Spyder RT Limited or Harley Davidson Triglide

[spyder3]

:congrats:

 

[DrAwkward]

Here's my 2 cents

Thanks, I am getting a more unbiasd opinion here then on the Harley forum. I am going to Thunder Beach tomorrow and Can Am is there offering demos so I am going take one out and see how it feels. I do agree the 2 wheels up front will give more stability.

Well I've been lurking here for a while reading and learning in the background trying to decide someting similar and here's what I've found. I currently own a Harley Ultra Classic and love it dearly, it's my 13th and final bike. I love the new Harleys and would ride forever but a medical condition with my feet makes three wheels my next venture. I am a die hard Harley guy, i have a big tattoo on my arm that will never go away but..... I would never buy the Harley Tri-Glide. It has a solid rear axle, a good enough reason to walk away but there's more. If you are on the Harley forums as I am you'll know the tri-glide has had many issues, and the extra weight makes the 103 engine work very hard especially if you rides in twisties or hills. I guess even though I'm a harley guy till i die I look at the Tri-Glide an ancient technology and the Spyder as newer technology. Again just my 2 cents.
When I rode the Spyder I was disappointed in two things only. Lack of tourque down low, yeah again Harley guys are used to tons of tourque so you miss it. The other thing I wanted for on the RT-S I test drove was a sixth forward gear. On the highway the revs were too high in my opinion to get good fuel economy and keep the buzziness to a minimum. One more gear would've been appreciated. Last year I rode my Ultra from the Cape to FLA twice and on long trips keeping the revs lower makes for better enjoyment and less tiredness at the end of the day.
In closing I love my bike but medical stuff dictates I change to three wheels. My choice sadly is not the Harley, it is the RT-L next fall after I sell my Ultra Classic this summer.
Again just my 2 cents and as a newbie here I would've never weighed in except our search paths seem to align.
Good luck with your search and whether you buy the Harley or Spyder join the groups - socialize and make new friends for life, I loved riding with my HOG brothers and sisters and leading rides.
Get involved!
Doc

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

NEWBIE'S

Welcome Aboard, Smart choice I knew I could convince you to get a Spyder......Mike...:agree::agree::agree: :gaah: :yes::yes::yes::yes::yes: Partay, Partay, Partay

 

[DrAwkward]

Harley Mileage

Wow! That really surprises me. I've never been on a Triglide but it was under close consideration before we bought our RT. I'm a bit disappointed in the limited range of the RT but I would have been really bummed out by the Triglide. Thanks for the info.

I get 42mpg with my 08 Harley Ultra classic over the last 25,000 miles except when I'm towing my Bushtec Turbo+2 trailer then I get 38mpg. Trikes on our HOG trips average 38mpg except when towing trailers then they get low 30's. Mountains, twisties or spirited rides result in lower numbers of course!
Doc

 

[dancogan]

I get 42mpg with my 08 Harley Ultra classic over the last 25,000 miles except when I'm towing my Bushtec Turbo+2 trailer then I get 38mpg. Trikes on our HOG trips average 38mpg except when towing trailers then they get low 30's. Mountains, twisties or spirited rides result in lower numbers of course!
Doc

Well, that's better than I average on my RT. I'd be delighted to average 38 mpg with no trailer.

 

[flaggerphil]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.:spyder2:

Thanks again all!

:thumbup::congrats:

 

[chickridin]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.:spyder2:

Thanks again all!

:yes::yes::firstplace::2thumbs::2thumbs::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[hogmanjem]

Harley vs Spyder

I myself was a Harley rider up until I got hurt and had to sell it. I am a true Harley guy in that I don't think you can beat the look and the sound of a Harley. I'm now looking at getting a Trike to be able to get back into riding. I've been looking at both the Harley and the Spyder RT's. What I have found is that the Harley gas mileage is better at 38 MPG's vs the RT's 28 MPG's. The service cost on the Harley is less than the Spyder's, but in fairness I must say the reason is that the Spyder's are more high-tech. I would also say that for comfort and stability the Spyder wins in that reguard.At first glance it looked to me that the Spyders pricing were at lot less than the Harley's, but not so fast. For some reason the top of the line Spyder RT Limited does not come with all the bells and whistles, you still have to add the CB and maybe a few other things to get the communications set up the way I would like. In doing this, the Spyder then will cost as much as the Harley! However the other thing the Spyder has that Harley does not have and should...and I really like this, is that the Spyder has a true reverse gear!!! The 2012 Harley comes now with ABS and electronic throttles which I have never seen on them before. I took my older brother a couple of times when I looked at the Spyder's and he now owns a 2012 Spyder RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the black seat. His dealer here in Birmingham, Al offers a way to cut the service expense in that they offer a service package that covers the first 36 months at a savings of almost $1,100.00 during that time frame.That will go a long way in trimming the service cost difference between the Harley and the Spyder. I don't know if they all offer this and if all dealers honor this or if you have to have all services done at that dealership??? Maybe some of you on this site can answer that for me.The next problem I am having trying to decide betweenthe two is color, with the Harley they have a couple of colors I really like, with the Spyder RT I like all the extras of the Limited, but I like the Pure Magnesium Metallic, so I was looking at the RT-S but adding all the extras it was going to cost as much or more than the Limited. So, at this point I'm still not decided between the Harley and the Spyder. Giving it more thought, Jack

