So... I got an F3 as a loaner - Not for me

[isthatahemi]

I'll start by saying I own a quad, and a new snowmobile, and riding my Spyder (New 2 weeks ago RSS) is the most fun I've had in a long time! I have ridden an older RS and it had vibes and uncooperative shifting, but was still a blast.

So today, I had to get the break-in checkup and oil change. The local dealer, offered me an F3 for the day to ride, pretty great service. I don't have anything nice to say about the F3 except the brakes are stout, the engine is smooth (and slow revving and sounds lousy IMO), and the traction control is quite a bit more permissive than the setup on my RSS. I felt very silly sitting on it.

I'll just leave it at that, I don't want to get into a whole thing that brings out the old "haters gonna hate" references and such. I will say I would not own a Spyder if I had rented an F3 for 4 days. I have an even greater appreciation for how awesome my RSS is.

Anyone who wants to hear more, can PM me, I don't want to dwell on it!

Side note, I bought an oil change kit for $62 last Saturday, and gave it to the service department, and they credited me $162 on my invoice. Whatever, the guy reviewed it before having me pay it. Not too shabby.

 

[Mike Ard]

Glad you are happy with your ride. That's why they make different models of bikes etc...

 

[otter28169]

I rode my father's F3 the other day. I though it was ok, but I wasn't thrilled about it either. My father and I share similar riding styles and I don't see any increase in performance over my 2012 RS-S. I think the riding position would be easier on my knees, and the seat is nice. Dad has already put 600 plus miles on his new machine, and he enjoys it more everyday. He has had total knee replacements in both legs, and told me yesterday that this was the style spyder he has been waiting for since I got mine. Everyone knows how I feel about the looks of this machine. It has us riding together and brings to mind some old wisdom........it doesn't matter what you ride, only that you ride.

Just sayin'.............

 

[3 wheeler]

Wow very interesting. I love my RS but I've been waiting for a test ride on a F3 to compare. All I've been reading is how powerful it is and would love to know if it is faster than my RS.

 

[isthatahemi]

F3 has buttloads more torque, and one could pile on the miles, but I really think the V-Twin in the other models has a lot of character, is much snappier, and caters to a different type of rider. The F3 had a very mellow Goldwing feel to it.

If I were racing for money I would take an RSS. If I were touring or were bothered by the V-Twin vibes, the triple might just be the ticket. :doorag: But a combination of excessive early model year vibes, and a lot of riders values smoothness and torque over "character", I can see it would really be a hit with some.

 

[CanAmChris]

Don't miss the RSS as much as I thought I would.

I loved my 2010 RSS-SE5. I put over $1000.00 of farkles on her. She was beautiful. The last comment I got about her was in a parking lot. A young lady told me I had a nice bike. I just smiled and said 'thanks'

We ran together on great road trips. 1,500 miles or so in four days. My house in PA to Daytona Beach, FL and back. A bit over 1,600 miles in four days when I headed west through Maryland and hit the states west of the east coast.

I was sorry to see her go when I traded her in.

As fond as those memories are, I also remember the pain. Tucked under legs tend to object every 100 miles or so. Hip and leg cramps are not pleasant when you are going 85 mph for the next 150 miles.

Don't get me wrong. I know the RSS was not designed for long range, but I must say that the moment I sat in that F3 saddle and stretched my legs forward... I knew... I knew that the F3 was everything the RSS should have been for me. It is a great balance between touring and a big smile when I beat every car and other bike off the line when the light turns green.


So... enjoy!

Have fun. That is really all that matters. If you are not having fun, you are doing the 'life' thing incorrectly.

CAC

 

[ARtraveler]

Different strokes for different folks is what is driving the brand.

I remember when you could only get the GS with a manual transmission.

I bought the first one that was sold in Alaska.

Now, you have at least 10 basic choices. Four models/two different types of transmissions, 2 engine possibilities, and a gazillion tweeks in between.

 

[Chupaca]

Agree..!!

We love our RS. Got it set up just right and would not trade it for any other model. Always said the F3 will have a following as does the RT. Don't think the ST was a big seller and loosing ground now...glad you had a chance to ryde it and gave your honest opnion..:2thumbs:...original, baked or crispy..??

 

[Bob Denman]

Different strokes for different folks is what is driving the brand.
Now, you have at least 10 basic choices. Four models/two different types of transmissions, 2 engine possibilities, and a gazillion tweeks in between.

:agree: And you also would most likely not want to be riding an RT...

 

[PistonBlown]

... Don't think the ST was a big seller and loosing ground now...

Yes there's very few ST's over here in NZ. Unlike the US the majority of Spyders sold here are RS's, partly because the price of the RT's is much higher here. However about 3rd of the RS riders I know have modified there RS's with higher screens, bar risers, etc - i.e. all the mods you get as standard with an ST. I thought the ST would appeal to these types of riders in NZ but that doesn't seem to have been the case.

Interesting comments on the F3 and pretty much in line with what I suspected when it was released. Like others here I find my RS fits what I want - it has the right sort of power delivery and the standard pegs, screen, bars and seat are on the mark for me. Now if Can-am gave the RS a bit more power and a 'sports' mode for nanny I may consider a trading my one in.

