Spyder RT Limited or Harley Davidson Triglide

[Cliff-Co.]

tri-glide vs spyder

well, this ole timer, has had both, so here's my 2-cent's worth, the Spyder is 1/2 the weight, & 1/2 the $ price of the tr-glide, & all my passengers prefer the softer, more comfy ride of the Spyder, that's my story & all of the passenger's story!! everything else is different!!, sorta like 2-girlfriend's they are both different, & both FUN!!:shocked: hee-hee!!

 

[Mspiv]

I absolutely love my Spyder HOWEVER:

it is the most expensive vehicle to maintain that I have ever been involved with . 600 mile oil change and inspection 250 bucks, a dealer network that is either loved by all ( ie Cowtown) or totally inept and incompetent.

Seems to me that any decent wrench can deal with a Harley but if you follow these threads you will begin to see that it takes a very skilled, competent computer expert who can also wrench to deal with the Spyder

Oh yeah, it also seems that BRP would prefer that you the owner, fix things that are poorly thought out by them. For example: the turn signal indicator is totally iossible to see except at night and requires the touch of a surgeon to cancel consistently on lane changes.

It is the funniest machine to ride that I have. We will see over time how I feel about the cost of ownership.

 

[ARtraveler]

Welcome to the forum. Yes, we are a bit biased here when it comes to the :spyder2:. I had the same dilema when it came to purchasing my 2010 RT. I did go over to HD and check out the triglide.

My best suggestion, if you are unsure, is to test ride both and see what feels the best for you.

Pros: Cons: largely different engine sizes. Each vehicle is vastly different from each other. The HD does cost more. IMO: the :spyder2: is more techy with all the safety features. ABS, VSS etc. Maintainance cost: the :spyder2: is more expensive.

Ergonomically, the HD just did not fit me and I did not feel comfortable with the hardness of the controls. So I opted for the RT.

 

[ElZorroRides]

My wife and I test road a GW 3 wheeler in Daytona. We went about a mile down the road and turned back because we didn't like it in the least. It felt unstable and seemed hard to handle. I've owned 4 HD's and a Honda CBR1000 Hurricane but like several others here wanted something that was a safer alternative. One test ride on the Spyder was all it took to make our decision. It handles great and felt very safe and with all the built in safety features to boot made allot of sense to us.

The Spyder is the only bike I feel comfortable with my wife riding on her own. I've never liked her riding a 2 wheeler. She loves the Spyder which is actually more hers than mine and with some more riding time for her, we will eventually be getting another one for myself. It won't be long because she's caught on so fast. The learning curve is quick. That's great for me cause I want an RSS for myself. Like I said, one ride was all it took. Good luck. :thumbup:

 

[Slybird]

I absolutely love my Spyder HOWEVER:

Oh yeah, it also seems that BRP would prefer that you the owner, fix things that are poorly thought out by them. For example: the turn signal indicator is totally iossible to see except at night and requires the touch of a surgeon to cancel consistently on lane changes.

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!

 

[BajaRon]

Congratulations to you on at least 2 counts!

1- You're doing you homework BEFORE you deal with the sales pitch at the dealership.
2- You are thinking for yourself rather than letting some died in wool Harley or Spyder owner tell you what to think.

As stated many times, these are 2 very different animals. And you add a 3rd variable with the RS/RT choices.

Still, regardless of subjective opinion, there are some inherent characterists due to the laws of physics that are pretty much boilerplate.

2 wheels in front provides a safer, more stable and better handling format than 1 wheel in front. You also get quicker response to steering input (which can feel 'twitchy' to a new rider until they get used to it - then it feels 'responsive').

The angular force exerted in a turn is forward and towards the outside of the turn. 1 centered wheel just cannot compete with 2 spread wheels in resisting this force.

As you can see from my feeble attempt at a visual below, the tipping force from turning is also resisted better with the 2 wheels forward format. If you add braking to your turn the blue line force is multiplied. With the Spyder platform you're getting the greatest stability where it is needed most. Adding aftermarket suspension components to the Spyder can significantly increase these positive traits. There really is little that can be done to the front end of a standard trike platform, assuming that the rake and trail are already correct.

Not only does the Spyder have 2 wheels resisting the biggest force encountered, you get added traction from the 10" (5" x 2) wide contact area
(with the stock Kenda tires). As you can see from the Tri-Glide picture, you may be getting 3" of total contact area.

Of course there is more to a ride than handling and stability. And there are many more differences between these two machines than what I have covered here. Everyone has to decide what is most important to them. Everyone should ride what they like best.

 

[BajaRon]

I absolutely love my Spyder HOWEVER:

it is the most expensive vehicle to maintain that I have ever been involved with . 600 mile oil change and inspection 250 bucks, a dealer network that is either loved by all ( ie Cowtown) or totally inept and incompetent.

Seems to me that any decent wrench can deal with a Harley but if you follow these threads you will begin to see that it takes a very skilled, competent computer expert who can also wrench to deal with the Spyder

Oh yeah, it also seems that BRP would prefer that you the owner, fix things that are poorly thought out by them. For example: the turn signal indicator is totally iossible to see except at night and requires the touch of a surgeon to cancel consistently on lane changes.

It is the funniest machine to ride that I have. We will see over time how I feel about the cost of ownership.

Some valid observations depending on the situation.