 

[Georgia Peach]

:clap:Congrats!! Had plans for Thunder Beach my husband was hit by a driver on her cell phone Tuesday so there went our trip. He ended up with some cuts and bruises and a broken foot. Enjoy:yes:

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.:spyder2:

Thanks again all!

 

[Dragonrider]

Since I got that offer, I've done a ton of reading, and:

1. The fit and finish of the Harley is tops
2. Fuel economy is better with the Harley
3. The Harley is cheaper to fix, and has a dealer network second to none
4. I'm 6'4", and the Triglide feels like a toy - very small
5. The Triglide's shifter and controls need to be adjusted for me - and the heel/toe shifter isn't a plus
6. The Triglide has a six speed trans.
7. You need to spend roughly $2000 in "illegal" (pipe, header, air cleaner, tuner) to drop the engine temperature to ridable levels.
8. The Spyder has far more "bells & whistles" - iPod interface vs CB & intercom - neither of the latter do I have any interest in.
9. The Spyder doesn't look like a bike, but is inherently safer.
10. Lots of owners state they would sell theirs if they could, and will never buy another one.

Looks like I keep the RT..

 

[bikeguy]

His dealer here in Birmingham, Al offers a way to cut the service expense in that they offer a service package that covers the first 36 months at a savings of almost $1,100.00 during that time frame.That will go a long way in trimming the service cost difference between the Harley and the Spyder. I don't know if they all offer this and if all dealers honor this or if you have to have all services done at that dealership??? Maybe some of you on this site can answer that for me.

Assuming that you don't want to or cannot do the service yourself, a maintenance plan can be a good deal if your dealer offers one. I bought a 36 month plan and with 11 months left on the plan I have already saved money over paying for individual services. Obviously, you need to ride quite a few miles for the service plan to pay off. My plan is strictly a dealer offered plan and has nothing to do with BRP, B.E.S.T, or anything else. My dealer's service department has done very good work for me so I have no reason to want to go anywhere else for service. I can't say what the dealer you mention does but my dealer, Family Powersports in San Angelo, Tx will pay the cost of service at another dealer if it becomes necessary to have it done somewhere else. For example, a service interval is due while you are on a long road trip. I don't think they would pay for it, nor would I expect them to, if I was 200 - 250 miles away from home in, say, Lubbock or Austin.

Cotton

 

[hogmanjem]

Assuming that you don't want to or cannot do the service yourself, a maintenance plan can be a good deal if your dealer offers one. I bought a 36 month plan and with 11 months left on the plan I have already saved money over paying for individual services. Obviously, you need to ride quite a few miles for the service plan to pay off. My plan is strictly a dealer offered plan and has nothing to do with BRP, B.E.S.T, or anything else. My dealer's service department has done very good work for me so I have no reason to want to go anywhere else for service. I can't say what the dealer you mention does but my dealer, Family Powersports in San Angelo, Tx will pay the cost of service at another dealer if it becomes necessary to have it done somewhere else. For example, a service interval is due while you are on a long road trip. I don't think they would pay for it, nor would I expect them to, if I was 200 - 250 miles away from home in, say, Lubbock or Austin.

Cotton

Ok, Thanks! That is what I wanted to know.The only other question is what is the B.E.S.T. The dealer sold my brother an extended warranty but I'm not sure what it was. I know my friend John Law told us (he stopped by here on his way home from SpyderFest) when we buy ask for the B.E.S.T. warranty but the dealer here acted like they did not know anything about it??

 

[Blondie]

Hi all, new to this forum.  Thinking about getting my first motorcycle and it has come down to the Spyder or the triglide.  Any input about these two machines would be much appreciated.

