So, I took one for a test ride

[ronm]

I'm in the market for a RT-Limited, trying to decide between a 2016 or 2017. I took a 2016 for a ride yesterday, what an exhilarating experience...yet with a couple of issues.

How do you-all overcome these...???

Nit-picks:

The antenna almost put my eye out, its at the perfect level so that if you lean over to look in the trunk from the right side you'll get it right in the eye.

The seat/handle bars were about 1" too close, felt cramped - I'm 5'11" and my knuckles don't drag, but unless I sat on the top of the seat support I felt too close.

The brake is something to get used to, went for the hand brake several times on both sides (my atv brake is on the left), kinda tough to find the right spot for my foot to get to the brake quickly and without getting hung up in the transition (foot moving right to left).

Air flow, it was around 75 and after about 30mins I could feel the heat under me; wonder what its like on a 90 degree day. The side air flow deflectors were the ridged versions, are the add-ons that move worth it?

Kill switch - why would they mount that stupid switch where a dummy like me would hit it making a u-turn...engine dies, it took a few minutes to figure out how to start it...very nerve racking in traffic. I hit it again later in the ride at around 35MPH, scared the hell out of me - I flicked it back to run almost instantly, I don't think the engine died or even sputtered - does the kill switch lock out at speed(hopefully it does)?

Gradual turns, it was like riding a snowmobile, it seems to dance around side to side in the turn; might have been nerves - I steered by pushing the outside vs. pulling and it seemed to turn smoother...

90degree right turns at stops, I had a tendency to oversteer; felt like I was going to clip the curb. Left turns just the opposite, I tended to under steer and go wide (probably nerves, but I felt like I didn't have a balance point on my right side other than my right foot - no need to lean to the left too much, didn't want to put too much pressure on the throttle hand, yet didn't want to let go either).

First time it downshifted on it's own freaked me out as it seemed to rev the engine just before the shift, thought it was going to take off on me (went right for the nonexistent hand brake). After a few minutes I sort of got in tune with it downshifting on it's own.

Shifting, no real problem; I probably shifted through the first 4 a bit fast but never really heard the engine labor; didn't try EcoMode. I was pretty OK with it downshifting (once I got used to it), downshifting manually was pretty useless as far as I could tell, unless you really need to slow down quickly.

No real deal breakers, but still hard to decide 2016-2017 (where we live it will sit in the garage for months - fair weather riders). Any input would be appreciated.

ron

 

[Bob Denman]

:welcome:
You'll get used to NOT approaching the top trunk from the right side...
Ditto the "braking by foot" only; although a high-quality handbrake assembly is available.
The kill switch is where It is... because you need to have it handy when things get ugly. nojoke
Cornering is a learned skill... it'll take at least a couple of hundred miles to start feeling warm and fuzzy over it...

 

[irvin48]

i came off a victory cross roads. had all your ?'s. it takes a little getting
used too. now we almost love it. you cant jump on and learn it all in 10 minutes.
irv toms

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

YOUR LIST & ISSUES

I'm in the market for a RT-Limited, trying to decide between a 2016 or 2017. I took a 2016 for a ride yesterday, what an exhilarating experience...yet with a couple of issues.

How do you-all overcome these...???

Nit-picks:

The antenna almost put my eye out, its at the perfect level so that if you lean over to look in the trunk from the right side you'll get it right in the eye.

The seat/handle bars were about 1" too close, felt cramped - I'm 5'11" and my knuckles don't drag, but unless I sat on the top of the seat support I felt too close.

The brake is something to get used to, went for the hand brake several times on both sides (my atv brake is on the left), kinda tough to find the right spot for my foot to get to the brake quickly and without getting hung up in the transition (foot moving right to left).

Air flow, it was around 75 and after about 30mins I could feel the heat under me; wonder what its like on a 90 degree day. The side air flow deflectors were the ridged versions, are the add-ons that move worth it?

