleaning cloths, just be sure that you use a cleaner that's suitable for the Spyder screen; most of the proprietary ammonia based stuff available can damage the screen irreparably cos once the protective layer is softened/removed, just about any cloth rubbing dust or bug remnants across it will rip scratches into the surface pdq!! pps:

 

[9tda1dr]

:welcome:

Suggest reading the do's and don'ts thread below. It will answer a lot of your questions.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...t-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners

Others will come on with additional helpful hints. :yes:

I'm a newbie to Spyders. Take akspyderman's advice and read the "Do's and Don'ts thread" INVALUABLE information.

 

[frogfly]

Dan, don't worry about availability too much, unless you are set on something specific. When you are ready to buy, visit imotorsports.com, one of the sponsors. You can view their inventory online by model year. They have competitive prices and make it super easy to buy. Point being I think you will be able to find 2016 models new in April. Hi viz helmet and jacket highly recommended and anything that makes the bike more visible. I'm sure everyone here will agree, when it comes to your safety on the road, You are your best defense against the increasingly distracted cagers. Welcome and enjoy the roads.

P.S. after the safety gear, rain gear was our first purchase, just in case we ever ran into a storm.

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[Tyris]

What Ive gleaned from suggestions

After purchase purchases listed in order of importance with top three mandatory before leaving the dealer. What am I missing?

1. Comfy Seat - after sitting on one at a dealer amazed at a difference 2" makes, not sure if heated is a necessity or not. Have not checked out Corbin seat dimensions yet to compare to comfy seat from dealer.

2. Helmets (2) with intercom Sena 20 seems to be the consensus.

3. Jackets - Stay with highly visible colors

4. Rain gear - It's gonna happen

5. LED\Reflectors - improve visibility

6. Trike Cover

7. Battery Tender

8. Bling - Either Wraps or custom paint that personalize the bike to me.

Seems like purchasing the trike is the beginning not the end of the choices to be made.

 

[Chiisai]

Female Newbie

:welcome:I bought my 2016 RT limited September 9th after only seeing a picture of it from the dealer. I never test drove one and I had only sat in the passenger seat of a 2014 2 weeks before I bought mine. I did not like the feel of being in the passenger seat (typical woman?). So I bought my own. I've been on motorcycles since I was a small child. I already had my motorcycle endorsement but had not ridden a Spyder before I bought mine. I just knew I could handle it and I have never been happier since the first day I turned the key on my Spyder.

Things I carry in my Spyder: Gerbing heated jacket and pants, rain suit, cleaning products and cleaning cloths, tire gauge, tool kit, bungies, bike cover, flash drive with my tunes, sunscreen, towel and wet wipes for cleaning hands off, phone charger, charger for my blue tooth headset, gloves, maps, GPS, sunglasses, kleenex, sunscreen for lips, camera and of course, cell phone.

My farkles so far: full bike cover, drink holder, Yeti tumbler, cell phone mount (which I fabricated myself from 2 separate parts), a driver back rest, a "booster seat" to push me forward 5 inches, battery tender, new helmet and blue tooth headset and a set of Muth signal mirrors.

My next farkle will be a trunk rack so I can have a little extra storage (while keeping within the weight limit on trunk).

If you are a motorcycle/adventure type person, you will not be sorry about purchasing a Spyder. It is the most fun you can have with your clothes on! Seriously, I never had as much fun on a 2 wheeler as I have had in the last 4 months on my Spyder. I put 3000 miles on mine in 3 weeks (which meant I had an oil change in the first month of ownership).

Good luck with your search and let us know what you purchase.