As with any vehicle, the Spyder being more to the spendy side, it pays to do your own maintenance (in more ways than just money). It doesn't take a computer expert to change the oil. That is a great place to start.

 

[SpyderVikki]

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 can only tell you that I've had my Spyder RT5 for a year and I LOVE it. I don't know anything about the other brand.

 

[eddieshep999]

Someone posted earlier ref Moving from a Goldwing to a Spyder And Why did you buy a Spyder

Great deal of information which may be useful in your quest

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...-25yrs-making-the-jump-to-RT-talk-to-me-Goose

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...s-why-did-you-buy-a-Spyder&highlight=GOLDWING

Perhaps you could let us know your decision and the reason you made it

Whatever you decide enjoy it and ride safe

All the best

Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK

 

[Dib52]

First off, let me say I have no experience with the HD brand. However, it was on the short list when we began looking. So we set aside a Saturday morning/afternoon to go look at the market. We're fortunate that we have dealers of both brands close to home. Went to the Spyder dealer first, and as soon as I saw the look in my wife's eyes, I knew we were never gonna make it to the HD dealer. I love my wife to death, but she just ain't real coordinated. The safety features built into the :spyder2: sold us. The semi-auto convinced me she could handle it. I guess the rest they say is history. Came home later that day with:f_spider:

 

[Mspiv]

First off, let me say I have no experience with the HD brand. However, it was on the short list when we began looking. So we set aside a Saturday morning/afternoon to go look at the market. We're fortunate that we have dealers of both brands close to home. Went to the Spyder dealer first, and as soon as I saw the look in my wife's eyes, I knew we were never gonna make it to the HD dealer. I love my wife to death, but she just ain't real coordinated. The safety features built into the :spyder2: sold us. The semi-auto convinced me she could handle it. I guess the rest they say is history. Came home later that day with:f_spider:

You must know my wife from your description above and she managed to pass an evergreen safety and lisencecing course 2 weeks after purchase.

 

[Georgia Peach]

I recently traded my 2011 Triglide for a 2012 RT Limited. I a was previous owner of the RT SE5 in 2010, the Triglide to me was hard to handle the clutch was very tight my hand would get tired really quick. Had thought about putting on a easy clutch but decided I didn't want to put any more money into it. Also with the reverse it would kick out if you went over the slightest bump. The Triglide reverse button you have to hold down while backing up. The RT has power steering vs Triglide you don't have to worry about turning the RT around vs Triglide when you get in a tight area. With the RT you don't have to worry about holding the clutch when you come to a stop or gearing up or down. Triglide uses more gas than the RT and you feel more heat from the Triglide. Hope this info will help:f_spider:

 

[Dib52]

You must know my wife from your description above and she managed to pass an evergreen safety and lisencecing course 2 weeks after purchase.

Your wife has the jump on mine. She passed 1 month to the day after purchase. She had ZERO riding experience going into this. I let her practice for 3 weeks(shhh, don't tell anyone) awaiting her entry into a class. Good to go...a happy wife makes for a happy life!

 

[Bob Denman]

I recently traded my 2011 Triglide for a 2012 RT Limited. I a was previous owner of the RT SE5 in 2010, the Triglide to me was hard to handle the clutch was very tight my hand would get tired really quick. Had thought about putting on a easy clutch but decided I didn't want to put any more money into it. Also with the reverse it would kick out if you went over the slightest bump. The Triglide reverse button you have to hold down while backing up. The RT has power steering vs Triglide you don't have to worry about turning the RT around vs Triglide when you get in a tight area. With the RT you don't have to worry about holding the clutch when you come to a stop or gearing up or down. Triglide uses more gas than the RT and you feel more heat from the Triglide. Hope this info will help:f_spider:

The rider who has been on both... :thumbup:

 

[bikeguy]

As everyone else has said, test ride both and make your own decision. But, I want to make one more point and that is to think very seriously about what kind of riding you intend to do. Here's an example of what I mean: We stopped in a store one day this week to buy a few things and in the parking lot was a Harley trike. It wasn't a Tri-Glide. It apeared to be a Sportster with a conversion kit. I've never seen a prettier trike, heck, I've never seen a prettier bike at all. It was shiny black with just enough chrome and the proportions were perfect. It was absolutely beautiful. I would have traded my RT for it in a minute - except that I don't think I could have ridden it 600 miles a day.

Understand that I don't mean to say that my RT is a better long distance tourer than a Tri-Glide. I don't know. I'm just saying that each of us has to decide for ourselves what is important in choosing one ride over another. And to do that, you have to know what you want to do.

Cotton

P.S. I have a friend who bought a cruiser style bike because when he rode it through town and saw his reflection in the store windows he looked cool. That wouldn't work for me but, by golly, it was a valid reason for him.

 

[Dragonrider]

I was offered a Red 2012 TriGlide today, with 1260 miles on the clock for my 2010 RTS & $2500 cash….. thinking really hard about it.

 

[dancogan]

...Triglide uses more gas than the RT...Hope this info will help:f_spider:

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.

 

[FWBCRUISER]

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!

 

[Camdenlake]

Congrats. Great choice :clap:.

Josh

 

[epiphysis]

no one mentioned the other obvious difference.......if you buy a HD, you have to buy all the HD clothing and accessories.....that can become super costly!!!!!!