Kill switch - why would they mount that stupid switch where a dummy like me would hit it making a u-turn...engine dies, it took a few minutes to figure out how to start it...very nerve racking in traffic. I hit it again later in the ride at around 35MPH, scared the hell out of me - I flicked it back to run almost instantly, I don't think the engine died or even sputtered - does the kill switch lock out at speed(hopefully it does)?

Gradual turns, it was like riding a snowmobile, it seems to dance around side to side in the turn; might have been nerves - I steered by pushing the outside vs. pulling and it seemed to turn smoother...

90degree right turns at stops, I had a tendency to oversteer; felt like I was going to clip the curb. Left turns just the opposite, I tended to under steer and go wide (probably nerves, but I felt like I didn't have a balance point on my right side other than my right foot - no need to lean to the left too much, didn't want to put too much pressure on the throttle hand, yet didn't want to let go either).

First time it downshifted on it's own freaked me out as it seemed to rev the engine just before the shift, thought it was going to take off on me (went right for the nonexistent hand brake). After a few minutes I sort of got in tune with it downshifting on it's own.

Shifting, no real problem; I probably shifted through the first 4 a bit fast but never really heard the engine labor; didn't try EcoMode. I was pretty OK with it downshifting (once I got used to it), downshifting manually was pretty useless as far as I could tell, unless you really need to slow down quickly.

No real deal breakers, but still hard to decide 2016-2017 (where we live it will sit in the garage for months - fair weather riders). Any input would be appreciated.

ron

...Not to sound mean, but you need to realize the Spyder is not like anything else out there... Plus one ride will not teach you much about how you can ride it AND enjoy it..... Find the " sticky " Do's & Dont's " and start reading...... you will learn lots.......PS :welcome: ...... and regarding a 16 or 17 it won't matter with your issues, they will be the same until you learn the Spyder ...... PPS, I wouldn't go back to TWO wheels even if I could ..... seriously ....... good luck , Mike :thumbup:

 

[Scotts8826]

The good news is that most of what you are describing will go away or get better with time in the saddle.

I also knicked the kill switch while I was at a stop light. Panic set in as there were cars behind me. Fortunately, I saw the kill switch had been flipped so I started back up fairly quickly. Hasn't happened since, so experience has helped.

One nice thing about the Spyder is the ability to customize the riding experience (Farkles). There are manufacturers who make seats that will allow you sit back further. There is also a tri-axis handle bar available. Most people use it to get the handlebars closer so I don't know if it will allow your to move them further away or not. I'm sure someone else can answer that.

I have not heard of excessive heat being an issue with newer (2014 up) models. Again, you can customize air flow around you with Baker Air Wings. They won't address the heat radiating up from the machine but increased airflow on your legs and midsection may help. And, keep cold air off you in colder months.

While the Spyder will automatically downshift for you, don't forget that you can also do it manually. I find the need to do it coming off on access ramps from the highway to keep the rpm's in the right range.

The Spyder is a great machine and it will only grow on you as you gain experience riding it.

 

[tmcquain]

I haven't had a bike in 30 years, my wife is leery of a 2 wheeler, so that is why we bought the Spyder. I can't keep her off of it...we love it ! I had all the same issues that you describe, right hand curves got me the most. What I read here on SL one day helped me the most. Going into the curve let off get your line right and then hammer down. We have 4200 miles now and live near the Smokey Mountains, so I have got a lot of practice on curves. My confidence grows daily. ( I also push the outside grip instead of pulling the inside ) Welcome to Spyder World....

