The search for perfection!

[Siara]

Hi everyone,

I couldn't find an introduction forum so I decided to post this over here. Feel free to call me Siara, I'm a 26-year old 'girl' from Belgium. I currently drive a BMW F800GT which is kind of brand 'sparkling' new thus starts my shame trip. I've previously ridden a whole bunch of Kawasaki's which I still love to death but I felt I needed a change so I sold those to get my Beemer.

The stupidity here is that I actually wanted to buy a Spyder first instead of the Beemer but the fact that there are so much negatives connected to buying one here I decided not to and I can honestly say I already regret it even though I know it wouldn't be a smart move. To be honest I can't find a single logic reason why I should switch from my two-wheeler to a spyder but my heart cries out for one. I do have CVS/ME but I'm not at that point in time yet where I can't drive a two-wheeler anymore. Pfff...you can understand I'm quite frustrated with myself!

Could you guys and girls perhaps comfort me by sharing your experiences on the matter? I'm calling the closest dealer for a test drive by the end of this week to check when they have an opening. I already went there once to check out their models and if I do make the leap it will probably be one of the ST models. The first time I crawled on the basic ST-model of 2013 I felt so happy it made my heart skip a bit. This might sound stupid but I loved it from the first moment I crawled on it. My partner in crime however who also rides a Beemer thinks I'm nuts for liking the spyders since 'they're too expensive for what they are.'

:ani29: How is the fuel economy on these beauties on average?

:ani29: Can you also use them for commuting to work or are they better off being used for fun roadtrips?

:ani29: If you had to pick 'options' on these beauties, which one couldn't you live without? (For example: heated handgrips, side bags, ...)

:ani29: Could I drive one of these for like 'eternity' if I don't replace them? Life span of atleast 6 years?

:ani29: Will I be able to keep up with my partner in crime on a two-wheeler?

Also please share your beauties with me I love seeing pictures of Spyders so feel free to also let me know why you chose to ride one!

 

[btcherm]

Hi I 69 years old and I went from two wheel to the :spyder2: I fell in love with it when I first saw it , it was the way for me to go.after having open Heart surgery twice ,shoulder surgery,knees surgery on both knees It was getting so hard to hold two wheel up. and I love to ride so the :spyder2: was the way to go ,I don't regret it for one moment.
I get about 32mi. per gallon on my bike.

try it you'll love it......:2thumbs::chat:hyea::firstplace:

 

[Siara]

Hey btcherm,

Thanks for your input! I'll be sure to try it out once they get a demo model ST in again. They currently sold the demo model so I have to wait for the next one to come in before I can take it out for a ride.

Your ride looks absolutely beautiful ride it and be proud, I wouldn't mind being seen on that one at all.

 

[OJ UK]

Welcome Siara!!

I'm in the UK and have an RS-S.... That one!
I sold my last bike a couple of weeks ago. It was a R1150R.... This one!

I too am no longer able to safely ride on two wheels (bad back and 'unreliable' right foot!) so the Spyder was
an attractive choice for me. It will happily keep up with all but the fastest BMW riders!
Of course you can't drive between lines of cars but neither will it fall over!
I get around 6-7litres/100km, so not very economical but acceptable.
It's nothing like a motorcycle to drive and you need 1000km to really get used to it. Then it's great FUN!!
I have ridden at well over 160kph and the Spyder is stable....the max speed is restricted to around 200kph.
I would happily commute on mine (if I still worked), car drivers seem very polite when confronted by a Spyder!
I would think that they would be even more polite to a lady on a Spyder!
Options: I have the sportier model so no heated grips or BMW-like nice toys but I have colour-matched BRP side bags (Not me!)
and a Corbin seat plus a higher MRA screen, made in Germany. It's nice to be able to ride with no helmet in town
in the summer when it's hot and sunny.
Life span.....If you look after your Spyder there's no reason why it shouldn't last more than 10 years.

Oh! Congratulations on your very excellent English!