 

[ChasingWind]

I have a modded 08 GS with foward pegs and riser bars very comfy riding position major difference than stock I put 30000 plus last year on her - rode the f3 and was impressed w its torque power band - gots. Lots of torgue pretty much any where -unlike GS/rss. Where you need to be at a certain RPM so that was a surprise to me but overall my GS pulls away from the f3 - and it's kinda a trick the f3 uses w no windshield it pushes all that wind straight at you making it feel like more torque that what's really there - try holding on at 70 mph for a long period the wind directed at u makes its a handful


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SpyderMouse22]

I'll start by saying I own a quad, and a new snowmobile, and riding my Spyder (New 2 weeks ago RSS) is the most fun I've had in a long time! I have ridden an older RS and it had vibes and uncooperative shifting, but was still a blast.

So today, I had to get the break-in checkup and oil change. The local dealer, offered me an F3 for the day to ride, pretty great service. I don't have anything nice to say about the F3 except the brakes are stout, the engine is smooth (and slow revving and sounds lousy IMO), and the traction control is quite a bit more permissive than the setup on my RSS. I felt very silly sitting on it.

I'll just leave it at that, I don't want to get into a whole thing that brings out the old "haters gonna hate" references and such. I will say I would not own a Spyder if I had rented an F3 for 4 days. I have an even greater appreciation for how awesome my RSS is.

Anyone who wants to hear more, can PM me, I don't want to dwell on it!

Side note, I bought an oil change kit for $62 last Saturday, and gave it to the service department, and they credited me $162 on my invoice. Whatever, the guy reviewed it before having me pay it. Not too shabby.

I really find your comment interesting. I have owned An RSS and and ST and I just bought an F3-S. The F3-S is by far the best one IMO. So you like to sit high and shift and high REVS that's great. IMO RSS is the worst choice of all the spyder models out there.

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: The worst choice?? :shocked:
C'mon; they're ALL good; it depends on how you like to ride! :thumbup:

 

[isthatahemi]

I really find your comment interesting. I have owned An RSS and and ST and I just bought an F3-S. The F3-S is by far the best one IMO. So you like to sit high and shift and high REVS that's great. IMO RSS is the worst choice of all the spyder models out there.

So shifting at 4K rpms is high? And how do you quantify best? Quietest? Lowest revving? Most (economy) car like exhaust?

How do you define the worst? The sportiest with the most character? The lightest? Quickest? Best sounding, quickest revving and most agile? That does sound awful!

There is no best or worst, but there is no point denying what something is. The RSS is the sport model, to say it is better or worse than a cruiser model is just kooky-talk, as Kramer would say. It's about preference and priorities! I don't have the stomach for the looks and comments I got while riding it either, to be blunt.

 

[CanAmChris]

... I don't have the stomach for the looks and comments I got while riding it either, to be blunt.

To each their own, but I will say this. I don't know what looks and comments you received in Stony Mtn, Manitoba but here in Southeastern PA, all I get are double takes and smiles. Also extended conversations in parking lots. For every one d-bag prejudiced adult rider, there are 100 young kids that look at the F3 wide eyed because it is the closest thing to a Star Wars vehicle that they have ever seen.

Funny thing about younglings, They know awesome when they see it. They have not yet been influenced by years of social pressure to conform to expectations so they call it like they see it.

To each his own...

 

[Yazz]

I don't have the stomach for the looks and comments I got while riding it either, to be blunt.

Interesting that you care more about what strangers say, who you'll never see again, than your own happiness.

If you like your RS, I can understand. Keeping my GS too. My bias didn't keep me from getting a F3.

There is something for everyone in the big wide world. Be it GS/RS, ST, RT, F3, Harley, Honda, BMW, yadda, yadda...

 

[CanAmChris]

Interesting that you care more about what strangers say, who you'll never see again, than your own happiness.

If you like your RS, I can understand. Keeping my GS too. My bias didn't keep me from getting a F3.

There is something for everyone in the big wide world. Be it GS/RS, ST, RT, F3, Harley, Honda, BMW, yadda, yadda...

This world needs more humans like you Yazz. Well said young lady.

 

[kep-up]

I really find your comment interesting. I have owned An RSS and and ST and I just bought an F3-S. The F3-S is by far the best one IMO. So you like to sit high and shift and high REVS that's great. IMO RSS is the worst choice of all the spyder models out there.

I kinda like my RS-S. :2thumbs:

 

[isthatahemi]

To each their own, but I will say this. I don't know what looks and comments you received in Stony Mtn, Manitoba but here in Southeastern PA, all I get are double takes and smiles. Also extended conversations in parking lots. For every one d-bag prejudiced adult rider, there are 100 young kids that look at the F3 wide eyed because it is the closest thing to a Star Wars vehicle that they have ever seen.

Funny thing about younglings, They know awesome when they see it. They have not yet been influenced by years of social pressure to conform to expectations so they call it like they see it.

To each his own...

Most of the attention on my RSS is positive, other than the usual suspects of course. The other day there was mayhem in traffic on my way home the attention generated by the Spyder. And there is no doubt, that kid, I think because they are open minded, love the Spyder. But my RS is a booming V-Twin beast, that when ridden sedately, get's much admiration from it's wicked engine note, and that is unique to the V-twin models.

Pretty much anyone without pre-conceived notions or biases seem to love the Spyder, it was an unfortunate coincidence that the day I had the F3, some Harley goober decided to go off about it. Normally the fact that my V-Twin sounds better than there's keeps their comments at bay imo.

 

[isthatahemi]

That said, do I come to the F3 area of this site and poop on F3 owners opinions of RS models? Nope, that would be a pretty goofy thing to do!