Test rode a new Harley Tri-Glide

[ARtraveler]

Thanks for the additional information, Eviltwin. When I was shopping for my Spyder I stopped in at the local Harley dealer, just looked at the Tri, but had no desire to test ride when I saw the price. It was a finely finished machine though.

RE: Price....way back in 2010 (I believe first year of the TG), I did discuss price with the dealer. They wanted $40K plus. That included a $5K "administration" fee...which was not negotiable. I did not even ask about trade of my loaded, loaded 2008 GS SM5. I am thinking they would have low balled me below $10K. I ended up getting $15.5K trade in on the new RTS with 23,500 miles on the 2008. It was not hard to walk back to the Spyder dealer and I purchased two additional Spyders from them before leaving AK in 2019.

 

[UtahPete]

My neighbor is a dyed-in-the-wool HD rider. He recently purchased a new Tri-Glide. One day when I was zipping past he flagged me down on the return trip. (Decelerating into my driveway approach instead of accelerating away from it). The 1st thing he said was; 'I didn't know the Spyder was that quick!' I didn't tell him I was taking it easy!

He said he and his wife were not overly thrilled with their Tri-Glide and they were thinking of maybe looking at a Spyder. They asked me a number of questions about the different models. He complained about the same things referenced in this post. He really didn't like the electric reverse. Turns out they went on a group ride stopping at several locations where they were backing into parking places and he ended up having to get a jump near the end of the day.

This was the middle of last year and I haven't heard any more about it. I think it may be more of a peer pressure thing than a satisfaction thing. They are still riding the Tri-Glide.

For all the bragging about rugged individualism, in the end most of those folks bow to peer pressure more than they're willing to admit.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

For all the bragging about rugged individualism, in the end most of those folks bow to peer pressure more than they're willing to admit.

I believe that's why the Spyder I have now came to be available. A Colorado woman owned it and rode it not much over 600 miles and apparently traded it in on an HD trike. Supposedly her hubby was an HD rider. Anyway, the guy I bought it from in Bremerton, WA got it from the HD dealer in CO who he said was a friend and sold this guy, a Triumph dealer, about 12 bikes, the Spyder being one of them. I got the impression the HD dealer didn't want non-HD stuff cluttering up his lot! The title had the HD dealer name in the chain of transfers.

 

[Snoking1127]

I have a friend that had a Slingshot. He was in the hospital and his DW traded the Slingshot in on a Tri-Glide while he was there, "because" they had been HD people in an earlier life and the Slingshot took up to much room in the garage.

 

[Stache]

I have a friend that had a Slingshot. He was in the hospital and his DW traded the Slingshot in on a Tri-Glide while he was there, "because" they had been HD people in an earlier life and the Slingshot took up to much room in the garage.

LOL that would have made her my (soon to be) ex-DW

 

[5Wheels]

I had a Gold Wing with the Roadsmith trike conversion, it had the 5 1/2 degree front fork option and drove like it had power steering. Then I got a TriGlide, very hard to steer. I had the 5 1/2 degree front end installed on it but it didn't make much difference. I've always had a Harley; my Ultra Limited is parked beside the F3 but I would NEVER go back to a TriGlide.

 

[Supercrawler]

I have a friend who has the HD trike for some time I believe its 2014 model.
he burned right thigh finally traded and got 2020 spyder rtl and never regretted he said.

 

[BajaRon]

I believe that's why the Spyder I have now came to be available. A Colorado woman owned it and rode it not much over 600 miles and apparently traded it in on an HD trike. Supposedly her hubby was an HD rider. Anyway, the guy I bought it from in Bremerton, WA got it from the HD dealer in CO who he said was a friend and sold this guy, a Triumph dealer, about 12 bikes, the Spyder being one of them. I got the impression the HD dealer didn't want non-HD stuff cluttering up his lot! The title had the HD dealer name in the chain of transfers.

I know of a couple who, having ridden HD's with a group of friends for years, got a Spyder and loved it. But ended up trading it in on a Tri-Glide that they didn't like nearly as much, simply because of the grief they were receiving from their friends for riding a non-HD machine. Very sad.

 

[AZCanAm]

Yes "herd mentality" in general is out of control here in America.The Reds hate the Blues and visa-versa. There does not seem to be any middle ground anymore.

There are some very nice HD riders, but a lot of them seem to hate on you more than they do cars. This despite the fact we all are without cages.

 

[ARtraveler]

I have met nice HD and BMW people, and I have met the outlaw and snob version of the HD crowd, as well as the snob version of the BMW crowd. They seem to be quite prevalent among those brands. Crotch rocket types are pretty much on their own and keep to themselves, so not much interaction there. :bowdown: :bowdown:

Bottom line, no matter what we ride, we always run into 98% of great people--regardless--of the brand they are riding. In my riding years, I have had EVERY brand of rice burner, and every model of Can Am Spyder--no Ryker. No HD, BEEMER, Italian, or any crotch rocket. :bowdown:

UNHIJACK: Back to the subject..."I test drove a HD Triglide." :yes:

 

[Saluda]

Herd mentality usually equals little or no intelligence.

