SilverSurfer
RT-S PE#0391
Bullet Proof
I'll say it again and again ... any new-concept vehicle will have bugs, and I do empathize with possible (and I stress possible) lemons, esp. '08s ... the actual first year in the US.
Otherwise, my RT has already saved my skin during a deer hit; It drives like a champ on stock parts with recommended adjustments (tire psi; front shock adjustment). Going to mod it a little with Elka Shocks and a Utopia Backrest. No other problems. 2750 miles and I've replaced the mirror the deer stole. First service was at 800 miles (no problems).
When I reel back at those dumping or sending their Spyders packing, I muse that if the Spyder is so "rife" with problems, how anyone could look at a potential customer in the face and tell them, "Great bike .... you'll love it." The truth is, it is a great bike, and when we bought it, the understood risk should have been that we were taking a new vehicle concept and representing the initial customer experience. The purchasing decision cannot and should have never been based on expectations of years-old design concepts of Tri-Glide and Goldwings. Yet, let's reflect on older Harley owners who suffered through the years of engines being manufactured by AMF. Maintenance hogs ... things would break ... down time; it gave rise to the tsunami of metric cruisers through the 90s. But loyal Harley people stuck with their bikes and supported their community.
I think we need to do the same, and have patience, work with BRP; tell them the brutal truth on a few real issues; yet understand that some problems are just ones-ey two-seys. I think we need to hang on to these new machines, work them through improvement; cultivate the aftermarket providers and support the Spyder community. :clap:
I'll say it again and again ... any new-concept vehicle will have bugs, and I do empathize with possible (and I stress possible) lemons, esp. '08s ... the actual first year in the US.
Otherwise, my RT has already saved my skin during a deer hit; It drives like a champ on stock parts with recommended adjustments (tire psi; front shock adjustment). Going to mod it a little with Elka Shocks and a Utopia Backrest. No other problems. 2750 miles and I've replaced the mirror the deer stole. First service was at 800 miles (no problems).
When I reel back at those dumping or sending their Spyders packing, I muse that if the Spyder is so "rife" with problems, how anyone could look at a potential customer in the face and tell them, "Great bike .... you'll love it." The truth is, it is a great bike, and when we bought it, the understood risk should have been that we were taking a new vehicle concept and representing the initial customer experience. The purchasing decision cannot and should have never been based on expectations of years-old design concepts of Tri-Glide and Goldwings. Yet, let's reflect on older Harley owners who suffered through the years of engines being manufactured by AMF. Maintenance hogs ... things would break ... down time; it gave rise to the tsunami of metric cruisers through the 90s. But loyal Harley people stuck with their bikes and supported their community.
I think we need to do the same, and have patience, work with BRP; tell them the brutal truth on a few real issues; yet understand that some problems are just ones-ey two-seys. I think we need to hang on to these new machines, work them through improvement; cultivate the aftermarket providers and support the Spyder community. :clap:
........ but anyways to stay on topic yes your are right, Porsche finally got on the ball quality wise after many years, so my point is the same , customers kept buying through the times that Porsche was putting out average quality super expensive cars with some quirky and sometimes nightmarish electrical and driveability demons and years later the customers that rode out the storm now have a decent product (boxter aside) to back up the outlandish prices ! How many years can you deliver a product that costs $ 130,000 that gets hammered quality wise by anything Toyota or Honda built (mass production mind you ) that costs under $ 25 grand. The prices are still worlds apart but the quality finally is there. I think both Jag and Porsche should be lucky they have any customers left but whenever there is a premier marque to buy , there will be a person that feels they need it. :2thumbs:
hyea:
