Should I Jump Ship, Wing to Spyder???

[rhino1]

Hi guys and gals, wondering if I should switch from a rock solid, reliable Goldwing to an awsome looking Spyder. (RT Limited)?? Have been reading a lot about the spyder, good and bad! Should I wait another year so they can work the bugs out? Info much appreciated!! Rhino1!!! Thanks!!!

 

[stevedfive]

Jump and don't look back!

 

[Dragonrider]

Go to your dealer & test ride one for at least an hour - spend at least 20 minutes in a large empty parking lot (please) - then venture out. If you ride with your SO, come back and pick her up AFTER the parking lot routine.

When you get back, go into the shop & ask how many techs they have & how many are fully trained on the Spyder. Then ask how many the dealer has sold.

Given the above, you will know if the Spyder is right for you, and you can try to seal your deal.

If you jump, you will need to put at least 300 miles on the RT before you are comfortable on it - it IS that different.

Personally, I never liked the GL1800, and went for the K1200LT. Other than the 52mpg on the LT, I don't miss two wheels - especially in heavy traffic... jmho.

 

[fordguyupnorth]

RENT ONE FOR A LONG TRIP! drive at least a 300 mile trip. i feel you will love it as opposed to the wing ( i have owned each) but you need to try it to see if its for YOU!:thumbup:

 

[M2Wild]

Should I wait another year so they can work the bugs out? Info much appreciated!! Rhino1!!! Thanks!!!

There will ALWAYS be bugs and recalls no matter which brand. If you wait, it will be something else. Life is short, time to get ryding. :doorag:

PS. I kept my two wheelers at the cottage but putting far more miles on the Spyder last year.

 

[BikerDoc]

The longer you wait the more FUN you will be missing.. Go with it...

 

[ARtraveler]

:agree: with Dragonrider. It appears he covered a lot of information and helpful advice. We are a little biased towards the :spyder2: here--but you already knew that. Test driving is a must, and the 200-500 mile learning curve seems to be what it takes--when coming off of two wheels. Good luck on your decision. Let us know what happens. I am guessing no one is going to say bad things about the Goldwing--they are considered the best in their class.

 

[MouthPiece]

Hi guys and gals, Wondering if I should switch from a rock solid, reliable goldwing to an awsome looking spyder. (RT Limited)?? Have been reading alot about the spyder, good and bad! Should I wait another year so they can work the bugs out? Info much appreciated!! Rhino1!!! Thanks!!!

If the "wing" is rock solid, then why even consider switching over?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Chris PE# 0004

 

[Marker]

The longer you wait the more FUN you will be missing.. Go with it...

:agree: Take one out for a test ride , after your ride, you will see whether the:spyder:is right for you:thumbup:

 

[ThreeWheels]

Hi guys and gals, Wondering if I should switch from a rock solid, reliable goldwing to an awsome looking spyder. (RT Limited)?? Have been reading alot about the spyder, good and bad! Should I wait another year so they can work the bugs out? Info much appreciated!! Rhino1!!! Thanks!!!

There will ALWAYS be bugs and recalls no matter which brand. If you wait, it will be something else. Life is short, time to get ryding. :doorag:

PS. I kept my two wheelers at the cottage but putting far more miles on the Spyder last year.

Exactly. You may remember the recalls of the Goldwing in the early Y2K because the frames cracked ?

I enjoy the heck out of my Spyder. But that's my opinion. As others said, take a test ride and see for yourself.

Either way, good luck, I'm sure you'll make the decision that's right for you. Keep us posted on how you make out..

 

[boborgera]

Hi guys and gals, Wondering if I should switch from a rock solid, reliable goldwing to an awsome looking spyder. (RT Limited)?? Have been reading alot about the spyder, good and bad! Should I wait another year so they can work the bugs out? Info much appreciated!! Rhino1!!! Thanks!!!

If you don't need the Wing for a trade,
Get the Spyder then when the Wing starts getting cobwebs from lack of use put it up for sale.

 

[MarkLawson]

If the "wing" is rock solid, then why even consider switching over?
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Chris PE# 0004

I have both & ride both. Different rides for different enjoyments.

 

[Mr. White]

Rhino, You may have seen my earlier posts while waiting for my RT-S. I got it yesterday and rode it home the long way, just under 100 miles. I still have and will keep my '02 Wing w/Motor Trike kit installed in '05. I have 59K on it and truly love the Wing.

The RT is a very different ride. Quick reacting to steering inputs. Rides very smoothly, but tends to understeer in corners and is easy to over correct if not paying attention.... I only have 100 miles on it so I have not made any corrections to air pressure, shock settings, etc. It took me quite a while to get the Wing to ride and handle as I like....same with the RT. It has decent power, but not the torque of the Wing. I got the SE5 and not used to the paddle shifting yet. It will take me 500 miles of riding to sort these minor questions out.

This Saturday, I will ride with my group, the Hill Country Road Riders, which will be in the 250-300 mile range and will be in the hills so I can try out the tight curve handling, adjust air pressure, etc. I will make comments from time to time RT vs Wing.

Bottom line today is that both are super machines, but certainly different rides. Different strokes.... good luck on you choice.

 

[NorthStar]

Ex Goldwing Rider

I moved from a GL1800 to a Spyder RT early in 2010. The primary reason for abandoning the Wing for the Spyder was definitely safety.

My first test drive really spooked me. It took me at least 10 minutes to realize that this machine had radically different ride characteristics than a two wheeler. Once I relaxed my grip on the handlebars I began to enjoy these differences in handling. Within 30 minutes I told myself that I could definitely see myself owning one of these.

15000 kms later I do not regret the decision to sell the Wing and move on over to a Spyder. My wife feels way more comfortable as a passenger on this machine compared to the Wing or the RS Venture previous to that.

The only suggestion that I can add to what others have posted is to seriously test drive both the SE5 and the SM5. I can honestly say that the test drive on the SE5 definitely made my purchasing decision much easier. The semi automatic transmission is sweet.

I do however admit that it took me close to 1000 kms of driving my Spyder to learn how to best handle this three wheeler, or maybe forget how not to try and ride it like a two wheeler.

I do wish you all the best in your decision making process. It will not be an easy decision to make, but YOU will know pretty early in the process if the Spyder RT is right for you.

 

[SpyderBen]

GW1800 to a Spyder

You have received some good advise. I traded my Wing, which was a fantastic machine. You are comparing apples to oranges. I traded for a '10 RT, mostly because my wife feels so much more safe. She saw a couple of regular cycle with 2 riders fall over, and the spouses helmets make a horribe sound when it hits the concrete. These happened in parking lots(luckily). My biggest complaints are the engine noise, the effort to do your own routing oil changes(much easier on the GW), avoiding the high labor fees for a simple oil change, gas mileage 30 compared to 40(GW) and the gear ratio's(RT needs a 6th gear to cruise at a lover RPM.

You will really like the Reverse gear and the Park feature and the stability of the 3 wheels(VSS System).

 

[chillirider]

I would definetly take one for a long test ride. It is a totally different ride. I ended up selling ours because it just wasn't for me. I loved the Spyder. Great product and I very well may go back some day. It's a large investment that needs a lot of consideration so I wouldn't just jump. :thumbup:

 

[rogerb]

I switched from a Nomad to the RT because of a broken ankle. Now I wish I had done it sooner. 12000 miles first summer. Children are the best judges. My grandaughter (7) use to ride with me or her father on his Harley, now she only rides with me on her Spyder. The only time she will give up her seat is for her cousin so he can come riding with us. Just try one out and give it a chance. Once you learn to relax you will really enjoy it. :2thumbs:

 

[godfather]

I moved from a GL1800 to a Spyder RT early in 2010. The primary reason for abandoning the Wing for the Spyder was definitely safety.

15000 kms later I do not regret the decision to sell the Wing and move on over to a Spyder. My wife feels way more comfortable as a passenger on this machine compared to the Wing.

I sold my wing, and Payed for the spider (I have never road one) will pick up the 2011 white one Friday or Saturday my reasons were Safety and safety. kept thinking about foot slipping and falling over and breaking the hip of my 71 year old wife we all know that is a down hill trip, she is excited about the move and excitement means I get lucky, and ABS is a good thing>. did I mention we have motel three nights at CUBA....

 

[MangoMike]

I've owned an 1800 Wing, a Victory Vision and a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic. I now ride an RT and wouldn't trade the RT for any of the above. Can't even say I miss two wheels (well, maybe a little, occasionally), but the RT has taken any apprehension (sand, gravel, water) out of riding, now it's just all fun.

 

[Bob Denman]

It's real easy for all of us to holler from the cheap seats... it ain't our coin that's going down the road!
Dragonrider said it best; take your time and gather information and sensations before signing anything! :thumbup: