Internet owners' groups can show you the worst
Don't know if you have participated with other Internet owners' groups, but if you have you may recall reading of a disproportionate number of issues which do not appear as often as implied on the Internet.
Example: The Vulcan Rider Owners' Club (VROC) got members all fired up when a few members reported failure of plastic oil pump drive gear. As this was discussed so often, folks gave the casual members the feeling that gear failures were occurring more often than they really were. The Kawasaki customer service rep told me when I called worriedly that the actual failure rate was less than one-half percent as reported by dealers performing repairs, not enough to warrant a factory recall.
She also said that if there was a failure, KHI would foot the entire repair bill no questions asked, regardless of age or mileage, and the plastic gear would be replaced with an updated steel part.
I also found an exaggerated "doohickey" failure report rate on the KLR650 website (I replaced mine prophylactically at 35,000 miles, old one showed minimal wear) as well as other issues on other bikes that never reared their heads.
Don't ignore Spyder complaints; rather, pay attention to what model and year malfunctions occur and what their causes and effects are. The 2008 models had a few teething problems, more with the SE than the simpler SM models. I think all these bugs have been worked out. In the modest 2000 miles I have ridden my 2009 SE I personally have experienced absolutely NO malfunctions, and I have become used to the Spyder's design and performance idiosyncrasies.
My only serious complaint is the lackluster braking performance, especially riding two-up, and the lousy fuel mileage.
The Spyder is basically very well-made and the engine is well-proven in several other motorcycles including Buell Lightnings and Aprilia Mille and Tuono models.
The high-zoot CANbus electronics are idenitical to systems that have been in use in automobiles for many years.
Solutions for other issues are well-documented in these forums, and many are easy enough for the handy homeowner to address. Only two 2009 factory recalls have been issued to my knowledge, one a simple ground addition which anyone could do, the other a power steering fix.
All that being said, the Spyder is not for everyone. It is not as fast or economical as a two-wheeler with a comparable engine (though it kicks ass when compared to other trikes and sidecars) but it is much safer for those with physical issues that could make their riding two-wheelers dangerous. I have a bum leg and Parkinson's Disease which makes my balance questionable. Several other Spyder owners on this site have prosthetics or physical issues (including very short legs) which makes a three-wheeler of any type a better choice than two.
I've owned and ridden side hacks for about 100,000 miles and once owned an ex-Baltimore Police trike powered by a 45-inch flathead. The Spyder is flat-out the fastest, best-handling three-wheeler I've owned.
At this point I am more confident of its reliability than my own, and I would trust it with a coast-to-coast trip, something already done by others. As always, JMHO.
hyea:
