Speak to me oh Wise Ones...

[Questions]

Sorry for the long post.

History: I've been riding since I was 12 or so, with a long hiatus for kids and such. Been back to riding since around '01. I currently have a 1996 Honda NightHawk 750, and a 1984 Honda NightHawk S. I've been thru a few bikes since '01; 1975 CB550, '02 NH 750 (cager got that one), '01 Concours, '02 ST1100, and most recently, 98 Valkyrie.

The Valk was a compromise bike with my wife and we rode it for a year or so before she suffered a back injury and couldn't ride it. I Just recently sold it and I'm in the market for a replacement. This will be a bike for me, not us, tho it'd be great if she could ride for short distances on it. There's a 'Wing in our future, but she wants to wait on that for now. And before you mention it; I've already taken her down to have a seat on the RT-S. She's a big girl and the seat didn't feel right to her, and that was just sitting still. Perhaps she might like it over time, but I'm not up to paying big $ to find out the contrary.

I love my 'Hawks. My son is using the 84, and I use the 96 for commuting at the moment. The problem is; the NHs aren't well supported by the aftermarket, so there's not much in the way of hardbags and such. Given the choice, I'd ride most days, I'm not afraid of the cold (relative cold, I'm in SC), but I don't ride in the rain much. Often I find myself having to drive so I can bring stuff or pick up stuff to take home.

So, I'm looking for a bike with hard bags. I started looking for another ST1100, but they're hard to find in the condition I want. I could go to the ST1300, but I'm not sure about it. Not fond of the looks, and from what I'v read, it may not be for me. So, I'm looking further afield. I've looked at the FJR (nope), Concours 14 (Uh-uh), Versys (maybe, but a little small)..

If you'd ever seen my Valk, you'd know I like to stand out, and attention is not a problem, so I'm drawn to the Spyder for that reason alone. I test drove one (briefly) a couple years ago, but don't recall being impressed. Howevere after seeing some of the features and the recent (to me at least) addition of hard bags and such, I'm looking at the Spyder again. I feel I could ride it more often (rain not being much of an issue with 3 wheels). I have a 40 mile (one way) or so commute every day

I'm asking your advice/recommendation; why should I buy a Spyder? I'm not afraid to do maintenance myself (usually do), but with the computer system in the Spyder, I'm sure I'll have to take it in for many things I usually wouldn't. I don't know how the local dealer is as I've never used their service dept., but that's not an issue with the bike.

So, how prevalent are the problems? I've read about DPS and GPS issues, overheating and squealing brakes. The first few concern me. My commute is mostly 2 lane back roads, but it's hot and humid down here and I like to be able to ride whenever/wherever. Is the steering issue fixed?

I prefer a more upright riding position. I see the parts are available for this, but how hard is it? Is the seat comfortable for this or will it need to be replaced?

How long do tires last? Do you use regular car tires or are they special to the Spyder? Cost?

I don't usually buy new...is a used Spyder a good idea, or would I be better of spending the extra $?

I had some other questions in mind, but since I'm at work and the calls are starting to come in, I'll defer for now. My apologies for the long initial post, but I'm ready to buy, and looking to do reasearch beforehand.

Thanks for your time.

 

[docdoru]

welcome

 

[scdtrd]

F.W.I.W. Check out the New Honda NT700V... I had the same issue..

ST1300 is too much iron.... FJR...etc same thing.

I purchased the NT700V Silver with ABS.... 55mpg, shaft drive, smooth.

Worth a look see.

my .02

SCD

 

[Lamonster]

Having a Valk way back when and being one of the founders of the VRCC I can say that you've picked another great ride to check out. I put about 52K on my Valk in 5 years (most of those miles blown) but I've put on 43K on my Spyder in 2 years. Next to my Boss Hoss it's one of the best rides I've owned. nojoke

 

[wyliec]

Steering issue is being worked on. There is nothing definite as to the cause.

 

[NancysToy]

We bought the Spyder RS without ever riding one, because my wife liked it, was not intimidated by it like the motorcycles, and wanted her own ride. I ride whatever grabs me, and there was no strong pull, with my BMW in the garage, and a stable full of vintage bikes. My wife learned to ride, and is hooked on her Spyder. I rode it a lot, and got hooked, too. Hooked hard enough that I bought my own RT-S. I still love my bikes with all my heart, but the Spyder is different...and addicting.