I am a relatively new "driver" having only had my license for a year. But I will chime in with my two cents worth. I got bit by the "driving" bug (having been a passenger on various bikes for 40 years) after my husband got a Harley Trike. I practiced in the drive way and finally took my written test, getting a permit so I could start getting road ready for my test. After I got my license (at age 61), I was riding the Harley Trike and doing okay. I was holding my own in group rides, although I do think I slowed down more on curves and turns than the other riders. I did a demo ride on the Spyders at Bikes, Blues and BarBQue in Fayetteville, Arkansas last October, and definitely liked it. After much debate, we finally made the jump and bought a Lava Bronze Limited RT about 3 months ago.

In my opinion, both trikes are comfortable to ride, the Spyder is just more rider friendly, especially to "newbies". And with the power features on the Spyder, it is easier to drive, you don't have to man-handle it on tight turns or corners. Since neither of us is especially thin, our Harley trike is more comfortable for 2 up riding, but we don't do that nearly as often now that we each have a Trike. I wasn't happy about having only "pegs" for my feet, but solved that problem with the Sealboards, which also serve as "highway" pegs.

I agree that the Harley is easier to service, but the Spyder is definitely a "Higher Tech" vehicle. I think BRP is working to build their dealer network and the popularity of these machines is definitely going to do nothing but grow. I love my Spyder and drive it frequently just to run errands. I know I ride it more than I did the Harley Trike, so I must like it better.

I think it comes down, bottom line, to how much you want to spend, and your personal preference on the way each handles. That is a decision only you can make.

 

[Huntindawg1962]

I totally agree with you, however, I just picked up my second RT last weekend. I had a 2010 RT-S for a little over 13 months and it was, indeed, buggier than a termite hill (with the turn signal issues you refer to). It would appear that BRP does, in fact, listen to the consumer because with my new 2012 RT Limited the self-cancelling turn signal actually self-cancels AND when having to manually turn off the turn signal following a lane change - no problem! The switch still has the mushy feel to it but you don't have to have the touch of a surgeon to cancel the signal. I've notice numerous improvements from the 2010 to the 2012 (I don't think it has anything to do with comparing an RT-S to a Limited).

Take care, my friend!

Wow - I was reading the talk on here in other threads about the turn signal cancel issue - we picked up our 2012 RT-LTD on Friday and it did not take but 5 miles to give the cars behind me the left,right,left,right - light show. If this is fixed and better than it was, I feel for those who dealt with something worse - this truly is a lack of design. Looks great in the showroom without gloves works fine but - on the road - needs improvement. I went today and looked at the 2012 RS-S and it looked like that one i saw today had a bigger throw range (left to right) and more definite press zone for the cancel - wonder which one is the "improved" model?

I will add to the trike decision discussion that I bought this Spyder at a Harley dealership (also is a Can AM Spyder dealer). Originally went in to look at the HD trikes and the dealer immediately said we should consider the Spyder instead without any reservation (even though he had more HD trikes on the floor than RT-LTD's (he had just one - and we bought it). As another poster also stated - this one will be predominately for my wife so I was all over all the safety and design for handling that the Spyder had as opposed to the HD. Now the issue is that I like it too - so now I am faced with deciding about getting one for me at some point :banghead:

Good luck on your decision process - either way you will enjoy it.

 

[Huntindawg1962]

Let me start off by saying thanks for the overwhelming response to my questions. The wife and I wen to Thunder Beach today and test drove a Spyder RT. After the demo ride we went straight to the local dealer to crunch some numbers. Well needless to say we are getting the Spyder. We are getting the RT Limited in Lava Bronze with the tan saddle. One ride convinced us.:spyder2:

Thanks again all!

Cool - that is exactly the one that we just got! The tan (which thankfully looks nothing like the catalog) really sets nicely on the lava bronze!

 

[StanProff]

Welcome to SpyderLovers!

I believe the Spyder has the advantage in braking, as most braking is done by the front wheel(s).
The Harley likely has an advantage in the fuel economy department, giving it longer legs when taking those long trips.

While on our cross country trip last September, somewhere in South Dakota, we happened to make two or three gas stops along with the same couple on a tri-glide. I was pulling the 622 trailer and the other couple was pulling a smaller but attractive trailer. The Tri guy made the comment that my gas mileage must not be any better than his as we happened in to the same gas stations more than once. We surmised that the mileage was close to the same with both bikes 6+ gallon tanks. (i could be wrong but i think he said his was six). We were running around 80 mph on the interstate so our speeds were similar. I think either bike would be lucky to get 28 to 30 running loaded and at those constant speeds. With all things being equal I am sold on the Spyders safety features. The footprints with the two up front and the 8 inch print in the back. Also I think the tri is in the mid 30's with the Spyder from 24 to 30 thousand. I love the looks of the Tri glide tho.