 

[03hdjill]

I love my ST Limited. Has "all of the options" and is very comfortable to ride. My last bike was a Harley Davidson Electraglide. I have no problem keeping up with other bikes. When you test drive, go out for the day. I fell in love after a couple of hours on the Spyder, came back to the dealership and bought one.

 

[Highwayman2013]

My wife always wanted to ride her own bike and after I test rode one in 2012 I told her about it. Well after her test ride in the dealer's parking lot she was hooked. Got the bike after thanksgiving that year and she got her license in the spring of 2013. Two months later we were off on a 1200 mile road trip to West Virginia. Fuel mileage is high 20's to low 30's for us. About 140 miles before the fuel light comes on. On the keeping up with a two wheeler this can be done with some small mods like a heavier sway bar. I am considering getting a Spyder when my wife's gets paid off later this year. The Spyders are very good machines and should last just fine with regular maintenance. So far my wife has 8900 miles on her bike and loves it. I am 57 and my wife is 49 and we have given up on a lot of the peer pressure stuff. Get what YOU want. I don't see why a spyder wouldn't be great for commuting. Good luck on your choice and WELCOME.

 

[warp10]

Welcome, :clap: Now if comfort or mileage is at the top of your list, be sure to check out the new 2014 RT. Had a 2012 RT and have to say that the bigger engine, 6 speed transmission, better suspension make for a great ride, a step above the previous years. You have to get the 2014 RT to get the bigger motor and 6 speed. I am getting around 35-37 mpg on my 2014 RT Limited.

Good luck with your shopping. hyea:

 

[Siara]

@OJ UK: Thank you for the input I enjoyed reading it. Glad my English is more than acceptable and nice to know there are people from all over the globe present here. 6-7liters/100km on the fuel department is indeed not very economical seeing I get about 4,5 on my two-wheeler at the moment and around 5 on my old car. That's indeed something to consider when purchasing one. The RS-S is beautiful and was my initial choice after browsing the web but in real life the ST seemed to suit me better. I still think they're gorgeous and look quite able with the side bags attached as well. Did it take long for you to transition from those two-wheels to the current three?

@03hdjill: I believe the dealership will let me lend the spyder for about 2 to 3 hours so I should get a picture of the general handling by then. Off course adjusting will probably take longer so I am keeping that in mind as well.

@Highwayman2013: Thank you for the warm welcome! I am most certainly going to get what I want (I'm stubborn like that) but my partner is not amused seeing I just recently bought the Beemer (including loan). I'll most certainly have to sell the Beemer first before I can afford a Spyder of any kind and he hates to deal with all that hassle. He also thinks it's stupid to trade in my beautiful top-of-the-line two-wheeler for such an expensive toy with less options that the current and more expensive gas mileage. I'm sure he's right but I'm one of those free spirits that follow their hearts instead of their common sense, haha~

@warp10: Thank you! Glad to be here. I've heard that the 2014 editions have better gas mileage but I'm probably going to be able to get a better deal on the 2013 editions over here right now. Such tough decisions. First I'm going to be sure to take a ride on one and see just how much I enjoy it~

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Siara!
:welcome:
These bikes will open up new Worlds to you! :thumbup:
But; they don't feel like bikes! :shocked:
Since they corner "flat"; the ride is more closely related to that of an ATV, or a snowmobile... if that helps!

 

[Luvs2Ride]

WELCOME...

I spotted a Spyder at a motorcycle Rally in Lake George NY four years ago and was intrigued! I was riding a Yamaha V-Star Silverado 1100 and loved it... but... starting to feel heavy.

I test drove a :ani29: and that was it... I was "bitten". We eventually sold our 2-wheelers and bought a 2012 Magnesium Metallic RTS-SE5 planning to ride two-up. However, I wasn't happy as a full-time passenger and the leg room didn't fit my husband... so he bought a beautiful HD Tri-Glide and I inherited the :f_spider:. :clap:

I have never regretted making the switch from 2-wheels... love my Spyder! Gas mileage - around 30... can't speak to keeping up with 2-wheelers since we usually ride as a 'group' of two bikes. I haven't added pictures to the forum yet pps: so I won't try now.