Your decision depends on you. There are other ways to get some storage, like the NT700V, or even a tricked out KLR, but there are few ways to get the combination of stability, performance, and handling of the Spyder. There are a lot of modern bikes that perform well enough in the rain, but I will admit that the Spyder is very comforting in the slick stuff. Maybe even a better water baby than my BMW R1100RT, which is the best I have ever owned in that department. Take some more test rides on each model. If you can, find someone with the cruiser-type mods and ask to sit on one to get a feel. Only you can know what you will be happy with.

 

[Dragonrider]

I'm a big guy & my wife is a big gal (5'11") - she's licensed to ride motorcycles, but just doesn't feel safe on one. She's ridden the Spyder a couple of times, and, I'm sure will ride it more in the summer, but the Spyder is a toy for us - a very fun toy, and one I intend to keep.

My main ride is my Valk & they'll put its rusty remains in my coffin with me... I've owned GWs, HDs, and Beemers (the latter are way too expensive to maintain), and I believe the best affordable and reliable touring bike ever made is the Valk IS, or farkled Valk for less coin. After over 60K miles on my first Valk, and 12K on this one, the Valk has never put me in "limp" mode, or stranded me, or had "Mother" take over the steering.....

If I had to choose only one.......

 

[boborgera]

It depends if your getting uncomfortable on two wheels and you still love to ride out in the wind,
the Spyder is the only way to go right now.
Also there's very little down time because of bad weather.
Mechanically it has it's quirks. It's a toy, toys brake just ask my 5 year
old grandson.:yikes:

 

[SpyderWolf]

welcome

Where are you located in SC? I am assuming Columbia by your use of central. What dealer were you thinking about going to? The dealership we used to deal with is closing its doors this month and I now need to find a new one to do business with as well.

I love ryding my Spyder. I have had 7 knee surgeries and could never trust my knees to help hold up a motorcycle at a stop light. I thought my riding days were over for quite a few years, but the Spyder has given me a new shot at that and I am truly enjoying it.

 

[scdtrd]

We bought the Spyder RS without ever riding one, because my wife liked it, was not intimidated by it like the motorcycles, and wanted her own ride. I ride whatever grabs me, and there was no strong pull, with my BMW in the garage, and a stable full of vintage bikes. My wife learned to ride, and is hooked on her Spyder. I rode it a lot, and got hooked, too. Hooked hard enough that I bought my own RT-S. I still love my bikes with all my heart, but the Spyder is different...and addicting.

Your decision depends on you. There are other ways to get some storage, like the NT700V, or even a tricked out KLR, but there are few ways to get the combination of stability, performance, and handling of the Spyder. There are a lot of modern bikes that perform well enough in the rain, but I will admit that the Spyder is very comforting in the slick stuff. Maybe even a better water baby than my BMW R1100RT, which is the best I have ever owned in that department. Take some more test rides on each model. If you can, find someone with the cruiser-type mods and ask to sit on one to get a feel. Only you can know what you will be happy with.

VERY well said! :2thumbs:

 

[txknight67]

Sorry for the long post.

History: I've been riding since I was 12 or so, with a long hiatus for kids and such. Been back to riding since around '01. I currently have a 1996 Honda NightHawk 750, and a 1984 Honda NightHawk S. I've been thru a few bikes since '01; 1975 CB550, '02 NH 750 (cager got that one), '01 Concours, '02 ST1100, and most recently, 98 Valkyrie.

The Valk was a compromise bike with my wife and we rode it for a year or so before she suffered a back injury and couldn't ride it. I Just recently sold it and I'm in the market for a replacement. This will be a bike for me, not us, tho it'd be great if she could ride for short distances on it. There's a 'Wing in our future, but she wants to wait on that for now. And before you mention it; I've already taken her down to have a seat on the RT-S. She's a big girl and the seat didn't feel right to her, and that was just sitting still. Perhaps she might like it over time, but I'm not up to paying big $ to find out the contrary.

I love my 'Hawks. My son is using the 84, and I use the 96 for commuting at the moment. The problem is; the NHs aren't well supported by the aftermarket, so there's not much in the way of hardbags and such. Given the choice, I'd ride most days, I'm not afraid of the cold (relative cold, I'm in SC), but I don't ride in the rain much. Often I find myself having to drive so I can bring stuff or pick up stuff to take home.