 

[crossbowme]

Well, I can see this thread is all over the place. In an effort to bring the subject back to HD Tri-Glide. When I was trying to make up my mind about buying a tricycle type rig I test drove a few brands to include conversions, HD, Slingshot, Spyder, etc. I test drove the Spyder first and was shocked when I drove some of the others. I drove a dealer's Tri-Glide around his prepared course on his property. It wasn't much of a course and it was slow. At the end of the course is a bump where the concrete converts to asphalt. My Sea to Sky went over it without any effort. However, when I drove the HD over it (it has a solid rear axle) the machine slammed it's way thru that spot. Went back and did it again faster/slower, same thing. I was really surprised that an expensive machine such as the Tri-Glide handled so poorly in this situation. Didn't drive it on the road.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

My brother had a Tri-Glide for a couple of years. Said it was hard to steer around corners, that it wanted keep going straight. He sold it and bought a Ford Mustang! Ater a couple of years he traded it for an Escape and not too much later, last year, bought a used 2020 RTL. That, he is happy with!

 

[trikermutha]

I could handle the steering but the heat,crappy parts and the straight axle beat me up. So the Spyder came into my life :thumbup:

 

[Cobwebs]

I could never understand why HD persisted with these old rickshaws yet dumped finely crafted bikes like the V Rod. The sales figures on them must be abysmal, they are overpriced to the max and dangerous if ridden with any sort of enthusiasm.
The only one I ever recall seeing sitting at my local dealer was covered in dust and treated as an oddity to snicker at as you walked past it, in fact I remember feeling embarassed to be associated with the brand every time I saw the thing.:banghead:
Surely a relic of the past that should be put out to pasture.

 

[CapnPete]

I had a 2011 Tri and now have 2017 F3-T and find that it's really more of an apple/orange comparison that it would seem.


Things I like about Spyder:
PRICE
Integrated reverse and parking brake
Overall handling- but I have the sway bar, Vredestein/General tire and M2 Shocks upgrade
Stopping distance. I really doubt anything on the road can stop faster
Smoother engine

Don't like about Spyder
All the plastic to remove to do any maintenance
Sketchy dealer network
Overall complexity of machine
Mine did not have LED lights

The power steering is both good and bad. I wish you could adjust the sensitivity



Things I like about Tri
Styling. I just think they are prettier
Dealer network. If you breakdown in Osage Arkansas there is a HD dealer close and they will know how to fix it (even if they don't want to)
Low end torque
The social aspect of being a HD rider

Things I don't like about Tri
PRICE
Mickey Mouse reverse/parking brake
engine heat- jeez. Did burn my leg a couple of times too


I really never noticed the heavier turn force or rough ride.
Also I think that in a shoot out the Spyder could out corner the Tri but they can handle more than you might think.
Also my Tri would back up hill easily but you had to know how to do it- leave motor running for a start

Anyway, that's one guy's thoughts

 

[pauly1]

First, I am a HOG Life Member, so not out to bash the MoCo. We had money down to reserve the new 2009 Triglide without seeing, much less ridden, the machine. We were able to test ride the Triglide in 2008 at the 105th celebration in Milwaukee. The solid rear axle (actually installed by Lehman in Spearfish, SD) was so harsh on the street's of Milwaukee, not at all the ride as we were accustomed on our Electra Glide Ultra. The harshness in the ride was the side-to-side movement as a result of the solid axle: it does have verticle travel but not independent side-to-side suspension movement. The H-D Fit and Finish has always been superior to the Spyder. Accessories, especially a few years ago, were much more plentiful for the H-D. I do believe the Spyder reverse trike to be a more safe configuration and inherently more stable than any conventional trike: that's why we currently own multiple Spyders.

 

[PW2013STL]

Just rode today with a group of spyders and one tri glide. He was in front of me and looked like he was getting beaten up due to the solid axle. I have always liked HD paint as I think they do the best factory paint, but sadly he also turned to sharply leaving a gas pump and scraped his right rear fender up. Hard to see the back fenders. That's what I like about the Spyder - you can easily see the widest parts (front fenders) and avoid hitting them.

 

[Olddude39]

The clunky transmission must be a trike issue. My 2014 Electra Glide LTD was the easiest to find neutral motorcycle I have ever owned in my 55 years of riding. I've owned BMW's, Honda's, Kawasaki's, etc. The tranny was not really clunky except for neutral to 1st. However, at 83 years of age the 915 lbs was too much to handle in most non-moving situations. Traded it for a 2021 RTL which I thoroughly enjoy, although I do somewhat miss some aspects of 2 wheels only riding. I've never ridden the trike and after reading your post and the comments a good friend shared I wont bother. My friend's comments were in agreement with yours. Thanks for a good post.

 

[Raven]

There was a report on here that people were getting hurt on the TriGlide.
Something to due with the brakes and traction control acting up on the highway.