I'm new to Spyder. I just went to my local dealer and sat on a 2015 RT Limited and a 2024 F3 Limited Special edition.
(They did not have a modern RT)
On the RT I felt like I couldn't see anything from my center line vision down. Basically 1/2 of my vision was blocked by the dash and the solid portion of the windshield.
The F3 was far better visibility. I'm 6'1
My question:
Is the visibility for the driver improved on the newer RT?
If you're 6'1" and sitting on an RT, I'm quite surprised that you are concerned about restricted vision?? But I feel it might be due to the fact that you were '
just sitting' on it, and not actually riding it!? :dontknow:
Please bear with me - I know and will allow that everybody is different, but I've trained a fair few Spyder Ryders now, and one thing I notice is quite common amongst new Spyder Ryders is that they often end up concentrating on things waaaayyy to close to them!! You need to look up and ahead, as far ahead as you can, then scan back along the path you want to travel, but
NOT concentrating on the road immediately in front of you - even if you're going very slowly, you'll need to be looking a few yards ahead or you won't have the reaction time to stop &/or change direction. And if you plan your path waaaayyy out there, then gently and with a relaxed grip guide your Spyder along that path, you won't have anywhere near the difficulties and concerns about 'twitchy steering' etc. that so many newbie riders talk about.
Keeping that in mind, I also wonder if you might just be '
looking too close in'
because you're '
just sitting' on that RT, and as soon as you get out and start riding, you'll naturally tend to look further ahead anyway, especially if you already have some riding experience?? I'm still pretty sure that like the rest of us, once you do start Spyder Ryding, you'll still need to practice looking ahead as far as you can see down the road, then scanning back along your path and gently guiding your Spyder down that path - Spyders have more than twice the contact patch of most other motorcycles and it's spread over a much wider area up front than any 2-wheeler, so if you look/concentrate on the road too close in and try to avoid them all, then you'll be twitching and reacting to things you shouldn't be and making your ride a lot more uncomfortable than it needs to be!! :banghead:
That said, while I own and still ride a 2013 RT, I've fairly extensively ridden quite a few F3's and RT's of all years up to 2023 - we just don't have too many '24's around here just yet, so I've only done a few demo rides on them...
However, I find that on all the F3's, as a rider you tend to sit '
down and in' them, and it feels even further back at that, what with your feet stretched out in front of you and the seat caning your tailbone the longer you sit/ride!! So at not quite 6' anymore (I'm getting more decrepit as I age, and I'm definitely shorter now than I was...
) I find that the F3 dash & handlebars block out more of the 'close in' view ahead than on the RT's, especially the 2010-2019's, where you sit '
up high and on, looking over' all the dash & windscreen etc. ahead of you; rather than sitting '
down, in, & behind' it all like you are on the F3's! And I personally find that while there's more scope for leg movement, the 2020+ RT's are more like an F3 than the earlier models in this seating respect; which is yet another reason I'm still riding my 'suitably enhanced' revvier & peppier V-twin 2013 RT!
hyea: Still, that's just me, and I'm prepared to accept that, as with so many people & things, YMMV! :spyder:
So, I'll hafta agree with
jetfixer on this -
you really do owe it to yourself to try one - in fact, try every year/model that you can!! The seating position on the newer RT's (2020+) is definitely changed, many feel for the better, but you'll never know if it works
FOR YOU until you try! And if at all possible, ride a few different year/models too - what feels right for me might not feel right for you, but I'm pretty sure that you'll find a benefit from looking out further ahead once you start riding! :thumbup:
Have you checked out the '
Do's & Do Nots' thread that
SpyderBOT linked in your
Welcome thread yet?? Sure, it's a long read, but regardless of their prior experience level, just about everyone who does persist gets a fair bit of benefit from reading it - just make sure you note the differences between the year/models and pay attention to what applies to which! :2thumbs:
Here's another link to it
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...-Do-s-and-Do-Nots-quot-for-new-Spyder-owners/