 

[Vader]

My 2 cents

Having rode for over 30 years on both dirt and street before an non-motorcycle accident forced me to find another option, I can tell you that a "test ride" is not a really good indicator as to the ridability of a Spyder. I did plenty of research, lurked here on the forum to gain information before making the leap. But I will say that following the suggestions in the manual proved very informative for me. Here is a link in case you want to see what I am referring to:
https://youtu.be/IPrfBkSwy3g

 

[murphybrown]

Yep...welcome to the Spyder

What everyone posted before me is a big YEP....miles of smiles (or gritted teeth when you first start Spydering)...will pretty much eliminate all those issues. Far as position of handlebars...consider upgrading to the TriAxis...they can be set "just for you and your reach"...
Yep after 130k on my Rts...I got the F3T...and had to "learn" where the brake was positioned AGAIN... 500 miles and now I say "was there an issue?"
Take a 3 wheel course. Start your ryding in a large, vacant parking lot until you feel comfortable...then branch out to roads with very little traffic. As your confidence increases move on to the next "challenge". 1000 miles or so and you'll be at pro status. Ryde on...
Keep us posted as to what you buy...we realllly do prefer pictures!!!:yes:

 

[JayBros]

It's just like a new car. My wife's new one irritates the crap out of me because nothing is where it was on the old cage; I just have to learn it.

Others have given you bulls-eye advice, particularly about reading the Do and Do Nots.

To the most important issue IMO, you say the bars are too close. There is an answer for that situation, the TriAxis Handlebars that some of us have and find very good for fine tuning the riding position. If you find a dealer with a Spyder that you want color-wise and it happens to be a 2016, maybe you can haggle on the price of the Tri-Axis bars (they are expensive) helping the dealer get rid of an end of year model.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

I'm in the market for a RT-Limited, trying to decide between a 2016 or 2017. I took a 2016 for a ride yesterday, what an exhilarating experience...yet with a couple of issues.

How do you-all overcome these...???

Nit-picks:

The antenna almost put my eye out, its at the perfect level so that if you lean over to look in the trunk from the right side you'll get it right in the eye. It is kind of like the spoon in your coffee cup, you will get used to it

The seat/handle bars were about 1" too close, felt cramped - I'm 5'11" and my knuckles don't drag, but unless I sat on the top of the seat support I felt too close. The Tri-Axis Handlebars are a little steep but if you can't get accustomed to the stock bars you may need them.

The brake is something to get used to, went for the hand brake several times on both sides (my atv brake is on the left), kinda tough to find the right spot for my foot to get to the brake quickly and without getting hung up in the transition (foot moving right to left). It is another of those "you will get used to it" things

Air flow, it was around 75 and after about 30mins I could feel the heat under me; wonder what its like on a 90 degree day. The side air flow deflectors were the ridged versions, are the add-ons that move worth it? The adjustable vents are well worth it, don't forget, you are sitting on top of a motor.

Kill switch - why would they mount that stupid switch where a dummy like me would hit it making a u-turn...engine dies, it took a few minutes to figure out how to start it...very nerve racking in traffic. I hit it again later in the ride at around 35MPH, scared the hell out of me - I flicked it back to run almost instantly, I don't think the engine died or even sputtered - does the kill switch lock out at speed(hopefully it does)? Does not lock out at any speed.

Gradual turns, it was like riding a snowmobile, it seems to dance around side to side in the turn; might have been nerves - I steered by pushing the outside vs. pulling and it seemed to turn smoother... Might need tire pressure adjusted or maybe a Laser Alignment.

90degree right turns at stops, I had a tendency to oversteer; felt like I was going to clip the curb. Left turns just the opposite, I tended to under steer and go wide (probably nerves, but I felt like I didn't have a balance point on my right side other than my right foot - no need to lean to the left too much, didn't want to put too much pressure on the throttle hand, yet didn't want to let go either). Time and experience will correct these for you

First time it downshifted on it's own freaked me out as it seemed to rev the engine just before the shift, thought it was going to take off on me (went right for the nonexistent hand brake). After a few minutes I sort of got in tune with it downshifting on it's own.

Shifting, no real problem; I probably shifted through the first 4 a bit fast but never really heard the engine labor; didn't try EcoMode. I was pretty OK with it downshifting (once I got used to it), downshifting manually was pretty useless as far as I could tell, unless you really need to slow down quickly. I wait until 4,000 RPMs to shift up, I Never use EcoMode.