So, I'm looking for a bike with hard bags. I started looking for another ST1100, but they're hard to find in the condition I want. I could go to the ST1300, but I'm not sure about it. Not fond of the looks, and from what I'v read, it may not be for me. So, I'm looking further afield. I've looked at the FJR (nope), Concours 14 (Uh-uh), Versys (maybe, but a little small)..

If you'd ever seen my Valk, you'd know I like to stand out, and attention is not a problem, so I'm drawn to the Spyder for that reason alone. I test drove one (briefly) a couple years ago, but don't recall being impressed. Howevere after seeing some of the features and the recent (to me at least) addition of hard bags and such, I'm looking at the Spyder again. I feel I could ride it more often (rain not being much of an issue with 3 wheels). I have a 40 mile (one way) or so commute every day

I'm asking your advice/recommendation; why should I buy a Spyder? I'm not afraid to do maintenance myself (usually do), but with the computer system in the Spyder, I'm sure I'll have to take it in for many things I usually wouldn't. I don't know how the local dealer is as I've never used their service dept., but that's not an issue with the bike.

So, how prevalent are the problems? I've read about DPS and GPS issues, overheating and squealing brakes. The first few concern me. My commute is mostly 2 lane back roads, but it's hot and humid down here and I like to be able to ride whenever/wherever. Is the steering issue fixed?

I prefer a more upright riding position. I see the parts are available for this, but how hard is it? Is the seat comfortable for this or will it need to be replaced?

How long do tires last? Do you use regular car tires or are they special to the Spyder? Cost?

I don't usually buy new...is a used Spyder a good idea, or would I be better of spending the extra $?

I had some other questions in mind, but since I'm at work and the calls are starting to come in, I'll defer for now. My apologies for the long initial post, but I'm ready to buy, and looking to do reasearch beforehand.

Thanks for your time.

I have a 40 mile one way commute as well. I got the Spyder because nothing else would give me the same combination of decent gas mileage and power to weight ratio, yet not scare the :cus: out of My Lady every time I rode it wondering if I would come home in one piece or not.

It is quite stable in the rain, I have only had one time when I hydroplaned and I will plead that it was night and it just didn't look and feel like it was raining that hard. Also the back tire was getting worn out. I still only had to slow down to around 40-50MPH to keep from hydro-planing. I found out then that the brakes work great because a big rig mis-read highway signs and veered over in front of me across two lanes with his right signal still on and I got slowed down before things got hairy.

My rear tire only lasted 8k miles, some have eked out 10k - 12k out of theirs. Some more than that, but then I ride it like I stole it.

Yes you can use car tires. The back is easy, there are several brands in the exact same size as the OEM. I am running a BFG G-force in OEM size. A little slippery when cold, but warms up quickly and sticks like glue after that. I ordered it through Tire Rack for $92 and then $40 for mounting and balancing at the local Honda dealer and that included them removing and re-installing.

The front are a little tricky, but there is a thread on here somewhere about that. I believe one went up one size in tread width the other two, ie, OEM is 165 I believe and one went with a 175 and one went with a 185. Neither one is having issues with nanny as as far as I know. When my fronts wear out, I plan to explore the possibilities with that.

I understand the issue with the squealing brakes is fairly easy to fix. I believe BRP came out with new brake pads made of different material. Lamonster probably can answer that better than me. I haven't bothered as mine squeak, but not enough to be annoying.

The steering issue is still in work. I have all the updates done and am waiting to get my bike back after having the GPS changed out. Will let everyone know the impact on my steering issue once I get it back.

To me, Corbin has the best side bags, by far. I don't have any, can't afford them, but if I do that, I would go that route.

I can't answer to the seat as I prefer the small lean I have with the 2" riser installed. Stock would have been too much, but this is nice.

I prefer to do my own maintenance as well, but as mine is a demo and I got the extended warranty free of charge because of that, I haven't done much too it but change the oil.

Hope some of that helps. I will be glad to answer any other questions you have is you want to PM me or e-mail me.

 

[Questions]

Yes, I'm in NE Columbia. We have 2 locations of Columbia Powersports that sell the Spyder.

The Valk was a great bike. But it just wasn't "me". It was great fro the 2 of us, but as a solo bike for myself, it was never quite right. I'm sure some of you know what I'm saying.

The VT700 isn't a real option for me. I thought it might be, but I'm not liking the size of the bags, and I'm concerned about the power.