 

[StanProff]

Well I've been lurking here for a while reading and learning in the background trying to decide someting similar and here's what I've found. I currently own a Harley Ultra Classic and love it dearly, it's my 13th and final bike. I love the new Harleys and would ride forever but a medical condition with my feet makes three wheels my next venture. I am a die hard Harley guy, i have a big tattoo on my arm that will never go away but..... I would never buy the Harley Tri-Glide. It has a solid rear axle, a good enough reason to walk away but there's more. If you are on the Harley forums as I am you'll know the tri-glide has had many issues, and the extra weight makes the 103 engine work very hard especially if you rides in twisties or hills. I guess even though I'm a harley guy till i die I look at the Tri-Glide an ancient technology and the Spyder as newer technology. Again just my 2 cents.
When I rode the Spyder I was disappointed in two things only. Lack of tourque down low, yeah again Harley guys are used to tons of tourque so you miss it. The other thing I wanted for on the RT-S I test drove was a sixth forward gear. On the highway the revs were too high in my opinion to get good fuel economy and keep the buzziness to a minimum. One more gear would've been appreciated. Last year I rode my Ultra from the Cape to FLA twice and on long trips keeping the revs lower makes for better enjoyment and less tiredness at the end of the day.
In closing I love my bike but medical stuff dictates I change to three wheels. My choice sadly is not the Harley, it is the RT-L next fall after I sell my Ultra Classic this summer.
Again just my 2 cents and as a newbie here I would've never weighed in except our search paths seem to align.
Good luck with your search and whether you buy the Harley or Spyder join the groups - socialize and make new friends for life, I loved riding with my HOG brothers and sisters and leading rides.
Get involved!
Doc

I know what you mean about the torque with the Harley or other cruisers, I have high rpm bikes in my garage as well as low ones. I will admit that it is a little hard to get used to an engine that loves to run in the 5 to 7 thousand rpm range vs. 2 or 3. The Spyder Rotax redlines at 9, man these things love to run in that upper range. Gotta remember these are two totally different machines from the ground up. Both are great machines. I did get used to the lack of torque even while pulling a trailer after a few thousand miles. I would like to see a lower 1st gear and a 6th on the other end though.

 

[SpyderFun]

For me I was looking at "How Much Bang For My Buck" could I get without comprimising safety or creature comfort.

I got my RT-S SE5 fully loaded & with a 622 trailer out the door for a few grand more than a basic HD-tri. Then there is the "Wow Factor" which comes at no cost! IF you do decide on a Spyder, I would reccommend the purchase of the BEST PLUS warranty.

Good Luck and Enjoy whichever ride you choose!

 

[BajaRon]

While on our cross country trip last September, somewhere in South Dakota, we happened to make two or three gas stops along with the same couple on a tri-glide. I was pulling the 622 trailer and the other couple was pulling a smaller but attractive trailer. The Tri guy made the comment that my gas mileage must not be any better than his as we happened in to the same gas stations more than once. We surmised that the mileage was close to the same with both bikes 6+ gallon tanks. (i could be wrong but i think he said his was six). We were running around 80 mph on the interstate so our speeds were similar. I think either bike would be lucky to get 28 to 30 running loaded and at those constant speeds. With all things being equal I am sold on the Spyders safety features. The footprints with the two up front and the 8 inch print in the back. Also I think the tri is in the mid 30's with the Spyder from 24 to 30 thousand. I love the looks of the Tri glide tho.

Harley lists the Tri-Glide with a 6 gallon tank but that doesn't necessarly mean it will hold 6 gallons of fuel. Plus some people get a lot more gas in their tank than others depending on how they fill them up. With such a small tank the possibility of getting the same amount of fuel into even the same size tank is small. Even 1/2 gallon can make a lot of difference.

Then different people will pull off for fuel at different fuel levels too.

 

[boborgera]

Harley lists the Tri-Glide with a 6 gallon tank but that doesn't necessarly mean it will hold 6 gallons of fuel. size tank is small. Even 1/2 gallon can make a lot of difference.

.

Actually it does holds a full 6 gal. And if you fill it right to the neck a little more.
I wanted to see how low the countdown gauge would go, At 10 miles to empty it reads low, Stopped for gas then ; 207miles and it still didn't take 6 gal.