No real deal breakers, but still hard to decide 2016-2017 (where we live it will sit in the garage for months - fair weather riders). Any input would be appreciated. Absolutely no difference between the 16s and the 17s.

ron

Cruzr Joe

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: and thanks for the report about your test ride experience. All of the above have you covered concerning "issues" which you mentioned.

There is a learning curve for most. Mine was 1500 miles or so. 130,000 :spyder2: miles later, I say, what issues? :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

Do's and Dont's is a fine place to get some early on information. Additional experience will fix all the other issues. The :ani29: is like nothing on two wheels. The more experience there, the more "issues" with :spyder2: at first.

Both 2016 and 2017 are good choices. There is no great advantage with either/or.

 

[Trbayth]

Don't just push or just pull. You need to push AND pull.

 

[Saluda]

The '16 should save you a lot of money.
Eco mode, I don't like it and don't use it.
First change was a shorter windshield with a vent.
Best Spyder I have owned ("16 RT)
Good luck.

 

[Bob Denman]

Don't just push or just pull. You need to push AND pull.

:shocked: At the same time?? :dontknow:
Or are you talking about the opposite ends of the handlebars?

 

[Zip]

Hey, I am 58yo. zero riding experience, went out and bought a used 2010 RTS manual trans from a dealer. Then I took a two wheel course and passed the road test. So now I had maybe 6 hours in a parking lot. Went to pick up the bike at the dealer which is on a busy road, stalled it pulling out into the street. It took some time to get it restarted with cars blowing their horns. Got it going and drove the 12 or so miles home with a stop for gas. Took it out the next day with the wife on the back and drove around town, we both felt comfortable enough that we took it to the beach. Had a nice day out, had lunch out and came home about 4 hours later. That was all this passed weekend. Took it out yesterday and will every day while the weather is good. Was it the smartest thing to just pick it up that way? Probably not. But I learned a lot real fast "trial by fire". And I feel comfortable on it. Am I ready to go flying down the highway? Not. But I will work into it. Life's short enjoy it while you can. Good luck , and hope you pull the trigger and get one.:riding:

 

[PapaHotel]

Antenna

Only thing not mentioned by previous posts, there is an aftermarket shorty antenna, that should help you keep your eyes..lol I believe that some of our sponsors sells this item, and theere is also a wider brake pedal available.

 

[ronm]

Thank you all, very good info - started reading the do's/dont's.

I think everything rolls up to experience on the bike, good to know it's all normal.

Completely relieved the kill switch doesn't work at speed...that was one of the most unnerving experiences; I knew what I did at the u-turn stop, was just terrified that it would kill the bike while it was moving, then of course I accidentally hit it while moving and nothing happened but I wasn't sure why.

ron

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Only thing not mentioned by previous posts, there is an aftermarket shorty antenna, that should help you keep your eyes..lol I believe that some of our sponsors sells this item, and theere is also a wider brake pedal available.

His Spyder came from the factory with a shorty antenna.

Thank you all, very good info - started reading the do's/dont's.

I think everything rolls up to experience on the bike, good to know it's all normal.

Completely relieved the kill switch doesn't work at speed...that was one of the most unnerving experiences; I knew what I did at the u-turn stop, was just terrified that it would kill the bike while it was moving, then of course I accidentally hit it while moving and nothing happened but I wasn't sure why. kill switch is active at any speed it is never disabled.

ron

Electric parking brake is disabled after about 5 MPH or so

Cruzr Joe

 

[Trbayth]

:shocked: At the same time?? :dontknow:
Or are you talking about the opposite ends of the handlebars?

Really Bob?

 

[jerpinoy]

The way I see it that, you're looking for something it's not there. This should be learn and adapt. This :spyder2:will not change for you. You can always make some farkles to suit your needs and wants. Good luck.