Welcome again...
Gina

 

[PrairieSpyder]

Hi Siara!
:welcome:
These bikes will open up new Worlds to you! :thumbup:
But; they don't feel like bikes! :shocked:
Since they corner "flat"; the ride is more closely related to that of an ATV, or a snowmobile... if that helps!

:agree:

In curves you may have to shift on the seat and lean your upper body to the inside. But once you get the hang of it, it's easy.

OJ UK - I was initially surprised by you comment about Siara's English skill. Of course, it's excellent. But we Americans presume that everyone speaks English! pps:

 

[xinu]

Hi everyone,

....I currently drive a BMW F800GT which is kind of brand 'sparkling' new thus starts my shame trip. I
:ani29: If you had to pick 'options' on these beauties, which one couldn't you live without? (For example: heated handgrips, side bags, ...)

....
:ani29: Will I be able to keep up with my partner in crime on a two-wheeler?

Hi Siara - You have the bike that I would own if I wasn't mostly riding 2 up. I think you made an excellent 2 wheel choice. My must have Spyder options are a windshield and passenger back rest. The Spyder will have no problem keeping up with your 2 wheel friends.

 

[Siara]

Thank you everyone for your great input! I am enjoying your feedback so very much.

I do love my current ride whom I dubbed 'The White Knight' but the Beemer just feels wrong. I don't enjoy it as much as I thought I would since BMW is such a high-rated brand. Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely a perfect machine. I can't find a single flaw and it rides like a charm but I'm feeling more and more confident that it's not meant to be for me.

I've never ridden an ATV or snowmobile either so I can't compare. I'm totally excited to try one out. It's going to be a long week before I can call. *sigh*

Be sure to keep the personal experiences coming!

As for the languages Belgians pretty much have to suck it up and study since in our country we have to be able to speak Dutch, French and German as our native language and if possible add some English and Spanish to the mix. Education here is very language oriented in general which comes in handy on forums like these~

By the way, is there any difference between the 2013 and the 2014 model of the Spyder ST?

 

[Chupaca]

Welcome..!!

This is an amazing site for everything spyder, but unfortunstely not for the shopper. Sorry you saw the site before the test ryde or you could have seen it in a different light. Sold my goldwing and all things motorcycle pior to moving here and resigned myself to being bikeless. My wife bought me the RS and I had only seen one on a commercial. Never test rode one or sat on one. Joined this place two months later. What you see here as to negative aspects is but a drop in the bucket compared to the positive. If you ask for positive feedback you will get tons. She could not have made a better decision, I would not trade back for anything out there.

I ryde most everyday which could be considered commuting..:roflblack:. We have the advantage of being able to ryde all year so we have put a lot of miles on our roadster. On average we get 33 mpg but with as low as 27 and as high as 40 mpg so not great but decent. I ryde with quite a few others and have seen 2008 models with close to 70,000 miles on them and are going strong. They have not been around that long but I see them lasting a lot longer.

As for what to add it will come down to choices. I am old school and have no luxury added just safey and performance. You will see here all that is available and our sponsirs have them all. As for keeping up, you will have no problem. Granted there will be those faster but for fun and pleasure you will kerp up with the best. The add safety feature will keep you on the road at all times.

The test ryde will answer all your questions. When you do decide to join us on the open road or around town you will not regret it...:thumbup:

 

[Netminder]

I have a 2012 RT LTD and a I love it. I have rode 2 wheelers in the past, but when my wife and I saw the Spyder we fell in love. The ride is very different from a 2 wheeler, the main thing to realize is you need to relax your grip when riding. This will make the world of difference. My wife would not ride on a two wheeler and she feels very safe on the Spyder, me well I just love knowing I won't drop my very expensive toy! As with all my vehicles I will drive it until it no longer runs, hopefully a while. It is best that you try one out, maybe even rent one to make sure it is a good fit for you! They are not for everyone, but everyone can ride one, which makes for a great bunch of people who do ride them. There is lesser us mentality with Spyderlovers, they tend to be a very welcoming bunch! Good luck and have fun riding no matter what bike you stick with!:thumbup::thumbup:As for negative posts, I think they are just as important as positive ones, to allow for us to do further research an make an informative decision. That being said, as mentioned above, there will always be more negative posts on a forum (people looking for answers to their issues), as the people with positive posts are too busy riding?