I thought I recognized the name, Lamonster, but I wasn't sure it was the same person.

 

[SpyderWolf]

I will probably be heading up there soon to check out those dealers. I also know of one in Summerville, and another in Statesboro, GA, which is just across the border from me.

 

[Mo Lee]

It is amazing how many Spyderlovers either had or have Valkyries. As for me the Spyder is not a replacement for the Valkyrie, but a fun alternative. Even though the Valk draws a lot of attention with its big shiney engine the Spyder draws a bigger crowd. When it comes to smoothness, dependability, and rideability the Valk wins. When it comes to attention getting, handling in inclement weather, and easy to ride short distances like jumping on and going to the store or buzzing around city streets the Spyder wins. It is not that the Spyder won't run the highways because it will and better than most motorcycles, it is just hard to beat a big cruiser on the highway when you're not in stop and go situations. I think the wheel configuration on the Spyder is one of the best ideas in recent years and I am counting on having a vehicle of this design when I get too old to ride two wheels, until that time I will continue to rotate between both Valks and the Spyder with the Spyder getting extra time in inclement weather and the Valks getting priority on the freeway. When it comes to acceleration the Spyder is close but the Valks win, however the Spyder does good burnouts and will smoke most other bikes if you know what I mean.

 

[BumbleBee]

It is amazing how many Spyderlovers either had or have Valkyries. As for me the Spyder is not a replacement for the Valkyrie, but a fun alternative. Even though the Valk draws a lot of attention with its big shiney engine the Spyder draws a bigger crowd. When it comes to smoothness, dependability, and rideability the Valk wins. When it comes to attention getting, handling in inclement weather, and easy to ride short distances like jumping on and going to the store or buzzing around city streets the Spyder wins. It is not that the Spyder won't run the highways because it will and better than most motorcycles, it is just hard to beat a big cruiser on the highway when you're not in stop and go situations. I think the wheel configuration on the Spyder is one of the best ideas in recent years and I am counting on having a vehicle of this design when I get too old to ride two wheels, until that time I will continue to rotate between both Valks and the Spyder with the Spyder getting extra time in inclement weather and the Valks getting priority on the freeway. When it comes to acceleration the Spyder is close but the Valks win, however the Spyder does good burnouts and will smoke most other bikes if you know what I mean.

"Your quote Mo Lee; however the Spyder does good burnouts and will smoke most other bikes if you know what I mean."

Especially in gravel areas :2thumbs: I leave my husband and others on their 2-wheels behind in those areas, so much fun :roflblack:

 

[Mo Lee]

"Your quote Mo Lee; however the Spyder does good burnouts and will smoke most other bikes if you know what I mean."

Especially in gravel areas :2thumbs: I leave my husband and others on their 2-wheels behind in those areas, so much fun :roflblack:

Be careful throwing gravel at a bunch of bikers don't make friends.

 

[BumbleBee]

Be careful throwing gravel at a bunch of bikers don't make friends.

Now that I would never do :2thumbs:

 

[Questions]

I appreciated the Valk for what it was; smooth, powerful, and as you can see, attention getting. (This was after removing the paint-matched seat covers and the poorly painted Beetle Bags) But as a solo bike, it just didn't ... fit is the best word. I rode it because I had it, but I didn't love it. I got it with 44K on it in late 2006 and sold it with 56K a couple weeks ago. 10K miles put on in a year with both of us on it, and the remaining 2k in the last 2 years since her injury. I must admit that it rode much better after putting the car tire on it, but still...

I lke that the Spyder is different, I like being able to ride in most weather without worrying my wife as much. I'd love ebing able to use car tires as replacing tires twice a year gets old.

Yes, I can get a bike cheaper, but I'm looking for something the keep for a while. Anyone know what the longevity on these things is?

 

[NancysToy]

Anyone know what the longevity on these things is?

The first one (2008 model) was delivered in October of 2007, so your guess is as good as ours.

 

[BajaRon]

I am also an X-Valkyrie rider. Emerald Green and Tan. Loved the bike. Still one of my all time favorites.

But then nearly all of the motorcycles I've ever owned were one of my all time favorites! Not sure how that works.

They all had plus sides and minus sides. I guess I loved the pluses and appreciated the minuses as proof that nothing in this life will ever be perfect (with the exception of my wife, of course).