 

[Siara]

Thank you for the replies everyone, I'm learning so much here.

I'm a little worried about all the issues I've been reading here such as overheating issues and even things catching on fire. I'm scared to death about those happening because Murphy (Murphy's Law) absolutely loves me...

Do you guys have any heating issues? The dealer assured me that the models here in Belgium have no such issues but off course he might just be trying to sell. He seemed like an honest enough guy but I never trust someone completely. Dealers in Belgium have also never heard about that laser alignment system thingy I keep reading about over here. What exactly is that anyway? o__o

I'm aware that any vehicle can have issues but can-am seems to have had trouble with fire-igniting issues more than once and not just on their spyders...I really don't want to see a € 20,000 or up vehicle go up into flames...

 

[PW2013STL]

:welcome:

Siara,

The major difference in the 2014 ST compaired to the 2013 is the new vented side panels. The 2013 ST's tend to be hot when riding and CanAm adressed this with an software update (recall for the 2013) and these vended panels. We really liked our 2013 ST-L (in my picture) and averaged about 32 MPG.

This year we made the trade for a 2014 RT-L with matching RT622 Trailer as I sold my Harley are only using the Spyder. Fuel mileage is nice, but that has never been the reason I have purchased any motorcycle or Spyder.

Good luck on your decision and your course of action.

 

[hook86]

Siara,

Thank you for the replies everyone, I'm learning so much here.

I'm a little worried about all the issues I've been reading here such as overheating issues and even things catching on fire. I'm scared to death about those happening because Murphy (Murphy's Law) absolutely loves me...

Do you guys have any heating issues? The dealer assured me that the models here in Belgium have no such issues but off course he might just be trying to sell. He seemed like an honest enough guy but I never trust someone completely. Dealers in Belgium have also never heard about that laser alignment system thingy I keep reading about over here. What exactly is that anyway? o__o

I'm aware that any vehicle can have issues but can-am seems to have had trouble with fire-igniting issues more than once and not just on their spyders...I really don't want to see a € 20,000 or up vehicle go up into flames...

I have a 2012 RT-S SE-5 Ride alot two up an go about 220 km's on a tank full. It is a bit different to ride the your bike , but a light touch on the handlebars will help. You have to steer these unlike the bike. You will enjoy it trust me on that. vI lost my right arm but still ride an have a 1977 Honamatic 750a that i changed the throttle over to the left bar an still ride it. The one thing you will have to get use to if an when you buy it is all the questions that you will get asked when you stop anywhere. As for keeping up you can with a little bit more work but you will never have to worry about dropping your Spyder unlike a bike. :yes:

 

[eddieshep999]

Hi Siara

Nice to hear from a European Neighbour

I went from a BMW K100LT to my Spyder RT-S In Dec 2010

I have been to Scotland once and Germany Twice passing through Belgium both times In fact I stayed at a Youth Hostel in the Centre of Liege

Everyone is so friendly and I am planning to return In Aug this year and hope to stay in the same Youth Hostel whilst on my way to Germany again

Not sure if you are aware of a Spyder Club in Belgium - I came across this

http://spydertv.net/en/spyder-club-belgium/

Going to the Spyder was the best move I made I can ride all day in Safety and in Comfort

If you get a chance go for a test ride and try the different models RS ST and RT
I am sure you will find one you like

Best of luck

Eddie

 

[ARtraveler]

:welcome: Most of the above posts cover pretty much everything that I could say in answer to your questions.

I have owned four :ani29:'s so far and soon #5. All have been great and I would not hesitate recommending the brand to others.